An Analysis Of Christian Mysticism In St. Teresa Of Avila

1742 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: The influence of religion on mother Teresa

In one of the most compelling pieces of Christian mysticism, St. Teresa of Avila brings the reader on a journey through the seven mansions of her soul in which she titles as the Interior Castle. Teresa wrote this mystical text in 1577 as a guide to her fellow nuns in hopes to bring them closer to God through prayer as she has. As fascinating as the journey through the mansions of St. Teresa’s soul, what is even more interesting today is how Teresa continuously balances her own authority as a writer and expert on spiritual matters with her continuously insisting on her lack of knowledge on the subject of mysticism. For instance, in one case she states, “It may even be that everything I say is confused: that, at least is what I’m afraid of”. …show more content…

Teresa directly tells her fellow nuns what the whole point of this journey is. It is extremely straightforward and speaks to the question that she first proposed in the first mansion of why one would want to enter the Interior Castle. This moment is significant because in the first six mansions she had been always cautious and humble about her experiences. However, at this point, she has gained the respect and trust of the reader through constantly being humble and can now command the authority that she was always deserving of. She receives this credibility through appealing to her character of a woman who is humble about her experiences with God which makes Teresa’s journey …show more content…

Teresa continuously doubts herself in her writings of the Interior Castle. From the first sentence, she lacks confidence in her ability to write about the mystical experiences in which she encountered. However, she constantly does so with great humility since she feels the greatness of God in what she experienced. She feels like it is her duty to write about these experiences, so great anxiety is unsurprising. Many may discredit her writings due to her uncertainty, but it is important to realize that this doubtfulness does not. Rather, Teresa is humble about her experiences and most likely does not want to draw people away by claiming she knows everything about mysticism. Constant self-correction by someone who possesses a humble character does not make their work any less credible. Her writings show us that discussing personal topics are difficult because they are uncommon experiences and often the language to describe them is missing. We should be grateful that Teresa shared these personal experiences with us considering how difficult they are for someone to comprehend and describe. For this reason, we should not discount the work of St. Teresa due to

Show More
Related

  • Analysis of Caroline Walker Bynum´s Holy Feast and Holy Fast

    1797 Words  | 4 Pages

    ...such as extreme spiritual austerities can hold their place in history because they mattered to the people who practiced them, not necessarily because they were an agent for driving change. Bynum rejects morally absolutist reconstructions of the past in favour of a more relativistic reading which delves into the imagination and subconscious of the medieval writers themselves. She meets them, as much as possible, in their own milieu rather than projecting modern constructions (such as ‘anorexia nervosa’) into the past where they serve little use in our understanding of the medieval mind. Despite her close work with the Annalist School, Bynum makes no attempt toward ‘l’Histoire Totale’ or some grand narrative of the past, and in this regard the work is most honest, thought-provoking, and definitive for 21st century scholars studying the medieval mind and its times.

    Read More

  • Julian Of Norwich Concerning Liturgical Language Analysis

    2270 Words  | 5 Pages

    Her choices of metaphors are simplistic explanations providing the backdrop for the emotional and spiritual connection we seek in following Christ. The symbolic comparisons of Mary Magdalene, her relationship to Jesus, mirrors some of Julian of Norwich’s personal spiritual journey of prayerful contemplation while seeking intimacy in her relationship to God.

    Read More

  • Summary Of Miri Rubin's Emotion And Devotion

    936 Words  | 2 Pages

    In this paper, I will be examining the major arguments that Miri Rubin presents in her book Emotion and Devotion: The Meaning of Mary in Medieval Religious Cultures. Rubin’s book is divided into three chapters or areas of focus which are: The Global “Middle Ages;” Mary, and Others; and lastly Emotions and Selves. In each of these chapters, Rubin explores a particular topic that she thinks is important to the understanding of the challenges that exist in studying the religious culture of the Middle ages—especially in their relation to the figure of Mary. I will begin this paper by drawing out the main argument that is offered in each chapter along with the supporting evidence that Rubin provides. Then, I will briefly evaluate the quality of

    Read More

  • A Spiritual Journey In René Descartes's Six Meditations

    983 Words  | 2 Pages

    When working in solitude on his six Meditations, René Descartes wrote a first person narrative inviting his audience on a spiritual journey that is centered on the reader. Readers are encouraged to doubt all prior certainties such as reality, perception and even one’s own existence. Printed in 1641, Meditation I, subtitled "What can be called into doubt," asks meditators to reflect on everything believed to be true, then ruthlessly question that body of knowledge built up from these illusions.

    Read More

  • St. Teresa Of Avila

    336 Words  | 1 Pages

    Teresa Sanchez de Cepeda y Ahumada, better known as St. Teresa of Avila, was a Spanish Catholic Saint and Carmelite nun who was most prominently known for her journey towards contemplative life through mental prayer. In her reflective and analytical autobiography, The Life of St. Teresa of Jesus, of the Order of Our Lady of Carmel, Teresa reflects on her interactions with others as a child, as a woman and as a nun, and bases her opinion of her own freedom and free will on these reflections. In this paper, I will argue the dual nature of freedom in Teresa’s life; on the one hand, Teresa is free in that she breaks free from the traditional role of the woman and society’s honour codes- despite citing honour as providing some guidance in her life-,

    Read More

  • St. Teresa of Avila: The Unperfect Saint

    1431 Words  | 3 Pages

    Contrary to common belief, saints are not perfect. Saints simply seek Christ more than anyone else. Saints understood the need for Christ in their own lives through their own experiences. St. Teresa of Avila did not live a perfect life, although she strived to after her conversion. St. Teresa, after living in the world, realized her desperate need for a personal relationship with God, but by no means was she perfect.

    Read More

  • Examining Human Alienation in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

    2183 Words  | 5 Pages

    "It was the secrets of heaven and earth that I desired to learn; and whether it was the outward substance of things or the inner spirit of nature and the mysterious soul of man that occupied me, still my inquiries were directed to the metaphysical, or in its highest sense, the physical secrets of the ...

    Read More

  • A Brief Biography of Mother Teresa

    729 Words  | 2 Pages

    Voig, Desmond. Mother Teresa Her People and Her Work. New York: Nachiketa Publication, 1976. Print.

    Read More

  • St. Catherine of Siena

    2003 Words  | 5 Pages

    In the early stages of Catherine's life the surfacing modern age was bringing with it social turmoil which spread throughout Europe (Giordani 3). During Catherine's lifetime, according to Mary Ann Sullivan in her essay “St. Catherine of Siena,” the center of Catholic rule fluctuated between Rome and Avignon and contributed to a schism between popes in Italy and France (1). Catherine was born 23rd in a line of 25 children and, according to Sullivan “even at a young age, [she] sensed the troubled society around her and wanted to help” (1). While her parents were not exceptionally religious, St. Catherine's biographer Blessed Raymond of Capua discusses Catherine's early zeal for Catholic practices: “When she was about five she learned the Hail Mary, and repeated it over and over again as often as she could…she was inspired by heaven to address the Blessed Virgin in this way whenever she went up and down stairs, stopping to kneel on each step as she did so” (24). Her devotion to the Virgin Mary would become especially important in a vision she had around this time while walking with her brother to visit one of her sisters.

    Read More

  • Medieval Piety

    1631 Words  | 4 Pages

    Religion in the Middle Ages takes on a character all of its own as it is lived out differently in the lives of medieval men and women spanning from ordinary laity to vehement devotees. Though it is difficult to identify what the average faith consists of in the Middle Ages, the life told of a radical devotee in The Book of Margery Kempe provides insight to the highly intense version of medieval paths of approaching Christ. Another medieval religious text, The Cloud of Unknowing, provides a record of approaching the same Christ. I will explore the consistencies and inconsistencies of both ways to approach Christ and religious fulfillment during the Middle Ages combined with the motivations to do so on the basis of both texts.

    Read More

  • Christian Mysticism Essay

    1888 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Late Middle Ages saw great theological discrepancies through the progression of Christian mysticism. The exploration into spiritual practices and the unification of the soul during this period led to great philosophical works. The Cloud of Unknowing and The Imitation of Christ are two noteworthy texts that discuss one’s aspiration to attain union with God. The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymously authored spiritual exercise that accentuates movement toward the contemplative life by acknowledging what is unknown by man. In contrast, The Imitation of Christ by Thomas à Kempis is a spiritual guide which emphasizes that the way to be fully Christian is to live in the imitation of Jesus Christ. While many of the thoughts concerning human reason and withdrawal from the corporal world are similar in the texts, the two are inherently different as the account in The Imitation of Christ is more compelling due to its focus on a humanistic objective while acquiring union and salvation with God.

    Read More

  • Joan of Arc

    1349 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Saint Joan” is filled with many religious characters but the only one who truly believes they are doing God's work is Joan. Even though there is no proof that Joan is hearing these voices...

    Read More

  • Descriptive Essay - The Evangelic Church

    425 Words  | 1 Pages

    When I was a child I used to be frightened of entering such a place for it seemed so imposing and somewhat dangerous, especially when music was being played. One day, in order to keep a promise I had made, I saw myself forced to enter. It took me quite a while to get the courage to pass through the old oak door, but the moment I stepped in, I realized just how enchanting and breathtaking this building could be. Its fantastic architecture and exquisite frescoes reflect perfectly the unity between this earth and the unseen kingdom of angels in such a manner that one cannot say where one ends and the other begins. The way in which the church was built is also the vivid testimony of a medieval period. Although it is a place that can sometimes be cold and ask for respect it is where prayers are answered and magic is done. An overwhelming feeling of inner harmony takes over you once you enter and God seems much closer. Darkness and light are welded perfectly together creating Redemption’s house. The tower allows you to see the entire town from the smallest river to the biggest building site, offering you its mightiness.

    Read More

  • Saint Augustine's Love And Love

    715 Words  | 2 Pages

    In Book Thirteen of Confessions, Saint Augustine’s subject matter is the Holy Spirit, who is love. We are enlightened to the main point of his entire work. He believed that everything and everyone is connected to love. He said, when we share this love, which comes from the Holy Spirit, we are closest to God. In this essay, I will summarize Augustine’s final work and I will compare it to the teachings of Plotinus, Stoics and Skepticism. I will evaluate its value through different philosophical viewpoints shared through various texts.

    Read More

  • Getting onto the Right Path

    520 Words  | 2 Pages

    The Path in which a person must go through to become closer to their spiritual self is different for each individual person. It is a long and difficult journey that tests a person faith and love of the higher being that they are seeking. If an individual is trying to grow they must admit their wrong doings whatever they may be and overcome those defects. In The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri, The Conference of the Birds by Farid Un-Din Attar, and Revelation of Divine Love by Julian of Norwich, all follow the quest for spiritual growth. Dante and Julian share a faith in the Roman Catholic Church but lived in two every different times in the church which influenced their vision of the matter that individuals go through in their spiritual lives. Unlike Dante and Julian, Attar followed the religion of Islam that also influenced his illustration of how to grow. Every one of the authors show the obstacles that the individuals portrayed must go through; they vary in the degree in which the individuals most suffer, the path that they travel down vary in how treacherous it is, and the pat...

    Read More

More about An Analysis Of Christian Mysticism In St. Teresa Of Avila

Open Document