The Interior Castle

          The Interior Castle also known as The Mansions is a book by St. Teresa of Avila. It was written in 1577. The book came about because of an revelation St. Teresa has from God of a crystal globe in the shape of a castle. The castle consisted of seven mansions, which in her riding she interprets as the journey of faith through seven stages, ultimately ending with a union with God. The Interior Castle is often described as a guide for those who want to really understand and seek prayer as a mystical union with God.
          The seven mansions consisted of many different things. The first three mansions are considered to be ordinary prayer or active prayer. The first mansion is a souls state of grace. The second mansion is called the "Mansions of the Practice of Prayer" because the soul seeks to advance through the castle by daily thoughts of God.  The third mansion were the "Mansions of Exemplary Life" characterized through the divine grace of love for God is so great  the soul has an aversion to both mortal and venial sin and desire to do works of charitable service to man for the ultimate glory of God.
           The fourth through the seventh mansion are considered to be mystical or contemplative prayer. The fourth mansions are a departure from the soul to what it gains as God increases him role. The fifth mansion incipient Union where the soul prepares itself to receive gifts from God. The sixth mansion can be compared to loves. And the seventh mansion achieves clarity in prayer and a spiritual marriage or union with God. The picture to the left is of the book The Interior castle. The picture to the bottom of this text is of St. Teresa of Avila.