is lost, and that the time spent in God's presence is wasted. Meanwhile, the soul is perhaps entirely united to Him in the innermost mansions, while the imagination is in the precindls of the castle, struggling with a thousand wild and venomous creatures and gaining merit by its warfare. There- fore we need not let ourselves be disturbed, nor give up prayer, as the devil is striving to persuade us. As a rule, all our anxieties and troubles come from misunderstanding our own nature.
10. Whilst writing this I am thinking of the loud noise in my head which I mentioned in the Intro- dud:ion, and which has made it almost impossible to obey the command given me to write this. It sounds as if there were a number of rushing water- falls within my brain, while in other parts, drowned by the sound of the waters, are the voices of birds singing and whistling. This tumult is not in my ears, but in the upper part of my head, where, they say, is placed the superior part of the soul. I have long thought that this must be so because the flight of the spirit seems to take place from this part with great velocity.'^ Please God I may recoiled: to explain the cause when writing of the latter mansions, this not being the proper place for it. It may be that God has sent this suffering in my head to help me to understand the matter, for all this tumult in my brain does not interfere with my prayer, nor with my speaking to you, but the great calm and love and desires in my soul remain undisturbed and my mind is clear.
1 1. How, then, can the superior part of the soul " Second Relation addressed to Fr. Rodrigo Alvarez, 96 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. i.
remain undisturbed if it resides in the upper part of the brain? I cannot account for it, but am sure that I am speaking the truth. This noise disturbs my prayer when unaccompanied with ecstasy, but when it is ecstatic I do not feel any pain, however great. I should suifer keenly were I forced to cease praying on account of these infirmities. We should not be distressed by reason of our thoughts, nor al- low ourselves to be worried by them: if they come from the devil, he will let us alone if we take no notice of them; and if they are, as often happens, one of the many frailties entailed by Adam's sin, let us be patient and suifer them for the love of God. Likewise, since we must eat and sleep with- out being able to avoid it, much to our grief, let y us acknowledge that we are human, and long to be where no one may despise us."^ Sometimes I recall these words, spoken by the Spouse in the Canticle;'* truly never in our lives have we better reason to say them, for I think no earthly scorn or suffering can try us so severely as these struggles within our souls. All uneasiness or coniiid: can be borne while we have peace in ourselves, as I said; but if, while seeking for rest amidst the thousand trials of the world — knowing that God has prepared this rest for us — the obstacle is found in ourselves, the trial must needs prove painful and almost insufferable.
12. Take us therefore, O Lord, to where these miseries can no longer cause us to be despised, for '^ IVay of P erf. ch. xxxiii. 8. Lfe, ch. xxi. 8. Rel. ii. 12. '^ According to Fr. Gracian the Saint here refers to Cant. viii. I: •Et jam me nemo despiciat.'
CHAP. I.] FOURTH MANSIONS 97 sometimes it seems as if they mocked our souls. Even in this lite God delivers lis from them when we reach the last mansion, as by His grace I will show you. Everybody is not so violently distressed and assaulted by these weaknesses as I have been for many years,'^ on account of my wickedness, so that it seems as if I strove to take vengeance on myself. '^ Since I suffer so much in this way, per- haps you may do the same, so I shall continue to explain the subjed: to you in different ways, in or- der to find some means of making it clear. The thing is inevitable, therefore do not let it disturb or grieve you, but let the mill clack on while we grind our wheat; that is, let us continue to work with our will and intelle<ft.
I 3. These troubles annoy us more or less accord- ing to the state of our health or in different cir- cumstances. The poor soul suffers; although not now to blame, it has sinned at other times, and must be patient. We are so ignorant that what we have read and been told has not sufficed to teach us to disregard wandering thoughts, therefore I shall not be wasting time in instructing and con- soling you about these trials. However, this will help you but little until God chooses to enlighten you, and additional measures are needed: His Majesty wishes us to learn by ordinary means to, understand ourselves and to recognize the share / taken in these troubles by our wandering imagina- tion, our nature, and the devil's temptations, instead of laying all the blame on our souls.
'* Way of P erf. ch. xvii. 2. " Way of P erf ch, xxxi. 9.
CHAPTER II.
CONTINUES THE SAME SUBJECT, EXPLAINING BY A COMPARISON IN WHAT DIVINE CONSOLATIONS CONSIST: AND HOW WE OUGHT TO TRY TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO RECEIVE THEM, WITHOUT ENDEAVOURING TO OBTAIN THEM.
1. Physical results of sensible devotion. 2. Effects of divine conso- lations. 3. The two fountains. 4. They symbolize two kinds of prayer. 5. Divine consolations shared by body and soul. 6. The incense within the soul. 7. Graces received in this frayer. 8. Such favours not to be sought after.
I. God help me! how I have wandered from my subject! I forget what I was speaking about, for my occupations and ill-health often force me to cease writing until some more suitable time. The sense will be very disconnected; as my memory is extremely bad and I have no time to read over what is written, even what I really understand is expressed very vaguely, at least so I fear. I think I said that spiritual consolations are occasionally connedted with the passions. These feelings of devotion produce fits of sobbing; I have even heard that sometimes they cause a compression of the chest, and uncontrollable exterior motions violent enough to cause bleeding at the nose and other painful effed:s.'
2. I can say nothing about this, never having experienced anything of the kind myself; but there appears some cause for comfort in it, because, as I said, all ends in the desire to please God and to ' ' A clear description of an attack of hysteria with the significant remark that she herself had never experienced anything of the kind'. ( Dr. Goix, quoted by P. Gregoire, La pretendue kysterie de Sainte ThMse, Lyon, Vitte, 1895, p. 53.)
98 CHAP. II.] FOURTH MANSIONS 99 enjoy His presence. What I call divine consolations, or have termed elsewhere the * prayer of quiet/ is a very different thing, as those will understand who, by the mercy of God, have experienced them.
3. To make the matter clearer, let us imagine we see two fountains with basins which fill with water. I can find no simile more appropriate than water by which to explain spiritual things, as I am very ignorant and have poor wits to help me.* Be- sides, I love this element so much that I have studied it more attentively than other things. God, Who is so great, so wise, has doubtless hidden secrets in all things He created, which we should greatly benefit by knowing, as those say who understand such matters. Indeed, I believe that in each smallest creature He has made, though it be but a tiny ant, there are more wonders than can be compre- hended. These two basins are filled in different ways; the one with water from a distance flowing into it through many pipes and waterworks, while the other basin is built near the source of the spring itself and fills quite noiselessly. If the foun- tain is plentiful, like the one we speak of, after the basin is full the water overflows in a great stream which flows continually. No machinery is needed here, nor does the water run through aquedud:s.
4. Such is the difference between the two kinds of prayer. The water running through the aque- ducts resembles sensible devotion, which is obtained by meditation. We gain it by our thoughts, by meditating on created things, and by the labour of * Way ofPerf. ch. xix,5; also St. JoJm of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Came/, bk. ii. ch. xiv. 2, and xxi. 3.
lOo THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. ii.
our minds; in short, it is the result of our endeavours, and so makes the commotion I spoke of, while profiting the soul.' The other fountain, like divine consolations, receives the water from the source itself, which signifies God: as usual, when His Majesty wills to bestow on us any supernatural favours, we experience the greatest peace, calm, and sweetness in the inmost depths of our being; I know neither where nor how.
5. This joy is not, like earthly happiness, at once felt by the heart; after gradually filling it to the brim, the delight overflows throughout all the mansions and faculties, until at last it reaches the body. Therefore, I say it arises from God and ends in ourselves, for whoever experiences it will find that the whole physical part of our nature shares in this delight and sweetness. While writing this I have been thinking that the verse * Dilatasti cor meum,' *Thou hast dilated my heart,''^ declares that the heart is dilated. This joy does not appear to me to originate in the heart, but in some more interior part and, as it were, in the depths of our being. I think this must be the centre of the soul, as I have since learnt and will explain later on. I dis- cover secrets within us which often fill me with astonishment: how many more must there be un- known to me! O my Lord and my God! how stupendous is Thy grandeur! We are like so many foolish peasant lads: we think we know something of Thee, yet it must be comparatively nothing, for there are profound secrets even in ourselves of ^ Life, ch. X. 2.
* Ps. cxviii. 32. Li/gy ch, xvii, 14.
CHAP. 11.] FOURTH MANSIONS iot which we know naught. I say 'comparatively no- thing' in proportion with all the secrets hidden within Thee, yet how great are Thy mysteries that we are acquainted with and can learn even by the study of such of Thy works as we see!* 6. To return to the verse I quoted, which may help to explain the dilation begun by the celestial waters in the depths of our being. They appear to dilate and enlarge us internally, and benefit us in an inexplicable manner, nor does even the soul itself understand what it receives. It is conscious of what may be described as a certain fragrance, as if within its inmost depths were a brazier sprinkled with sweet perfumes. Although the spirit neither sees the flame nor knows where it is, yet it is penetrated by the warmth, and scented fumes, which are even sometimes perceived by the body. Understand me, the soul does not feel anv real heat or scent, but something far more subtle, which I use this metaphor to explain. Let those who have never experienced it believe that it really occurs to others: the soul is conscious of it and feels it more distind:ly than can be expressed. It is not a thing wec^an fancy or gain bv anything we can do; clearly it does not arise from the base coin of human nature, but from the most pure gold of Divine Wisdom. I believe that in this case the powers of the soul are ] \- not united to God, but are absorbed and astounded at the marvel before them. I may possibly be contradicting what I wrote elsewhere;^ nor would * Life, ch. xiv. 9 ff^ay ofPerf. ch. xxviii. 1 1.
® Life, ch. xiv. 3: 'The faculties are not lost, neither are they asleep; the will alone is occupied in such a way that without knowing how it has become a captive it gives a simple consent to become the prisoner 102 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. ii.
this be surprising, for it was done about fifteen years ago, and perhaps God has given me since then a clearer insight into the matter. I may be entirely mistaken on the subjeft, both then and now, but never do I wilfully say what is untrue. No; by the mercy of God, I would rather die a thousand times than tell a falsehood: I speak of the matter as I understand it. I believe that in this case the will must in some way be united with that of God. The after efFedts on the soul, and the subsequent behaviour of the person, show whether this prayer was genuine or no: this is the best crucible by which to test it.
7. Our Lord bestows a signal grace on the soul if it realizes how great is this favour, and another greater still if it does not turn back on the right road. You are longing, my daughters, to enter into this state of prayer at once, and you are right, for, as I said, the soul cannot understand the value of the graces there bestowed by God upon it, nor the love which draws Him ever closer to it: we should certainly desire to learn how to obtain this favour. I will tell you what I know about it, setting aside certain cases in which God bestows these graces for no other reason than His own choice, into which we have no right to enquire.
8. Practise what I advised in the preceding man- sions, then — humility, humility! for God lets Him- self be vanquished by this and grants us all we ask.^ of God.' Ibid. § 4: 'The other two faculties help the will that it may render itself capable of the fruition of so great a good; nevertheless, it occasionally happens even when the will is in union that they hinder it very much.' See also Way of P erf. ch. xxxi. 8. ' Way of P erf ch. xvi. i. Life, ch. xxii. 16.
CHAP. II.] FOURTH MANSIONS 103 The first prooP that you possess humility is that you neither think you now deserve these graces and consolations from God, nor that you ever will as long as you live. You ask me: * How shall we re- ceive them, if we do not try to gain them?' I an- swer, that there is no surer way to obtain them than the one I have told you, therefore make no efforts to acquire them, for the following reasons. The first is, that the chief means of obtaining them is to love God without self-interest. The second, that it is a slight lack of humility to think that our wretched services can win so great a reward. The third, that the real preparation for them is to de- sire to suffer and imitate our Lord, rather than to receive consolations, for indeed we have all offended Him. The fourth reason is, that His Majesty has not promised to give us these favours in the same way as He has bound Himself to bestow eternal glory on us if we keep His commandments. We can be saved without these special graces; He sees better than we do what is best for us and which of us love Him sincerely. I know for a certain truth, being acquainted with some who walk by the way of love (and therefore only seek to serve Jesus Christ crucified), that not only they neither ask for nor desire consolation, but they even beg Him not to give it them during this life: this is a fadt. Fifthly, we should but labour in vain: this water does not flow through aqueducts, like that we first spoke of, and if the spring does not afford it, in vain shall we toil to obtain it. I mean, that though we may meditate and try our hardest, and though we shed * Philippus a SS. Trinitate, I.e. art. 3.
104 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. hi.
tears to gain it, we cannot make this water flow. God alone gives it to whom He chooses, and often when the soul is least thinking of it. We are His, sisters, let Him do what He will with us, and lead us where He will. If we are really humble and annihilate ourselves, not only in our imagination (which often deceives us), but if we truly detach ourselves from all things, our Lord will not only grant us these favours but many others that we do not know even how to desire. May He be for ever praised and blessed! Amen.
CHAPTER III.
OF THE PRAYER OF RECOLLECTION WHICH GOD GENERALLY GIVES THE SOUL BEFORE GRANTING IT THAT LAST DESCRIBED. ITS EFFECTS: ALSO THOSE OF THE PRAYER OF DIVINE CONSO- LATIONS DESCRIBED IN THE LAST CHAPTER.
1. The prayer of recollection compared to the inhabitants of the castle. 2. The Shepherd recalls His flock into the castle. 3. This recollection supernatural. 4. It prepares us for higher favours.
5. The mind must act until God calls it to recollection by love.
6. The soul should here abandon itself into God's hands. 7. The prayer of recollection, and distractions in prayer. 8. Liberty of spirit gained by consolations. 9. The soul must be watchful. 10. The devil specially tempts such souls. 11. False trances and raptures. 12. How to treat those deluded in this way. 13. Risks of delusion in this mansion.
I. The effefts of divine consolations are very numerous: before describing them, I will speak of another kind of prayer which usually precedes them. I need not say much on this subjed:, having written about it elsewhere.' This is a kind of recol- ledlion which, I believe, is supernatural. There is ' Life, ch.x'iv. z. The Saint says in the second chapter of this mansion, § 5, and also in letters dated Dec. 7, 1577 (Vol. II) and Jan. 14, 1 580, that when writing the Interior Castle she had more experience in CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS 105 no occasion to retire nor to shut the eyes, nor does it depend on anything exterior; involuntarily the eyes suddenly close and solitude is found. Without any labour of one's own, the temple of which I spoke is reared for the soul in which to pray: the senses and exterior surroundings appear to lose their hold, while the spirit gradually regains its lost sovereignty. Some say the soul enters into itself; others, that it rises above itself.* I can say nothing about these terms, but had better speak of the sub- ject as I understand it. You will probably grasp my spiritual things than when she composed her former works. This is fully borne out by the present chapter. In the corresponding part of her Life she practically confounded the prayer of recollection with the prayer of quiet (the second state of the soul). Likewise, in the Way of Perfection, ch. xxviii., she speaks of but one kind of prayer of recol- lection and then passes on to the prayer of quiet. Here, however, she mentions a second form of the prayer of recollection. See Philippus a SS. Trinitate, pars iii. tract, i, disc. iii. art. i, 'De oratione recollect- ionis' (page 8i of the third vol. of the edition of 1874); 'de secundo modo recollectionis' {ibid. p. 82.); and art. 2: 'De oratione quietis' (ibid. p. 84.) Antonius a Spiritu Sancto, Direct. Mystic, tract, iv. n. 78: 'Duo sunt hujus recollectionis modi, primus quidem activus [reference to the Way of Perfection, I. c.\ secundus autem passivus, [reference to this chapter of the Fourth Mansion]. ' The former is not supernatural, in the sense that with special grace from above it can be acquired; the second is altogether supernatural and more like gratuitous grace ijbid. no. 80 and 81). On the meaning of 'Solitude,' 'Silence,' etc., see Anton, a Sp. S. I.e., tract, i, n. 78-82.
'The edition of Burgos (vol. iv, P. 59) refers appropriately to the following passage in the Tercer Abecedario (See Life, ch. iv, 8) by the Franciscan friar Francisco de Osuna, a work which exercised a profound influence on St. Teresa: ' Entering within oneself, and rising above oneself, are the two principal points in this exercise, those which, above all others, one ought to strive after, and which give the highest satis- faction to the soul. There is less labour in entering within oneself than in rising above oneself and therefore it appears to me that when the soul is ready and fit for either, you ought to do the former, because the other will follow without any effort, and will be all the more pure and spiritual; however, follow what course your soul prefers as this will bring you more grace and benefit.' (Tr. ix. ch. viii).
io6 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. hi.
meaning, although, perhaps, I may be the only person who understands it. Let us imagine that the senses and powers of the soul (which I compared in my allegory to the inhabitants of the castle) have fled and joined the enemy outside. After long days and years of absence, perceiving how great has been their loss, they return to the neighbour- hood of the castle, but cannot manage to re-enter it, for their evil habits are hard to break off; still, they are no longer traitors, and they wander about outside.
2. The King, Who holds His court within it, sees their good will, and out of His great mercy desires them to return to Him. Like a good Shepherd, He plays so sweetly on His pipe, that although scarcely hearing it they recognize His call and no longer wander, but return, like lost sheep, to the mansions. So strong is this Pastor's power over His flock, that they abandon the worldly cares which misled them and re-enter the castle.
3. I think I never put this matter so clearly be- fore. To seek God within ourselves avails us far more than to look for Him amongst creatures; Saint Augustine tells us how he found the Almighty within his own soul, after having long sought for Him elsewhere.' This recollection helps us greatly ' Some editors of the Interior Castle think that St. Teresa refers to the following passage taken from the Confessions of St. Augustine: 'Too late have I loved Thee, O Beauty, ever ancient yet ever new! too late have I loved Thee! And behold. Thou wert within me and I abroad, and there I searched for Thee, and, deformed as I was, I pursued the beauties that Thou hast made. Thou wert with me, but I was not with Thee. Those things kept me far from Thee, which, unless they were in Thee, could have had no being' {St. Augustine's Confessions^ bk. X. ch. xxvii.). The Confessions of St. Augustine were first translated CHAP. III.] FOURTH MANSIONS 107 when God bestows it upon us. But do not fancy you can gain it by thinking of God dwelling with- in you, or by imagining Him as present in your soul: this is a good pradiice and an excellent kind of meditation, for it is founded on the fadt that God resides within us;'* it is not, however, the prayer of recolled:ion, for by the divine assistance every one can practise it, but what I mean is quite a different thing. Sometimes, before they have begun to think of (5od, the powers of the soul find themselves within the castle. I know not by what means they entered, nor how they heard the Shepherd's pipe; the ears perceived no sound but the soul is keenly conscious of a delicious sense of recolled:ion ex- perienced by those who enjoy this favour, which I cannot describe more clearly.
4. I think I read somewhere* that the soul is then like a tortoise or sea-urchin, which retreats into itinto Spanish by Sebastian Toscano, a Portuguese Augustinian. This edition, which was published at Salamanca in 1554, was the one used by St. Teresa. However, it is more probable that here and elsewhere {Life, ch. xli. lO; IVay of P erf. ch. xxviii. 2) St. Teresa quotes a passage which occurs in a pious book entitled SoUloquia, and erroneously attributed to St. Augustine: 'I have gone about the streets and the broad ways of the city of this world seeking Thee, but have not found Thee for I was wrong in seeking without for what was within.' (ch. xxxi.) This treatise which is also quoted by St. John of the Cross, Spiritual Canticle, stanza i. 7, Ascent of Mount Carmel, bk. i. ch. v. i, appeared in a Spanish translation at Valladolid in i 5 15, at Medina del Campo in 1553, and at Toledo in 1565.
* Life, ch. xiv. 7, 8; xviii. 20.
" St. Teresa read this in the Tercer Abecedario of Francisco de Osuna (tr. VI, ch, iv): 'This exercise concentrates the senses of man in the interior of the heart where dwells ' the daughter of the king'; that is, the Catholic soul; thus recollected, man may well be compared to the tortoise or sea-urchin which rolls itself up and withdraws within itself, disregarding everything outside.'
io8 THE INTERIOR CASTLE [chap. hi.
self. Those who said this no doubt understood what they were talking about; but these creatures can withdraw into themselves at will, while here it is not in our power to retire into ourselves, unless God gives us the grace. In my opinion. His Majesty only bestows this favour on those who have re- nounced the world, in desire at least, if their state of life does not permit their doing so in faB. He thus specially calls them to devote themselves to spiritual things; if they allow Him power to a6l freely He will bestow still greater graces on those whom He thus begins calling to a higher life. Those who enjoy this recolle(5tion should thank God fer- vently: it is of the highest importance for them to realize the value of this favour, gratitude for which would prepare them to receive still more signal graces. Some books advise that as a prepara- tion for hearing what our Lord may say to us we should keep our minds at rest, waiting to see what He will work in our souls.^ But unless His Majesty has begun to suspend our faculties, I cannot under- stand how we are to stop thinking, without doing ourselves more harm than good. This point has been much debated by those learned in spiritual matters; I confess my want of humility in having been unable to yield to their opinion.^ 5. Some one told me of a certain book written on the subjeft by the saintly Friar Peter of Alcantara (as I think I may justly call him); I should have submitted to his decision, knowing that he was competent to judge, but on reading it I found he « Life, ch. xii. 8. ' Life, ch. xiv. 10.
CHAP. HI.] FOUTRH MANSIONS 109 aereed with me that the mind must 2.d: until called to recolle(5lion by love, although he stated it in other words.^ Possibly I may be mistaken, but I rely on these reasons. Firstly, he who reasons less and tries to do least, does most in spiritual matters. We ** A Golden Treatise of Mental Prayer by St. Peter of Alcantara, translated by Rev. G. F. Bullock M.A. and edited by Rev. George Seymour Hollings S.S.J.E. London, Mowbray, 1905, p. 117.
Eighth Counsel. Let the last and chiefest counsel be that in this holy exercise we should endeavour to unite Meditation with Con- tegiplation making of the one a ladder for attaining to the other. For this we must know that (p. 1 18) the very office of Meditation is to consider Divine things with studiousness and attention passing from one to another, to move our hearts to some affection and deep feeling for them, which is as though one should strike a flint to draw from it the spark.