Four centuries later, Teresa was recognized as one of the few women 'doctors' of the Catholic Church - a title given to Catholic saints who made great contributions to theology or doctrine. She must have understood the risk of producing a book exploring mystical topics in the shadow of both the Reformation and the Spanish Inquisition. A prolific writer, Teresa also was a reformer who founded numerous convents throughout Spain. Teresa's insights comes from her own mystical journey and that of others, grounded in her understanding of Scripture. But Teresa's focus is in helping us understand the remaining Mansions, where the inward journey deepens. While Teresa divides her book into sections talking about seven different stages of the spiritual life, we should note that she speaks about first dwelling places, et cetera, not the first mansion. The descriptions of the first three Mansions are brief and explain how the soul benefits from spiritual effort and the help of God's grace. Teresa’s interior castle The first mansion in St.Teresa’s book is dedicated to self-knowledge and humility, which can be achieved through prayer and. Specifically, let’s talk about the seven mansions and how each of them is different. Identifying the soul as a castle, Teresa outlines seven 'Mansions' within the castle, illustrating the beauty and capacity of the soul. The result is a personal dialogue between readers and a dynamic, thoughtful woman who loved God deeply and wrote about it passionately. This paraphrased version stays true to the text, but simple structure and contemporary word choices make it easier to understand. Teresa of Ávila represents the soul as a castle that comprises seven concentric mansions. Is now among the most widely read and studied Christian mystical texts.

In 1577, Teresa of Ávila, a Carmelite nun in Ávila, Spain, was asked by her superiors to write a spiritual guide for her Carmelite sisters. Standing on the site where St Teresa of Ávila’s birthplace used to be, this convent features a crypt that is quite unique in the history of religious architecture in Spain.

St teresa of avila seven mansions