THE INTERIOR CASTLE

OR

THE MANSIONS

By

St. Teresa of Avila

Translated from the Autograph of St. Teresa of Jesus by

The Benedictines of Stanbrook

Revised, with Notes and an Introduction, by the

Very Rev. Fr. Benedict Zimmerman, O.C.D.

PRIOR

Third Edition with Additional Notes

Thomas Baker, London

[1921]

Nihil Obstat:

Dom Michael Barrett, O.S.B.

Censor Deputatuus

Imprimatur:

✠ Edward

Apostolic Administrator

Birmingham, Oscott.

February 24, 1921

DEDICATED TO

The Martyred Daughters of St. Teresa,

The Blessed Martyrs of Compiegne, France,

by the Descendants of Their Fellow Prisoners.

Stanbrook Abbey

Day of the Beatification

May 27, 1906

_________________________________________________________________

NOTE

IN this new edition the wording has been revised I and condensed, chiefly

with a view to rendering the translation more pregnant. Only one passage

(VI. Mansion, ch. v. r 3) has been substantially changed, in conformity with

an explanation received from a high authority. It is admittedly a very

difficult passage which appears to have been misunderstood by nearly all

translators; but it is gratifying to notice that the new French translation

by the Carmelite nuns of Anderlecht agrees with our interpretation. The

editor is under an obligation to that translation for several interesting

facts embodied in the Introduction and in the notes to the text.

B. Z.

WINCANTON

December 25. 1911

_________________________________________________________________

THE

INTERIOR CASTLE

OR

THE MANSIONS

The Benedictines of Stanbrook desire to express their gratitude to the very

Rev. Benedict Zimmerman for having kindly revised the translation of the

‘Interior Castle’ and also for the Introduction, Notes, and Index which he

has added to the book.

INTRODUCTION

SAINT TERESA began to write the Interior Castle on June 2, 1577, Trinity

Sunday, and completed it on the eve of St. Andrew, November 29, of the same

year. But there was a long interruption of five months, [1] so that the

actual time spent in the composition of this work was reduced to about four

weeksâ€"a fortnight for the first, and another fortnight for the second half

of the book. The rapidity with which it was written is easily explained by

the fact that the Saint had conceived its plan some time previously. On

January 17, 1577, she had written to her brother, Don Lorenzo de Cepeda, at

Avila: ‘I have asked the bishopâ€"Don Alvaro Mendozaâ€"for my book (the Life)

because I shall perhaps complete it by adding those new favours our Lord has

lately granted me. With these one may even compose a new work of

considerable size, provided God grants me the grace of explaining myself;

otherwise the loss will be of small account.’ [2] She never asked for

permission to write anything, but waited until she received a command from

her superiors, which, in this case, came from Father Jerome Gracian,

superior of the Discalced J. Carmelites of the Provinces of Andalusia and

Castille, and from Don Alonso Velasquez, canon of Toledo, afterwards bishop

of Osma. [3] The Saint was not in good health at the time; she repeatedly

complains of noises in the head and other infirmities, but, worst of all,

she was weighed down by troubles and anxieties resulting from the action of

the superiors of the Order and of the Papal Nuncio against the nuns and

friars of the Reform. Matters became even more serious when, in October, the

nuns of the Incarnation of Avila proceeded to the election of a new

prioress. Notwithstanding the prohibition of the provincial, fifty-five

electors recorded their votes in favour of the Saint and were immediately

declared excommunicated. The whole work of the Reform seemed on the brink of

ruin, the Saint, as well as all her friends, was in disgrace, subject to

obloquy and ill-treatment.

No trace of these trials is to be found in the Interior Castle. Saint Teresa

possessed the power of concentration of thought in a marvellous degree. The

early mornings and late evenings were devoted to the composition of the

book, while the rest of the day was taken up by the affairs of the Order.

Mother Mary of the Nativity, a member of the community of Toledo, where the

book was begun, declared afterwards, [4] that she often saw her writing,

generally after Holy Communion, her face resplendent, with such rapidity and

so absorbed in her occupation that she seemed undisturbed by, and in fact

quite unconscious of, any noise that was made. Mother Mariana of the Angels

[5] reports having heard from the same witness, that entering her cell one

day to deliver a message, the holy Mother was just beginning a new sheet of

her book. While taking off her spectacles to listen to the message she was

seized by a trance in which she remained for several hours. The nun,

terrified at this, did not stir, but kept her eyes steadily on the Saint.

When she came to, it was seen that the paper, previously blank, was covered

with writing. Noticing that her visitor had discovered it, Saint Teresa put

the paper quietly in the box. Another nun, Mary of St. Francis, left the

following declaration: ‘I know that our holy Mother wrote four books, the

Life, the Way of Perfection, the Foundations, and the Mansions, which I have

seen her writing. Once, while she was composing the last-named work, I

entered to deliver a message, and found her so absorbed that she did not

notice me; her face seemed quite illuminated and most beautiful. After

having listened to me she said: “Sit down, my child, and let me write what

rapidity and without stopping.’ [6]

Mary of St. Joseph says she heard from Mary of the Nativity that Father

Jerome Gracian commanded the Saint to write the Mansions; she, however,

begged to be excused, because so many books having been written by holy and

learned men, there remained nothing for a woman to write. At length she

yielded under obedience. This nun (Mary of the Nativity) was frequently in

the Saint’s cell while she was writing and she noticed her resplendent face

and the almost preternatural velocity with which her hand travelled over the

paper. [7]

Writing to Mother Mary of St. Joseph, Prioress of Seville, November 8, 1581,

St. Teresa gives her a message for Father Rodrigo Alvarez, S. J.: ‘Our

Father (Jerome Gracian, then provincial) tells me that he has handed you a

book written by me, which perhaps you do not feel inclined to read yourself.

Kindly read to Father Rodrigo Alvarez, at his next visit, the last Mansion,

but under the seal of confession, as he asks this in his superior wisdom.

This is only for you two. Tell him that the person he knows has arrived at

this Mansion and enjoys the peace there described; that she is entirely at

rest, and that some grave theologians have assured her that she is on a safe

road. In case you could not read these pages to him do not send him the

book, for it might lead to unpleasantness. Until I have his answer on this

matter I will not write to him. Give him my compliments.’

At the end of the original manuscript, before the epilogue (marked with

Ihs.) there is a notice in Father Alvarez’ hand-writing to this effect: ‘The

Mother Prioress of the convent of Seville has read to me this seventh

Mansion, whither a soul may arrive in the present life. Let all the saints

praise the infinite goodness of God, Who communicates Himself to His

creatures so that they truly seek His glory and the salvation of their

neighbour. What I feel and judge of this matter is, that everything that has

been read to me is conformable to Catholic truth and in accordance with Holy

Scripture and the teaching of the Saints. Whosoever has read the doctrine of

the Saints, such as the books of St. Gertrude, St. Catharine of Siena, or

St. Bridget of Sweden, and other saints and spiritual writers, will clearly

understand that the spirit of Mother Tireza (sic) of Jesus is true, since it

leads to the same effects as are to be found in the saints; and because this

is in truth my judgment and opinion, I have hereunto set my name, this, the

22nd day of February, 1582. P. Rodrigo Alvarez.’ [8]

The work was copied, probably under the supervision of the Saint, who

introduced many changes; when completed the original was handed to Father

Jerome Gracian and to the Dominican, Fray Diego de Yanguas, for approval.

Both, particularly the former, made numerous corrections, which Fuente, not

without reason, calls impertinent, scratching out whole sentences and adding

others. The book thus revised must have enjoyed a certain celebrity, though

not to the same extent as the Life, to which St. Teresa herself preferred

it. Scarcely a week after its completion she wrote to Father Salazar, S.J.:

‘If Señor Carillo [Salazar himself] came, the person in question [the Saint]

thinks he would find another jewel which in her opinion is superior to the

former [the Life]. This one reflects nothing foreign to itself, but is

resplendent in its own beauty. It is enriched with more delicate enamels

than the former, the workmanship, too, is more perfect. For, as the person

in question says, the jeweller was less experienced when he fashioned the

previous one. Moreover, the gold of the new one is of better quality than

that of the former, though the precious stones are not so well set. It has

been done, as might be expected, according to the designs of the Jeweller

Himself.’ [9] Later on she wrote to Father Jerome Gracian: The book I have

written since seems to me superior [to the Life]; at least I had more

experience when I wrote it.’ [10]

One day, speaking with Mother Mary of Jesus on spiritual matters, she said

that our Lord had communicated so much to her since she had reached what she

described in the seventh Mansion,â€"the spiritual Marriage,â€"that she did not

consider it possible to advance further in this life, in the way of prayer,

nor even to wish to do so. [11]

The book was eagerly read by those who were able to obtain copies. At the

archiepiscopal Seminary at Salamanca it was read publicly after dinner; the

students, contrary to custom, sacrificing the recreation rather than miss so

edifying an instruction. The result was that several entered the religious

life, one becoming a Franciscan, two others, who had already taken their

degrees, joining the Discalced Carmelites. [12] We also know of a lady who

became a Poor Clare through reading the Interior Castle. [13] The process

of Beatification contains the following evidence of Don Francisco de Mora,

architect to Philip III: ‘The same prioress (of aconvent of Dominican nuns)

being concerned about my salvation gave me a book in manuscript, called The

Mansions, by Mother Teresa, hoping I should derive some benefit from it. I

fear this was not the case, but it made me acquainted with Teresa of Jesus,

the foundress of the Discalced Carmelite nuns, of whom I had not yet heard,

but for whom I now felt devotion.’ [14]

In August 1586 it was decided to print Saint Teresa’s works, the Augustinian

Fray Luis de Leon being selected as editor, as he was unconcerned in the

quarrels raging round the Reform. Accordingly, the manuscript of the

Interior Castle was handed to him. On the first leaf he wrote the following

note:

’Many passages of this book written by the holy Mother have been scored

through, other words being substituted or notes being added in the margin.

Most of these corrections are badly done, the original text being much

better. It will be noticed that the holy Mother’s sentences are superior and

agree with the context, which is not the case with the corrections. These

improvements and glosses may therefore be dispensed with. Having myself read

and considered everything with great care, it appears to me that the reader,

too, should have before him the words of the author who knew best what to

say; for this reason I have left out the additions, and have restored what

has been changed, excepting only a few corrections made by the writer

herself. I beg of the reader that he would in charity reverence the words

and even the letters traced by so holy a hand, and strive to understand what

has been written. He will then see that there was no need for corrections;

should he fail to understand her, let him believe that the writer knew what

she said, and that her words cannot be tampered with if they are not to lose

their meaning; otherwise what was to the point will seem out of place. This

is how books become corrupted, useless, and are finally lost.’ [15]

When Luis de Leon undertook the editing of St. Teresa’s writings he received

a long letter from Don Diego de Yepes, afterwards Bishop of Tarazona, a

former friend and confessor of the Saint, in which he records his personal

recollections. I shall only insert here what he says about the Interior

Castle:

’This holy Mother desired to see the beauty of a soul in the state of grace,

a thing greatly to be coveted both for the sake of seeing and of possessing

it. While this desire lasted, she was commanded to write a treatise on

prayer, of which she had much personal experience. On the eve of the Blessed

Trinity, while considering what subject to choose for this treatise, God,

Who disposes everything in due season, fulfilled her wish and furnished a

suitable subject. He showed her a most beautiful globe of crystal, in the

shape of a castle, with seven rooms, the seventh, situated in the centre,

being occupied by the King of glory, resplendent with the most exquisite

brilliancy, which shone through and adorned the remaining rooms. The nearer

these lay to the centre, the more did they partake of that wondrous light.

It did not, however, penetrate beyond the crystal, for everything round

about was a mass of darkness and impurity, full of toads and vipers and

other venomous animals.

She was still admiring this beauty which, by the grace of God dwells in the

soul, when, to! the light suddenly disappeared, and the crystal, wherein the

King of glory was still residing, became opaque and as dark as coal,

emitting an intolerable odour; the venomous animals, formerly held in check

outside, obtained admittance into the castle. The holy Mother wished that

every one should behold this vision, for she thought that no one having seen

the beauty and splendour of grace, which is forfeited by sin and replaced by

such repulsive misery, would ever dare to offend God.

’She told me this vision on the same day, for in this as well as in other

things she was so communicative that on the following morning she said to

me: “How I forgot myself yesterday! I cannot think how it could have

happened. Those high aspirations of mine, and the affection I have for you

must have caused me to go beyond all reasonable limits. God grant I may have

during her lifetime, but since her death I should like to make it known to

all men. From this vision she learnt four important matters.

’First, she came to understand this axiom, which in this form she had never

heard of in her life, [16] that God is present in all things by His

essence, presence, and power. As she was deeply humble and submissive and

obedient to the doctrine of the Church and the teaching of the learned

ministers of God, she never rested until her revelations had been approved

of by her superiors and by theologians, and were shown to be conformable to

Holy Scripture. She went so far as to say that if all the angels of heaven

said one thing, and her superiors another, though she could not doubt that

the former were true angels, yet she would hold what was told her by her

superiors, because faith comes through these and there remains no room for

deceit, whereas revelations coming from angels might be illusionary.

’With such regard for obedience, she asked me one day at Toledoâ€"probably at

the time when she saw the vision of the Castleâ€"whether it was true that God

was in all things by His power, presence, and essence, to which I replied in

the affirmative, explaining it as best I could on the authority of St. Paul,

particularly where he says “the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be

I was quite astonished. Though in a way it seemed to me a kind of curiosity,

I could not help thinking there was some mystery about it, for she said:

’Secondly, she was greatly surprised at the malice of sin, since,

notwithstanding the presence of God in these various ways, it prevents the

soul from partaking of that powerful light.

’Thirdly, she derived such humility and self-knowledge from this vision,

that from that moment she never thought of herself in all the good she was

doing; for she learnt that all the beauty of the soul emanates from that

resplendent light, and that the powers of the soul and of the body are

enlivened and strengthened by the Power established in the centre, whence

comes all our good, so that we have but a small share in our good works. All

the good she did, she from this moment referred to God as its principal

author.

’Fourthly, she derived from it the subject of the book she was ordered to

write on prayer, comparing the seven rooms of the Castle with as many

degrees of prayer, whereby we enter within ourselves and draw nearer to God.

So that, penetrating to the depths of our soul and gaining perfect

self-knowledge, we reach the seventh room where God Himself dwells, with

Whom we become united by as perfect a union as is possible in the present

life, being made partakers of His light and love.

’I will say no more of this vision and the Mansions, because your Reverence

must by now have seen this admirable book, and must know with what accuracy,

with what majestic doctrine, with what lucid examples she describes the

progress of the soul from the gate to the very centre. It is clearly seen in

this treatise how she communicated with our Lord, and how His Majesty

vouchsafed to place her in the centre and to unite her with Himself, as she

puts it, by the bonds of marriage and an inseparable union.’ [18]

After the publication of the Interior Castle, in 1588 at Salamanca, it

became not only more widely known, but also more and more appreciated.

Francis Suarez, the great theologian of the Society of Jesus, says in his

deposition in the process of Beatification that he had read some of St.

Teresa’s works, particularly the Mansions, which contain an absolutely safe

doctrine and give proof of a wonderful spirit of prayer and contemplation.

[19]

Thomas Hurtado, professor of theology at Seville, speaks as follows:

As often as I read the books of the holy Mother, I admire the wonderful

manner in which God instructed her in mystical theology for the sake of

souls giving themselves truly to familiar intercourse with His divine

Majesty. But where I most regret my inability of expressing in fitting

terms my sentiments towards this excellent teacher is when I look at, and

refresh myself in that Castle with its seven rooms; for there is seen the

effect of infused knowledge such as St. Denis received from St. Hierotheus

[20] and both from St. Paul, and which has been committed to writing in

the famous book of Mystical Theology. Hence comes, as from a

fountain-head, notwithstanding the obscurity (to our manner of thinking)

of its language, the doctrine of the great masters of the spiritual life

such as Hugh of St. Victor, St. Bernard, Ruysbroek, Tauler, Gerson, and

many others whom I pass by.

’Nevertheless, I will boldly say that no one has given us water more

limpid from that Apostolical and Areopagitical well than the holy Mother

Teresa, who, in her books, but chiefly in the Mansions, has cleared up in

simple language the most difficult questions of this divine theology, and

has brought forth light from darkness, as it is written: (He) commanded

light to shine out of darkness.’ [21] Who has ever been able to show as

clearly as our Saint how God takes possession of the soul, how He unites

Himself with its substance, whence comes to the intellect the light of

faith, to the will the ardour of love, and to the senses the jubilation

over His works? No one has ever turned theory into practice in a more

convincing or more catholic manner. The most profound secrets of this

supernatural wisdom are here treated with such ease, so amiably, so

delightfully, they are illustrated by such nice and homely examples, that

instead of awe-inspiring obscurity, we find lovely flowers and the

sweetness of love, through which, as through an avenue, the soul passes

onwards. When God made known His exalted doctrine to St. Dionysius and

other mystical writers, He made use of their own language and pen. But St.

Teresa in the Mansions is like the light of dawn whose rays are not

intercepted by the clouds of this world; like a soft rain from above,

whereby the soul grows and profits by its communications with God. Until

the teaching of this great door became known it seemed as though God were

inaccessible, being surrounded by darkness, through which Moses and some

other persons had to pass when approaching Him; [22] but they neither

explained the manner nor showed the way whereby they came to the enjoyment

of the sweetness of the Spouse. Now, however, this way is clear and patent

to all, having been pointed out in the Mansions, in language so straight

and so methodical, and no longer such as could not be understood, or

required further explanation. In my opinion this holy writer derived not

only the substance of her teaching from infused knowledge, but even the

words with which she explains it.’ [23]

Likewise Don Alvaro de Villegas, canon of Toledo, expressed his opinion that

the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle contain ‘heavenly doctrine.’

The weight of the subject-matter, the propriety of the comparisons, the

force of the expressions, the consistency of the teaching, the sweetness of

her well-chosen, vivid words, the clearness of the arguments, all this

proves that she was guided by her heavenly Spouse, in Whom are hidden the

treasures of the wisdom of God; and that the Holy Ghost, Who more than once

was seen resting on her head like a dove, was dilating these works. Villegas

does not believe that any one could read them, as such books ought to be

read, without becoming himself a master of the spiritual life. For they are

like heavenly dew, rendering the soul fruitful in the matter of prayer. [24]

It would be a mistake to consider the Interior Castle a complete treatise of

mystical theology. Like St. Teresa’s other works, it is intensely personal:

she describes the road by which she has been led, being well aware that

others may be led in a different way. In the heavenly Father’s house there

are many mansions, not only seven, and many paths lead to them. What gives

the work such high value is, that it is the result of a most searching

inquiry into the various phases whereby a soul is gradually transformed into

the likeness of God Himself. Here St. Teresa is always at her best. She

takes nothing for granted, even her own personal experiences are admitted

only after having been fully investigated and found to be consistent one

with the other, and conformable to the teaching of the Church and the words

of Holy Scripture.

Mystical theology is generally divided into three parts, respectively called

the purgative, the illuminative, and the unitive life. In the first, man is

cleansed from sin and habitual imperfection by the use of the sacraments and

by voluntary mortification of the passions. The mind is purified by sedulous

meditation on the last end and on the Life and Passion of Christ, which must

ever be the great model of the Christian. This first portion of the way to

heaven can be covered by the help of the ordinary means of grace, without

any direct and extraordinary intervention of divine power. The second part

differs in many ways from the first. It comprises the passive purification

of the soul and the passive enlightenment of the mind. By sending it keen

interior and exterior trials and sufferings, God completes the cleansing of

the soul in a manner far surpassing any voluntary effort of man. By raising

it to the stage of contemplation He gives it fresh light on the mysteries of

our Redemption. The mind is then no longer compelled to strain the memory,

the reason, and the will, in order to dwell upon the great truths of

religion and to derive some personal benefit therefrom, for these truths are

now more or less permanently before it and fill it with holy thoughts,

sometimes giving it consolation in trouble, at other times striking a

warning note against imperfection. Again, the subtraction of sensible

consolation, and the interior aridity arising therefrom, leave a terrible

blank in the soul, showing it that, without God’s help, it is mere

nothingness. This apparent estrangement from God is the keenest trial that

can befall a soul, but also the most powerful means of cleansing it from the

least, the most subtle imperfections.

Emerging from this state of probation, the soul enters upon the third stage,

in which, though perhaps in the midst of severe suffering and sharp

persecution, it knows itself to be a chosen child of God, to Whom it is

united by perfect conformity of the will. Such phenomena as revelations,

visions, locutions, and even more wonderful manifestations, like the wound

of love, spiritual betrothal and nuptials, are incidental rather than

essential to the second and third stages. Some great contemplatives have

never experienced anything of the kind, while, on the other hand, some of

these occurrences may sometimes have been merely the work of an exuberant

imagination, or even the result of diabolical illusion. They should

therefore never be wished for, or cherished, but rather shunned and ignored,

in as far as that is possible. If they are real and come from God, they will

do their work without the co-operation of the soul. The danger of

self-deception is so great that a person labouring under such phenomena

should offer every resistance, and the spiritual director should exercise

the utmost vigilance. St. Teresa is very eloquent on this point, and

undeceived many would-be contemplatives, while her disciple, St. John of the

Cross, is even more thorough-going in the deprecation of spiritual favours.

Among the numerous marks whereby the trained theologian may discriminate

between real and imaginary phenomena, there is one about which Saint Teresa

speaks with wonderful clearness. If they proceed from hysteria the

imagination alone is active and the higher powers of the soul are torpid;

if, however, they come from God, the intellect and the will are so intensely

active, that the lower powers and even the body lose all strength for the

time being.

It will be noticed that the first two Mansions belong to the purgative life,

the third and fourth to the illuminative, and the remaining three to the

unitive life. Compared with similar works, the treatment of the first stage

must be called meagre. True, in her Life and in the Way of Perfection St.

Teresa has dealt with this subject somewhat more fully. Indeed, the

last-named work was designed as a treatise on Christian Ascetics, dealing

with the purgation of the soul by mortification and the enlightenment of the

mind by meditation. There, too, appears the first idea of the Mansions, [25]

and Fuente remarks that the passage in question may be taken for the

parting of the ways between the two works. However, this is not the only,

nor, indeed, the chief reason why St. Teresa is so reticent about the

preliminary stage of the contemplative life. The fact is that she herself

did not pass through these experiences. By God’s grace she was preserved

from childhood from grievous sin and gross imperfection. Though she never

grows tired of bewailing her faults and unfaithfulness, these avowals must

be taken cum grano salis. While yet a child, she sometimes gave way to

vanity in dress and wasted her time in reading romances. As a young

religious, she was sought after by friends and relatives who took pleasure

in her attractive conversation. This proved further loss of time and caused

distractions. Owing to acute suffering, she for some years left off the

practice of mental prayer, though she faithfully performed all her religious

obligations, as far as her weak state of health allowed. This is all. The

war of the flesh against the spirit, the insubordination of the lower parts

of nature, the fickleness of the will, which so often thwart the most noble

aspirations of a soul, were unknown to her. Under these circumstances, we

cannot be surprised to find her entering upon the journey towards God at a

point which in many cases marks but the closing stage.

As to the remaining parts of this book, it will be seen from the parallel

passages that they cover much the same ground as her Life and the Relations.

With her singular gift of introspection and analysis, the Saint studied her

own case from every point of view, so as to make sure that her extraordinary

experiences were due to no illusion, and offered no obstacle to the safety

of her soul. Although the Interior Castle contains little that we do not

already know from her other works, it is superior to them by reason of its

logical order and the masterly treatment of the most recondite matters of

mystical theology. While ostensibly dealing with general facts, St. Teresa

in reality records her personal experiences. How definite these were, how

little room there remained for the freaks of the imagination, will appear

from the fact that she nearly always repeats the very words she had used in

her Life and in the other reports of her interior progress, although she did

not have these writings before her eyes, nor had she ever seen them since

they first left her hands. Every one of her experiences must have produced a

profound impression to be remembered so minutely after an interval of years.

There is that in the Interior Castle which reminds one of Dante’s Paradiso.

In the one and the other, the soul, purified from earthly dross, is

gradually being invested with new and glorious qualities, and is being led

through regions unknown until it arrives at the very threshold of the throne

of God. Not even the boldest imagination could have designed so wonderful a

picture of a soul adorned with graces at once so varied and so true. In one

case we know, the poet has drawn abundantly from the treasury of the

Angelical Doctor, putting in verse the conclusions of the scholastic

theologian. In the other case we can follow, chapter by chapter, the

influence of the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas. St. Teresa had never

studied it herself, but her directors and confessors were deeply versed in

it and solved her doubts and perplexities on the lines of the greatest of

the school men. The Interior Castle might almost be considered a practical

illustration of certain parts of the Summa theologica, [26] as it describes

the progress of the soul through every stage of perfection. When we have

reached the second chapter of the seventh Mansion, there remains but one

thing: the Beatific Vision, and this is reserved for the next life.

After the publication of the Interior Castle by Luis de Leon, the manuscript

came into the possession of Father Jerome Gracian, who, after having made a

copy of it which is still extant, presented the original, on the occasion of

a visit to the convent of Seville, to Don Pedro Cereso Pardo, a great friend

of the Saint, and a benefactor to the convent. When his only daughter took

the habit there, the precious manuscript was part of her dowry. Doña Juana

de Mendoza, Duchess of Beguiar, a novice in the same convent, had it bound

in silver and precious stones. It is still there, [27] and the present

writer had the privilege of seeing it. It comprises a hundred and thirteen

leaves in folio, but originally there must have been some more leaves which

at a later period were torn out. These, it is presumed, contained the

headings of the chapters. Unlike the Life and the Foundations, the text of

the Castle is divided only by figures, without indication of the contents of

each chapter, but the arguments which have come down to us are so entirely

similar to those of the two works named, that it is impossible to consider

them otherwise than the genuine work of the author. In the present

translation they have been inserted in their proper places.

On the occasion of the ter-centenary of Saint Teresa’s death, a

photo-lithographic edition of the original was published under the direction

of Cardinal Lluch, Carmelite of the old observance, Archbishop of Seville:

El Castillo Ynterior ó Tratado de las Moradas,

escrito por Sta. Teresa de Jesús.

Litografia de Juan Moyano (Seville) 1882.

The present translation, the third in English, [28] has been made directly

from this autograph edition. It has been thought advisable that, as far as

the genius of the language allows it, the wording of the author should be

strictly adhered to, and that not even a shade of her expression should be

sacrificed. For Teresa is not only a saint whose every word is telling, but

she is a classic in her own language who knows how to give expression to her

deepest thoughts. Having compared word for word the translation with the

original, I am in a position to affirm that this programme has been

faithfully carried out. For the foot-notesâ€"with few exceptionsâ€"as well as

for the Index, I am responsible. It seemed to me important to point out all

the parallel passages from the various works of the Saint. Only by this

means can it be seen how consistent Saint Teresa is in all her writings.

[29] It would have been easy to multiply quotations from the works of

other writers on mystical theology. Thus, the influence of the Imitation of

Christ and of the Life of our Lord by Ludolphus the Carthusian can be

distinctly traced in the Interior Castle. Both these works, as well as some

Spanish books, were held in such esteem by St. Teresa, that she ordered the

prioress of each convent to keep them at the disposal of the nuns. As there

is a limit to footnotes, I have contented myself with such references as

seemed to me conducive to the elucidation of the doctrine laid down in this

treatise.

In conclusion I venture to express the hope that this new translation will

be found helpful by those who feel called to a higher life.

BENEDICT ZIMMERMAN,

Prior, O.C.D.

ST. LUKE’S PRIORY,

WINCANTON, SOMERSET.

July, 1, 1905, and December 25, 1911.

_________________________________________________________________

[1] Castle, Mansions v. ch. iv. I.

[2] Letters of St. Teresa, Vol. ii.

[3] The French Carmelite nuns in their new translation, Œuvres complètes de

Sainte Thérèse, t. vi, Introduction, p. 5, quoting the Año Teresiano, t. vii

ad 7 July, and Father Gracian’s Dilucidario, as well as his additions to

Ribera, show the exact share of Fr. Gracian and Dr. Velasquez in the

preliminaries of this work.

[4] Fuente, Obras de Santa Teresa de Jesus. Edit. 1881, Vol. vi, p. 278.

[5] Ibid. p. 178. A somewhat similar incident is reported by Mother Anne of

the Incarnation (Ibid. p. 213), but it appears to be wrongly brought into

connection with the composition of the Castle. The nun in question had

belonged to the convent of St. Joseph at Segovia at an earlier period, but

there is no evidence that St. Teresa visited this place in the course of the

six months during which she composed this work. The Bollandists, indeed,

maintain that it was commenced at Toledo, continued at Segovia and completed

at Avila (n. 1541), but their sole authority for including Segovia is the

passage in question, which, however, must refer to some other work of the

Saint. The sister, passing St. Teresa’s door, saw her writing, her face

being lit up as by a bright light. She wrote very fast without making any

corrections. After an hour, it being about midnight, she ceased and the

light disappeared. The Saint then knelt down and remained in prayer for

three hours, after which she went to sleep.

[6] Fuente, p. 223.

[7] Ibid. p. 255.

[8] Autograph, fol. cx.

[9] December 7, 1577. Letters Vol. II.

[10] Jan. 14, 1580. Letters Vol. IV:

[11] Fuente, Obras. l.c. p. 275.

[12] l.c. p. 217.

[13] Ibid. p. 227.

[14] Fuente, Obras. p. 190.

[15] Autograph. fol. 1.

[16] See Life, ch. xviii. 20. Mansions v. ch. i. 9. The ignorance of the

priest who had told her that God was only present by His grace, made a

lasting impression on St. Teresa. She was first undeceived by a Dominican.

[17] Rom. viii. 18.

[18] Fuente; pp. 131-133.

[19] l.c. 184.

[20] Allusion to the famous Mystical Theology attributed to Dionysius the

Areopagite, and long considered the chief authority on this subject.

[21] 2 Cor. iv. 6.

[22] The example of Moses is scarcely to the point (cf. Exod. xxxiii. 11,

and Num. xii. 7, 8).

[23] Fuente, pp. 330-332.

[24] l.c. p. 334. These testimonies could be easily multiplied.

[25] Way of Perf. ch. xx. 1

[26] S. Theol. 2da 2dæ, qq. 171-184.

[27] Bollandists, Acta, n. 1495. See also Impressions in Spain. By Lady

Herbert. London, 1867, p, 171.

[28] The first translation is to be found in the Works of the Holy Mother

St. Teresa of Jesus (third part). Printed in the year MDCLXXV, pp. 137-286.

It bears the title: The Interiour Castle: or, Mansions. As to the authors of

this translationâ€"Abraham Woodhead and another, whose name is not knownâ€"see

my book Carmel in England, p. 342, note. It is stated there that the third

part, containing the Way of Perfection and the Castle, has no title-page.

This is true with regard to the copy I had before me when writing that book.

The one I have now is more complete. The second translation, by the Rev.

John Dalton, appeared in 1852 and has been repeatedly reprinted. It was

dedicated to Bishop Ullathorne. Of foreign translations it will be

sufficient to mention the one by Cyprien de la Nativité, in Œuvres de la

Sainte Mère Térèse de Jésus, Paris, 1657, and the new one in Œuvres already

mentioned.

[29] The present translation ought to dispose of the reservations expressed

by an able critic in his otherwise valuable appreciation of the works of the

Saint. See Santa Teresa, by the late Alexander Whyte, D.D. London, 1898, p.

32. Criticisms which have appeared in various papers, or have been privately

conveyed, have been gratefully received and acted upon in the second and the

present edition.

_________________________________________________________________

THE INTERIOR CASTLE

OR THE MANSIONS

BY ST. TERESA

IHS

THIS TREATISE, STYLED THE INTERIOR CASTLE, WAS WRITTEN BY TERESA OF JESUS,

NUN OF OUR LADY OF CARMEL, FOR HER SISTERS AND DAUGHTERS, THE DISCALCED

CARMELITE NUNS.

RARELY has obedience laid upon me so difficult a task as this of writing

about prayer; for one reason, because I do not feel that God has given me

either the power or the desire for it, besides which, during the last three

months I have suffered from noises and a great weakness in my head that have

made it painful for me to write even on necessary business. [30]

However, as I know the power obedience has of making things easy which seem

impossible, my will submits with a good grace, although nature seems greatly

distressed, for God has not given me such strength as to bear, without

repugnance, the constant struggle against illness while performing many

different duties. May He, Who has helped me in other more difficult matters,

aid me with His grace in this, for I trust in His mercy. I think I have but

little to say that has not already been put forth in my other works written

under obedience; in fact, I fear this will be but repetition of them. I am

like a parrot which has learnt to talk; only knowing what it has been taught

or has heard, it repeats the same thing over and over again. If God wishes

me to write anything new, He will teach it me, or bring back to my memory

what I have said elsewhere. I should be content even with this, for as I am

very forgetful, I should be glad to be able to recall some of the matters

about which people say I have spoken well, lest they should be altogether

lost. If our Lord will not even grant me this, still, if I weary my brains

and increase my headache by striving to obey, I shall gain in merit, though

my words should be useless to any one. So I begin this work on the Feast of

the Blessed Trinity in the year 1577, in the Convent of St. Joseph of Carmel

at Toledo, where I am living, and I submit all my writings to the judgment

of those learned men by whose commands I undertake them. That it will be the

fault of ignorance, not malice, if I say anything contrary to the doctrine

of the Holy Roman Catholic Church, may be held as certain. By God’s goodness

I am, and always shall be, faithful to the Church, as I have been in the

past. May He be for ever blessed and glorified. Amen.

He who bids me write this, tells me that the nuns of these convents of our

Lady of Carmel need some one to solve their difficulties about prayer: he

thinks that women understand one another’s language best and that my

sisters’ affection for me would make them pay special attention to my words,

therefore it is important for me to explain the subject clearly to them.

Thus I am writing only to my sisters; the idea that any one else could

benefit by what I say would be absurd. Our Lord will be doing me a great

favour if He enables me to help but one of the nuns to praise Him a little

better; His Majesty knows well that I have no other aim. If anything is to

the point, they will understand that it does not originate from me and there

is no reason to attribute it to me, as with my scant understanding and skill

I could write nothing of the sort, unless God, in His mercy, enabled me to

do so.

_________________________________________________________________

[30] ’I am always suffering from my head.’ Letter of June 28, 1577. Letters.

VOL. II.

_________________________________________________________________

THE FIRST MANSIONS

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER I.

THIS CHAPTER TREATS OF THE BEAUTY AND DIGNITY OF OUR SOULS AND MAKES A

COMPARISON TO EXPLAIN THIS. THE ADVANTAGE OF KNOWING AND UNDERSTANDING THIS

AND THE FAVOURS GOD GRANTS TO US IS SHOWN, AND HOW PRAYER IS THE GATE OF THE

SPIRITUAL CASTLE.

1. Plan of this book. 2. The Interior Castle. 3. Our curable self ignorance.

4. God dwells in the centre of the soul. 5. Why all souls do not receive

certain favours. 6. Reasons for speaking of these favours. 7. The entrance

of the Castle. 8. Entering into oneself. 9. Prayer. 10. Those who dwell in

the first mansion. 11. Entering. 12. Difficulties of the subject.

1. WHILE I was begging our Lord to-day to speak for me, since I knew not

what to say nor how to commence this work which obedience has laid upon me,

an idea occurred to me which I will explain, and which will serve as a

foundation for that I am about to write.

2. I thought of the soul as resembling a castle, [31] formed of a single

diamond or a very transparent crystal, [32] and containing many rooms,

just as in heaven there are many mansions. [33] If we reflect, sisters, we

shall see that the soul of the just man is but a paradise, in which, God

tells us, He takes His delight. [34] What, do you imagine, must that

dwelling be in which a King so mighty, so wise, and so pure, containing in

Himself all good, can delight to rest? Nothing can be compared to the great

beauty and capabilities of a soul; however keen our intellects may be, they

are as unable to comprehend them as to comprehend God, for, as He has told

us, He created us in His own image and likeness. [35]

3. As this is so, we need not tire ourselves by trying to realize all the

beauty of this castle, although, being His creature, there is all the

difference between the soul and God that there is between the creature and

the Creator; the fact that it is made in God’s image teaches us how great

are its dignity and loveliness. It is no small misfortune and disgrace that,

through our own fault, we neither understand our nature nor our origin.

Would it not be gross ignorance, my daughters, if, when a man was questioned

about his name, or country, or parents, he could not answer? Stupid as this

would be, it is unspeakably more foolish to care to learn nothing of our

nature except that we possess bodies, and only to realize vaguely that we

have souls, because people say so and it is a doctrine of faith. Rarely do

we reflect upon what gifts our souls may possess, Who dwells within them, or

how extremely precious they are. Therefore we do little to preserve their

beauty; all our care is concentrated on our bodies, which are but the coarse

setting of the diamond, or the outer walls of the castle. [36]

4. Let us imagine, as I said, that there are many rooms in this castle, of

which some are above, some below, others at the side; in the centre, in the

very midst of them all, is the principal chamber in which God and the soul

hold their most secret intercourse. [37] Think over this comparison very

carefully; God grant it may enlighten you about the different kinds of

graces He is pleased to bestow upon the soul. No one can know all about

them, much less a person so ignorant as I am. The knowledge that such things

are possible will console you greatly should our Lord ever grant you any of

these favours; people themselves deprived of them can then at least praise

Him for His great goodness in bestowing them on others. The thought of

heaven and the happiness of the saints does us no harm, but cheers and urges

us to win this joy for ourselves, nor will it injure us to know that during

this exile God can communicate Himself to us loathsome worms; it will rather

make us love Him for such immense goodness and infinite mercy.

5. I feel sure that vexation at thinking that during our life on earth God

can bestow these graces on the souls of others shows a want of humility and

charity for one’s neighbour, for why should we not feel glad at a brother’s

receiving divine favours which do not deprive us of our own share? Should we

not rather rejoice at His Majesty’s thus manifesting His greatness wherever

He chooses? [38] Sometimes our Lord acts thus solely for the sake of

showing His power, as He declared when the Apostles questioned whether the

blind man whom He cured had been suffering for his own or his parents’ sins.

[39] God does not bestow these favours on certain souls because they are

more holy than others who do not receive them, but to manifest His

greatness, as in the case of St. Paul and St. Mary Magdalen, and that we may

glorify Him in His creatures.

6. People may say such things appear impossible and it is best not to

scandalize the weak in faith by speaking about them. But it is better that

the latter should disbelieve us, than that we should desist from

enlightening souls which receive these graces, that they may rejoice and may

endeavour to love God better for His favours, seeing He is so mighty and so

great. There is no danger here of shocking those for whom I write by

treating of such matters, for they know and believe that God gives even

greater proofs of His love. I am certain that if any one of you doubts the

truth of this, God will never allow her to learn it by experience, for He

desires that no limits should be set to His work: therefore, never discredit

them because you are not thus led yourselves.

7. Now let us return to our beautiful and charming castle and discover how

to enter it. This appears incongruous: if this castle is the soul, clearly

no one can have to enter it, for it is the person himself: one might as well

tell some one to go into a room he is already in! There are, however, very

different ways of being in this castle; many souls live in the courtyard of

the building where the sentinels stand, neither caring to enter farther, nor

to know who dwells in that most delightful place, what is in it and what

rooms it contains.

8. Certain books on prayer that you have read advise the soul to enter into

itself, [40] and this is what I mean. I was recently told by a great

theologian that souls without prayer are like bodies, palsied and lame,

having hands and feet they cannot use. Just so, there are souls so infirm

and accustomed to think of nothing but earthly matters, that there seems no

cure for them. It appears impossible for them to retire into their own

hearts; accustomed as they are to be with the reptiles and other creatures

which live outside the castle, they have come at last to imitate their

habits. Though these souls are by their nature so richly endowed, capable of

communion even with God Himself, yet their case seems hopeless. Unless they

endeavour to understand and remedy their most miserable plight, their minds

will become, as it were, bereft of movement, just as Lot’s wife became a

pillar of salt for looking backwards in disobedience to God’s command. [41]

9. As far as I can understand, the gate by which to enter this castle is

prayer and meditation. I do not allude more to mental than to vocal prayer,

for if it is prayer at all, the mind must take part in it. If a person

neither considers to Whom he is addressing himself, what he asks, nor what

he is who ventures to speak to God, although his lips may utter many words,

I do not call it prayer. [42] Sometimes, indeed, one may pray devoutly

without making all these considerations through having practised them at

other times. The custom of speaking to God Almighty as freely as with a

slaveâ€"caring nothing whether the words are suitable or not, but simply

saying the first thing that comes to mind from being learnt by rote by

frequent repetitionâ€"cannot be called prayer: God grant that no Christian may

address Him in this manner. I trust His Majesty will prevent any of you,

sisters, from doing so. Our habit in this Order of conversing about

spiritual matters is a good preservative against such evil ways.

10. Let us speak no more of these crippled souls, who are in a most

miserable and dangerous state, unless our Lord bid them rise, as He did the

palsied man who had waited more than thirty years at the pool of Bethsaida.

[43] We will now think of the others who at last enter the precincts of

the castle; they are still very worldly, yet have some desire to do right,

and at times, though rarely, commend themselves to God’s care. They think

about their souls every now and then; although very busy, they pray a few

times a month, with minds generally filled with a thousand other matters,

for where their treasure is, there is their heart also. [44] Still,

occasionally they cast aside these cares; it is a great boon for them to

realize to some extent the state of their souls, and to see that they will

never reach the gate by the road they are following.

11. At length they enter the first rooms in the basement of the castle,

accompanied by numerous reptiles [45] which disturb their peace, and

prevent their seeing the beauty of the building; still, it is a great gain

that these persons should have found their way in at all.

12. You may think, my daughters, that all this does not concern you,

because, by God’s grace, you are farther advanced; still, you must be

patient with me, for I can explain myself on some spiritual matters

concerning prayer in no other way. May our Lord enable me to speak to the

point; the subject is most difficult to understand without personal

experience of such graces. Any one who has received them will know how

impossible it is to avoid touching on subjects which, by the mercy of God,

will never apply to us.

_________________________________________________________________

[31] Way of Perfection, ch. xxviii, 9.

[32] In her Life St. Teresa likened God to a diamond (ch. xl, 14); and

elsewhere (ch. xi, 10) the soul to a garden wherein our Lord takes His

delight.

[33] St. John xiv. 2: ‘In domo Patris mei mansiones multæ sunt.’ St. John of

the Cross uses the same comparison: ‘If the soul shall overcome the devil in

the first combat, it shall then pass on to the second; and if it shall be

victorious there also, it shall then pass on to the third; and then through

the seven mansions, the seven degrees of love, until the Bridegroom shall

Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xi. 7.)

[34] Prov. viii. 31: ‘Deliciæ meæ esse cum filiis hominum.’

[35] Gen. i. 26: ‘Faciamus hominem ad imaginem et similitudinem nostram.’

[36] Way of Perf. ch. xxviii.

[37] St. John of the Cross on the words of his stanza: ‘In the inner cellar

of my Beloved have I drunk.’ ‘Here the soul speaks of that sovereign grace

of God in taking it into the house of His love, which is the union or

transformation of love in God . . . The cellar is the highest degree of love

to which the soul can attain in this life, and is therefore said to be the

inner. It follows from this that there are other cellars not so interior;

that is, the degrees of love by which souls reach to this, the last. These

cellars are seven in number, and the soul has entered them all when it has

in perfection the seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, so far as it is possible

for it. . . . Many souls reach and enter the first cellar, each according to

the perfection of its love, but the last and inmost cellar is entered by few

in this world, because therein is wrought the perfect union with God, the

union of the spiritual marriage.’ A Spiritual Canticle, stanza xxvi. 1-3.

Concept. ch. vi. (Minor Works of St. Teresa.)

[38] St. Matt. xx. 15: ‘Alit non licet mihi quod volo, facere? an oculus

tuus nequam est, quia ego bonus sum?’

[39] St. John ix. 2: ‘Quis peccavit, hic, aut parentes ejus, ut cæcus

nasceretur?’

[40] Imitation, bk. II. ch. 1: ‘Regnum Dei intra vos est.’ Luke. xvii. 21.

The Imitation is one of the books which according to St. Teresa’s

Constitutions, (§ 7) every prioress was bound to provide for her convent.

[41] Gen. xix. 26: ‘Respiciensque uxor ejus post se, versa est in statuam

salis.’

[42] Way of Perf. ch. xxi. 6; xxix. 4.

[43] St. John v. 5: ‘Erat autem quidam homo ibi triginta et octo annos

habens in infirmitate sua.’

[44] St. Matt. vi. 21: ‘Ubi enim est thesaurus tuus ibi est et cor tuum.

[45] Many an ancient castle was provided with a bear-garden where rare

animals were kept for the amusement of the inhabitants. This may have

supplied the material for St. Teresa’s comparison.

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER II.

DESCRIBES THE HIDEOUS APPEARANCE OF A SOUL IN MORTAL SIN AS REVEALED BY GOD

TO SOME ONE: OFFERS A FEW REMARKS ON SELF-KNOWLEDGE: THIS CHAPTER IS USEFUL

AS IT CONTAINS SOME POINTS REQUIRING ATTENTION. AN EXPLANATION OF THE

MANSIONS.

1. Effects of mortal sin. 2. It prevents the soul’s gaining merit. 3. The

soul compared to a tree. 4. Disorder of the soul in mortal sin. 5. Vision of

a sinful soul. 6. Profit of realizing these lessons. 7. Prayer. 8. Beauty of

the Castle. 9. Self-knowledge 10. Gained by meditating on the divine

perfections. 11. Advantages of such meditation. 12. Christ should be our

model. 13. The devil entraps beginners. 14. Our strength must come from God.

15. Sin blinds the soul. 16. Worldliness. 17. The world in the cloister. 18.

Assaults of the devil. 19. Examples of the devil’s arts. 20. Perfection

consists in charity. 21. Indiscreet zeal. 22. Danger of detraction.

1. BEFORE going farther, I wish you to consider the state to which mortal

sin [46] brings this magnificent and beautiful castle, this pearl of the

East, this tree of life, planted beside the living waters of life [47] which

symbolize God Himself. No night can be so dark, no gloom nor blackness can

compare to its obscurity. Suffice it to say that the sun in the centre of

the soul, which gave it such splendour and beauty, is totally eclipsed,

though the spirit is as fitted to enjoy God’s presence as is the crystal to

reflect the sun. [48]

2. While the soul is in mortal sin nothing can profit it; none of its good

works merit an eternal reward, since they do not proceed from God as their

first principle, and by Him alone is our virtue real virtue. The soul

separated from Him is no longer pleasing in His eyes, because by committing

a mortal sin, instead of seeking to please God, it prefers to gratify the

devil, the prince of darkness, and so comes to share his blackness. I knew a

person to whom our Lord revealed the result of a mortal sin [49] and who

said she thought no one who realized its effects could ever commit it, but

would suffer unimaginable torments to avoid it. This vision made her very

desirous for all to grasp this truth, therefore I beg you, my daughters, to

pray fervently to God for sinners, who live in blindness and do deeds of

darkness.

3. In a state of grace the soul is like a well of limpid water, from which

flow only streams of clearest crystal. Its works are pleasing both to God

and man, rising from the River of Life, beside which it is rooted like a

tree. Otherwise it would produce neither leaves nor fruit, for the waters of

grace nourish it, keep it from withering from drought, and cause it to bring

forth good fruit. But the soul by sinning withdraws from this stream of

life, and growing beside a black and fetid pool, can produce nothing but

disgusting and unwholesome fruit.

Notice that it is not the fountain and the brilliant sun which lose their

splendour and beauty, for they are placed in the very centre of the soul and

cannot be deprived of their lustre. The soul is like a crystal in the

sunshine over which a thick black cloth has been thrown, so that however

brightly the sun may shine the crystal can never reflect it.

4. O souls, redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ, take these things to

heart; have mercy on yourselves! If you realize your pitiable condition, how

can you refrain from trying to remove the darkness from the crystal of your

souls? Remember, if death should take you now, you would never again enjoy

the light of this Sun. O Jesus! how sad a sight must be a soul deprived of

light! What a terrible state the chambers of this castle are in! How

disorderly must be the sensesâ€"the inhabitants of the castleâ€"the powers of

the soul its magistrates, governors, and stewardsâ€"blind and uncontrolled as

they are! In short, as the soil in which the tree is now planted is in the

devil’s domain, how can its fruit be anything but evil? A man of great

spiritual insight once told me he was not so much surprised at such a

soul’s wicked deeds as astonished that it did not commit even worse sins.

May God in His mercy keep us from such great evil, for nothing in this life

merits the name of evil in comparison with this, which delivers us over to

evil which is eternal.

5. This is what we must dread and pray God to deliver us from, for we are

weakness itself, and unless He guards the city, in vain shall we labour to

defend it. [50] The person of whom I spoke [51] said that she had learnt

two things from the vision granted her. The first was, a great fear of

offending God; seeing how terrible were the consequences, she constantly

begged Him to preserve her from falling into sin. Secondly, it was a mirror

to teach her humility, for she saw that nothing good in us springs from

ourselves but comes from the waters of grace near which the soul remains

like a tree planted beside a river, and from that Sun which gives life to

our works. She realized this so vividly that on seeing any good deed

performed by herself or by other people she at once turned to God as to its

fountain headâ€"without whose help she knew well we can do nothingâ€"and broke

out into songs of praise to Him. Generally she forgot all about herself and

only thought of God when she did any meritorious action.

6. The time which has been spent in reading or writing on this subject will

not have been lost if it has taught us these two truths; for though learned,

clever men know them perfectly, women’s wits are dull and need help in every

way. Perhaps this is why our Lord has suggested these comparisons to me; may

He give us grace to profit by them!

7. So obscure are these spiritual matters that to explain them an ignorant

person like myself must say much that is superfluous, and even alien to the

subject, before coming to the point. My readers must be patient with me, as

I am with myself while writing what I do not understand; indeed, I often

take up the paper like a dunce, not knowing what to say, nor how to begin.

Doubtless there is need for me to do my best to explain these spiritual

subjects to you, for we often hear how beneficial prayer is for our souls;

our Constitutions oblige us to pray so many hours a day, yet tell us nothing

of what part we ourselves can take in it and very little of the work God

does in the soul by its means. [52] It will be helpful, in setting it

before you in various ways, to consider this heavenly edifice within us, so

little understood by men, near as they often come to it. Our Lord gave me

grace to understand something of such matters when I wrote on them before,

yet I think I have more light now, especially on the more difficult

questions. Unfortunately I am too ignorant to treat of such subjects without

saying much that is already well known.

8. Now let us turn at last to our castle with its many mansions. You must

not think of a suite of rooms placed in succession, but fix your eyes on the

keep, the court inhabited by the King. [53] Like the kernel of the

palmito, [54] from which several rinds must be removed before coming to

the eatable part, this principal chamber is surrounded by many others.

However large, magnificent, and spacious you imagine this castle to be, you

cannot exaggerate it; the capacity of the soul is beyond all our

understanding, and the Sun within this palace enlightens every part of it.

9. A soul which gives itself to prayer, either much or little, should on no

account be kept within narrow bounds. Since God has given it such great

dignity, permit it to wander at will through the rooms of the castle, from

the lowest to the highest. Let it not force itself to remain for very long

in the same mansion, even that of self-knowledge. Mark well, however, that

self-knowledge is indispensable, even for those whom God takes to dwell in

the same mansion with Himself. Nothing else, however elevated, perfects the

soul which must never seek to forget its own nothingness. Let humility be

always at work, like the bee at the honeycomb, or all will be lost. But,

remember, the bee leaves its hive to fly in search of flowers and the soul

should sometimes cease thinking of itself to rise in meditation on the

grandeur and majesty of its God. It will learn its own baseness better thus

than by self-contemplation, and will be freer from the reptiles which enter

the first room where self-knowledge is acquired. Although it is a great

grace from God to practise self-examination, yet ‘too much is as bad as too

little,’ as they say; believe me, by God’s help, we shall advance more by

contemplating the Divinity than by keeping our eyes fixed on ourselves, poor

creatures of earth that we are.

10. I do not know whether I have put this clearly; self-knowledge is of such

consequence that I would not have you careless of it, though you may be

lifted to heaven in prayer, because while on earth nothing is more needful

than humility. Therefore, I repeat, not only a good way, but the best of all

ways, is to endeavour to enter first by the room where humility is

practised, which is far better than at once rushing on to the others. This

is the right road;â€"if we know how easy and safe it is to walk by it, why ask

for wings with which to fly? Let us rather try to learn how to advance

quickly. I believe we shall never learn to know ourselves except by

endeavouring to know God, for, beholding His greatness we are struck by our

own baseness, His purity shows our foulness, and by meditating on His

humility we find how very far we are from being humble.

11. Two advantages are gained by this practice. First, it is clear that

white looks far whiter when placed near something black, and on the

contrary, black never looks so dark as when seen beside something white.

Secondly, our understanding and will become more noble and capable of good

in every way when we turn from ourselves to God: it is very injurious never

to raise our minds above the mire of our own faults. I described how murky

and fetid are the streams that spring from the source of a soul in mortal

sin. [55] Thus (although the case is not really the same, God forbid! this

is only a comparison), while we are continually absorbed in contemplating

the weakness of our earthly nature, the springs of our anions will never

flow free from the mire of timid, weak, and cowardly thoughts, such as: ‘I

wonder whether people are noticing me or not! If I follow this course, will

harm come to me? Dare I begin this work? Would it not be presumptuous? Is it

right for any one as faulty as myself to speak on sublime spiritual

subjects? [56] Will not people think too well of me, if I make myself

singular? Extremes are bad, even in virtue; sinful as I am I shall only fall

the lower. Perhaps I shall fail and be a source of scandal to good people;

such a person as I am has no need of peculiarities.’

12. Alas, my daughters, what loss the devil must have caused to many a soul

by such thoughts as these! It thinks such ideas and many others of the same

sort I could mention arise from humility. This comes from not understanding

our own nature; self-knowledge becomes so warped that, unless we take our

thoughts off ourselves, I am not surprised that these and many worse fears

should threaten us. Therefore I maintain, my daughters, that we should fix

our eyes on Christ our only good, and on His saints; there we shall learn

true humility, and our minds will be ennobled, so that self-knowledge will

not make us base and cowardly. Although only the first, this mansion

contains great riches and such treasures that if the soul only manages to

elude the reptiles dwelling here, it cannot fail to advance farther.

Terrible are the wiles and strata-gems the devil uses to hinder people from

realizing their weakness and detecting his snares.

13. From personal experience I could give you much information as to what

happens in these first mansions. I will only say that you must not imagine

there are only a few, but a number of rooms, for souls enter them by many

different ways, and always with a good intention. The devil is so angry at

this that he keeps legions of evil spirits hidden in each room to stop the

progress of Christians, whom, being ignorant of this, he entraps in a

thousand ways. He cannot so easily deceive souls which dwell nearer to the

King as he can beginners still absorbed in the world, immersed in its

pleasures, and eager for its honours and distinctions. As the vassals of

their souls, the senses and powers bestowed on them by God, are weak, such

people are easily vanquished, although desirous not to offend God.

14. Those conscious of being in this state must as often as possible have

recourse to His Majesty, taking His Blessed Mother and the saints for their

advocates to do battle for them, because we creatures possess little

strength for self-defence. Indeed in every state of life all our help must

come from God; may He in His mercy grant it us, Amen! What a miserable life

we lead! As I have spoken more fully in other writings [57] on the ill

that results from ignoring the need of humility and self-knowledge, I will

treat no more about it here, my daughters, although it is of the first

importance. God grant that what I have said may be useful to you.

15 You must notice that the light which comes from the King’s palace hardly

shines at all in these first mansions; although not as gloomy and black as

the soul in mortal sin, yet they are in semi-darkness, and their inhabitants

see scarcely anything. I cannot explain myself; I do not mean that this is

the fault of the mansions themselves, but that the number of snakes, vipers,

and venomous reptiles from outside the castle prevent souls entering them

from seeing the light. They resemble a person entering a chamber full of

brilliant sunshine, with eyes clogged and half closed with dust. Though the

room itself is light, he cannot see because of his self-imposed impediment.

In the same way, these fierce and wild beasts blind the eyes of the

beginner, so that he sees nothing but them.

16. Such, it appears to me, is the soul which, though not in a state of

mortal sin, is so worldly and preoccupied with earthly riches, honours, and

affairs, that as I said, even if it sincerely wishes to enter into itself

and enjoy the beauties of the castle, it is prevented by these distractions

and seems unable to overcome so many obstacles. It is most important to

withdraw from all unnecessary cares and business, as far as compatible with

the duties of one’s state of life, in order to enter the second mansion.

This is so essential, that unless done immediately I think it impossible for

any one ever to reach the principal room, or even to remain where he is

without great risk of losing what is already gained; otherwise, although he

is inside the castle, he will find it impossible to avoid being bitten some

time or other by some of the very venomous creatures surrounding him.

17. What then would become of a religious like ourselves, my daughters, if,

after having escaped from all these impediments, and having entered much

farther into the more secret mansion, she should, by her own fault, return

to all this turmoil? Through her sins, many other people on whom God had

bestowed great graces would culpably relapse into their wretched state. In

our convents we are free from these exterior evils; please God our minds may

be as free from them, and may He deliver us from such ills.

18. Do not trouble yourselves, my daughters, with cares which do not concern

you. You must notice that the struggle with the demons continues through

nearly all the mansions of this castle. True, in some of them, the guards,

which, as I explained, are the powers of the soul, have strength for the

combat, but we must be keenly on the watch against the devils’s arts, lest

he deceive us in the form of an angel of light. He creeps in gradually, in

numberless ways, and does us much harm, though we do not discover it until

too late. [58]

19. As I said elsewhere, [59] he works like a file, secretly and silently

wearing its way: I will give you some examples to show how he begins his

wiles. For instance: a nun has such a longing for penance as to feel no

peace unless she is tormenting herself in some way. [60] This is good in

itself; but suppose that the Prioress has forbidden her to practise any

mortifications without special leave, and the sister thinking that, in such

a meritorious cause, she may venture to disobey, secretly leads such a life

that she loses her health and cannot even fulfil the requirements of her

ruleâ€"you see how this show of good ends. Another nun is very zealous about

religious perfection; this is very right, but may cause her to think every

small fault she sees in her sisters a serious crime, and to watch constantly

whether they do anything wrong, that she may run to the Prioress to accuse

them of it. At the same time, may be she never notices her own shortcomings

because of her great zeal about other people’s religious observance, while

perhaps her sisters, not seeing her intention but only knowing of the watch

she keeps on them, do not take her behaviour in good part.

20. The devil’s chief aim here is to cool the charity and lessen the mutual

affection of the nuns, which would injure them seriously. Be sure, my

daughters, that true perfection consists in the love of God and our

neighbour, and the better we keep both these commandments, the more perfect

we shall be. The sole object of our Rule and Constitutions is to help us to

observe these two laws.

21. Indiscreet zeal about others must not be indulged in; it may do us much

harm; let each one look to herself. However, as I have spoken fully on this

subject elsewhere, [61] I will not enlarge on it here, and will only beg

you to remember the necessity of this mutual affection. Our souls may lose

their peace and even disturb other people’s if we are always criticizing

trivial actions which often are not real defects at all, but we construe

them wrongly through ignorance of their motives. See how much it costs to

attain perfection! Sometimes the devil tempts nuns in this way about the

Prioress, which is still more dangerous. Great prudence is then required,

for if she disobeys the Rule or Constitutions the matter must not always be

overlooked, but should be mentioned to her; [62] if, after this, she does

not amend, the Superior of the Order should be informed of it. It is true

charity to speak in this case, as it would be if we saw our sisters commit a

grave fault; to keep silence for fear that speech would be a temptation

against charity, would be that very temptation itself. [63]

22. However, I must warn you seriously not to talk to each other about such

things, lest the devil deceive you. He would gain greatly by your doing so,

because it would lead to the habit of detraction; rather, as I said, state

the matter to those whose duty it is to remedy it. Thank God our custom here

of keeping almost perpetual silence gives little opportunity for such

conversations, still, it is well to stand ever on our guard.

_________________________________________________________________

[46] Life, ch. xxxviii. 31; ch. xl. 15.

[47] Ps. i. 3: ‘Et erit tamquam lignum quod plantatum eat secus decursus

aquarum.’

[48] Way of Perf. ch. xxviii. 9.

[49] In this as in most other cases when the Saint speaks of ‘a person she

knows,’ she means herself. Life, ch. xl, 15.

[50] cxxvi. 1: ’Nisi Dominus custodierit civitatem, frustra vigilat qui

custodit eam.’

[51] Life, ch. xxxviii. 33; ch. xl. 15, 16.

[52] Life, ch. x. 2 sqq. Constitut. 2, 6.

[53] Way of Perf.. ch. xxviii. 1.

[54] The palmito here referred to is not a palm, but a shrub about four feet

high and very dense with leaves, resembling palm leaves. The poorer classes

and principally children dig it up by the roots, which they peel of its many

layers until a sort of kernel is disclosed, which is eaten, not without

relish, and is somewhat like a filbert in taste. See St. John of the Cross,

Accent of Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch, xiv, 3.

[55] Supra, § 3.

[56] Life, ch. viii. 6, x. 4, xxiii. 3-5. Way of Perf. ch. xxxix. 1.

[57] Life ch. xiii. 23. Way of Perf. ch. x. 4. Castle, M. iii. ch. ii. 8.

Concep. ch. ii. 20. Const. 21.

[58] Life ch. xxxi. 23.

[59] No doubt the Saint often used this excellent comparison in her verbal

instructions, but it occurs nowhere else in her writings.

[60] Way of Perf. ch. x. 5; xxxix. 4; Rel. iii. 12.

[61] The Saint must frequently have spoken on the subject, but she never

treated it more fully than in this place. Way of Perf. ch. xii. 7. Life, ch.

xiii. 11, 14 sqq. Visitation of convents.

[62] Way of Perfection, ch. ii. 3. Visit. 20-22, 34, 36.

[63] ’It is terrible to think what harm a Prioress can do! For although the

Sisters witness things which scandalize them (of which there are plenty

here!), yet they think it would be sinning against obedience to see any harm

in them.’ (Letter to Father Gracian, written at Malagon at the beginning of

December, 5579. Letters, Vol. III.)

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THE SECOND MANSIONS

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ONLY CHAPTER

TREATS OF THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF PERSEVERANCE IN ORDER TO ENTER THE LAST

MANSIONS, AND OF THE FIERCE WAR THE DEVIL WAGES AGAINST US. HOW ESSENTIAL IT

IS TO TAKE THE RIGHT PATH FROM THE VERY COMMENCEMENT OF OUR JOURNEY. A

METHOD OF ACTION WHICH HAS PROVED VERY EFFICACIOUS.

1. Souls in the second mansions. 2. Their state. 3. Their sufferings. 4.

They cannot get rid of their imperfections. 5. How God calls these souls. 6.

Perseverance is essential. 7. Temptations of the devil. 8. Delusion of

earthly joys. 9. God alone to be loved. 10. Reasons for continuing the

journey. 11. War fare of the devil. 12. Importance of choice of friends. 13.

Valour required. 14. Presumption of expecting spiritual consolations at

first. 15. In the Cross is strength. 16. Our falls should raise us higher.

17. Confidence and perseverance. 18. Recollection. 19. Why we must practise

prayer. 20. Meditation kindles love.

1. Now let us consider which are the souls that enter the second mansions,

and what they do there: I do not wish to enlarge on this subject, having

already treated it very fully elsewhere, [64] for I could not avoid

repeating myself, as my memory is very bad. If I could state my ideas in

another form they would not weary you, for we never tire of reading books on

this subject, numerous as they are. 2. In this part of the castle are found

souls which. have begun to practise prayer; they realize the importance of

their not remaining in the first mansions, yet often lack determination to

quit their present condition by avoiding occasions of sin, which is a very

perilous state to be in.

3. However, it is a great grace that they should sometimes make good their

escape from the vipers and poisonous creatures around them and should

understand the need of avoiding them. In some way these souls suffer a great

deal more than those in the first mansions, although not in such danger, as

they begin to understand their peril and there are great hopes of their

entering farther into the castle. I say that they suffer a great deal more,

for those in an earlier stage are like deaf-mutes and are not so distressed

at being unable to speak, while the others, who can hear but cannot talk,

find it much harder. At the same time, it is better not to be deaf, and a

decided advantage to hear what is said to us.

4. These souls hear our Lord calling them, for as they approach nearer to

where His Majesty dwells He proves a loving Neighbour, though they may still

be engaged in the amusements and business, the pleasures and vanities of

this world. While in this state we continually fall into sin and rise again,

for the creatures amongst whom we dwell are so venomous, so vicious, and so

dangerous, that it is almost impossible to avoid being tripped up by them.

Yet such are the pity and compassion of this Lord of ours, so desirous is He

that we should seek Him and enjoy His company, that in one way or another He

never ceases calling us to Him. So sweet is His voice, that the poor soul is

disconsolate at being unable to follow His bidding at once, and therefore,

as I said, suffers more than if it could not hear Him.

5. I do not mean that divine communications and inspirations received in

this mansion are the same as those I shall describe later on; God here

speaks to souls through words uttered by pious people, by sermons or good

books, and in many other such ways. Sometimes He calls souls by means of

sickness or troubles, or by some truth He teaches them during prayer, for

tepid as they may be in seeking Him, yet God holds them very dear.

6. Do not think lightly, sisters, of this first grace, nor be downcast if

you have not responded immediately to Our Lord’s voice, for His Majesty is

willing to wait for us many a day and even many a year, especially when He

sees perseverance and good desires in our hearts. Perseverance is the first

essential; with this we are sure to profit greatly. However, the devils now

fiercely assault the soul in a thousand different ways: it suffers more than

ever, because formerly it was mute and deaf, or at least could hear very

little, and offered but feeble resistance, like one who has almost lost all

hope of victory.

7. Here, however, the understanding being more vigilant and the powers more

on the alert, we cannot avoid hearing the fighting and cannonading around

us. For now the devils set on us the reptiles, that is to say, thoughts

about the world and its joys which they picture as unending; they remind us

of the high esteem men held us in, of our friends and relations; they tell

us how the penances which souls in this mansion always begin to wish to

perform would injure our health: in fine, the evil spirits place a thousand

impediments in the way.

8. O Jesus! What turmoil the devils cause in the poor soul! How unhappy it

feels, not knowing whether to go forward or to return to the first mansion!

On the other hand, reason shows it the delusion of overrating worldly

things, while faith teaches what alone can satisfy its cravings. Memory

reminds the soul how all earthly joys end, recalling the death of those who

lived at ease; how some died suddenly and were soon forgotten, how others,

once so prosperous, are now buried beneath the ground and men pass by the

graves where they lie, the prey of worms, [65] while the mind recalls many

other such incidents.

9. The will inclines to love Our Lord and longs to make some return to Him

Who is so amiable, and Who has given so many proofs of His love, especially

by His constant presence with the soul, which this faithful Lover never

quits, ever accompanying it and giving it life and being. The understanding

aids by showing that however many years life might last, no one could ever

wish for a better friend than God; that the world is full of falsehood, and

that the worldly pleasures pictured by the devil to the mind were but

troubles and cares and annoyances in disguise.

10. Reason convinces the soul that as outside its interior castle are found

neither peace nor security, it should cease to seek another home abroad, its

own being full of riches that it can enjoy at will. Besides, it is not every

one who, like itself, possesses all he needs within his own dwelling, and

above all, such a Host, Who will give it all it can desire, unless, like the

prodigal son, it chooses to go astray and feed with the swine. [66] Surely

these arguments are strong enough to defeat the devil’s wiles! But, O my

God, how the force of worldly habits and the example of others who practise

them ruin everything! Our faith is so dead that we trust less to its

teaching than to what is visible, though, indeed, we see that worldly lives

bring nothing but unhappiness. All this results from those venomous thoughts

I described, which, unless we are very careful, will deform the soul as the

sting of a viper poisons and swells the body.

11. When this happens, great care is evidently needed to cure it, and only

God’s signal mercy prevents its resulting in death. Indeed, the soul passes

through severe trials at this time, especially when the devil perceives from

a person’s character and behaviour that she is likely to make very great

progress, for then all hell will league together to force her to turn back.

O my Lord! what need there is here that, by Thy mercy, Thou shouldst prevent

the soul from being deluded into forsaking the good begun! Enlighten it to

see that its welfare consists in perseverance in the right way, and in the

withdrawing from bad company.

12. It is of the utmost importance for the beginner to associate with those

who lead a spiritual life, [67] and not only with those in the same

mansion as herself, but with others who have travelled farther into the

castle, who will aid her greatly and draw her to join them. The soul should

firmly resolve never to submit to defeat, for if the devil sees it staunchly

determined to lose life and comfort and all that he can offer, rather than

return to the first mansion, he will the sooner leave it alone.

13. Let the Christian be valiant; let him not be like those who lay down to

drink from the brook when they went to battle (I do not remember when). [68]

Let him resolve to go forth to combat with the host of demons, and be

convinced that there is no better weapon than the cross. I have already

said, [69] yet it is of such importance that I repeat it here: let no one

think on starting of the reward to be reaped: this would be a very ignoble

way of commencing such a large and stately building. If built on sand it

would soon fall down. [70] Souls who acted thus would continually suffer

from discouragement and temptations, for in these mansions no manna rains;

[71] farther on, the soul is pleased with all that comes, because it

desires nothing but what God wills.

14. What a farce it is! Here are we, with a thousand obstacles, drawbacks,

and imperfections within ourselves, our virtues so newly born that they have

scarcely the strength to act (and God grant that they exist at all!) yet we

are not ashamed to expect sweetness in prayer and to complain of feeling

dryness. [72]

15. Do not act thus, sisters; embrace the cross your Spouse bore on His

shoulders; know that your motto should be: ‘Most happy she who suffers most

if it be for Christ!’ [73] All else should be looked upon as secondary: if

our Lord give it you, render Him grateful thanks. You may imagine you would

be resolute in enduring external trials if God gave you interior

consolations: His Majesty knows best what is good for us; it is not for us

to advise Him how to treat us, for He has the right to tell us that we know

not what we ask. [74] Remember, it is of the greatest importanceâ€"the sole

aim of one beginning to practise prayer should be to endure trials, and to

resolve and strive to the utmost of her power to conform her own will to the

will of God. [75] Be certain that in this consists all the greatest

perfection to be attained in the spiritual life, as I will explain later.

She who practises this most perfectly will receive from God the highest

reward and is the farthest advanced on the right road. Do not imagine that

we have need of a cabalistic formula or any other occult or mysterious thing

to attain it our whole welfare consists in doing the will of God. If we

start with the false principle of wishing God to follow our will and to lead

us in the way we think best, upon what firm foundation can this spiritual

edifice rest?

16. Let us endeavour to do our best: beware of the poisonous reptilesâ€"that

is to say, the bad thoughts and aridities which are often permitted by God

to assail and torment us so that we cannot repel them. Indeed, perchance we

feel their sting! He allows this to teach us to be more on our guard in the

future and to see whether we grieve much at offending Him. Therefore if you

occasionally lapse into sin, do not lose heart and cease trying to advance,

for God will draw good even out of our falls, like the merchant who sells

theriac, who first takes poison, then the theriac, to prove the power of his

elixir. [76] This combat would suffice to teach us to amend our habits if

we realized our failings in no other way, and would show us the injury we

receive from a life of dissipation. Can any evil be greater than that we

find at home? What peace can we hope to find elsewhere, if we have none

within us? What friends or kindred can be so close and intimate as the

powers of our soul, which, whether we will or no, must ever bear us company?

These seem to wage war on us as if they knew the harm our vices had wrought

them. ‘Peace, peace be unto you,’ my sisters, as our Lord said, and many a

time proclaimed to His Apostles. [77] Believe me, if we neither possess

nor strive to obtain this peace at home, we shall never find it abroad.

17. By the blood which our Lord shed for us, I implore those who have not

yet begun to enter into themselves, to stop this warfare: I beg those

already started in the right path, not to let the combat turn them back from

it. Let them reflect that a relapse is worse than a fall, and see what ruin

it would bring. They should confide in God’s mercy, trusting nothing in

themselves; then they will see how His Majesty will lead them from one

mansion to another, and will set them in a place where these wild beasts can

no more touch or annoy them, but will be entirely at their mercy and merely

objects of ridicule. Then, even in this life, they will enjoy a far greater

happiness than they are able even to desire.

18. As I said at the beginning of this work, I have explained elsewhere [78]

how you should behave when the devil thus disturbs you. I also told you

that the habit of recollection is not to be gained by force of arms, but

with calmness, which will enable you to practise it for a longer space of

time. [79] I will say no more now, except that I think it very helpful for

those of you who are beginners to consult persons experienced in such

matters, lest you imagine that you are injuring yourselves by leaving your

prayer to perform any necessary duties. This is not the case; our Lord will

direct such things to our profit, although we may have no one to counsel us.

[80] The only remedy for having given up a habit of recollection is to

recommence it, otherwise the soul will continue to lose it more and more

every day, and God grant it may realize its danger.

19. You may think, that if it is so very injurious to desist, it would have

been better never to have begun, and to have remained outside the castle.

But, as I began by saying, and as God Himself declares: ‘He that loves

danger shall perish by it,’ [81] and the door by which we must enter this

castle is prayer. Remember, we must get to heaven, and it would be madness

to think we could do so without sometimes retiring into our souls so as to

know ourselves, or thinking of our failings and of what we owe to God, or

frequently imploring His mercy. Our Lord also says, ‘No man cometh to the

Father but by Me’ [82] (I am not sure whether this quotation is correct,

but I think so), and, ‘He that seeth Me seeth the Father also.’ [83]

20. If we never look up at Him and reflect on what we owe Him for having

died for us, I do not understand how we can know Him, or perform good deeds

in His service. What value is there in faith without works? and what are

they worth if they are not united to the merits of Jesus Christ, our only

good? What would incite us to love our Lord unless we thought of Him? May He

give us grace to understand how much we cost Him; that ‘the servant is not

above his lord’ [84] ; that we must toil for Him if we would enjoy His

glory; and prayer is a necessity to prevent us from constantly falling into

temptation. [85]

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[64] Life, ch. xi-xiii. Way of Perf. ch. xx.-xxix.

[65] ’How many, thinking to live long, have been deceived and unexpectedly

have been snatched away! How often hast thou heard that such a one was slain

by the sword; another drowned; another, falling from on high, broke his

neck; this man died at the table; that other came to his death while he was

at play. . . . Thus death is the end of all; and man’s life passeth suddenly

like a shadow’ (Imitation, bk. 1. ch. xxiii. 7). The edition of the

Imitation known to St. Teresa under the title of Contemptus Mundi was

translated by Luis de Granada, printed at Seville in 1536, at Lisbon in

1542, and at Alcalá in 1548. See Life, ch. xxxix. 21, note.

[66] St. Luke xv. 16: ‘Et cupiebat implere ventrem suum de siliquis quas

porci manducabant.’

[67] Life, ch. vii. 33-37; xvi. 1 2; XXX. 6. Way of Perfection, ch. vi. 1;

Vii. 4.

[68] With Gedeon. Jud. vii. 5: ‘Qui lingua lambuerint aquas, sicut solent

canes lambere, separabis eos seorsum.’

[69] Life, ch. xi 16.

[70] St. Matt. vii. 26, 27: ‘Qui ædificavit domum suam super arenam . . . et

fuit ruina illius magna.’

[71] Ps. lxxvii. 24: ‘Pluit illis manna ad manducandum.’ Way of Perf. ch. x.

4.

[72] Life, ch. xii. 5.

[73] Way of Perf. ch. xvii. 6; xxiii. 1.

[74] St. Matt. xx. 22: ‘Nescitis quid petatis.’

[75] Way of Perf. ch. xvi. 2. Found. ch. v. 2, 3. Life, ch. iv. II; xi. 20.

[76] A drug greatly in vogue until recent times. It was composed of all the

essences supposed to contain life-giving and life-preserving qualities of

animals and plants.

[77] St. Luke xxiv. 36. St. John xx. 19.

[78] Life, ch. xi. and xix. 8. Way of Perfection, ch. xxiii. 3.

[79] Way of Perf. ch. xix. 3.

[80] Way of Perf. ch. xxiii. 3.

[81] Ecclus. iii. 27: ‘Qui amat periculum, in illo peribit.’

[82] St. John xiv. 6: ‘Nemo venit ad Patrem, nisi per Me.’

[83] St. John xiv. 9. ‘Qui videt me, videt et Patrem.’

[84] St. Matt. x. 24: ‘Nec servus super dominum suum.’

[85] St. Matt. xxvi. 41: ‘Orate ut non intretis in tentationem.’

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THE THIRD MANSIONS

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CHAPTER I.

TREATS OF THE INSECURITY OF LIFE IN THIS EXILE, HOWEVER HIGH WE MAY BE

RAISED, AND OF HOW WE MUST ALWAYS WALK IN FEAR. CONTAINS SOME GOOD POINTS.

1. Souls in the Third Mansions. 2. Insecurity of this life. 3. Our danger of

falling from grace. 4. The Saint bewails her past life. 5. Our Lady’s

patronage. 6. Fear necessary even for religious. 7. St. Teresa’s contrition.

8. Characteristics of those in the Third Mansions. 9. The rich young man in

the Gospel. 10. Reason of aridities in prayer. 11. Humility. 12. Tepidity.

13. We must give all to God. 14. Our debt. 15. Consolations and aridities.

1. As for those who, by the mercy of God, have vanquished in these combats

and persevered until they reached the third mansions, what can we say to

them but ‘Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord’? [86] It is no small

favour from God that I should be able to translate this verse into Spanish

so as to explain its meaning, considering how dense I usually am in such

matters. We may well call these souls blessed, for, as far as we can tell,

unless they turn back in their course they are on the safe road to

salvation. Now, my sisters, you see how important it is for them to conquer

in their former struggles, for I am convinced that our Lord will henceforth

never cease to keep them in security of conscience, which is no small boon.

2. I am wrong in saying ‘security,’ for there is no security in this life;

understand that in such cases I always imply: ‘If they do not cease to

continue as they have begun.’ What misery to live in this world! We are like

men whose enemies are at the door, who must not lay aside their arms, even

while sleeping or eating, and are always in dread lest the foe should enter

the fortress by some breach in the walls. O my Lord and my all! How canst

Thou wish us to prize such a wretched existence? We could not desist from

longing and begging Thee to take us from it, were it not for the hope of

losing it for Thy sake or devoting it entirely to Thy serviceâ€"and above all.

because we know it is Thy will that we should live. Since it is so, ‘Let us

die with Thee!’ [87] as St. Thomas said, for to be away from Thee is but

to die again and again, haunted as we are by the dread of losing Thee for

ever!

3. This is why I say, daughters, that we ought to ask our Lord as our boon

to grant us one day to dwell in safety with the Saints, for with such fears,

what pleasure can she enjoy whose only pleasure is to please God? Remember,

many Saints have felt this as we do, and were even far more fervent, yet

fell into grave sin, and we cannot be sure that God would stretch forth His

hand to raise us from sin again to do such penance as they performed. This

applies to extraordinary grace. [88] Truly, my daughters, I feel such

terror as I tell you this, that I know not how to write it, nor even how to

go on living, when I reflect upon it as I very often do. Beg of His Majesty,

my daughters, to abide within me, for otherwise, what security could I feel,

after a life so badly spent as mine has been?

4. Do not grieve at knowing this. I have often seen you troubled when I

spoke about it, for you wish that my past had been a very holy one, in which

you are rightâ€"indeed, I wish the same myself. But what can be done, now that

I have wasted it entirely through my own fault? I have no right to complain

that God withheld the aid I needed to fulfil your wishes. It is impossible

for me to write this without tears and great shame, when I see that I am

explaining these matters to those capable of teaching me. What a hard task

has obedience laid, upon me! God grant that, as I do it for Him, it may be

of some service to you; therefore beg Him to pardon me for my miserable

presumption.

5. His Majesty knows that I have nothing to rely upon but His mercy; as I

cannot cancel the past, I have no other remedy but to flee to Him, and to

confide in the merits of His Son and of His Virgin Mother, whose habit,

unworthy as I am, I wear as you do also. Praise Him, then, my daughters, for

making you truly daughters of our Lady, so that you need not blush for my

wickedness as you have such a good Mother. Imitate her; think how great she

must be and what a blessing it is for you to have her for a patroness, since

my sins and evil character have brought no tarnish on the lustre of our holy

Order.

6. Still I must give you one warning: be not too confident because you are

nuns and the daughters of such a Mother. David was very holy, yet you know

what Solomon became. [89] Therefore do not rely on your enclosure, on your

penitential life, nor on your continual exercise of prayer and constant

communion with God, nor trust in having left the world or in the idea that

you hold its ways in horror. All this is good, but is not enough, as I have

already said, to remove all fear; therefore meditate on this text and often

recall it: ’Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord.’ [90]

7. I do not recollect what I was saying, and have digressed very much: for

when I think of myself my mind cannot soar to higher things but is like a

bird with broken wings; so I will leave this subject for the present.

8. To return to what I began to explain about the souls which have entered

the third mansions. God has shown them no small favour, but a very great

one, in enabling them to pass through the first difficulties. Thanks to His

mercy I believe there are many such people in the world: they are very

desirous not to offend His Majesty even by venial sins, they love penance

and spend hours in meditation, they employ their time well, exercise

themselves in works of charity to their neighbours, are well-ordered in

their conversation and dress, and those who own a household govern it well.

This is certainly to be desired, and there appears no reason to forbid their

entrance to the last mansions; nor will our Lord deny it them if they desire

it, for this is the right disposition for receiving all His favours.

9. O Jesus! can any one declare that he does not desire this great blessing,

especially after he has passed through the chief difficulties? No; no one

can! We all say we desire it, but there is need of more than that for the

Lord to possess entire dominion over the soul. It is not enough to say so,

any more than it was enough for the young man when our Lord told him what he

must do if he desired to be perfect. [91] Since I began to speak of these

dwelling-rooms I have him constantly before my mind, for we are exactly like

him; this very frequently produces the great dryness we feel in prayer,

though sometimes it proceeds from other causes as well. I am not speaking of

certain interior sufferings which give intolerable pain to many devout souls

through no fault of their own; from these trials, however, our Lord always

delivers them with much profit to themselves. I also except people who

suffer from melancholy and other infirmities. But in these cases, as in all

others, we must leave aside the judgments of God.

10. I hold that these effects usually result from the first cause I

mentioned; such souls know that nothing would induce them to commit a sin

(many of them would not even commit a venial sin advertently), and that they

employ their life and riches well. They cannot, therefore, patiently endure

to be excluded from the presence of our King, Whose vassals they consider

themselves, as indeed they are. An earthly king may have many subjects yet

all do not enter his court. Enter then, enter, my daughters, into your

interior; pass beyond the thought of your own petty works, which are no

more, nor even as much, as Christians are bound to perform: let it suffice

that you are God’s servants, do not pursue so much as to catch nothing. [92]

Think of the saints, who have entered the Divine Presence, and you will

see the difference between them and ourselves.

11. Do not ask for what you do not deserve, nor should we ever think,

however much we may have done for God, that we merit the reward of the

saints, for we have offended Him. Oh, humility, humility! I know not why,

but I am always tempted to think that persons who complain so much of

aridities must be a little wanting in this virtue. However, I am not

speaking of severe interior sufferings, which are far worse than a want of

devotion.

12. Let us try ourselves, my sisters, or let our Lord try us; He knows well

how to do so (although we often pretend to misunderstand Him). We will now

speak of these well-ordered souls. Let us consider what they do for God and

we shall see at once what little right we have to murmur against His

Majesty. If we turn our backs on Him and go away sorrowfully like the youth

in the Gospel [93] when He tells us what to do to be perfect, what can God

do? for He must proportion the reward to our love for Him. This love, my

daughters, must not be the fabric of our imagination; we must prove it by

our works. Yet do not suppose that our Lord has need of any works of ours;

He only expels us to manifest our goodwill. [94]

13. It seems to us we have done everything by taking the religious habit of

our own will, and renouncing worldly things and all our possessions for God

(although they may have been but the nets of St. Peter, [95] yet they

seemed much to us, for they were our all). This is an excellent disposition:

if we continue in it and do not return, even in desire, to the company of

the reptiles of the first rooms, doubtless, by persevering in this poverty

and detachment of soul, we shall obtain all for which we strive. But, mark

thisâ€"it must be on one conditionâ€"that we ‘hold ourselves for unprofitable

servants,’ [96] as we are told either by St. Paul or by Christ, and that

we do not consider that our Lord is bound to grant us any favours, but that,

as we have received more from Him, we are the deeper in His debt.

14.. How little is all we can do for so generous a God, Who died for us, Who

created us, Who gives us being, that we should not think ourselves happy to

be able to acquit ourselves of part of the debt we owe Him for having served

us, without asking Him for fresh mercies and favours? I am loth to use this

expression, yet so it is, for He did nothing else during the whole time He

lived in this world but serve us.

15. Think well my daughters, over some of the points I have treated,

although confusedly, for I do not know how to explain them better. Our Lord

will make you understand them, that you may reap humility from your dryness,

instead of the disquietude the devil strives to cause by it. I believe that

where true humility exists, although God should never bestow consolations,

yet He gives a peace and resignation which make the soul happier than are

others with sensible devotion. These consolations, as you have read, are

often given by the Divine Majesty to the weakest souls who, I suppose would

not exchange them for the fortitude of Christians serving God in aridities:

we love consolations better than the cross! Do Thou, O Lord, Who knowest all

truth, so prove us that we may know ourselves.

_________________________________________________________________

[86] Ps. cxi: 1. ‘Beatus vir qui timet Dominum.’

[87] St. John xi. 16: ‘Eamus et nos ut moriamur cum eo.’

[88] These last words, in the margin, but in the handwriting of the Saint,

were scored through by one of the censors, but Fr. Luis de Leon wrote

underneath, (as he did in other cases) ‘Nothing to be crossed out.’

[89] St. Teresa wrote ‘Solomon’; Father Gracian corrected ‘Absalom,’ and Fr.

Luis de Leon restored the original text.

[90] Ps. cxi. 1.

[91] Matt. xix. 21.

[92] Proverbially, like ‘having too many irons in the fire.’

[93] St. Mark. x. 22. Way of Perf. ch. xvii. 5.

[94] Rel. ix. 15.

[95] St. Matt. iv. 20: ‘Relictis retibus secuti sunt eum.’

[96] St. Luke xvii. 10: ‘Servi inutiles sumus: quod debuimus facere

fecimus.’

_________________________________________________________________

CHAPTER II.

CONTINUES THE SAME SUBJECT AND SPEAKS OF ARIDITIES IN PRAYER AND THEIR

RESULTS: OF THE NECESSITY OF TRYING OURSELVES AND HOW OUR LORD PROVES THOSE

WHO ARE IN THESE MANSIONS.

1. Imperfections of dwellers in the first three mansions. 2. Our trials show

us our weakness. 3. Humility learnt by our faults. 4. Love of money. 5.

Liberty of spirit. 6. On bearing contempt. 7. Detachment proved by trials.

8. Virtue and humility are the essentials. 9. Perfection requires

detachment. 10. We should try to make rapid progress. 11. Leave our cares in

God’s hands. 12. Humility more necessary than corporal penances. 13.

Consolations rarely received until the fourth mansions. 14. Advantages of

hearing of them. 15. Perfection consists in love, not in reward. 16. St.

Teresa’s joy at seeing other souls favoured. 17. These graces should be

striven for. 18. Obedience and direction, 19. Misguided zeal for others.

1. I HAVE known some, in fact, I may say numerous souls, who have reached

this state, and for many years lived, apparently, a regular and well-ordered

life, both of body and mind. It would seem that they must have gained the

mastery over this world, or at least be extremely detached from it, yet if

His Majesty sends very moderate trials they become so disturbed and

disheartened as not only to astonish but to make me anxious about them.

Advice is useless; having practised virtue for so long they think themselves

capable of teaching it, and believe that they have abundant reason to feel

miserable.

2. The only way to help them is to compassionate their troubles; [97]

indeed, one cannot but feel sorry at seeing people in such an unhappy state.

They must not be argued with, for they are convinced they suffer only for

God’s sake, and cannot be made to understand they are acting imperfectly,

which is a further error in persons so far advanced. No wonder that they

should feel these trials for a time, but I think they ought speedily to

overcome their concern about such matters. God, wishing His elect to realize

their own misery, often temporarily withdraws His favours: no more is needed

to prove to us in a very short time what we really are. [98]

3. Souls soon learn in this way; they perceive their faults very clearly,

and sometimes the discovery of how quickly they are overcome by but slight

earthly trials is more painful than the subtraction of God’s sensible

favours. I consider that God thus shows them great mercy, for though their

behaviour may be faulty, yet they gain greatly in humility. Not so with the

people of whom I first spoke; they believe their conduct is saintly, and

wish others to agree with them. I will give you some examples which will

help us to understand and to try ourselves, without waiting for God to try

us, since it would be far better to have prepared and examined ourselves

beforehand.

4. A rich man, without son or heir, loses part of his property, [99] but

still has more than enough to keep himself and his household. If this

misfortune grieves and disquiets him as though he were left to beg his

bread, how can our Lord ask him to give up all things for His sake? This man

will tell you he regrets losing his money because he wished to bestow it on

the poor.

5. I believe His Majesty would prefer me to conform to His will, and keep

peace of soul while attending to my interests, to such charity as this. If

this person cannot resign himself because God has not raised him so high in

virtue, well and good: let him know that he is wanting in liberty of spirit;

let him beg our Lord to grant it him, and be rightly disposed to receive it.

Another person has more than sufficient means to live on, when an

opportunity occurs for acquiring more property: if it is offered him, by all

means let him accept it; but if he must go out of his way to obtain it and

then continues working to gain more and moreâ€"however good his intention may

be (and it must be good, for I am speaking of people who lead prayerful and

good lives), he cannot possibly enter the mansions near the King.

6. Something of the same sort happens if such people meet with contempt or

want of due respect. God often gives them grace to bear it well, as He loves

to see virtue upheld in public, and will not have it condemned in those who

practise it, or else because these persons have served Him faithfully, and

He, our supreme Good, is exceedingly good to us all; nevertheless, these

persons are disturbed, and cannot overcome or get rid of the feeling for

some time. [100] Alas! have they not long meditated on the pains our Lord

endured and how well it is for us to suffer, and have even longed to do so?

They wish every one were as virtuous as they are; and God grant they do not

consider other people to blame for their troubles and attribute merit to

themselves!

7. You may think, my daughters, that I have wandered from the subject, for

all this does not concern you: nothing of the sort occurs to us here, where

we neither own nor wish for any property, nor endeavour to gain it, and no

one does us any wrong. The instances I have mentioned do not coincide

exactly, yet conclusions applicable to us may be drawn from them, which it

would be neither well nor necessary to state. These will teach you whether

you are really detached from all you have left; trifling occasions often

occur, although perhaps not quite of the same kind, by which you can prove

to yourselves whether you have obtained the mastery over your passions.

8. Believe me, the question is not whether we wear the religious habit or

not, but whether we practise the virtues and submit our will in all things

to the will of God. The object of our life must be to do what He requires of

us: let us not ask that our will may be done, but His. If we have not yet

attained to this, let us be humble, as I said above. Humility is the

ointment for our wounds; if we have it, although perhaps He may defer His

coming for a time, God, Who is our Physician, will come and heal us. 9. The

penances performed by the persons I spoke of are as well regulated as their

life, which they value very highly because they wish to serve our Lord with

itâ€"in which there is nothing to blameâ€"so they are very discreet in their

mortifications lest they should injure their health. Never fear they will

kill themselves: they are far too sensible! Their love is not strong enough

to overcome their reason; I wish it wereâ€"that they might not be content to

creep on their way to God: a pace that will never bring them to their

journey’s end!

10. We seem to ourselves to be making progress, yet we become weary, for,

believe me, we are walking through a mist; it will be fortunate if we do not

lose ourselves. Do you think, my daughters, if we could travel from one

country to another in eight days, that it would be well to spend a year on

the journey, through wind, snow, and inundations and over bad roads? [101]

Would it not be better to get it over at once, for it is full of dangers and

serpents? Oh, how many striking instances could I give you of this! God

grant that I have passed beyond this state myself: often I think that I have

not.

11. All things obstruct us while prudence rules our actions; we are afraid

of everything and therefore fear to make progressâ€"as if we could reach the

inner chambers while others make the journey for us! As this is impossible,

sisters, for the love of God let us exert ourselves, and leave our reason

and our fears in His hands, paying no attention to the weaknesses of nature

which might retard us. Let our Superiors, to whom the charge belongs, look

after our bodies; let our only care be to hasten to our Lord’s presenceâ€"for

though there are few or no indulgences to be obtained here, yet, regard for

health might mislead us and it would be none the better for our care, as I

know well.

12. I know, too, that our bodies are not the chief factors in the work we

have before us; they are accessory: extreme humility is the principal point.

It is the want of this, I believe, that stops people’s progress. It may seem

that we have made but little way: we should believe that is the case, and

that our sisters are advancing much more rapidly than we are. Not only

should we wish others to consider us the worst of all; we should endeavour

to make them think so. If we act in this manner, our soul will do well;

otherwise we shall make no progress and shall always remain the prey to a

thousand troubles and miseries. The way will be difficult and wearisome

without self-renunciation, weighed down as we are by the burden and

frailties of human nature, which are no longer felt in the more interior

mansions.

13. In these third mansions the Lord never fails to repay our services, both

as a just and even as a merciful God, Who always bestows on us far more than

we deserve, giving us greater happiness than could be obtained from any

earthly pleasures and amusements. I think He grants few consolations here,

except, perhaps, occasionally to entice us to prepare ourselves to enter the

last mansions by showing us their contents. There may appear to you to be no

difference except in name between sensible devotion, and consolations and

you may ask why I distinguish them. I think there is a very great

difference, but I may be mistaken.

14. This will be best explained while writing of the fourth mansion, which

comes next, when I must speak of the consolations received there from our

Lord. The subject may appear futile, yet may prove useful by urging souls

who know what each mansion contains to strive to enter the best. It will

solace those whom God has advanced so far; others, who thought they had

reached the summit, will be abashed, yet if they are humble they will be led

to thank God.

15. Those who do not receive these consolations may feel a despondency that

is uncalled for, since perfection does not consist in consolation but in

greater love; our reward will be in proportion to this, and to the justice

and sincerity of our actions. Perhaps you wonder, then, why I treat of these

interior favours and their nature. I do not know; ask him who bade me write

this. I must obey Superiors, not argue with them, which I have no right to

do.

16. I assure you that when I had neither received these favours, [102] nor

understood them by experience, or ever expected to (and rightly so, for I

should have felt reassured if I had known or even conjectured that I was

pleasing to God in any way), yet when I read of the mercies and consolations

that our Lord grants to His servants, I was delighted and praised Him

fervently. If such as myself acted thus, how much more would the humble and

good glorify Him! I think it is worth while to explain these subjects and

show what consolations and delig