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Category Archives: Journey to the Center of the Mind
The Seventh Tower: The Center of the Mind
Over the course of this series on Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle, I have been acquiring and utilizing several resources for my own edification as well as sharing their insights when appropriate. As we now arrive at the Seventh Tower, … Continue reading
The Sixth Tower: Enraptured!
Our spiritual excursion into the Sixth Tower will be marked by graduating from the Illuminative stage into a most extraordinary plunge into the ecstasies of the increasingly Unitive cycle. You see, the soul’s yearning for Absolute Union with the Unborn … Continue reading
The Fifth Tower: The Silkworm
By now one can realize that Teresa’s Interior Castle is a treatise on profound Unitive Mysticism. What she has been revealing are the later stages of the interior spiritual life. The final stages correspond to the fifth, sixth and seventh … Continue reading
Posted in Journey to the Center of the Mind
Tagged Bönpo Dzogchen, Carmelites, Death, deathlessness, illumination, silkworm, Union
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The Fourth Tower: The Shepherd’s Whistle
We are now leaving the active purgative-stage in the journey to the illuminative and passive stage. In Essence, the spiritual adept is now discerning how the Unborn Spirit is taking a more prominent role in the soul’s development. In order … Continue reading
A Taste of Quiet
The Fourth Mansion of Teresa’s masterpiece is outstanding and requires a special introductory blog. She writes that “Supernatural experiences begin here.” This is closure of the Purgative Way and the beginning of the Illuminative. It’s also the commencement of the … Continue reading
The Third Tower: There is no Security in this Life
Undeceive yourself, blessed soul; in this practice all the works that are not governed by true zeal and born of pure love and a purged spirit are clothed in vanity, self-love, and spiritual ambition. (Miguel de Molinos: The Spiritual Guide) … Continue reading
Posted in Journey to the Center of the Mind
Tagged False-Security, false-self, humility, obedience, Way of Purgation
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The Second Tower: Conformity of the Will
TREATS OF THE GREAT IMPORTANCE OF PERSEVERANCE IN ORDER TO ENTER THE LAST MANSIONS, AND OF THE FIERCE WAR THE DEVIL WAGES AGAINST US. HOW ESSENTIAL IT IS TO TAKE THE RIGHT PATH FROM THE VERY COMMENCEMENT OF OUR JOURNEY. … Continue reading
The First Tower: Self-gnosis
*Please be advised that we are utilizing two different translations of The Interior Castle: The edition by Benedict Zimmerman, and the edition by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D. and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D. (O.C.D. =Order of Discalced Carmelites). Teresa continues her narrative of … Continue reading
Creepy Crawlies
Before reaching the First Tower, or Teresa’s First Mansion, some more preliminary observations are in order. Towers 1-3 manifests the Active phase of Recollection, while Towers 4-7 constitute the Passive Phase of Recollection. Also 1-3 establishes what is known as … Continue reading
Posted in Journey to the Center of the Mind
Tagged Catharsis, illumination, Purgation, puthujjana, Union
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Journey to the Center of the Mind
In October of 2015 work was commenced on a series that described in meticulous detail the process of Right Contemplation as enunciated in the writings of John of the Cross, by and large a spiritual journey through an active purification … Continue reading