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The Life of Teresa of Jesus: The Autobiography of Teresa of Avila
Written in 1565 at the request of her confessor, St. Teresa's autobiography is at once an extraordinary chronicle of a life governed by the desire to draw closer to God and a literary masterpiece that brings to life a woman of candor, humor, and great spiritual strength. Teresa writes of her early life, the conflicts and crises she faced, and her decision to enter a life of prayer. Her lyrical, almost erotic descriptions of ecstatic experiences call to mind the senuous language of the Song of Songs.
464 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1565
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April 28, 2023
Fiindcă prezentarea cărții pe Goodreads îmi aparține, aș putea să o mut aici. Firește, nu voi face asta.
Cu mulți ani în urmă, cînd am scris postfața, am fost interesat îndeosebi de statutul femeii la sfîrșitul Evului Mediu, căci sfînta Teresa de Jesús a fost un exemplu mai mult decît elocvent. În vremea ei, femeia nu căpătase încă dreptul la cuvînt. Nu l-a căpătat nici astăzi. Din pricina asta, nu e bine să ne închipuim că biografia a fost redactată în deplină solitudine și că tot ce cuprinde se cuvine luat întocmai. Prin însuși statutul ei de monahie, Teresa de Jesús avea (cel puțin) un confesor, un așa-numit „director de conștiință”. Nu putea ascunde de ochii și de mintea lui ceea ce scria. Și, probabil, nici nu-i trecea prin cap...
De altfel, înainte de a fi publicat, manuscrisul a trecut din mînă în mînă. Sfînta Teresa de Jesús a început să-l scrie, în 1561, la îndemnul dominicanului Pedro Ibáñez. A terminat prima versiune în iunie 1562. În 1564, manuscrisul a ajuns la Francisco de Soto y Salazar. Acesta l-a trimis mai departe, preotului și scriitorului mistic, Juan de Ávila. Abia în 12 septembrie 1568, Teresa a primit o epistolă de acceptare din partea celui din urmă. Cartea putea merge la tipar...
Dincolo de a fi un îndreptar în viața de obște, Cartea vieții mele, mărturia unei femei, întrerupea șirul masculin al autobiografiilor. Aș aminti numai două. Mă gîndesc, în primul rînd, la călugărul benedictin Guibert de Nogent și la scrierea lui cu titlul De vita sua sive Monodiæ (1115) și apoi la Pierre Abélard, care și-a evocat viața într-o scrisoare către un destinatar necunoscut, scrisoare cunoscută sub titlul Historia calamitatum (1132). Nu mai e nevoie să spun că aceste autobiografii aproximative aveau ca model Confesiunile sfîntului Augustin.
Cele două scrieri și, nu mai puțin, autobiografia sfîntei Teresa, reprezintă o contribuție însemnată la descoperirea eului.
Cu mulți ani în urmă, cînd am scris postfața, am fost interesat îndeosebi de statutul femeii la sfîrșitul Evului Mediu, căci sfînta Teresa de Jesús a fost un exemplu mai mult decît elocvent. În vremea ei, femeia nu căpătase încă dreptul la cuvînt. Nu l-a căpătat nici astăzi. Din pricina asta, nu e bine să ne închipuim că biografia a fost redactată în deplină solitudine și că tot ce cuprinde se cuvine luat întocmai. Prin însuși statutul ei de monahie, Teresa de Jesús avea (cel puțin) un confesor, un așa-numit „director de conștiință”. Nu putea ascunde de ochii și de mintea lui ceea ce scria. Și, probabil, nici nu-i trecea prin cap...
De altfel, înainte de a fi publicat, manuscrisul a trecut din mînă în mînă. Sfînta Teresa de Jesús a început să-l scrie, în 1561, la îndemnul dominicanului Pedro Ibáñez. A terminat prima versiune în iunie 1562. În 1564, manuscrisul a ajuns la Francisco de Soto y Salazar. Acesta l-a trimis mai departe, preotului și scriitorului mistic, Juan de Ávila. Abia în 12 septembrie 1568, Teresa a primit o epistolă de acceptare din partea celui din urmă. Cartea putea merge la tipar...
Dincolo de a fi un îndreptar în viața de obște, Cartea vieții mele, mărturia unei femei, întrerupea șirul masculin al autobiografiilor. Aș aminti numai două. Mă gîndesc, în primul rînd, la călugărul benedictin Guibert de Nogent și la scrierea lui cu titlul De vita sua sive Monodiæ (1115) și apoi la Pierre Abélard, care și-a evocat viața într-o scrisoare către un destinatar necunoscut, scrisoare cunoscută sub titlul Historia calamitatum (1132). Nu mai e nevoie să spun că aceste autobiografii aproximative aveau ca model Confesiunile sfîntului Augustin.
Cele două scrieri și, nu mai puțin, autobiografia sfîntei Teresa, reprezintă o contribuție însemnată la descoperirea eului.
August 11, 2025
Santa Teresa y sus arrobamientos. Si se quiere, así se podría resumir este libro, que pretendía ser una autobiografía pero que terminó caminando al compás del éxtasis. Pero también Santa Teresa es el Quijote, ya hablaré de esto después.
La pluma de Santa Teresa de Ávila se mueve sola, llena de arrebatos místicos y amores divinos. Las mercedes inmerecidas, según ella, que recibe de Dios, la dejan en un estado de atontamiento, según ella misma lo escribe, que ya no sabe lo que dice ni lo que escribe. Pero aunque está solo reviviendo con su pluma esos estados místicos, la pasión y el furor se sienten vivos. La santa llegó al estado máximo del espíritu: el encuentro con la divinidad en vida. Ese estado que es hoy por hoy mucho más practicado en otras religiones o disciplinas espirituales y ya casi nada en el catolicismo.
Sin embargo, lo que describe Santa Teresa es muy similar a aquellos estados de vaciamiento total de sí mismo en el que el ser espiritual alcanza, digamos, lo que sería el nirvana en las prácticas orientales. Ahora, hold my beer, Teresa, que según ella no es docta en nada y es apenas una monja cualquiera, llega a tener conocimientos teológicos de primera mano. Teresa ve, siente, escucha, los dogmas católicos pasando por sus ojos (interiores y exteriores), pasando por sus narices, vaya, como una película en la que se representa todo lo irrepresentable de los misterios de la fe, entre ellos la Santísima Trinidad, el rostro de Cristo, la asunción al cielo de María y el infierno, entre otras cosas. Sí, el infierno, y también, como si de una novela de terror se tratase, fue testigo de cómo una horda de diablitos se ensañaban con el cuerpo de un difunto pecador y se lo llevaban de su tumba. Esto mientras ella asistía a su funeral.
También vio como se enredaban demonios en algún sacerdote, y entre las visiones más bonitas, también vio ángeles y santos. Gracias a estas visiones, incluso se convirtió en vidente con el don de presciencia (capacidad de ver el futuro), así que predijo varias cosas que sucedieron, teniendo por testigos a su confesor y a una amiga cercana. Y ya que estas memorias fueron encargadas por un superior y debidamente revisadas, no queda duda. Te creo Teresa. Y no piensen que no tuvo detractores y burlones en su tiempo por estas cuestiones, ya que los arrobamientos no miraban momento ni lugar y le daban cuando Dios quería, incluso en medio de mucha gente, por lo que la Santa fue acusada de loca y charlatana, además de poseída por el demonio, al cual también vio varias veces, y fue mucho tiempo en el que pensó que efectivamente todas esas visiones y estados venían del Diablo, tanto así que el propio Dios tuvo que insistirle varias veces que venían de él. Y entonces lo supo.
Las mercedes que recibía eran de Dios porque después quedaba el corazón en un estado de felicidad profunda, además de que tiempo después empezó a desarrollar la capacidad de ayudar a otros a sanar (y otras bondades) a través de su oración. Esto normalmente en la Iglesia Católica en teoría lo podrían hacer personas puras y sin pecado, virtuosas, y por eso Santa Teresa cree que lo de ella es inmerecido, se considera pecadora (aunque su acusarse a veces es más retórico, lo cierto es que pudo haber caído en vanidad, necesidad de reconocimiento y poca espiritualidad o superficialidad, pero tomar en cuenta la época), y no entiende por qué Dios la ha elegido para poner esos prodigios en ella.
Pero otro de los prodigios que Dios le marcó fue el de la reforma de la Orden de Nuestra Señora del Monte Carmelo, abriendo un nuevo monasterio y orden, la de los Carmelitas Descalzos. En este libro cuenta el origen de su fundación y todos los escollos y dificultades por las que pasó para lograrlo. ¿El origen? Un mensaje de Dios.
Y así le fue revelada toda la teología básica, la verdad de la existencia y el conocimiento de Dios. En momentos en los que las potencias del alma (voluntad, entendimiento y memoria, según San Agustín) se duermen y se entra en un estado inclasificable.
Ahora, la prosa es muy apegada al lenguaje oral de la época pero con un nivel poético y de uso del lenguaje, que la convierten en una pieza literaria exquisita en muchos pasajes. Santa Teresa, como quien no hace nada (pues dice que escribió al apuro) usa figuras literarias, símiles, metáforas, parábolas, y marca un estilo literario, no en vano también escribió poesía:
“Vivo sin vivir en mí
y tan alta vida espero
que muero porque no muero.
Vivo ya fuera de mí,
después que muero de amor;
porque vivo en el Señor,
que me quiso para sí:
cuando el corazón le di
puso en él este letrero,
que muero porque no muero.
Esta divina prisión,
del amor en que yo vivo,
ha hecho a Dios mi cautivo,
y libre mi corazón;
y causa en mí tal pasión
ver a Dios mi prisionero,
que muero porque no muero…”
-------------------
“Nada te turbe,
nada te espante
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia todo lo alcanza,
quien a Dios tiene
nada le falta
sólo Dios basta”.
No olvidemos que ella es producto del llamado Siglo de Oro español (que en realidad fueron dos siglos entre el S.XV y el S.XVII), que tuvo un florecimiento en las artes y las letras. Quiero pensar que Cervantes leyó a Santa Teresa, estoy segura que el Quijote es una Santa Teresa con bacía de barbero y armadura. ¿Por qué? Pues porque Teresa era aficionada a las novelas de caballería, a tal punto que ya eran una adicción y en este libro narra cómo se embebía en los libros. De aquí al Quijote hay un paso. Estoy segura que Cervantes sacó la idea de ahí. Sus arrobamientos, salvando las distancias, me recuerdan a los arrobamientos de algunos personajes del Quijote (léase Cardenio) incluido el propio Quijote.
Con todo, esto solo es un intento de literatura comparada de mi parte, porque lo de Santa Teresa está a otro nivel, si tomamos en serio la parte mística de ello, que es realmente lo más importante de este libro. Ya sabía Santa Teresa que sus éxtasis iban a ser causa de bromas y ridiculizaciones y hasta interpretaciones profanas (como le encanta a una cierta facción de literatos, académicos, críticos o simples interpetadores) pero nada de eso importa porque su figura ha trascendido en el tiempo, y sí, si se le quiere ver como una figura feminista, también lo resiste, porque entre otras maravillas que hizo, también fue la primera mujer en ser declarada Doctora de la Iglesia, así que, sí, "sostenme el martini" (perdón, solo se ocurren frases con aculturizantes como 'bitch please!' para dar a entender el sentimiento de ser “la dura” que produce Santa Teresa). Es la jefa, sí señor. Porque además de todo ello, Santa Teresa de Ávila es una de las primera escritoras místicas cristianas, y de las primeras escritoras en lengua española, pero sobre todo porque es pionera en describir el mundo, su mundo, desde la perspectiva femenina, en una época en la que la voz teológica y literaria eran patrimonio masculino (y lo sigue siendo en gran medida). Es por ello que la importancia de esta santa-escritora trasciende su propia dimensión espiritual para relatar un mundo interior eminentemente femenino que aunque en su particularidad religiosa, en realidad ocupa un lugar universal desde el retrato de la voz femenina que describe y descubre el mundo.
Por último, decir que este es su primer escrito y aquí su estilo es más natural y salvaje, menos depurado y por ello mejor. He leído una obra posterior, Camino de perfección, en la que es más formal aunque mantiene su estilo de narración algo anárquico, y a pesar de que habla de los tipos y estadios de oración, ni de lejos cuenta las experiencias extáticas y sus arrobamientos, por lo que al leer ese libro no entendí el por qué de la fama de mística enajenada y otras cosas impúdicas (que al leer este libro se sabe que son presunciones absurdas) o de simplemente histeria que le precede. Ahora, toda especulación de ese tipo se entiende al leer El libro de la vida, pero lo que resalto es la figura mística espiritual por sobre la imagen de ella creada por la cultura popular e incluso la cultura elevada. Porque actualmente a Santa Teresa o se la lleva al nivel de la anécdota por sus arrobamientos, o se la deja en el estante de lo meramente literario, o como simple figura utilizable como representante de un feminismo revisionista. Pero todas esas incluso reivindicaciones olvidan la figura de la santa. Y eso es todo.
La pluma de Santa Teresa de Ávila se mueve sola, llena de arrebatos místicos y amores divinos. Las mercedes inmerecidas, según ella, que recibe de Dios, la dejan en un estado de atontamiento, según ella misma lo escribe, que ya no sabe lo que dice ni lo que escribe. Pero aunque está solo reviviendo con su pluma esos estados místicos, la pasión y el furor se sienten vivos. La santa llegó al estado máximo del espíritu: el encuentro con la divinidad en vida. Ese estado que es hoy por hoy mucho más practicado en otras religiones o disciplinas espirituales y ya casi nada en el catolicismo.
Sin embargo, lo que describe Santa Teresa es muy similar a aquellos estados de vaciamiento total de sí mismo en el que el ser espiritual alcanza, digamos, lo que sería el nirvana en las prácticas orientales. Ahora, hold my beer, Teresa, que según ella no es docta en nada y es apenas una monja cualquiera, llega a tener conocimientos teológicos de primera mano. Teresa ve, siente, escucha, los dogmas católicos pasando por sus ojos (interiores y exteriores), pasando por sus narices, vaya, como una película en la que se representa todo lo irrepresentable de los misterios de la fe, entre ellos la Santísima Trinidad, el rostro de Cristo, la asunción al cielo de María y el infierno, entre otras cosas. Sí, el infierno, y también, como si de una novela de terror se tratase, fue testigo de cómo una horda de diablitos se ensañaban con el cuerpo de un difunto pecador y se lo llevaban de su tumba. Esto mientras ella asistía a su funeral.
También vio como se enredaban demonios en algún sacerdote, y entre las visiones más bonitas, también vio ángeles y santos. Gracias a estas visiones, incluso se convirtió en vidente con el don de presciencia (capacidad de ver el futuro), así que predijo varias cosas que sucedieron, teniendo por testigos a su confesor y a una amiga cercana. Y ya que estas memorias fueron encargadas por un superior y debidamente revisadas, no queda duda. Te creo Teresa. Y no piensen que no tuvo detractores y burlones en su tiempo por estas cuestiones, ya que los arrobamientos no miraban momento ni lugar y le daban cuando Dios quería, incluso en medio de mucha gente, por lo que la Santa fue acusada de loca y charlatana, además de poseída por el demonio, al cual también vio varias veces, y fue mucho tiempo en el que pensó que efectivamente todas esas visiones y estados venían del Diablo, tanto así que el propio Dios tuvo que insistirle varias veces que venían de él. Y entonces lo supo.
Las mercedes que recibía eran de Dios porque después quedaba el corazón en un estado de felicidad profunda, además de que tiempo después empezó a desarrollar la capacidad de ayudar a otros a sanar (y otras bondades) a través de su oración. Esto normalmente en la Iglesia Católica en teoría lo podrían hacer personas puras y sin pecado, virtuosas, y por eso Santa Teresa cree que lo de ella es inmerecido, se considera pecadora (aunque su acusarse a veces es más retórico, lo cierto es que pudo haber caído en vanidad, necesidad de reconocimiento y poca espiritualidad o superficialidad, pero tomar en cuenta la época), y no entiende por qué Dios la ha elegido para poner esos prodigios en ella.
Pero otro de los prodigios que Dios le marcó fue el de la reforma de la Orden de Nuestra Señora del Monte Carmelo, abriendo un nuevo monasterio y orden, la de los Carmelitas Descalzos. En este libro cuenta el origen de su fundación y todos los escollos y dificultades por las que pasó para lograrlo. ¿El origen? Un mensaje de Dios.
Y así le fue revelada toda la teología básica, la verdad de la existencia y el conocimiento de Dios. En momentos en los que las potencias del alma (voluntad, entendimiento y memoria, según San Agustín) se duermen y se entra en un estado inclasificable.
Ahora, la prosa es muy apegada al lenguaje oral de la época pero con un nivel poético y de uso del lenguaje, que la convierten en una pieza literaria exquisita en muchos pasajes. Santa Teresa, como quien no hace nada (pues dice que escribió al apuro) usa figuras literarias, símiles, metáforas, parábolas, y marca un estilo literario, no en vano también escribió poesía:
“Vivo sin vivir en mí
y tan alta vida espero
que muero porque no muero.
Vivo ya fuera de mí,
después que muero de amor;
porque vivo en el Señor,
que me quiso para sí:
cuando el corazón le di
puso en él este letrero,
que muero porque no muero.
Esta divina prisión,
del amor en que yo vivo,
ha hecho a Dios mi cautivo,
y libre mi corazón;
y causa en mí tal pasión
ver a Dios mi prisionero,
que muero porque no muero…”
-------------------
“Nada te turbe,
nada te espante
todo se pasa,
Dios no se muda,
la paciencia todo lo alcanza,
quien a Dios tiene
nada le falta
sólo Dios basta”.
No olvidemos que ella es producto del llamado Siglo de Oro español (que en realidad fueron dos siglos entre el S.XV y el S.XVII), que tuvo un florecimiento en las artes y las letras. Quiero pensar que Cervantes leyó a Santa Teresa, estoy segura que el Quijote es una Santa Teresa con bacía de barbero y armadura. ¿Por qué? Pues porque Teresa era aficionada a las novelas de caballería, a tal punto que ya eran una adicción y en este libro narra cómo se embebía en los libros. De aquí al Quijote hay un paso. Estoy segura que Cervantes sacó la idea de ahí. Sus arrobamientos, salvando las distancias, me recuerdan a los arrobamientos de algunos personajes del Quijote (léase Cardenio) incluido el propio Quijote.
Con todo, esto solo es un intento de literatura comparada de mi parte, porque lo de Santa Teresa está a otro nivel, si tomamos en serio la parte mística de ello, que es realmente lo más importante de este libro. Ya sabía Santa Teresa que sus éxtasis iban a ser causa de bromas y ridiculizaciones y hasta interpretaciones profanas (como le encanta a una cierta facción de literatos, académicos, críticos o simples interpetadores) pero nada de eso importa porque su figura ha trascendido en el tiempo, y sí, si se le quiere ver como una figura feminista, también lo resiste, porque entre otras maravillas que hizo, también fue la primera mujer en ser declarada Doctora de la Iglesia, así que, sí, "sostenme el martini" (perdón, solo se ocurren frases con aculturizantes como 'bitch please!' para dar a entender el sentimiento de ser “la dura” que produce Santa Teresa). Es la jefa, sí señor. Porque además de todo ello, Santa Teresa de Ávila es una de las primera escritoras místicas cristianas, y de las primeras escritoras en lengua española, pero sobre todo porque es pionera en describir el mundo, su mundo, desde la perspectiva femenina, en una época en la que la voz teológica y literaria eran patrimonio masculino (y lo sigue siendo en gran medida). Es por ello que la importancia de esta santa-escritora trasciende su propia dimensión espiritual para relatar un mundo interior eminentemente femenino que aunque en su particularidad religiosa, en realidad ocupa un lugar universal desde el retrato de la voz femenina que describe y descubre el mundo.
Por último, decir que este es su primer escrito y aquí su estilo es más natural y salvaje, menos depurado y por ello mejor. He leído una obra posterior, Camino de perfección, en la que es más formal aunque mantiene su estilo de narración algo anárquico, y a pesar de que habla de los tipos y estadios de oración, ni de lejos cuenta las experiencias extáticas y sus arrobamientos, por lo que al leer ese libro no entendí el por qué de la fama de mística enajenada y otras cosas impúdicas (que al leer este libro se sabe que son presunciones absurdas) o de simplemente histeria que le precede. Ahora, toda especulación de ese tipo se entiende al leer El libro de la vida, pero lo que resalto es la figura mística espiritual por sobre la imagen de ella creada por la cultura popular e incluso la cultura elevada. Porque actualmente a Santa Teresa o se la lleva al nivel de la anécdota por sus arrobamientos, o se la deja en el estante de lo meramente literario, o como simple figura utilizable como representante de un feminismo revisionista. Pero todas esas incluso reivindicaciones olvidan la figura de la santa. Y eso es todo.
August 6, 2023
After reading The Cloistered Flame, a fictional novel about Teresa, I reread, or rather re-listened to this. At first I accidentally recorded it under a different book by Teresa. Got in too much of a hurry. 😞
Will return to write an updated review. Loved this just as much, if not more this time. Also, want to compare this to other translations of Teresa's Life.
December 10, 2009: Thank you Jane! I have read, reread, listened to, savored and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I most highly recommend the audio version* which I've been listening to in my car off and on for the past six weeks. Teresa is of course herself, engaging, deeply and humbly insightful, charming and humorous in a way that transcends centuries of time, and cultural and linguistic differences.
One observation, however, or word of caution: I offer this rating and review as a Teresian-devotee. Those not so well versed in Saint Teresa's life story might do well to read this book in conjunction with a more conventional biography of her. Teresa isn't writing your usual run-of-the-mill autobiography; nor for that matter is she much interested in telling her life story, except as it relates to Him Whom she loves, God. As such this is a spiritual story and tends to wander off into some of the world's greatest known discourses on Prayer ever written. It was some of these writings which led to her being declared the first woman 'Doctor of the Church', her official title being, the 'Doctor of Prayer'.
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to improve his/her prayer life.
*I could "hear" Santa Teresa's voice in Tessa Bielecki's rendering of the audio text.
Will return to write an updated review. Loved this just as much, if not more this time. Also, want to compare this to other translations of Teresa's Life.
December 10, 2009: Thank you Jane! I have read, reread, listened to, savored and thoroughly enjoyed this book. I most highly recommend the audio version* which I've been listening to in my car off and on for the past six weeks. Teresa is of course herself, engaging, deeply and humbly insightful, charming and humorous in a way that transcends centuries of time, and cultural and linguistic differences.
One observation, however, or word of caution: I offer this rating and review as a Teresian-devotee. Those not so well versed in Saint Teresa's life story might do well to read this book in conjunction with a more conventional biography of her. Teresa isn't writing your usual run-of-the-mill autobiography; nor for that matter is she much interested in telling her life story, except as it relates to Him Whom she loves, God. As such this is a spiritual story and tends to wander off into some of the world's greatest known discourses on Prayer ever written. It was some of these writings which led to her being declared the first woman 'Doctor of the Church', her official title being, the 'Doctor of Prayer'.
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to improve his/her prayer life.
*I could "hear" Santa Teresa's voice in Tessa Bielecki's rendering of the audio text.
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December 30, 2015This is a review of the translation by E Allison Peers.
Peers writes a very interesting introduction about the sources and challenges of translating Saint Teresa of Avila. I kept them in mind during my reading, and indeed found the text to be vibrant and always racing forwards. The manuscripts are available so Peers was able to rely on Teresa’s own hand.
The Life will read very differently to believers and those arrayed along the spectrum of doubt to disbelief. I read it as a psychological study of someone who’s faith and illnesses led her to experience intense internal visions and perhaps served as a model for those who subsequently imitated her, either unconsciously or in full knowledge that they were fabricating an experience. She acknowledges that she is accused of averring raptures, locutions, ecstasies and visions for attention, and one could read her claims to pursue humility and retreat as either sincere or a bit too insistent. It does seem that her visions conveniently tell her that God supports whatever course she wants to take but is opposed by the hierarchy or that she professes to doubt herself. On the other hand, in a society where women’s roles were so limited, I sympathize with whatever path she took to express her own powerful personality.
The book also makes interesting background for understanding the relationships among the different religious orders, the range of commitment one could make to living in a convent, male/female religious roles and relationships at this time, etc.
Peers writes a very interesting introduction about the sources and challenges of translating Saint Teresa of Avila. I kept them in mind during my reading, and indeed found the text to be vibrant and always racing forwards. The manuscripts are available so Peers was able to rely on Teresa’s own hand.
The Life will read very differently to believers and those arrayed along the spectrum of doubt to disbelief. I read it as a psychological study of someone who’s faith and illnesses led her to experience intense internal visions and perhaps served as a model for those who subsequently imitated her, either unconsciously or in full knowledge that they were fabricating an experience. She acknowledges that she is accused of averring raptures, locutions, ecstasies and visions for attention, and one could read her claims to pursue humility and retreat as either sincere or a bit too insistent. It does seem that her visions conveniently tell her that God supports whatever course she wants to take but is opposed by the hierarchy or that she professes to doubt herself. On the other hand, in a society where women’s roles were so limited, I sympathize with whatever path she took to express her own powerful personality.
The book also makes interesting background for understanding the relationships among the different religious orders, the range of commitment one could make to living in a convent, male/female religious roles and relationships at this time, etc.
May 8, 2012
Great book. Teresa of Avila was a woman of very modern sensibilities. Her love affair with God is an integral part of this extraordinary autobiography/confession. There are the usual markers of the narrow-mindedness of the contemporary culture in which she lived: the pervasive religious fascism and fanaticism--a fanaticism fostered and promoted by the Church's power through the mandate of the Inquisition, the fear of the Devil's power to overthrow one's soul and the Devil's association with Negroes (or Black-skinned races (Moors)), the intolerance for other religions (Lutherans), the abasement of women within the Church. Yet for all of this, it retains its sense of the modern, due in no small part to Teresa's extraordinary skill in psychological analysis, knowledge of Doctrine as well as Dogma, Scripture and supporting texts such as St. Augustine's Confessions, and her use of Church politics and hierarchy to criticize the ecclesiastical structure and its ruling elite. Despite her liberal sprinkle of self-deprecatory remarks, the reader will discover, I think, that St. Teresa of Avila was an ambitious nun, careful to hold herself apart from criticism by inviting it as a penance from God, while carefully courting the favor of powerful interests to lobby on behalf of projects or persons she identified as "true servants of God," eventually obtaining what she desired, enclosure in a stricter House, which she founded, and which was based upon poverty-the convent of Discalced Carmelite Nuns of the Primitive Rule of St. Joseph at Avila. Readers may find her nested digressions excessive. Still, I think it was worth the effort to read about a woman who rose in prominence and influence at a time of great cultural and religious conservatism.
August 12, 2022
ESPAÑOL: He leído este libro por tercera vez. Más que una autobiografía, es una lección sobre la oración mental (meditación).
Cada vez que lo he leído me ha sido beneficioso. Esta vez más aun que las anteriores.
ENGLISH: This is the third time I have read this book. Rather than an autobiography, it is a lesson about mental prayer (meditation).
Every time I have read it has been beneficial, perhaps this time more than the previous ones.
Cada vez que lo he leído me ha sido beneficioso. Esta vez más aun que las anteriores.
ENGLISH: This is the third time I have read this book. Rather than an autobiography, it is a lesson about mental prayer (meditation).
Every time I have read it has been beneficial, perhaps this time more than the previous ones.
March 21, 2009
Teresa is a very special woman. The story of her life as she wrote it is one of the great reads. To read this book is to make a friend for life. I like the one incident where she is tossed out of a coach into a muddy stream during a heavy rain and complained to God as she sat in the mud and water soaking wet. And God answered her and said this is how he treated his friends. Teresa was not one to be overwhelmed even by God and responded. "Well it is no wonder you have so few." A great book to read.
August 9, 2011
A spiritual/devotional masterpiece.
Read
January 19, 2016The personality, the unabashed passion, of this woman makes me hopeful. Such a brilliant jewel among the saints. I love it.
July 13, 2022
Non si esce dalla lettura di questo testo come vi si è entrati. Un ventata di acqua fresca, il simbolo di cosa significhi aver una fede smisurata e applicata sul campo da una persona massimamente razionale, capace di porre freni e domande e scrupoli ad ogni sua visione ed esperienza mistica, un emblema di saggezza al femminile “scaltra come volpe e semplice come colomba”.
Dal punto di vista strettamente letterario è un testo che batte e ribatte, sul modello della teologia delle onde. È un modo assolutamente ridondante di far capire cosa ci sia in ballo e l’importanza di essere attenti sulle questioni spirituali. L’autrice dà a intendere i danni che derivano da una chiusura troppo grande all’esperienza mistica, ma anche dal lasciarsi trascinare da essa senza discernimento.
Dal punto di vista storico il testo è un bellissimo spaccato sulla realtà monacale e, in second’ordine, sull’impatto dei gesuiti nella vita nella Spagna del siglo. L’autrice, di altissima schiatta, ha una visione particolare della società, resa ancora più unica dal suo modello di vita, una vita lontana dagli altri ma allo stesso tempo inturbinata nel mondo e negli affetti da cui lei cerca strenuamente di allontanarsi. Infine, l’Ombra Inquisitoria ha pochissimo spazio nella vita, anche per via della precisione teologica assoluta dell’autrice (che comunque aveva notevoli alleati, come il celeberrimo Banez).
A chi serve questo testo? A chi non vuole rassegnarsi ad un mondo piatto, dove l’unica realtà possibile é quella dell’avere; serve a capire una realtà che avvolge tutti i propri eventi, anche i più sfortunati come la malattia, il dolore e la solitudine. Serve a capire le nostre priorità, anche quando non ci sembra ci siano. E infine, per il Cristiano, serve a progredire verso la felicità.
Dal punto di vista strettamente letterario è un testo che batte e ribatte, sul modello della teologia delle onde. È un modo assolutamente ridondante di far capire cosa ci sia in ballo e l’importanza di essere attenti sulle questioni spirituali. L’autrice dà a intendere i danni che derivano da una chiusura troppo grande all’esperienza mistica, ma anche dal lasciarsi trascinare da essa senza discernimento.
Dal punto di vista storico il testo è un bellissimo spaccato sulla realtà monacale e, in second’ordine, sull’impatto dei gesuiti nella vita nella Spagna del siglo. L’autrice, di altissima schiatta, ha una visione particolare della società, resa ancora più unica dal suo modello di vita, una vita lontana dagli altri ma allo stesso tempo inturbinata nel mondo e negli affetti da cui lei cerca strenuamente di allontanarsi. Infine, l’Ombra Inquisitoria ha pochissimo spazio nella vita, anche per via della precisione teologica assoluta dell’autrice (che comunque aveva notevoli alleati, come il celeberrimo Banez).
A chi serve questo testo? A chi non vuole rassegnarsi ad un mondo piatto, dove l’unica realtà possibile é quella dell’avere; serve a capire una realtà che avvolge tutti i propri eventi, anche i più sfortunati come la malattia, il dolore e la solitudine. Serve a capire le nostre priorità, anche quando non ci sembra ci siano. E infine, per il Cristiano, serve a progredire verso la felicità.
October 1, 2024
Thank goodness for YouTube's audiobook version because I don't think I ever would have made it through the Penguin edition. Don't do it.
As it is, I'm not sure what to rate this book. It probably deserves more but I feel such a relief at finally being done I'm not sure I can fairly rate it higher. Since this is not my theological background, I think this would have been a much more successful read if I did it with a book club.
The second half (particularly on the founding of her convent) was more interesting. There are some interesting social dynamics and the way gender roles and education impacted St. Teresa's life. But I don't think that's supposed to be the main takeaway. Interesting parallels with the charismatic experience.
As it is, I'm not sure what to rate this book. It probably deserves more but I feel such a relief at finally being done I'm not sure I can fairly rate it higher. Since this is not my theological background, I think this would have been a much more successful read if I did it with a book club.
The second half (particularly on the founding of her convent) was more interesting. There are some interesting social dynamics and the way gender roles and education impacted St. Teresa's life. But I don't think that's supposed to be the main takeaway. Interesting parallels with the charismatic experience.
February 2, 2019
A summary:
teresa: oh i am a mortal sinner i don’t deserve happiness and hopefully god dooms me to a fate of eternal damnation amen
god: lmao what was ur sin, my child?
teresa: i looked in a mirror this one time
In all seriousness it was a somewhat boring text but really does a lot to show how she weakened her own credibility with this constant self-shame, possibly for the sake of making her religious convictions palatable to men.
teresa: oh i am a mortal sinner i don’t deserve happiness and hopefully god dooms me to a fate of eternal damnation amen
god: lmao what was ur sin, my child?
teresa: i looked in a mirror this one time
In all seriousness it was a somewhat boring text but really does a lot to show how she weakened her own credibility with this constant self-shame, possibly for the sake of making her religious convictions palatable to men.
August 29, 2008
When reading this in liberal arts school and participating in discussion based class sessions I drew great knee jerk, PC-er than thou, dogmatic insistence at tolerating all things with word 'religious' or 'spiritual' attached to them (besides red state Christian fundamentalism) type of reactions by calling Ms. Teresa a junky looking for her God fix. I stand by this assessment today. I found her writing to be an interesting read nonetheless but also felt sorry for her and her rejection of the present world in favor of 18 hours of praying per day focusing only on thoughts of the hereafter. She sought the rush of endorphins and called it spiritual ecstacy. She spoke of God as her lover. She expressed a vicious hatred for the present world with all of its imperfections.
I do like that sculpture on the cover though. David Foster Wallace references it in Infinite Jest when describing the way Madame Psychosis (AKA The Prettiest Girl Of All Time, P.G.O.A.T.) feels when free basing cocaine: the Ecstacy of Saint Teresa of Avila.
I do like that sculpture on the cover though. David Foster Wallace references it in Infinite Jest when describing the way Madame Psychosis (AKA The Prettiest Girl Of All Time, P.G.O.A.T.) feels when free basing cocaine: the Ecstacy of Saint Teresa of Avila.
January 22, 2021
Si algo he logrado con este reto de ir alternando libros clásicos y libros contemporáneos, ha sido leer aquellos libros que de algún modo en algún momento he leído o he pasado mi vista por ellos, y es por ello estoy por darle más tiempo a los mismos. Este libro del cual comentaré, fueron muchas las veces que hojeé sus páginas. El libro de la Santa Teresa de Jesús o de Ávila es todo un cauce existencial que la arrastra a la mismísima intimidad del Amor.
Con una prosa que ambiciona una perfección, que frecuenta el carácter constante de su revolución espiritual, una mujer que lucha consigo misma, y que ya desde temprana edad fue alcanzada por el Amor, que la hizo vaso repositorio para ser corneta de Dios, sin importar las tentaciones, las incompresibles situaciones que la vida le iba preparando, muchas de las veces topada por la soledad. No escatimó esfuerzo para seguir el camino piadoso, bien firme con sus conviccionesnes, y que puso a muchos de sus contemporáneos ante el asombro de lo que es capaz una mujer espiritual.
Un libro con un profundo impacto en la espiritualidad cristiana durante cinco siglos. Texto donde se entrecruzan lo humano y lo divino y que ha sido de admiración entre los lectores místicos y filósofos, sin importar de que la Inquisición española le hiciere una encerrona, pero con todo y esto el libro se convirtió en bandera de la Contrarreforma. Y es verdad que es un grito del corazón a Dios y una descripción de la teología mística como una busqueda de amor.
En lo personal es un libro interesante, independientemente de las criticas de un grupo que mira con una locura lo que nos dice Teresa de Jesús. Este tipo de literatura la tomo como libro para el aprendizaje, para saber como pensaban esos autores en termino religioso en una época donde cualquier palabra facilmente eran enjuiciado. Hay que dale el puesto de libro religioso, para aquellos adversarios, no es un manual para demostrarte a Dios, sino para que a través de su amor puede allegarte a el.
Con una prosa que ambiciona una perfección, que frecuenta el carácter constante de su revolución espiritual, una mujer que lucha consigo misma, y que ya desde temprana edad fue alcanzada por el Amor, que la hizo vaso repositorio para ser corneta de Dios, sin importar las tentaciones, las incompresibles situaciones que la vida le iba preparando, muchas de las veces topada por la soledad. No escatimó esfuerzo para seguir el camino piadoso, bien firme con sus conviccionesnes, y que puso a muchos de sus contemporáneos ante el asombro de lo que es capaz una mujer espiritual.
Un libro con un profundo impacto en la espiritualidad cristiana durante cinco siglos. Texto donde se entrecruzan lo humano y lo divino y que ha sido de admiración entre los lectores místicos y filósofos, sin importar de que la Inquisición española le hiciere una encerrona, pero con todo y esto el libro se convirtió en bandera de la Contrarreforma. Y es verdad que es un grito del corazón a Dios y una descripción de la teología mística como una busqueda de amor.
En lo personal es un libro interesante, independientemente de las criticas de un grupo que mira con una locura lo que nos dice Teresa de Jesús. Este tipo de literatura la tomo como libro para el aprendizaje, para saber como pensaban esos autores en termino religioso en una época donde cualquier palabra facilmente eran enjuiciado. Hay que dale el puesto de libro religioso, para aquellos adversarios, no es un manual para demostrarte a Dios, sino para que a través de su amor puede allegarte a el.
July 11, 2012
I was really looking forward to reading this book especially since she is my friend Ruth's favorite saint. However as delicious as her sequences were about her revelations, I just could not square up Teresa's vision of earth with mine. In her view, the world is a place to eschew and to ultimately escape as full of temptation and vice. I don't actually disagree with the amount of sin in the world, however, I do think we were put here to make the place better.
So, with that in mind, I have chosen to appreciate those parts of her story that I admire. The founding of her religious order is fascinating -- she did the whole thing under the radar utilizing her own family funds and investing the funds in her cousin's name so as not to draw the ire of her superiors. Then, as if the situation was not difficult enough she saw in a rapture God telling her that the order should be poor. This was, to her, a tremendous relief.
There is so much to be admired about Teresa even if I don't agree with her overall theology. I choose to revel in those parts of her history. Thank you, Teresa.
So, with that in mind, I have chosen to appreciate those parts of her story that I admire. The founding of her religious order is fascinating -- she did the whole thing under the radar utilizing her own family funds and investing the funds in her cousin's name so as not to draw the ire of her superiors. Then, as if the situation was not difficult enough she saw in a rapture God telling her that the order should be poor. This was, to her, a tremendous relief.
There is so much to be admired about Teresa even if I don't agree with her overall theology. I choose to revel in those parts of her history. Thank you, Teresa.
February 22, 2011
For me this was a rather disconcerting read.
As an atheist you can't entertain the idea that the continual visions and spiritual experiences Teresa reads are visitations from God, there doesn't seem to be a 'conventional' explanation for what's going on. Teresa is lucid enough to write a clear and intelligent account of her experiences, her theology is complete and consistent (and conveniently in-line with the dogma that was current at the time). So she is not raving mad, I entertained the idea that she was deceiving herself, but in the end that didn't seem to fit either. So you become forced to accept a coherent madness that is more alarming than the other possibilities.
I was so curious about this undeniable account of visions and experiences in someone otherwise lucid I did a bit of research, the best fit I could find are accounts of temporal lobe epilepsy.
As an atheist you can't entertain the idea that the continual visions and spiritual experiences Teresa reads are visitations from God, there doesn't seem to be a 'conventional' explanation for what's going on. Teresa is lucid enough to write a clear and intelligent account of her experiences, her theology is complete and consistent (and conveniently in-line with the dogma that was current at the time). So she is not raving mad, I entertained the idea that she was deceiving herself, but in the end that didn't seem to fit either. So you become forced to accept a coherent madness that is more alarming than the other possibilities.
I was so curious about this undeniable account of visions and experiences in someone otherwise lucid I did a bit of research, the best fit I could find are accounts of temporal lobe epilepsy.
Want to read
April 25, 2010This is the book that St. Edith Stein (St. Teresa Benedicta of the Holy Cross) read in one sitting and which moved her to convert from atheism.
June 21, 2025
"Señor mío, ¿cómo me mandáis cosas que parecen imposibles? Que, aunque fuera mujer, ¡si tuviera libertad!; mas atada por tantas partes, sin dineros, ni de adónde los tener, ni para Breve, ni para nada, ¿qué puedo yo hacer, Señor?"
Ojalá haber podido disfrutar más de esta lectura. El libro consta de 40 capítulos: Del 1 al 10 trata de su biografía y su vida interior desde la infancia hasta la entrada en el convento; del 11 a 22 trata de los grados de oración; del 23 al 31 sobre la unión mística; y del 37 al 40 sobre las mercedes que le ha hecho Dios.
Sólo he disfrutado de su prosa cuando hablaba sobre ella misma (y nunca deteniéndose en los detalles sino aludiendo a los diferentes momentos vitales de manera superficial). En cuánto trataba la doctrina y modos de oración, me perdía. Incluso la narración de las múltiples visiones se me hacía cuesta arriba.
Respecto a la forma, usa un lenguaje "sencillo" para la época, denominado "sermo humilis": vocablos populares, vulgarismos, frases sin terminar e imágenes plásticas sencillas extraídas de la vida cotidiana, sin laberintos retóricos. Por mi parte, no puedo afirmar que haya sido una lectura fácil.
En su discurso me ha resultado extremadamente humilde, siempre expresándose con (excesiva) modestia sin asumir sus méritos y aludiendo a su existencia como pecadora. ¿Tal vez para evitar ofender a sus confesores y directores espirituales?
Todavía siento muchísima curiosidad por Santa Teresa y quiero seguir leyendo sobre su obre y vida pero por ahora, una temporada sin mística.
"Vi a un ángel cabe mí hacia el lado izquierdo en forma corporal... No era grande, sino pequeño, hermoso mucho, el rostro tan encendido que parecía de los ángeles muy subidos, que parece todos se abrasan... Veíale en las manos un dardo de oro largo, y al fin del hierro me parecía tener un poco de fuego. Este me parecía meter por el corazón algunas veces y que me llegaba a las entrañas: al sacarle me parecía las llevaba consigo, y me dejaba toda abrasada en amor grande de Dios".
Ojalá haber podido disfrutar más de esta lectura. El libro consta de 40 capítulos: Del 1 al 10 trata de su biografía y su vida interior desde la infancia hasta la entrada en el convento; del 11 a 22 trata de los grados de oración; del 23 al 31 sobre la unión mística; y del 37 al 40 sobre las mercedes que le ha hecho Dios.
Sólo he disfrutado de su prosa cuando hablaba sobre ella misma (y nunca deteniéndose en los detalles sino aludiendo a los diferentes momentos vitales de manera superficial). En cuánto trataba la doctrina y modos de oración, me perdía. Incluso la narración de las múltiples visiones se me hacía cuesta arriba.
Respecto a la forma, usa un lenguaje "sencillo" para la época, denominado "sermo humilis": vocablos populares, vulgarismos, frases sin terminar e imágenes plásticas sencillas extraídas de la vida cotidiana, sin laberintos retóricos. Por mi parte, no puedo afirmar que haya sido una lectura fácil.
En su discurso me ha resultado extremadamente humilde, siempre expresándose con (excesiva) modestia sin asumir sus méritos y aludiendo a su existencia como pecadora. ¿Tal vez para evitar ofender a sus confesores y directores espirituales?
Todavía siento muchísima curiosidad por Santa Teresa y quiero seguir leyendo sobre su obre y vida pero por ahora, una temporada sin mística.
"Vi a un ángel cabe mí hacia el lado izquierdo en forma corporal... No era grande, sino pequeño, hermoso mucho, el rostro tan encendido que parecía de los ángeles muy subidos, que parece todos se abrasan... Veíale en las manos un dardo de oro largo, y al fin del hierro me parecía tener un poco de fuego. Este me parecía meter por el corazón algunas veces y que me llegaba a las entrañas: al sacarle me parecía las llevaba consigo, y me dejaba toda abrasada en amor grande de Dios".
November 6, 2010
While the life of Saint Teresa is interesting, she could have used a good editor. The book is a rambling, unfocused mess. I could have even overlooked that, but the translation was a big problem for me. How can you translate a 16th century book by a nun and edit out almost all references to the devil? How can you translate "sin" as "missing the mark"? I don't care if the translator is a Jewish-Buddhist-New Age whatever. She ruined the book for me. While I was looking forward to reading other works by Spanish mystics, now I'll look for them in the original Spanish.
November 19, 2011
This is Teresa's thoughts, feelings and over all relationship with God. At times I did find it difficult to understand her thought process, I took my time and did enjoy it. While audio books are not my first choice I would like to hear this one.
January 1, 2024
Please don’t send me to hell for disliking this book
January 1, 2021
Direct, unwavering, humble and courageous beyond words - truly an example in the path to Sainthood. Saint Theresa of Avila’s autobiography is as applicable today as it would have been when it was completed in 1562. I cannot recommend this book enough to anyone on the journey of discovering their faith, the power of prayer or the nature of our supremely merciful God. Even for one who is still at the very beginning of the path, without much insight and wisdom, St. Theresa is able to connect in a deep in powerful way.
I was particularly moved by two findings that she provides in the course of the book:
1. It does us immeasurable good to Meditate on our soul as a mirror in which we should be able to see God’s reflection clearly. A soul in mortal sin is as if covered by a cloak.
2. Everything that does not please God is a lie. That is the Truth is God and God is the Truth.
Finally, Saint Theresa’s profound discourse on the four stages of prayer that the Lord has given her to understand, while at first a little tricky, is explained through a sublime garden analogy. The soul being the garden, with ourselves and God working as gardeners to water and cultivate a divine home for the Lord within us.
This piece of writing is undoubtedly inspired by the Lord and should be on any faithful soul’s reading list ♥️
I was particularly moved by two findings that she provides in the course of the book:
1. It does us immeasurable good to Meditate on our soul as a mirror in which we should be able to see God’s reflection clearly. A soul in mortal sin is as if covered by a cloak.
2. Everything that does not please God is a lie. That is the Truth is God and God is the Truth.
Finally, Saint Theresa’s profound discourse on the four stages of prayer that the Lord has given her to understand, while at first a little tricky, is explained through a sublime garden analogy. The soul being the garden, with ourselves and God working as gardeners to water and cultivate a divine home for the Lord within us.
This piece of writing is undoubtedly inspired by the Lord and should be on any faithful soul’s reading list ♥️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 27, 2020
I marked "The Life" as a favorite mostly because I need to (digitally) remind myself to revisit St. Teresa. Mesmeric: the unwinding of the alleged dichotomy between pleasure and pain. Where a lineage of philosophers - Bentham, Mill, Plato, Aristotle, Augustine, yada yada - write of pleasure and pain as antithetical, Teresa provides a compelling case of pleasure-derived-from-pain. Religious devotion is phenomenological. It ceases to be an intellectual epistemology (such as with Augustine, with whom I might closely pair readings of Teresa), but a physical reckoning.
We all know the "spear me" incident. It is the moment at the center of this autobiography that mutates the understanding of religious apotheosis from divinely spiritual to visceral sensorial. The world of the convent, too, with the cloistered sisters and time spent mulling over the relationship between the individual and the divine, becomes a deeply materialistic, physical articulation of religious virtue.
My thoughts on Teresa are, as yet, underdeveloped. I would like to hail her as a raucous break in a male-dominated theological tradition (a proto-feminist Catholic intervention, if you will). I'm ultimately unsure, but within these pages might lie the secrets to life's mysteries. An ecstatic read, one to return to, and one to excite pleasure (and pain).
We all know the "spear me" incident. It is the moment at the center of this autobiography that mutates the understanding of religious apotheosis from divinely spiritual to visceral sensorial. The world of the convent, too, with the cloistered sisters and time spent mulling over the relationship between the individual and the divine, becomes a deeply materialistic, physical articulation of religious virtue.
My thoughts on Teresa are, as yet, underdeveloped. I would like to hail her as a raucous break in a male-dominated theological tradition (a proto-feminist Catholic intervention, if you will). I'm ultimately unsure, but within these pages might lie the secrets to life's mysteries. An ecstatic read, one to return to, and one to excite pleasure (and pain).
November 11, 2024
Strongly recommended reading, especially for Christians whose growing dissatisfaction with surface-level pietism and trendy evangelicalism leaves them wondering 'Is this all there is? Is there nothing more?' about the Christian life. The monastic and mystical traditions within Christianity offer a deep and profound antidote to what passes for contemporary Christian faith captured (read: compromised) by either progressive or conservative ideological concerns.
I've read through it once, but I plan to read it again slowly and with pen in hand to underline particularly meaningful passages or scribble notes, thoughts, or questions in the margins. I recommend anyone else coming to this work for the first time to follow the same pattern.
I've read through it once, but I plan to read it again slowly and with pen in hand to underline particularly meaningful passages or scribble notes, thoughts, or questions in the margins. I recommend anyone else coming to this work for the first time to follow the same pattern.
April 5, 2025
1562. Europe is fractured, the church is haemorrhaging power, and everyone in your village is dying of syphilis. Meanwhile Teresa of Ávila - a chronically ill, proto-bpd Spanish nun - is in her cell levitating, having her heart pierced through by angels, and having full-body religious seizures. Naturally she decides to write it all down.
This book is part Bildungsroman, part psychedelic hallucination, part melodramatic monologue to God, who she insists keeps showing up in her room unannounced….
That someone with no formal education wrote with this much clarity and depth is genuinely staggering. Her writing style is uniquely possessed, galaxy- brained, often terrifyingly articulate. She moves from vomiting, self-deprecation and seizures to swooning “‘spiritual’”orgasms with zero irony. A truly modern Saint <3
This book is part Bildungsroman, part psychedelic hallucination, part melodramatic monologue to God, who she insists keeps showing up in her room unannounced….
That someone with no formal education wrote with this much clarity and depth is genuinely staggering. Her writing style is uniquely possessed, galaxy- brained, often terrifyingly articulate. She moves from vomiting, self-deprecation and seizures to swooning “‘spiritual’”orgasms with zero irony. A truly modern Saint <3
November 14, 2024
One of my all time favourite books!
Read
September 13, 2022tkm
September 29, 2020
It took me a long time to finish this book, especially after having to start and re-start several times. I found the first half pretty difficult to follow as it was heavy on her family history. Her later years were much easier to follow as it focused on the fruits of her purification. What I really loved about this autobiography was the snapshot it gave of a saintly life on earth, that is, a life of total dedication to God while in the constant process of deepening conversion.
For example, she makes a remark of how she struggles with attachment to certain people- that she has a greater investment in those closest to her doing well, than a random person she might meet. Later, with the help of a spiritual director, she realizes that this type of "attachment" (i.e. wanting those you love to be taken care of and not destitute) is not a sinful behaviour but just a part of being in relationship with others. It's okay to desire good things for those you love.
This account, and similar ones to it, show that the road to sainthood is nuanced and not always clear to the one living it.
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"For even if we wear ourselves to pieces with penances and prayers and all kinds of other things, we can acquire but little if the Lord is not pleased to bestow it. God, of His greatness, desires the soul to realize that His Majesty is so near it that it need not send Him messengers, but may speak with Him itself; nor need it cry aloud, because He is so near it that is has only to move its lips and He will understand it. "
"Where, my Lord, did I think I could find help save in Thee? What foolishness to flee from the light and to walk on all the time stumbling! What a proud humility did the devil find in me when I ceased to make use of the pillar and the staff whose support I so greatly need lest I should suffer a great fall! As I write I make the sign of the Cross: I do not believe I have ever passed through so grave a peril as when the devil put this idea into my head under the guise of humility. How, he asked me, could one who, after receiving such great favours, was still as wicked as I, approach God in prayer? It was enough for me, he would go on, to recite the prayers enjoined upon me, as all the nuns did, but I did not even do this properly: why, then, should I want to do more? It was showing small respect and indeed contempt for the favours of God. I was right to think about this and to try to realize it, but extremely wrong to put my thoughts into practice. Blessed be Thou, Lord, Who didst thus succour me!
This seems to me to be the principle on which the devil tempted Judas, except that he dare not tempt me so openly: none the less, he would gradually have brought me to the same fate. For the love of God, let all who practise prayer consider this. Let them be told that by far the worst life I ever led was when I abandoned prayer."
"I have also been thinking of the comparison which follows. Assuming that what is given to the most advanced soul is the same as what is given to beginners, it is like food shared by many people; those who eat very little of it experience the pleasant taste only for a short time; those who eat more derive some sustenance from it; while those who eat a great deal derive life and strength. It is possible to eat of this food of life so frequently and with such satisfaction as to derive no pleasure from eating any other. For the soul sees how much good it is deriving from it and its palate is now so completely accustomed to its sweetness that it would rather no live than have to eat any other food, for that would do nothing but spoil the pleasant taste left by the good food. Again, the companionship of good people does not afford us such profitable conversation in one day as in many; and if we have the help of God and are long enough in their company, we may become like them."
"Your Reverence may suppose that it would have needed no great effort to behold those hands and that beauteous face. But there is such beauty about glorified bodies that the glory which illumines them throws all who look up such supernatural loveliness into confusion."
"I had always taken him for a man of great intelligence, but now he seemed to me shrewder than ever. I thought what great talents and gifts he had and what a deal of good he could do with them if he gave himself wholly to God. For some years now I have felt like this- I never see a person whom I like very much without immediately wishing that I could see him wholly given to God, and sometimes this yearning of mine is so strong that I am powerless against it."
For example, she makes a remark of how she struggles with attachment to certain people- that she has a greater investment in those closest to her doing well, than a random person she might meet. Later, with the help of a spiritual director, she realizes that this type of "attachment" (i.e. wanting those you love to be taken care of and not destitute) is not a sinful behaviour but just a part of being in relationship with others. It's okay to desire good things for those you love.
This account, and similar ones to it, show that the road to sainthood is nuanced and not always clear to the one living it.
-
"For even if we wear ourselves to pieces with penances and prayers and all kinds of other things, we can acquire but little if the Lord is not pleased to bestow it. God, of His greatness, desires the soul to realize that His Majesty is so near it that it need not send Him messengers, but may speak with Him itself; nor need it cry aloud, because He is so near it that is has only to move its lips and He will understand it. "
"Where, my Lord, did I think I could find help save in Thee? What foolishness to flee from the light and to walk on all the time stumbling! What a proud humility did the devil find in me when I ceased to make use of the pillar and the staff whose support I so greatly need lest I should suffer a great fall! As I write I make the sign of the Cross: I do not believe I have ever passed through so grave a peril as when the devil put this idea into my head under the guise of humility. How, he asked me, could one who, after receiving such great favours, was still as wicked as I, approach God in prayer? It was enough for me, he would go on, to recite the prayers enjoined upon me, as all the nuns did, but I did not even do this properly: why, then, should I want to do more? It was showing small respect and indeed contempt for the favours of God. I was right to think about this and to try to realize it, but extremely wrong to put my thoughts into practice. Blessed be Thou, Lord, Who didst thus succour me!
This seems to me to be the principle on which the devil tempted Judas, except that he dare not tempt me so openly: none the less, he would gradually have brought me to the same fate. For the love of God, let all who practise prayer consider this. Let them be told that by far the worst life I ever led was when I abandoned prayer."
"I have also been thinking of the comparison which follows. Assuming that what is given to the most advanced soul is the same as what is given to beginners, it is like food shared by many people; those who eat very little of it experience the pleasant taste only for a short time; those who eat more derive some sustenance from it; while those who eat a great deal derive life and strength. It is possible to eat of this food of life so frequently and with such satisfaction as to derive no pleasure from eating any other. For the soul sees how much good it is deriving from it and its palate is now so completely accustomed to its sweetness that it would rather no live than have to eat any other food, for that would do nothing but spoil the pleasant taste left by the good food. Again, the companionship of good people does not afford us such profitable conversation in one day as in many; and if we have the help of God and are long enough in their company, we may become like them."
"Your Reverence may suppose that it would have needed no great effort to behold those hands and that beauteous face. But there is such beauty about glorified bodies that the glory which illumines them throws all who look up such supernatural loveliness into confusion."
"I had always taken him for a man of great intelligence, but now he seemed to me shrewder than ever. I thought what great talents and gifts he had and what a deal of good he could do with them if he gave himself wholly to God. For some years now I have felt like this- I never see a person whom I like very much without immediately wishing that I could see him wholly given to God, and sometimes this yearning of mine is so strong that I am powerless against it."
February 13, 2024
No way! She's out of her mind. I'm just not into mysticism. Here's my two cents:
https://withfreedomandbooks.blogspot....
Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) was a Spanish nun who was instrumental in opening St. Joseph's convent, as well as other convents throughout her lifetime. She recorded the extraordinary events of her disconcerted life in her book, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself.
What I took away from this story is that Teresa of Ávila was literally tormented by her inability to reach perfection. She mentally and emotionally battered herself over her weaknesses, faults, and fallibilities, including her insatiable appetite for reading and knowledge, which she considered woefully sinful. (Yikes! I'm in trouble.)
Most of the book focused on the different levels of intense prayer and soul separation (is that possible?), but it also included numerous occasions in which she had visions of and communications with Jesus and Mary, saw heaven, communicated with dead people - including her deceased parents and sister - and experienced what she believed to be a union with God. (I didn't really get this.) She also recounted visions of and experiences in hell and being tormented by devil(s). She worked anxiously - without satisfaction - to "repay the Lord" for His sacrifice. And she immersed herself in deep ritualistic prayer, sometimes for hours or days, in which one state of prayer often brought her to a condition of rapture or ecstasy and caused her to lose control of herself. (That explains the sculpture by Bernini.)
] Frankly, I am not a friend of mysticism. It is not that I believe she is lying, but rather I think she and those who believed her were deceived, although some called her possessed. In other words, these events were not directed by God.
If they were - and if she were saved - she would have had the Light of God in her; and Scripture tells us that Darkness cannot reside with Light. While Satan may try to discourage a Christian, he cannot terrorize Christians with demons. Evil spirits tormented Teresa and caused her fear and suffering, such as only an unsaved person would experience.
I also have a problem with people who claim they see and talk to the dead. Scripture tells us that the dead cannot see or hear or talk. If you are seeing dead people, it may be demons (who are capable of taking the form of loved ones in order to deceive and lead astray those who are not covered by God).
She claimed that God "took her soul to heaven," which she believed to be necessary in order for her to know where her true home was and what it was like. But God does not take people to heaven to see what it is like so that they may understand what they must long for. She had a similar opinion for why she went to hell: to see what God had saved her from. (But all she had to do was read her Bible.)
Once she said that Jesus purposefully reminded her of her sin and caused her great shame, and I know this to be false because while we may always remember our sins, Jesus does not want us to be burdened by our past sinfulness; if we still live with shame for our sins which have been forgiven, then His sacrifice on the cross was worthless.
Often she spoke of doing penance for all of her evil deeds in order to "win this great blessing," but she did not need to continue doing penance for her sins. Again, it was already done for her by Christ.
Early on I began asking, "If these experiences are from God, as she believed them to be, then why did she go through this? What was the purpose?" She referred to herself as "favored" to suffer in this way. A chapter near the end proposed to explain why, but my questions were not answered to my satisfaction. She was in a miserable state constantly, and I do not see how her misery helps anyone, except that it underscores how much more we must suffer in hope of our salvation, which is not biblical.
In the end, only God knew her heart, but I imagine by this account that she needlessly suffered over herself, and it made me sad for her and to some degree angry that she was (I think) deceived in this way.
Although I have nothing but skepticism and opposition for my review, my final opinion overall is that it was not a waste of time, and I really did look forward to reading it. I just did not agree with her.
https://withfreedomandbooks.blogspot....
Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515-1582) was a Spanish nun who was instrumental in opening St. Joseph's convent, as well as other convents throughout her lifetime. She recorded the extraordinary events of her disconcerted life in her book, The Life of Saint Teresa of Ávila by Herself.
What I took away from this story is that Teresa of Ávila was literally tormented by her inability to reach perfection. She mentally and emotionally battered herself over her weaknesses, faults, and fallibilities, including her insatiable appetite for reading and knowledge, which she considered woefully sinful. (Yikes! I'm in trouble.)
Most of the book focused on the different levels of intense prayer and soul separation (is that possible?), but it also included numerous occasions in which she had visions of and communications with Jesus and Mary, saw heaven, communicated with dead people - including her deceased parents and sister - and experienced what she believed to be a union with God. (I didn't really get this.) She also recounted visions of and experiences in hell and being tormented by devil(s). She worked anxiously - without satisfaction - to "repay the Lord" for His sacrifice. And she immersed herself in deep ritualistic prayer, sometimes for hours or days, in which one state of prayer often brought her to a condition of rapture or ecstasy and caused her to lose control of herself. (That explains the sculpture by Bernini.)
] Frankly, I am not a friend of mysticism. It is not that I believe she is lying, but rather I think she and those who believed her were deceived, although some called her possessed. In other words, these events were not directed by God.
If they were - and if she were saved - she would have had the Light of God in her; and Scripture tells us that Darkness cannot reside with Light. While Satan may try to discourage a Christian, he cannot terrorize Christians with demons. Evil spirits tormented Teresa and caused her fear and suffering, such as only an unsaved person would experience.
I also have a problem with people who claim they see and talk to the dead. Scripture tells us that the dead cannot see or hear or talk. If you are seeing dead people, it may be demons (who are capable of taking the form of loved ones in order to deceive and lead astray those who are not covered by God).
She claimed that God "took her soul to heaven," which she believed to be necessary in order for her to know where her true home was and what it was like. But God does not take people to heaven to see what it is like so that they may understand what they must long for. She had a similar opinion for why she went to hell: to see what God had saved her from. (But all she had to do was read her Bible.)
Once she said that Jesus purposefully reminded her of her sin and caused her great shame, and I know this to be false because while we may always remember our sins, Jesus does not want us to be burdened by our past sinfulness; if we still live with shame for our sins which have been forgiven, then His sacrifice on the cross was worthless.
Often she spoke of doing penance for all of her evil deeds in order to "win this great blessing," but she did not need to continue doing penance for her sins. Again, it was already done for her by Christ.
Early on I began asking, "If these experiences are from God, as she believed them to be, then why did she go through this? What was the purpose?" She referred to herself as "favored" to suffer in this way. A chapter near the end proposed to explain why, but my questions were not answered to my satisfaction. She was in a miserable state constantly, and I do not see how her misery helps anyone, except that it underscores how much more we must suffer in hope of our salvation, which is not biblical.
In the end, only God knew her heart, but I imagine by this account that she needlessly suffered over herself, and it made me sad for her and to some degree angry that she was (I think) deceived in this way.
Although I have nothing but skepticism and opposition for my review, my final opinion overall is that it was not a waste of time, and I really did look forward to reading it. I just did not agree with her.
February 10, 2014
I recommend this book, preferably a different edition than this one by Penguin, to those who are looking from a Christian vantage point. The mystic nun of 16th century Spain, you can think anything you want of her, but she ain't ordinary. The spiritual experiences that "befell her is the central theme of the book" (intro. p.13). Her relationship with our Lord is honest and humble, sincere as any testimony that you'll ever hear. The way to approach this story is with respect, and also with humbleness, for that is the way she also approaches us.
Teresa's life is a great testimony for all denominations of Christians. Yes, she was a Catholic, and you will find the Catholic theology sprinkled everywhere; but most importantly she was real, I mean a real Christian. And if you read the text without prejudice -not like a Pharisee- you will find prove of this. Her relationship is with the Lord, not with images. For example, she commends herself to Saint Joseph, but she always has it clear that it is the Lord Jesus who gives the favors: "The Lord seems to have given other saints grace to help in some troubles but I know by experience that this glorious Saint helps in all", and "I clearly see (...) that if we are to please God and He is to grant us great favors, it is His will that this should be through His most sacred Humanity, in whom His Majesty said He is well pleased. (...) I have clearly seen that it is by this door we must enter, if we wish His sovereign Majesty to reveal great secrets to us. He will show us the way. If we consider his life, that is our best example."
There's an episode that I liked particularly. The Lord gives her the grace of talking with angels; she hears: "I want you to converse now not with men but with angels". And so it happens, "For I have never since been able to form a firm friendship, or to take any comfort in, or to feel particular love for, any people except those whom I believe to love God and to be trying to serve Him. This has been something beyond my control; and it has made no difference if the people have been relatives or friends." Anybody feels identified?
Check this one out, as example of good and sensible advice: "the proof that something comes from God lies in its conformity to Holy Scripture. If it diverges in the least from that, I think I should feel incomparably more certain that it came from the devil".
Another fun note, this one about her tribulations with her confessors: "He (the devil) cannot do me any harm, but they, especially if they are confessors, can be most disturbing. For several years they were such a trial to me that now I am astonished that I was able to bear it." Beware of human confessors!
A more curious note: "there is nothing the devils fly from more promptly, never to return, than from holy water. They fly from the cross also, but return again. So there must be a great virtue in holy water." Of course there's no virtue in water, but modern readers who are aware of it should still be able to sympathize with her.
The book is full of commentary of this kind. They all portray the love of this meek woman for the Lord Jesus. This book is so needed today in a world that has gone to the other extreme: devotion of evil, that reading it can seem almost like an ET encounter.
Leave your pride behind before reading.
Teresa's life is a great testimony for all denominations of Christians. Yes, she was a Catholic, and you will find the Catholic theology sprinkled everywhere; but most importantly she was real, I mean a real Christian. And if you read the text without prejudice -not like a Pharisee- you will find prove of this. Her relationship is with the Lord, not with images. For example, she commends herself to Saint Joseph, but she always has it clear that it is the Lord Jesus who gives the favors: "The Lord seems to have given other saints grace to help in some troubles but I know by experience that this glorious Saint helps in all", and "I clearly see (...) that if we are to please God and He is to grant us great favors, it is His will that this should be through His most sacred Humanity, in whom His Majesty said He is well pleased. (...) I have clearly seen that it is by this door we must enter, if we wish His sovereign Majesty to reveal great secrets to us. He will show us the way. If we consider his life, that is our best example."
There's an episode that I liked particularly. The Lord gives her the grace of talking with angels; she hears: "I want you to converse now not with men but with angels". And so it happens, "For I have never since been able to form a firm friendship, or to take any comfort in, or to feel particular love for, any people except those whom I believe to love God and to be trying to serve Him. This has been something beyond my control; and it has made no difference if the people have been relatives or friends." Anybody feels identified?
Check this one out, as example of good and sensible advice: "the proof that something comes from God lies in its conformity to Holy Scripture. If it diverges in the least from that, I think I should feel incomparably more certain that it came from the devil".
Another fun note, this one about her tribulations with her confessors: "He (the devil) cannot do me any harm, but they, especially if they are confessors, can be most disturbing. For several years they were such a trial to me that now I am astonished that I was able to bear it." Beware of human confessors!
A more curious note: "there is nothing the devils fly from more promptly, never to return, than from holy water. They fly from the cross also, but return again. So there must be a great virtue in holy water." Of course there's no virtue in water, but modern readers who are aware of it should still be able to sympathize with her.
The book is full of commentary of this kind. They all portray the love of this meek woman for the Lord Jesus. This book is so needed today in a world that has gone to the other extreme: devotion of evil, that reading it can seem almost like an ET encounter.
Leave your pride behind before reading.
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