It’s been about a year since I was first introduced to the works and life of St. Teresa of Ávila. She has slowly become one of my favorite saints to learn about because of her authenticity and her deep knowledge of spiritual progress. I look back at my previous pieces about her and when she first began to inspire me, and I realize just how much I have grown and matured in my way of thinking since first encountering St. Teresa. It’s hard to believe that her life and writings are from literally the 1500s, because I quite often feel like she is speaking directly to me in these modern times.

St. Teresa of Ávila is a Spanish Carmelite nun whose spiritual and mystical journey led her to become a Doctor of the Catholic Church for her profound wisdom on what the soul experiences as it seeks to grow closer to God. She, along with her peer St. John of the Cross, helped put into words the art of contemplative, or mental, prayer and meditation. Through her profound experiences, St. Teresa was able to identify the different stages of prayer: recollection, quiet, union, and beyond. Each stage representing deeper levels of spiritual growth. Her experiences, which at the time were heavily scrutinized and even mistaken by some as hysteria, were later recognized as genuine mystical encounters that led her to become a spiritual teacher for those around her. St. Teresa experienced profound moments of clarity and, with the encouragement of her spiritual teachers and peers, was led to write several books, including her most well-known work, the spiritual classic The Interior Castle.

This spiritual classic is the inspiration for the new series I am now embarking on. I actually tried a few months ago to begin, but I don’t think I was ready yet to fully dive into it. I remember the first time I read this book, I thought it was quite hard to understand, but even the bits and pieces I did understand were deeply moving and helped clarify my own spiritual journey. I began to realize that what St. Teresa describes in the seven mansions are levels of consciousness as we intentionally seek to move inward. St. Teresa says that at the center of the human soul is God Himself, dwelling within all of us. She describes the human soul as a magnificent castle made of a single diamond, with all of us starting our journey outside of the castle, completely unaware that there is even a soul to uncover. For some, the call is loud, while for others it is faint, but each one of us has the opportunity to knock on the door and begin the journey within — the journey into the castle where God awaits our union with Him.

To open the door to the castle, we must go within, and the only way to do that is through mental prayer. Prayer being the key to door, and humility the motor that keeps us moving in. This is the life of Christian mysticism. Christian mysticism, I’ve learned, is the pursuit of experiencing God directly. Not just knowing Him intellectually, but encountering Him in a deep, personal way. Mystics describe this as an intimate relationship with God. At its core, our faith isn’t just about arguments or theological precision. It is about a living connection with an invisible God — a relationship that goes beyond what our minds can fully grasp. Join me as I introduce you to the seven mansions within the soul and begin this journey through the teachings of St. Teresa of Ávila. This second time around, everything feels more clear, and I realize what a wonderful influence she has been on me.

As always, I invite you to learn alongside me as I continue to grow in my understanding of the Interior Castle. I hope you leave feeling a little more inspired.

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The Interior Castle: Introduction to The Soul & Mansions (Follow me on YouTube!)

Catch the full episode on Spotify — linked here!

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