 The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 9 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The Interior Castle or the Mansions by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 9. She explains how our Lord communicates Himself to a soul by an imaginary vision, etc. We now come to imaginary visions, in which it is said the devil can more easily enter than in the preceding ones, and so it is the case. But when they come from our Lord, they seem to me to be in some manner more profitable than others, because they are more conformable to our nature. With the exception, however, of those which our Lord discovers and makes known in the Last Mansion, for none of the other visions can equal these. Let us then consider now, as I told you in the preceding chapter, in what manner this Lord is here present. It is as if we had a jewel of great value and virtue in a casket of gold. We know for certain it is there, though we may never have seen it, and its virtues fail not to benefit us. If we carry it about with us, since we find by experience it has cured us of certain infirmities, for which it is suitable. But we dare not look upon it, nor open the casket. Neither could we do so, for he only knows how to open it to whom the jewel belongs. And though he lends it to us, to make use of it for our benefit, yet he keeps the key himself. And when he is pleased to show it to us, he will open it for us, as it belongs to him. And then, when he thinks proper, he will close it again, as he does in reality. Let us suppose, then, that sometimes he is pleased unexpectedly to show it to him to whom he has lent it, in order to do him good. It is evident that he will afterwards feel far greater pleasure when he remembers the wonderful brightness of the stone, which thus becomes more deeply engraven on his memory. And so it is here, when our Lord is pleased to caress this soul more lovingly. He clearly shows her his most sacred humanity in the way he pleases, either as he appeared when he was in the world, or as he was after his resurrection. And though this vision is affected with a quickness which resembles that of a flash of lightning, yet this glorious image remains so fixed in the imagination, that I consider it impossible ever to blot it out, till she behold it there, where she shall possess it forever. Though I call it an image, yet we must not have an idea that it seems as if it were painted in the eyes of the beholder. Rather, it is most truly endowed with life. Sometimes he discourses with the soul, and reveals great secrets to her. But you must understand that though the soul gazes upon it for some time, it can no more be seen than the sun, and hence this vision always passes away very quickly. Not because it's splendor, like that of the sun, dazzles the interior sight which beholds all this. When it is with the exterior view, I can say nothing of it, because the person of whom, as I said, I can speak so particularly, never had any experience of it, and what one has not experienced, he cannot give any correct account of. For its luster is, as it were, a transfused light, and like that of the sun, covered with something as beautiful and as bright as a diamond, if it could be made so. His garment seems like the finest holland, and almost every time that God bestows his favor, she remains in an ecstasy, her baseness and unworthiness not being able to bear so terrible a sight. I call it terrible because, though it be the most beautiful and delightful that can be imagined, should one live even a thousand years, and dwell upon it even to weariness, because it far exceeds the capacity of our imagination or understanding, yet this presence of so great a majesty causes such great fear in the soul, that there is no need of asking her, nor of anyone telling her who it is. For he clearly makes himself known to be the Lord of heaven and earth. But this earthly kings cannot do, for of themselves they would be little esteemed, but for the royal pomp which attends them, or because others announce who they are. O Lord, how little do we Christians know thee! What shall we do in that day when thou wilt come to judge us, if speaking so familiarly with thy spouse and beholding thee causes such terror? What will it be, daughters, when he shall, with a dreadful voice say to the wicked, depart from me ye cursit of my father? Let then what I have said not be forgotten, respecting this favor bestowed by God upon any soul, for it will be of great benefit. Saint Jerome, though so holy, did not allow it to depart from his memory, and thus whatever we may suffer here in the rigor of a religious life will seem nothing whatever to us. What do we wait for, since even should our sufferings last long, it is but a moment when compared with eternity. I tell you sincerely, that though I am very wicked, I do not fear the torments of hell, which were as nothing in comparison, when I consider that the damned must behold those eyes of our Lord, so amiable, so meek, so gracious, in sense against them. This I think my heart could not endure. How much more shall he fear him to whom our Lord thus represents himself, if the terror be such that it leaves one senseless? This is certainly the cause of the soul being in a rapture, and our Lord helps her weakness, that she may be united to his greatness in this sublime communication with God. When the soul is able to continue long in beholding this Lord, I do not consider that a vision, but a certain vehement consideration formed in the imagination. It is a kind of dead image, in comparison with this other. It happens that some persons, and I know this to be true, for not three or four, but many persons have spoken with me on the subject, are of so weak an imagination that whatever they think upon, they say they see it clearly, as it indeed seems to them. They have also so vigorous an understanding, or whatever else it may be, for I know not, that they become quite certain of everything in their imagination. But had they seen a true vision, they would, without any doubt of it, clearly see the mistake, for they continue to frame within themselves that which they see, without afterwards finding any effects therefrom, but they are much colder than if they had seen a devout picture. It is very evident that no attention is to be paid to such a representation, and thus it is forgotten much sooner than a dream. But in what we are speaking of, this is not the case, for when the soul is far from imagining that she is to see anything, and has not the least thought thereof, all at once the whole object is represented to her together, and this disturbs all the powers and senses with great terror, in order to place them afterwards in that blessed peace. And as when St. Paul was thrown to the earth, there came a tempest and noise from heaven. So it is in this interior world, a wonderful movement is made, and in an instant everything is calm, and the soul is so fully instructed in sublime truths that she stands in need of no other master. True wisdom, without any labor on her part, has dispelled her ignorance, and the soul continues for some time in a great certainty that this favor comes from God. Never much people may tell her to the contrary, they cannot then make her fear any delusion. Afterwards her confessor may terrify her, and God may seem to forsake her, so that she wavers a little, thinking it might possibly happen on account of her sins, but she does not believe it, except in the way of temptation against points of faith, as I have mentioned in other cases. And the devil may disturb her a little, but he cannot prevent the soul from continuing firm and constant in the faith. Nay, the more he attacks her, the sureer she is that the devil could not produce so many benefits as she in reality finds. Hence he has not much power in the interior of the soul, though he can represent the object, but not with the like truth, majesty, or with the same effects. Confessors not being able to see this, and perhaps he who receives the favor from God being unable to express it, are afraid, and very justly so. One should therefore proceed with caution, and wait till he beholds the fruits which these visions produce, and by little and little he should observe the humility and strength of virtue which they leave in the soul, for if it be the devil, he will soon discover himself, and we shall find him uttering a thousand lies. If the confessor be experienced and have received these favors, he will not require a long time to discover the delusion, for he will quickly perceive by relation whether the vision come from God, the imagination, or the devil. Especially if his majesty have given him the gift of discerning spirits, for if he have this united with learning, he will easily understand it, even though he should not have experience. That which is very necessary, sisters, is to confer with your director, with great sincerity and simplicity. I do not mean in confessing your sins, for that is clear enough, but in giving him an account of your prayer. If you do not act thus, I cannot ensure you are going the right way. Nor can I be certain that it is God who teaches you, since he is exceedingly desirous that you should, with the same truth and clearness, treat with his deputies, as you would with himself, and that you should be anxious to acquaint him with all your thoughts, however trifling. And how much more, then, with your actions? If you act in this way, never trouble nor disquiet yourselves, for though the vision should not come from God, if you have humility and a good conscience, it will do you no harm, because his majesty knows how to draw good out of evil, and is able to effect in the same way that by which the devil would wish to destroy you, and you will thus gain more by it. But while you are considering how lovingly our Lord bestows such great favors upon you, strive with more care to please him, and to have your memory always occupied with his appearance. A great scholar once said that the devil is an excellent painter, adding that if he should show him our Savior drawn to the life, he would not refuse to excite his devotion by it, and make war upon the devil with his own weapons, and though the painter might be very wicked, he would not on that account forbear to reverence the picture he drew, if it represented him who is all our good. This learned man thought that was very bad advice, which some persons gave, these, upon seeing any vision of this kind, to make some outward sign of the scorn, for he said, wherever we see the picture of our king, we ought to reverence it. I find he had reason for these words, for even among ourselves it would be considered an offense, if one who wished well to another knew that a person made use of the like signs of scorn to his image. How much more, then, is it proper always to show respect to a crucifix, wherever it may be seen, or to any image of our emperor? Though I have spoken on this subject in another place, I am desirous of mentioning it here, because I have seen a person exceedingly afflicted when she was commanded to make use of this remedy. I know not who invented it, thus to torment one who was obliged to obey, if her confessor advised her, for she would consider herself ruined unless she did so. My opinion is that when you are thus advised, you give this reason with humility and refuse the advice. Those good reasons gave me great satisfaction which he gave me, who advised me how to act in this case. One great advantage which the soul gains from this favor of our Lord is that when she thinks upon him or on his life in passion, she remembers his most mild and beautiful countenance. This is a very great comfort. Just as in this world, we receive a greater pleasure from having seen a person who does us great good than if we have never known him. I tell you, that so sweet a remembrance is very profitable to us. Other benefits it brings along with it. But having spoken so much of the effects which these visions produce, of which more hereafter, I will for the presence say no more, without first earnestly advising you, that though you know God bestows these favors on some souls, you never pray to him, nor desire him to lead you this way, for though it may seem to you to be very good and greatly to be esteemed, yet it is not fitting to be asked for these reasons. First, because it is a want of humility to desire what you have never deserved. Hence, I believe that he has little humility who desires it. Four, as a common working man is far from desiring to be a king, considering such a thing impossible, because he does not deserve it. So is a humble person far from wishing such favors, and I am convinced they will never be bestowed, except on those who are humble. Four, before our Lord bestows these favors, he gives us a true knowledge of ourselves. Ought we not truly to understand that she has a very great favor shown her in not being cast into hell, who entertains such thoughts? Secondly, because such a person is very certain to be deceived, or in great danger of it, for the devil requires no more but to find one little door open, in order to lead us into a thousand deceits. Thirdly, because when the desire is vehement and the imagination strong, it makes one thing he sees and hears that which he wishes for, just as it happens to those who, in the daytime, having a great desire for something, and thinking upon it very earnestly, dream of it in the night. Fourthly, it is a very great presumption for you to desire to choose a way for yourselves, who know not what is best for you, since you should refer the matter to our Lord, who knows you the best, in order that he may conduct you in the way he likes best. Fifthly, because the troubles are not few, as you may perhaps imagine but very numerous, and of various kinds, which they endure, on whom our Lord bestows these favors, and how do you know whether you will be able to endure them? Sixthly, because it may happen that you might lose by the very way in which you thought to gain, as it happened to Saul when he was made king. In a word, sisters, besides these, there are other reasons, and believe me, the surest is to desire only the will of God. Let us place ourselves in his hands, for he loves us exceedingly, and we cannot do wrong if, with a determined will, we persevere herein. You must know also that more glory is not merited by receiving many of these favors. Rather, we are obliged to serve him the more. Our Lord does not deprive us of that wherein more merit consists, since it is in our power. Hence, there are many holy persons who never knew what it was to receive one of these favors, and others receive them, and yet are no saints. Think not that these favors are bestowed constantly. Rather, for once that our Lord gives them, many labors have to be endured, and thus a humble soul does not think how she may procure them frequently, but how to make a good use of them. It is true they are a great help towards acquiring virtues in a high degree, but he has much greater merit who obtains them by having purchased them with his own labor. I know three persons, one of whom was a man, on whom our Lord bestowed these favors. They were so desirous of serving His majesty at their own cost, without these wonderful consolations, and so desirous of suffering also, that they complained to our Lord for having bestowed such favors upon them, and if they could, they would have refused them. I do not speak of the delights of these visions, from which in the end come very great benefits, which ought to be highly prized, but of those delights which our Lord gives in contemplation. It is true these desires, in my opinion, are supernatural, and come from souls all on fire, who wish our Lord to see that they do not serve Him for wages. And thus they never consider they are to receive glory for anything which they do, that thereby they may give themselves the more to His service, but they wish to satisfy their love, the property of which is always to be working in a thousand different ways. The soul in this state would feign invent means of consuming herself in Him, and if it were necessary that she should remain forever annihilated for the greater glory of God, she would willingly do so. May He be praised forever, Amen, who, in humbling himself to converse with such miserable creatures, is pleased to manifest His greatness. End of the Sixth Mansion, Chapter 9. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 10 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ann Boulet. The Interior Castle or the Mansions by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 10. The St. mentions other favors which God bestows upon a soul, different from those mentioned before. In many ways does our Lord communicate Himself to the soul in these apparitions, sometimes when she is afflicted, at other times when some trouble is to happen to her, and again when His Majesty wishes to delight Himself with her and caress her. I need not enter into every particular, as my meaning is only to explain the different kinds which are found in this way, as far as I understand them. In order that you may know, sisters, what is their nature and what effects they leave behind. For we may be mistaken in supposing every fancy of ours to be a vision, and also that when it is in reality a vision, knowing such a thing as possible, you may not be troubled or afflicted. The devil gains much and is exceedingly delighted to see a soul in trouble, because he knows it hinders her from employing herself holy in loving and praising God. In other ways, much more sublime, though less dangerous, because I believe the devil cannot counterfeit them, His Majesty communicates Himself. This is a difficult matter to speak about, because it is exceedingly deep. The imaginary visions are more easily explained. It happens when our Lord is pleased that the soul being in prayer and in perfect enjoyment of her senses is on a sudden seize with a suspension in which our Lord reveals great secrets to her, which she thinks she sees in God himself. For these are not visions of the most sacred humanity, but though I say she sees, yet she sees nothing, for it is no imaginary, but a very intellectual vision in which is discovered how all things are seen in God and how he contains them in himself. This is of a great benefit to us, for though it passes away in an instant, yet it is deeply engraved in the soul, producing great self confusion and discovering more clearly our malice in offending God, because we commit grievous offenses by being in Him ourselves. I will make use of a comparison in order to make you understand this matter the better. Let us suppose God to be, as it were, a room or a very large and magnificent palace, which contains all the world within it. Can a sinner possibly remove himself from this palace in order to do his evil deeds? No, certainly not. Thus, even in God himself are committed the abominations, dishonesties, and other immoralities which we sinners do. Oh dreadful evil, worthy of the greatest consideration, and very profitable for us who understand little and cannot comprehend these truths, for if we did, it would be impossible for us to give way to so mad a boldness. Let us consider, sisters, the great mercy and patience of God, in not plunging us into hell immediately. Let us give Him our most grateful thanks, and let us be ashamed to be offended at anything that is done or said against us. For it is the greatest wickedness in the world to behold our Creator enduring so many injuries from His creatures, and that we should feel hurt at a word spoken in our absence, and that through no bad intention. Oh, the misery of the world! When, my daughters, shall we imitate in something this great God? Away then, let us not think we do anything very wonderful, when we suffer injuries without murmuring, but let us willingly bear everything and love those who injure us, since this Lord has not ceased to love us, though we displease Him exceedingly. He has therefore very great reason to require us all to forgive, however much we may be injured. I tell you, daughters, though these visions pass away immediately, yet it is a great favor which our Lord bestows upon the soul, if she would only make a good use of it, seeing it is almost always present before her. It happens likewise that God, very suddenly, and in a manner which cannot be expressed, discovers to us in Himself a certain truth, which seems to obscure all those which are in creatures, clearly manifesting that He alone is truth, which cannot deceive. Herein is fully comprehended what David says in the Psalm. Every man is a liar, words which never could be so understood, though we should often hear it said, that God is the infallible truth. I remember how Pilate asked our Lord in his passion and said, what is truth? And how little we in this world understand this supreme truth. I would willingly enter into more particulars, but they cannot be expressed. Let us conclude from this, sisters, in order to conform ourselves in something to our God and spouse. It will help us much if we endeavor always to walk in this truth. I say that we must not only take care not to lie, and herein glory be to God, I see already that in these houses you take great care on no account whatever to tell a lie, but that we walk in truth before God and men in every possible way, especially in not desiring that men should think us better than we are. In all our looks also, let us give to God what is His, and to ourselves what is ours, endeavoring from everything to draw the truth. Thus, we shall pay little regard to this world, which is altogether a lie and a falsehood. I was once considering the reason why our Lord loved humility so much, when, without much consideration, I suddenly remembered that God was essentially the supreme truth, and humility is walking in the truth, for it is a very great truth that of ourselves we have no good, but misery and nothingness, and He who does not understand this walks in falsehood, but He who understands it the best is the most pleasing to the supreme truth, because He walks in it. May God grant us the favor, sisters, never to be without this knowledge of ourselves. Amen. Our Lord bestows these favors on a soul, because being His true spouse, and being now resolved to accomplish His will in everything, He is pleased to give her some knowledge of the means whereby she is to accomplish it, and of His greatness likewise. It is not necessary for me to say any more. These two I have mentioned, because they seem to be very profitable in teaching us that in such cases there is no ground for fearing, but rather reason to praise our Lord for giving them. For, in my opinion, the devil and our own imagination have little access here, and hence the soul enjoys great pleasure and satisfaction. End of the Sixth Mansion, Chapter 10. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 11 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boulet. The Interior Castle, or the Mansions, by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The Sixth Mansion, Chapter 11. She speaks of certain desires which God gives the soul of enjoying Him, and which are so vehement and impestuous that they endanger her life. Will all these favors which the spouse has bestowed upon the soul be sufficient to make the little dove or butterfly, for do not think I have forgotten it, to rest contented, and repose in some place where she is to die? No, certainly she is rather much worse, and though she may have received these favors many years since, she mourns and weeps continually, for every one of those years increases her affliction. The reason is that as she understands still more and more the greatness of her God and sees herself so remote from Him, and so far from enjoying Him, her desire is increased the more, and so is her love too, when she discovers still more how much this great God and Lord deserves to be loved, and during these years this desire by degrees increases in such a way as to cause that dreadful pain which I will now mention. I said years with respect to what that person felt and experience of whom I spoke, and I know well that God is not to be limited, and that He is able, in a moment, to advance a soul to a much higher degree than is mentioned here. His Majesty is both able to do all that He pleases and desires of doing a great deal for us. It happens then, sometimes, that from these anxieties, tears, and groans, and the great impestuousities already mentioned, all this seems to proceed from our love, accompanied with great sensibility, but all is nothing in comparison with this other, of which I am now speaking, because this seems to be a fire which continues smoking, and may be endured, though with pain. It happens then, sometimes, that such a soul, thus burning in herself, upon a very slight thought that she may have, or through a word which she heard respecting the delay of her death, feels, on the other hand, a blow, as if it came from a fiery dart, though she understand not whence nor how. I do not say it is a dart, but whatever it is, it is evident it cannot come from our nature. Neither is it a blow, though I mentioned the word, but it wounds more sharply, and in my opinion, not in that part where we feel pain in this world, but in the very depth and inmost recess of the soul, where this ray, which passes away so quietly, reduces all it finds of this earth of our nature to dust. For, during the time it continues, it is impossible to remember anything of our being, because in an instant, it binds up the faculties in such a manner that they have no liberty for anything whatever, except for those things which tend to increase this grief. I do not wish this to be considered an exaggeration, for I indeed see I have said little, because it cannot be expressed. This is a rapture of the senses and faculties and does not tend to make this affliction felt. For the understanding is very quick in comprehending the reason there is to grieve, because the soul sees herself absent from God, and His Majesty helps this at that time by so clear a manifestation of Himself, as to increase the pain to such a degree that the person who feels the pain breaks forth into loud cries, and though she be very patient and accustomed to suffer great pains, yet she cannot do otherwise, for this torment is not in the body, but in the interior of the soul. Hence the person concludes, how much sharper its pains are than those of the body, and it is represented to her that the sufferings of purgatory are similar to these, where the want of a body is no hindrance to the soul's suffering, much more than all those men do who live in the body. I saw one in this state, and I certainly thought the person was dying, and no wonder, for one is indeed in great danger of death, and thus, though it may not last long, yet it leaves the body all disjointed, and the pulse then beats so faint, as if one were about to die, and with reason because the natural heat fails, and the supernatural so burns it up, that with a very little more, God would satisfy her desires of dying. Not that one feels any bodily pains, though, as I said, the body is so disjointed that, for two or three days after, it has no strength even to write a few lines, for the pains are great, and, in my opinion, the body always continues weaker than before. Feeling no corporeal pain arises from the predominance of the interior sense of the soul. On this account, she pays no regard to the body, even should it be torn in a thousand pieces. You will say, this is an imperfection, for why does she not conform herself to the will of God, to which she seems resigned? Hitherto, she has not been able to do so, and thus has her life passed away. But it is not the case now, because her reason is such, as not to be able to govern itself, nor to think of anything but what torments her, as she is absent from her chief good. For what should she live? She seems to feel herself to be in a strange solitude. All those who live on earth are no company for her. No, nor would I believe those in heaven be, if her beloved one were not there present. Everything torments her, and she sees herself like one hanging in the air, neither able to rest on anything belonging to earth, nor able to ascend into heaven. She is burnt up with this thirst, and cannot obtain water. This thirst is unbearable, and so excessive that no water can quench it. Neither does she desire to have it quenched, except that of which our Savior spoke to the Samaritan woman, but this is not given to her. Oh my God and my Lord, to what estate does Thou bring those who love thee? But all is little in comparison with that, which Thou give us to them afterwards. And very proper is it that it should cost them much, especially if it should contribute to purify such a soul for entering into the seventh mansion, just as those who are to enter heaven are purified in purgatory. The suffering is quite as trifling, as a drop of water in comparison with the sea. How much more proper then is it for notwithstanding this torment and affliction, greater than which, in my opinion, cannot be found on earth, for this person has endured many afflictions, and yet she considered them all as nothing in comparison with this. The soul perceives this pain is of such great value that she clearly understands she could never merit it. But this perception does not come in such a way as to give any relief. Though herewith she bears it very willingly, and would bear it all her life, if God so pleased, though she were not to die once, but to be always dying, for it is in reality nothing less. Let us consider, too, sisters, that those who are in hell have not this conformity, nor the joy and delight which God bestows upon the soul. They see their sufferings are unprofitable, and that they always suffer, and shall suffer more and more. I mean more as to accidental pains, because the torments of the soul are greater than those of the body, and those which they endure are beyond comparison greater than that which I have mentioned here. And these see also that their torments shall continue forever. What will become of these miserable souls, and what ought we not to do, and to suffer in this very short life, which is a mere nothing in order to be delivered from such terrible and eternal torments? I tell you, it is impossible to express how great is the suffering of the soul, and how different from that of the body, unless a person has experienced it, and our Lord himself wishes us to understand this, in order that we may know the better how much we owe him for having conducted us to a state of life, which we hope, in his mercy, will be the means of delivering us from those miseries, and may he pardon our sins also. Let us now return to what we were speaking about when we left the soul in that extreme torment. In this extremity she does not continue long, at most, in my opinion, not above three or four hours. For were it to continue long, it would be impossible for human infirmity to bear it, except by a miracle. Sometimes it has not continued for more than a quarter of an hour, and yet the person has been, as it were, disjointed. It is true that this time it came upon her so violently that she became quite senseless upon hearing only one word, that her life would not yet end. She was then engaged in conversation, it being the last day of Easter, and during all the time she was in such aridity that she scarcely knew it was Easter. To think of being able to resist it would be the same as if one, being thrown into a great fire, should wish to prevent the flames from burning him. It is not a pain which can be hidden, but those who are present understand the great danger a person is in, though they cannot be witnesses of the interior. It is true that whilst people are with her, they are some company for her, but only as if they were shadows, and such all earthly things seem to her. In order that you may see how possible it is if this should ever happen to you, for the weakness of our nature to interpose here, it may be necessary to tell you that sometimes it happens, when, as you have seen, the soul is dying through her desire of dying. Which desire so oppresses her that hardly anything seems wanting to prevent her leaving the body? Then she fears indeed and wishes this pain to lessen in order that she may not die. It is very clear that this pain arises from natural weakness, for on the other hand, her former desires do not leave her, nor is it possible for this pain to be removed till our Lord shall take it away. This is usually done by a vision, whereby the true comforter both comforts and strengthens the soul to be willing to live as long as his majesty shall please. This is a very painful thing, but it leaves in the soul very great effects, and expels the fear of troubles which may follow, for in comparison with so acute a pain which the soul felt, all others seem to her as nothing. She is so improved thereby that she would be glad to endure it often, but this she cannot in any way obtain, nor has she any means of recovering it again till our Lord shall please, nor can she resist it when it comes. She has a greater contempt of the world than she formerly had, for she sees that nothing in it helps her in this affliction. She is also much more disengaged from creatures, because she sees that only her creator can comfort and satisfy her. She is likewise more careful and fearful not to displease God, because she sees he can console and torment whenever he pleases. There are two things it seems to me, in this spiritual way, which endanger a person's life. One is what we have already mentioned, and which is indeed very dangerous. The other is a very great joy and delight, so excessive that it seems to make the soul faint away, so that she is very near dying, and truly this would be no small happiness for her. Here, sisters, you will see whether I had reason to say, courage is necessary, and that our Lord, whenever you desire such things, may justly say to you, as he did to the sons of Zebedee, can you drink of this chalice? I believe, sisters, we should all answer yes, and justly so, because his majesty gives strength to him for whom he sees it is necessary, and in everything he protects such souls, and answers for them in persecutions and slanders, as he did for Mary Magdalene, if not by words, at least by deeds. At last, before we die, he repays them all together. As you shall now see, may he be blessed forever, and may all creatures praise him. Amen. End of the sixth mansion, chapter 11. The seventh mansion, chapter 1 of the Interior Castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anne Boullet. The interior castle, or the mansions, by St. Teresa of Avila, translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The seventh mansion, chapter 1. She speaks of the great favors which God bestows on souls who have entered the seventh mansions, et cetera. You may suppose, sisters, that as so much has already been said regarding the spiritual way, nothing more can be added. It would be a great mistake to think so, for as God's greatness has no limits, so neither have his works. Who is able to mention all his mercies and wonders? It is impossible. Never wonder then at what has been said or shall be, because it is all a mere cipher in comparison with what may be said concerning God. He has been very merciful to us in having communicated these things to a person by whom we might be able to know them. The more we are made aware that he communicates himself to creatures, the more shall we praise his greatness and endeavor to have a high esteem of that soul in which our Lord takes such pleasure and delight, and such a soul each one of us has. But since we do not prize her as a creature made after the image of God deserves to be, neither do we understand the great secrets which are concealed within her. May his majesty, if such be his pleasure, guide my pen, and bestow upon me the favor of enabling me to explain something of the many things which are to be mentioned, and which he discovers to those whom he conducts into this mansion. I have earnestly requested this favor from his majesty since he knows that my only object is not to let his mercies be hidden so that his holy name may be praised the more. I hope, sisters, he will grant me this favor, not for my sake, but for yours in order that you may understand how important it is for your spouse to celebrate the spiritual marriage with your souls, for it brings with it many good things as you will see. It is also necessary you should put no obstacle in the way. Oh, great God, I seem to tremble, being such a miserable creature, and having to speak on a subject which I am so far from deserving to understand. The truth is, I have been in great confusion, for I have been thinking whether it would be better to finish this mansion in a few words since I thought people would imagine that I knew by experience what I said. I am likewise extremely ashamed because, knowing what I am, it is a terrible thing. On the other hand, it seemed to be a temptation and a weakness, though you may throw a thousand censures upon me so that God is praised and known a little more. Let all the world exclaim against me, and this the more because perhaps I may be dead before this book is seen. May he be blessed who lives and shall live forever. Amen. When our Lord is pleased to be moved by what this soul suffers and has suffered through her desires for him, which he has now spiritually chosen to be his spouse, he allows her to enter this, his seventh mansion, before the consummation of the spiritual nuptials, for as he has a mansion in heaven, so he is to have an abode in the soul in which his majesty alone resides. Let us call it another heaven since it is very important for us sisters not to imagine the soul to be something obscure, and as we do not see it, we generally think there is no other interior light except what we see, and that there is in the soul a certain obscurity. I indeed grant this to you as regards a soul which is not in the state of grace, not through the want of the son of justice which is in her, and gives her being, but because she is incapable of receiving its light as I have mentioned in the first mansion. Let us sisters take particular care to pray for those who are in mortal sin. It is a very great charity. If we saw a Christian with his hands bound behind him with a strong chain and tied fast to a pillar and dying with hunger, not through want of vitals, having every delicacy before him, but because he cannot reach it and put it into his mouth, and that he was about to die, not a temporal, but an eternal death, would it not be a great cruelty to stand looking on and not give him anything to eat? But what if, by your prayers, his chains also could be loosened? For the love of God, I beg you always to remember such souls in your prayers. We do not, however, speak here of these souls, but of such only who have done penance for their sins and, through God's mercy, are in a state of grace. We may consider the soul not as a limited creature, but as an internal world, containing so many and such beautiful mansions as you have seen, and this with reason, since God has an abode within this soul. When his majesty is pleased to bestow upon her the above-mentioned favor of this divine espousals, he first brings her into his own mansion. His majesty does not wish this to be, as at other times, when he sends her raptures, and when, I believe, he unites her to himself, as well as in the prayer of union, but there it seems to the soul that she is not called by God to enter into her center, as is the case in this mansion, but into the superior part, though it matters little whether this be in one way or the other. Still, what is the most necessary to notice is that there our Lord unites her to himself, but it is affected by making her become blind and dumb, as happened to St. Paul at his conversion, and by not giving her any knowledge as to how, or in what manner this favor is bestowed which she enjoys. For the great delight which the soul finds is from seeing herself approach near to God, but when he really unites himself with her, she neither understands nor knows anything, for all the faculties are lost and absorbed. But here it is in another way, for now our good God is pleased to take away the scales from our eyes, that she may see and understand something of the favor which he bestows upon her, though it be in a wonderful manner. When she is brought into this mansion by an intellectual vision, all the three persons of the most holy trinity discover themselves to her by a certain way of representing the truth. She is accompanied with a certain inflaming of the soul, which comes upon her like a cloud of extraordinary brightness. These three persons are distinct, and by a wonderful knowledge given to the soul, she with great truth understands that all these three persons are one substance, one power, one knowledge, and one God alone. Hence, what we behold with faith, the soul here as one may say understands by sight, though this sight is not with the eyes of the body, because it is not in imaginary vision. All the three persons here communicate themselves to her and speak to her, and make her understand those words mentioned in the Gospel, where our Lord said, that he and the Father and the Holy Ghost would come and dwell with the soul that loves him and keeps his commandments. Oh my Lord, what a different thing is the hearing and believing of these words from understanding in this way how true they are. Such a soul is every day more astonished, because these words never seem to depart from her, but she clearly sees in the manner mentioned above that they are in the deepest recess of the soul. How it is, she cannot express since she is not learned, and she perceives this divine company in herself. You may imagine that the soul is so out of herself and so absorbed that she can't attend to nothing. On the contrary, she is more occupied than formerly in whatever relates to the service of God, and when she is not engaged, she is still with this delightful company. And if the soul be not wanting to God, he will never fail, in my opinion, manifestly to discover his presence to her. She has a strong confidence that God, who has bestowed this favor upon her, will not forsake her so that she should lose it. And well may she think so, though she does not cease to use more care than ever in endeavoring not to displease him in anything. Having this presence with her must not be understood that it is so as clearly as it was first discovered to her and at some other times when God is pleased to give her this favor, because if it were so, it would be impossible to mind anything else or even to live among men. But though it be not with so much light, yet whenever she reflects upon it, she always finds herself in this company. For example, suppose a person together with some others were in a room full of light and after shutting the windows were to be left in the dark, one would not know they were there because the light to see them by is taken away. You may ask whether one be able to open the windows in order to see them again when one wishes. I answer, no, but only when our Lord is pleased to open the understanding. He is sufficiently merciful to her by his never leaving her and in being willing that she should understand this with such evidence. His divine majesty here seems to be willing by this admirable company to prepare her for some greater favor. For it is clear that thereby she is greatly strengthened for advancing in perfection and casting away the fear she sometimes had in other favors bestowed upon her, as I have already mentioned. And so it was for the person found herself improved in everything and she thought that notwithstanding the cares and troubles she met with, the soul always remained in that mansion in such a manner that she thought there was a division between her and her soul and meeting with great troubles which happened to her a little after God had bestowed this favor upon her. She complained of her soul as Martha did of Mary that she was always enjoying this quiet at her pleasure and left her plunged in so many troubles and occupations that she could not keep her company. This may appear to you foolishness but what I have said is indeed the truth for though it be certain that the soul is entirely united what I say is no fancy or delusion because it is very common. On this account I said that things internal are seen in such a way that it is certain there is a clear difference between the soul and the spirit and though in general they are one in the same thing yet between them there may be perceived a division so subtle that sometimes it seems the one works in a way different from the other and so also is the knowledge which our Lord gives them. It also seems to me that the soul is different from the faculties in a word there are so many and such subtle differences in our interior that it would be a presumption in me to attempt to explain them. In heaven we shall see them if our Lord in his goodness shall grant us the favor of bringing us there where we can understand these secrets. End of the seventh mansion chapter one. The seventh mansion chapter two of the interior castle. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Ann Boulet. The interior castle or the mansions by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton. The seventh mansion chapter two. She continues the same discourse and explains the difference between the spiritual union and spiritual marriage. This she illustrates by some comparisons. We will now speak of the divine and spiritual marriage though such a sublime favor cannot be entirely possessed in this life or perfectly accomplished since if we once leave God we shall quite lose so great a good. The first time God bestows this favor His Majesty is pleased to discover himself to the soul by an imaginary vision of His most sacred humanity in order that she may fully understand it and be not ignorant that she received so immense a gift to others he may appear in another form. To her of whom we speak our Lord showed himself immediately after she had communicated in a figure of great splendor, beauty and majesty just as he was after his resurrection. He said to her that now was the time she should consider his affairs as hers and that he would take care of hers. Other words were uttered more fit to be felt than spoken. You may perhaps think that this was no novelty because at other times our Lord represented himself to this soul in this same way but this was so far different that it left her quite out of herself and quite astonished both because this vision came with great force and on account of the words which he spoke and also because in the interior of the soul where he had represented himself she had never heard any except in the preceding vision. You must understand that there is an immense difference between this and the preceding mansions and the differences as great between the spiritual espousals and the spiritual marriage as there is between those who are only affianced and those who are really united in matrimony. I have already mentioned that though these comparisons be used because none fitter can be found yet it should be understood that here the body is no more remembered than if the soul were out of it and much less in the spiritual marriage. For this secret union is affected in the interior center of the soul which must certainly be where God himself resides and he, in my opinion, requires no door to enter at. In all that I have hitherto said the effects seem to be brought about by means of the senses and faculties and the representation of our Lord's humanity must certainly be of this nature but that is far different which takes place here in the union of the spiritual marriage. Our Lord appears in the center of the soul not by an imaginary but an intellectual vision though it is more subtle than those I have mentioned before. Such did he appear to the apostles without entering at the door when he said to them, Pax Vobes. That which God here communicates to the soul in an instant is so great a secret and so sublime a grace and what she feels is such an excessive delight that I know nothing to compare it to except that our Lord is pleased at that moment to manifest to her the glory which is in heaven and this he does in a more sublime way than by any vision or spiritual delight. More cannot be said as far as can be understood than that this soul becomes one with God for as he himself is a spirit his majesty is pleased to discover the love he has for us by making certain persons understand how it extends in order that we may praise his greatness because he has vouchsafed to unite himself to a creature in such a way that as in the marriage state husband and wife can no more be separated so he will never be separated from her. The spiritual espousals is different for this is often dissolved and so also is union for though union is the joining of two things into one they may at last be divided and may subsist apart. We generally see that this favor of our Lord quickly passes away and the soul afterwards does not enjoy that company that is so as to know it but in that other favor of our Lord this is not the case for the soul always remains with her God in that center. Let us suppose union to be like two tapers so exactly joined together that the light of both makes but one or that the wick, light and wax are all one and the same but that afterwards one taper may be easily divided from the other and then two distinct tapers will remain and the wick will be distinct from the wax but here in the spiritual espousals it is like water descending from heaven into a river or spring where one is so mixed with the other that it cannot be discovered which is the river water and which the rain water it is also like a small rivulet running into the sea whose waters cannot be separated from each other or as if there were two windows in a room at which one great light entered but which though entering in divided yet makes but one light within. This is perhaps that which St. Paul means where he says he who adheres to God is one with him alluding to this sublime marriage which presupposes that God is united to the soul by union he likewise says mi hi vivere Christus est et mori lucrum to me to live as Christ and to die is gain I think the soul may say the same here for here the butterfly dies of which we have spoken and this with very great joy because now her life is Christ this in time is best known by the effects for it is clearly seen by certain secret inspirations that it is God who gives life to the soul and these inspirations are often so very lively that they cannot in any way be doubted because the soul perceives them very well though they cannot be expressed but the feeling is so great that sometimes it produces certain amorous words which it appears one cannot help uttering as for example oh life of my life my support which upholds me together with other like expressions from those divine breasts wherewith it seems God continually supports the soul streams of milk issue which comfort all the people of the castle for it seems our Lord wishes them to enjoy in some manner that abundance which the soul enjoys and that from this vast river in which the little spring is swallowed up there should sometimes flow a quantity of that water in order to support those who are to serve these two spouses in that which relates to the body and just as if a person who should be suddenly plunged in this water without thinking of any such thing could not help feeling himself wet so in the same manner but with more certainty are these operations I am speaking about discerned because as a great quantity of water could not fall upon us if there were no principle once it descended so here we clearly see that there is one in our interior who sends forth these darts and gives life to this life and that there is a sun from which proceeds that great light which is conveyed to the powers from the interior of the soul she does not as I have said stir from the center nor does she lose her peace for he himself who gave it to the apostles when they were assembled together can give it to her also I have been thinking that this salutation of our Lord contained more no doubt than the mere words outwardly represented the same may be said regarding our Lord telling the glorious mandolin to go in peace for as the words of our Lord are deeds in us so these words must certainly produce such effects upon those souls who are already disposed as to take from them all that is corporeal in the soul and leave it a pure spirit in order that it might be united with the uncreated spirit in this celestial union it is very certain that by disengaging ourselves from all creatures and withdrawing ourselves from them for the love of God the same Lord will fill us with himself when our Lord was once praying with his apostles he requested that they might be one with the Father and with him as Christ our Lord was in the Father and the Father in him I know not what love can be greater than this and here let us all not fail to enter into this union since his majesty has said I pray not for them only but for all those who shall believe in me he likewise said I am in them how true oh my god are these words and how well does the soul in this prayer understand them and we should all understand them were it not through our own fault since the words of Jesus Christ our King and Lord cannot fail but as we do not prepare ourselves properly and do not remove everything from us which might obstruct this light hence we do not behold ourselves in this glass in which we look and wherein our image is engraven but let us return to what we were saying after our Lord has conducted the soul into his mansion which is the center of the soul as they say the empireial heaven where God resides is not moved like the other part is and so it seems that when the soul enters there those motions do not take place in the soul which used to be in the faculties and imagination so that they can hurt her or take away her peace I may seem to mean that the soul by obtaining this favor becomes secure as regards her salvation and does not afterwards relapse but I do not say any such thing and whenever I speak on this subject and seem to mean that the soul is secure my words must be understood thus these as long as the divine majesty holds her in his hand and she does not offend him I know for certain that though she see herself in this state and though it may continue some years she does not therefore think herself secure but rather she has greater fears than formerly and is more careful to avoid any small offense against God as I shall mention hereafter she also has such ardent desires of serving him and such continual pain and confusion to see how little she can do and how much she is obliged to do that it is no small cross but rather a great mortification for in doing penance the greater it is the more delight does the soul feel her true penance is when God takes away her health and strength so that she is unable to do any penance and though I have in another place shown the great affliction this causes yet here it is much greater and all certainty must come from the root into which she is grafted just as a tree which grows near running water looks greener and bears fruit better why then should we be astonished at the desires which this soul has since the true spirit of her has become one with that celestial water of which we spoke but to return to what I was saying it is not intended that the faculty's senses and passions should always enjoy this piece the soul indeed does but in the other mansions there are seasons of war of troubles and of pains though in such a manner as not to take away her peace and this happens very commonly it is so difficult to explain how the spirit is lodged in the center of our soul and even to believe it that I fear my sisters my inability to explain it may be some temptation to you not to believe what I say for to assert that there are crosses and troubles and yet that the soul is at peace is difficult to imagine I wish to give you a few comparisons and God grant they may prove such as may in some degree illustrate the subject but should they not be to the purpose yet I know that what I say is the truth the king is in his palace yet there may be many wars in his kingdom and many offensive things done still he does not on this account cease to be on his throne and so it is here though there be many tumults and many poisonous creatures in the other mansions and the noise of them is heard yet no such things enter into this mansion or force the soul to remove from hence and though they give her some pain yet it is not in a way to disturb her and deprive her of her peace for the passions are now subdued in such a way that they are afraid to enter here because they go away still more mortified the whole body is in pain but if the head be sound no harm can be done to it I smile at these comparisons for they do not satisfy me but I can find no better whatever you may think of them I have spoken the truth end of the seventh mansion chapter two the seventh mansion chapter three of the interior castle this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Ann Boulet the interior castle or the mansions by Saint Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton the seventh mansion chapter three she mentioned some wonderful effects produced by the prayer already spoken of since we have said that this butterfly dies with very great joy because she has found rest and that Christ lives in her let us now consider what kind of life she leads or what is the difference between her present state and her former when she was alive for we shall see by the effects whether that be true which has been mentioned as far as I understand these following are some of the effects the first is a forgetfulness of herself so that she truly seems as I have said no longer to exist for she is affected in such a way that she neither knows herself nor remembers that there is either heaven or life or honor destined for her being entirely engaged in seeking the glory of God and hence it seems that the words spoken by his majesty have affected the work these that she should mind his affairs and that he would take care of hers thus she is not troubled at whatever happens to her but she so strangely forgets herself that as I have already said she seems to herself not to exist nor would she desire to live except when she perceives she can in any way advance however little the honor and glory of God for which she would very gladly lay down her life but do not imagine daughters that on this account she neglects to take any care about eating and sleeping which are a great torment to her and doing everything to which she is obliged by her state of life we are speaking of interior things for as regards exterior works little can be said it is rather an affliction to her to consider how all that she is able to do by her own strength is a mere nothing whatever she understands would conduce to the honor of our lord she would not omit for anything in the world the second effect is a great desire for suffering yet it is not like what she formerly had for that used to disturb her the desire which such souls have that God's will may be done in them is so excessive that they receive with pleasure whatever his majesty sends them if he wished them to suffer they are content if not they do not torment themselves about it as they used to do at other times these souls feel likewise a great interior joy when they are persecuted for then they enjoy more peace than that I have ever before spoken of and they do not feel the least hatred against their persecutors nay they can see for them a particular affection so much so that if they see them in any affliction they feel it keenly pity them and most sincerely recommend them to God on condition that he would in exchange bestow these afflictions on themselves in order that they might not offend his majesty what I wonder at the most of all is that as you have seen how great were the sufferings and afflictions which they endured through their longing to die in order to enjoy our lord so also is the desire great which they have to serve him that so he may be praised by their means they also desire to benefit if they can some soul hence they not only do not desire to die but to live many years and to endure very great crosses in order that our lord by their means may be honored however little and though they were sure when the soul left the body immediately to enjoy God they make no account of this and think as little on the glory which the saints possess they do not desire it at present since all their glory consist in their being able to assist in something their crucified lord especially when they see him so much offended and so few who disengage from all other things have his honor truly at heart it is true that sometimes when they forget this the desires of enjoying God and of leaving this land of exile come upon them with tenderness considering how little they serve him but immediately returning to themselves they reflect how they have him continually with them and with this they are satisfied offering to his majesty their willingness to live as being the most precious offering they can make they have no fear of death but look upon it as a sweet trance the fact is he who before gave those desires with that excessive torture now gives this other may he be blessed and praised forever thus the desires of these souls do not now run after consolations and delights because they have Christ our lord with them and his majesty now lives in them it is manifest that as his life was nothing else but a continual torment so he makes ours such at least by desire and he leads us as being feeble though in other things when he sees necessary he gives us strength they feel in themselves a disengagement from everything and a desire of being always alone or employed in things relating to the good of some soul they have no aridities nor internal troubles but always have a memory and a tenderness for our lord so that they would gladly do nothing but praise him and when they become negligent our lord himself excites them so that it is clearly seen that this impulse or I know not what to call it proceeds from the interior of the soul as I mentioned when speaking of impestuousities here it is done with great sweetness but it comes neither from the fancy nor from the memory nor any other thing whereby one can discover that the soul did nothing on her part this is so usual and happens so often that one may very easily observe it for as a fire however large it may be does not send forth its flames downwards but upwards so this internal motion is here discovered to proceed from the center of the soul and thus it excites the faculties truly were there no other advantage in this method of prayer then discovering the particular care God takes in communicating himself to us and how he entreats us to abide with him I think that all the pains endured for the enjoyment of these sweet and penetrating proofs of his love are well bestowed this sisters you will find true by experience for I think that when a soul has arrived at the prayer of union our Lord takes this care of us if we keep his commandments when this shall happen to you remember it belongs to this interior mansion where God resides in our soul and praise him exceedingly for that message certainly comes from him and the note is written with so much affection and in such a way that he intends you alone should understand the handwriting and what he wishes you to do hence then on no account neglect to answer his majesty however engaged in exterior things and in conversation with other persons for it may happen oftentimes that our Lord will wish to bestow the secret favor upon you in public and as the answer must be interior it is very easy to make an act of love or to say what saint paul said Lord what will thou have me to do then in many ways he will teach you what you should do to please him and the time is very opportune for then he seems to hear us this delicate touch of his almost always disposes the soul to be able to do with a firm resolution that which has been mentioned before the difference between this mansion and the rest is that there are scarcely ever any irritities or interior disturbances like what used to be at other times in all the rest but the soul is almost always in quiet and she is never afraid that this sublime gift would be counterfeited by the devil and therefore she is confident it comes from God as I have before mentioned the senses or powers have nothing to do here for his majesty has discovered himself to the soul and he has taken her along with him to the place where in my opinion the devil dare not come nor will our Lord allow him and all the favors he bestows here on the soul are without her doing anything on her part except what she has already done in resigning herself entirely to God whatever our Lord does to the soul and all that he teaches her passes in such quiet and without noise that it seems to me to resemble the building of Solomon's temple when no noise was heard and so in this temple of God for this mansion is his wherein he and the soul sweetly enjoy each other in the most profound silence there is no need for the understanding to stir or to seek after anything for the Lord who created it wishes it to remain quiet here and through a little chink to behold what passes within for though at certain times this sight be lost and cannot be seen yet it is only for a short time since in my opinion the powers are not lost here but they do not work they are as it were stupefied I am astonished to see that when the soul gets so far all raptures are taken away from her except at some few times this taking away of the raptures which I here speak of relates to the exterior effects which these cause such as losing our sense and heat though some persons tell me that these are merely accidents of the raptures which in reality are not taken away since the interior effect is rather increased hence the rapture seats in the manner I have mentioned and there are no more ecstasies nor flights of the spirit if they come at all it is very seldom and almost never in public nor do the great opportunities of devotion given to her help her hear in as they once used to do hence if she beheld a devout picture or heard a sermon which seemed almost as if she did not hear it or listened to music she was so troubled like the poor butterfly that everything frightened her and made her take wing but here either because she has found her repose or has been so much in this mansion she wonders at nothing nor does she now find such solitude since she enjoys such good company in a word sisters be the cause whatever it may for I know not when our lord begins to show the soul what is in this mansion and when he has conducted her into it this great infirmity which was very troublesome to her and which would not leave her before now does leave her this may be because our lord has now strengthened enlarged and disposed her or perhaps because he wishes to make known in public what he has done secretly in these souls for certain ends which his majesty has in view for his judgments are far beyond all that we can imagine these effects god bestows together with all the rest which we have mentioned in the degrees of prayer if they be good when the soul approaches to receive that kiss which the spouse in the canticles desired I think that here this petition is fulfilled here water is given in abundance to the wounded heart here she delights in the tabernacle of god here the dove which Noah sent out to see whether the flood had ceased has found the olive branch a sign that she has discovered firm land amidst the surges and tempests of the world oh Jesus who can tell how many things there are in the scriptures which illustrate this piece of the soul since thou oh lord behold us how important this is for us make all Christians desirous of seeking after it and in thy mercy do not take it away from those to whom thou hast given it in a word until thou give us true peace and bring us there where it will never end we must always live in fear I say true peace not as if I meant that what we have already were not such but because if we leave god the first war may return but what will such souls feel on seeing that it is possible they may be deprived of so great a good this consideration makes them proceed with more caution and vigilance and endeavor to gather strength from their weakness so as not through their own fault to omit any occasion which presents itself of pleasing god better the more they are favored by his majesty the more diffident, humble and fearful they do become of themselves and because they best understand their own miseries in these manifestations of god's greatness and as their sins also appear the more grievous they are often brought to such a state that like the publican in the gospel they dare not lift up their eyes at other times they desire to live no longer that so they may be secure though through the love which they have for god they immediately wish again as I said to live that so they may serve him whatever relates to them they commit to his mercy sometimes the numerous favors which they have received make them more humble and more annihilated for they fear less it should be with them as it is with a ship over laden which sinks the sooner to the bottom I tell you sisters they do not want to cross only it does not trouble them nor rob them of their peace but immediately it passes away like a wave or a tempest and then succeeds a calm for the presence of our lord which they carry with them soon makes them forget everything may he be blessed and praised forever by all his creatures amen end of the seventh mansion chapter three the seventh mansion chapter four of the interior castle this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Anne Boulet the interior castle or the mansions by St. Teresa of Avila translated by the Reverend John Dalton the seventh mansion chapter four the saint concludes by mentioning what our lord has particularly in view in conferring such great favors upon the soul you must not suppose sisters that the effects I have mentioned are always in the same degree in these souls for on this account I said that our lord sometimes leaves them in their natural condition and then all the venomous things in the ditches and in the other mansions unite together to be revenged on them for the time in which they could not get them in their power it is true this does not last long a day perhaps or a little more and in this great tumult which commonly arises from some occasion one discovers how much the soul gains by the good company she has for our lord gives her great strength never to turn aside in anything from his service or from her pious resolutions these seem even to increase within her and she turns not from this firm resolution even by a first motion this happens seldom as I said but our lord wishes her not to forget her own state in order that she may always be humble and may understand how much she is indebted to his majesty and that she may also comprehend the greatness of the favor she receives and may praise him for it but do not think that these souls because they have such ardent desires and firm resolutions if not committing any imperfection for any earthly thing do therefore not fall into many and even sins not willingly indeed because against this our lord gives such persons a very special assistance I speak of venial sins for as regards mortal they are free so far as they can understand though not secure since they may be guilty of some of which they have no knowledge and this is no small torment to them when they think upon the souls which perish and though they have in some manner great hopes of their not being of this number yet when they remember some mentioned in holy scriptures who seem to be particular favorites of our lord as Solomon who conversed so familiarly with his majesty they cannot help fearing let her amongst you who feels the greatest security fear the most for says David blessed is the man that feareth the lord if we beseech his majesty always to preserve us from offending him this will be the greatest security we can have may he be forever praised amen it will be well sisters to make you acquainted with the end for which our lord bestows such great favors in this world and though you might understand this by the effects if you consider them well yet I wish to repeat it here again to you that so none of you may think it is only to caress such souls which would be a great mistake since his majesty cannot bestow a greater favor upon us than to give us life to be spent in imitation of that which his beloved son spent here on earth hence I consider it certain that these favors are given to strengthen our weakness that we may be able to suffer something for his sake we have always noticed that those who have been nearest to Christ our lord were the most afflicted consider what his glorious mother suffered and the glorious apostles how thank you was st paul able to endure such great labors in him we see what affects true visions and contemplation produce when they come from our lord and not from the imagination or deceit of the devil when he had these visions did he hide himself in order thereby to enjoy these delights without applying himself to anything else you see as far as we can understand he had not one day's rest no nor one nights for he labored at night for his living I am greatly delighted with st peter when as he was flying from prison our lord appeared to him and told him he was going to roam to be crucified again whenever the office of this festival is said in which the above words are mentioned I feel a particular consolation in considering how st peter was affected after having received this favor from our lord since it encouraged him immediately to meet death and it was no small favor of our lord that st peter found one to put him to death oh my sisters how forgetful must that soul be of her own comfort what little account must she make of honor and how far is she from desiring to be esteemed in anything in whom our lord resides in so particular a manner if she be entirely taken up with him as it is proper she should she must be wholly forgetful of herself and all her thoughts and study will be how to please this lord and by what means she may be able to express the love she has for him for this object she does pray here too does this spiritual marriage tend from which good works always come this is a true sign that the favor comes from god for it is of little advantage to be solitary to be making acts of love and of other virtues to our lord proposing and promising to do wonders for his honor if upon leaving that place and an occasion offers i do quite the contrary i spoke incorrectly when i said it is of little advantage for all the time which is spent with god is very profitable and his majesty will sometimes find us means of accomplishing these resolutions though we may be weak in fulfilling them afterwards and this perhaps to our grief for it often happens that when he sees a soul very cowardly he sends her a great affliction much against her will but he draws her out of it with profit and when the soul afterwards perceives this she is not so afraid to expose herself to the like again i wish to mention that the affliction is but little in comparison with the greater gain which is acquired when the works correspond with the acts and words mentioned and that she who cannot do all at once should do it gently and by degrees and if she wished to derive any benefit from prayer she should also bend her will for even in these little retired spots she will not want many occasions of exercising patience remember that this is much more important than i can express fix your eyes on your crucified lord and everything will seem easy to you if his majesty show his love for us by such wonderful works and torments how can you desire to please him by words only do you know what it is to be truly spiritual it is to be slaves of god those who are signed with his mark which is that of the cross he may sell all over the world for slaves as he himself was sold for as you have already given him your liberty that of being his slaves will not injure you rather it will be a great favor for you but unless souls be resolved to do this they will never improve much for as i said the foundation of all this building is humility and if this be not very sincere our lord will not allow the building to rise high lest it should fall entirely to the ground this would not be for our good hence sisters in order that your humility may be well grounded let each one of you endeavor to be inferior to all the rest and to become their slave seeking how to please and to serve them because what you do in such cases is more for your benefit than for theirs by laying down such strong stones the castle can never fall i repeat it is necessary for this purpose that the foundation should not consist of prayer and contemplation only for unless you acquire virtues by the exercise of them you will always be behind god grant it may be merely a fault of not increasing for you know well that in the spiritual life he who does not increase must decrease i consider it impossible for love to stand still you may imagine perhaps that i speak of beginners and that these may afterwards take their rest but i have already told you the rest which these souls possess in their interior is given them because they possess so very little in the exterior for what end thank you are these inspirations or to speak more correctly those aspirations and messages which the soul from her interior center sends to the people around the castle and to the other mansions which are outside that in which she resides is it do you think that they may send themselves to sleep no no no for then it excites a fiercer war to keep the faculty senses and all that is corporeal from being idle then it did when she suffered with them for then she knew not the immense benefit which afflictions bring and these perhaps have been the means employed by god to advance her so far and as the company which she enjoys gives her greater strength than ever before for if david says with the holy that wilt be holy no doubt but that she by becoming one with the strong through so heavenly a union of spirit with spirit must needs receive strength and hence we shall find that the saints acquire their strength both for suffering and dying it is very certain that with the strength which she thence derives she assists all those within the castle and even the body itself it often seems to have no sense in it being fortified with the strength which the soul has in her and having drunk of the wine of this cellar into which her spouse has conducted her and from which he will not allow her to depart this wine diffuses itself in the weak body as the meat does which when taken diffuses its strength to the head and the whole of the body hence she has great trouble as long as she lives because however much she does her internal strength is far greater and so is the war which she wages everything that she does seems nothing to her hence we may account for the severe penances which many saints practice and particularly the glorious mary magdalene who had always been brought up amidst such delights hence that hunger which our father alias had for the honor of his god and which st dominic and st frances had for exciting the soul to praise him i assure you these must have endured great things through thus forgetting themselves this i wish you sisters to endeavor to obtain let us desire it and employ ourselves in prayer not in order to enjoy ourselves but to obtain this strength to serve our lord let us not beg to walk in a new way for we shall lose ourselves at a better time it would be very strange to suppose we could possess these favors from god by any other way than by that along which he himself went and all his saints never think of such a thing believe me martha and mary must go together in entertaining our lord and in order to have him always with us we must treat him well and provide food for him how could mary have entertained him in sitting always at his feet if her sister had not helped her his food is that we should strive in every possible way that souls may be saved and may praise him you may have two objections one that our lord told mary she had chosen the better part true because she had already performed the office of martha and showed great regard for our lord by washing his feet and wiping them with her hair do you think that it was a small mortification to a woman of rank as she was to go along the streets and perhaps alone for her zeal made her take no notice in what way she went and to go into a house she had never entered before then she had to endure the mortification of the Pharisee and many other things besides four to behold in the city a woman such as she was makes such a change and as we know among such wicked people to whom it was sufficient only to see that she had an affection for our lord whom they so deeply hated and when they remembered her former life and how she had now desired to become a saint for it was clear she must immediately change her dress and every other vanity what would people do then when now they talk of persons who are not so remarkable as she was i tell you sisters the better part fell to her lot in the numerous afflictions and mortifications she had to endure and had there been no more than that of seeing her master so deeply hated that was an intolerable cross what then must have been those numerous crosses which she endured at the death of our lord i am convinced that the reason why she did not suffer martyrdom was because she had endured it when she saw him die and during the years she lived afterwards when she found herself absent from him this must have been a dreadful torment to her hereby may be seen that she did not always enjoy the delight of contemplation at the feet of our lord the other objection you may make is that you neither have power nor opportunity of gaining souls to god which you would very willingly do but not being authorized to instruct or preach as the apostles did you know not how to accomplish this i have answered this objection somewhere though i cannot tell whether or no i have done so in this book but because it is a matter which occupies your thoughts through the ardent desires which our lord gives you i will not hesitate to repeat what i have said i have already told you elsewhere how the desire excites within us strong desires of doing things impossible in order that we may leave what we have to do at present so as to serve our lord and things possible to be done and may rest satisfied with having desired those impossibilities setting aside the consideration that by prayer you can do great good do not desire to benefit everyone except those who are in your company a work so much the nobler as you are so much the more indebted to them do you think the gain small that you have such great humility and mortification that you are the servant of all that you also have such great charity for them and such love for our lord that this fire inflames everyone and you are continually exciting them by the practice of your other virtues your gain will be exceedingly great and your service highly pleasing to our lord and by doing this which you are able his majesty will observe your readiness to do much more if you could and he will accordingly reward you as if you had gained many souls to him you will reply this is not converting them because they are all good who has suggested this objection the better they are made by their means the more pleasing to god will their praises of him be and their prayers will be more profitable to their neighbors in a word my sisters i will conclude with this advice do not erect towers without a foundation because our lord does not pay so much regard to the greatness of the works as to the love whereby they are performed when we do what we can his majesty will make us more and more powerful every day provided we do not grow tired immediately but that during the short space of this life much shorter perhaps than any of you may imagine we offer both interiorly and exteriorly to god the sacrifice that we are able and his majesty will unite it with that which he offered to his father on the cross for us in order that it may receive such value as our affection deserves however small or trifling the work may be may his majesty grant my sisters and daughters that we may all meet together in that place where we may forever please him and may he give me grace to perform some of those things which i have mentioned to you this i beg through the merits of his son who liveth and reigneth forever and ever i acknowledge my confusion is great and therefore through the same lord i beseech you not to forget this poor sinner in your prayers though when i began to write this discourse i felt the confusion above mentioned yet after it was finished i was exceedingly satisfied with it and i consider my trouble which i acknowledge to have been very little to be well bestowed hence considering your very strict enclosure and the few recreations my sisters which you have and the want of some conveniences that are requisite in some of our monasteries i think it will be some pleasure to you to recreate yourselves in this interior castle into which you may enter without leave of your superioress and walk there at any hour you please it is true you cannot enter into all the mansions of the castle by your own strength though you may think it very great except the lord thereof allow you to enter i wish then to advise you not to use any violence if you meet with some resistance for you may thus displease him so far as to cost you some trouble he is a great lover of humility and by considering yourselves unworthy even to enter the third mansion you will the sooner obtain his good will in favor to allow you afterwards to enter the fifth and you may serve him there in such a manner by often repairing thither that he may at length admit you into that mansion reserved for himself once you should never depart unless you are called away by the superioress whose will this great lord wishes you to observe as punctually as his own and though by her command you may be much abroad yet when you return he will always open the door to you being once accustomed to this castle you will find rest in all things though exceedingly painful with the hope of returning there again and no one will be able to take it away from you though i have spoken only of seven mansions yet in each of these seven there are many others above below and on the sides with beautiful gardens fountains and other various delights so that you would desire even to be dissolved into the praises of that great god who created your soul to his image and likeness if you see anything in this method which helps to instruct you in the knowledge of him be assured that his majesty has said it in order to comfort and encourage you whatever you find amiss know it was spoken by myself through the great desire i have of being of some use in assisting you to serve this my lord and god i entreat you every time you read this book to praise his majesty exceedingly and beg of him to advance his church to enlighten the lutherans and to obtain the pardon of my sins and deliverance from purgatory where perhaps i shall be when this shall be given you should it be published after the learned have seen it if you meet with any error it is because i know no better and in everything i submit to the judgment of the holy roman catholic church in which i live and in which i do protest and promise i shall live and die praise be the lord our god and blessed forever and ever amen amen laus deo semper end of the seventh mansion chapter four end of the interior castle or the mansions by saint teresa of alvola translated by the reverend john dalton