Yearly Archives: 2013

Illumination

He leads (the soul) into a state of absorption, in which, without knowing how, it is much better instructed than it could ever be as a result of it’s own efforts . . . .” (Teresa of Avila: Interior Castle: Fourth

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Posted in 4th Mansions - Chapter 1

Tools for Spiritual Growth

Summary of Mansions 1-3 Before we move to the fourth Mansions of the Interior Castle, here is an overview of Mansions 1-3. I summarized the main ideas under three headings: The Metaphor Critical Elements Additional Tools (for our Spiritual Growth). The

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Posted in Summaries

Summary: Third Mansions Chapter Two

The critical question of the Third Mansions is:  Will I follow Jesus to freedom or simply fine-tune my “upright and carefully-ordered life”? The “spiritually mature” can struggle making progress because they become unteachable. They model Christian behavior. They instruct others.

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Posted in 3rd Mansion - Chapter 2, Summaries

Spiritual Direction: Part Three – Obedience

In the context of “spiritual direction”, Teresa says we “should be most studious to render obedience.”  “Obedience” to another person sounds scary, yet we do it all the time. After carefully selecting a doctor, an accountant, a mechanic, or a

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Posted in 3rd Mansion - Chapter 2

Spiritual Direction: Part Two

Brian attended a church that preached separation from the world and a rigid lifestyle. Even the mildest Christian music outside of hymns was from the devil. They told Brian that churches outside their circle were “worldly” and he should have

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Posted in 3rd Mansion - Chapter 2, Stories and Parables