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St. Teresa’s Teaching on the Grades of Prayer byJordanAumann,O.P.

WhenPopePaulVIproclaimedSt.TeresaofÁvilathefirstwomanDoctoroftheChurch

onSeptember27,1970,heselectedoneofhermanytitlesasthebasisforconferringthathonoronher:TeresaofÁvila,TeacherofPrayer.ThesamesentimentwasexpressedbyPopeJohnPaulIIinalettertotheSuperiorGeneraloftheDiscalcedCarmeliteFriarstomarkthefourthcentenaryofthedeathofTeresa:

TeresaconsideredthathervocationandhermissionwasprayerintheChurchand

withtheChurch,whichisaprayingcommunitymovedbytheHolySpirittoadoretheFatherinandwithJesus“inspiritandintruth”(Jn4:23)....SaintTeresaconsideredthelifeofprayertobethegreatestmanifestationofthetheologicallifeofthefaithfulwho,believingintheloveofGod,freethemselvesfromeverythingtoattainthefullpresenceofthatlove(L’OsservatoreRomano,Englishedition,November9,1981).Inallofhermajorworks—TheLife,TheWayofPerfection,TheInteriorCastle—St.

Teresaexplainsthepracticeofprayer.Anditisnoteworthythatshedidnotbegintowriteuntilshewas47yearsold,afterhersecondconversionandwhenshewasalreadywell‐versedinthepracticeofprayer.Herteachingflowsfromherownexperienceandnotfrombooksonprayer.Shedoes,however,acknowledgeherindebtednesstotwoauthors:FranciscodeOsuna,theauthorofTheThirdSpiritualAlphabet,andBernardinodeLaredo,theauthorofTheAscentofMountSion.ThebookbyOsunatreatedoftheprayerofrecollection,andSt.Teresastatesthatshewas“delightedwiththebookandresolvedtofollowthatwayofprayerwithallmymight”(cf.TheLife,chap.4).ThetreatisebyLaredodescribedtheprayerofunion,towhichSt.Teresahadattained“afteralmosttwentyyearsofexperienceinthepracticeofprayer”(cf.TheLife,chap.23).

Aswehavenoted,Teresabeganwritingherfirstwork,TheLife,attheageof47,andshefinisheditthreeyearslater.Inthatsameyear(1565)shebeganTheWayofPerfection,sincethenunsofthefirstmonasteryofthereformhadaskedhertoteachthemaboutmentalprayer.Inthesefirsttwoworks,St.Teresaconcentratesontheasceticalgradesofprayer,butinTheInteriorCastle,writtenwhenshewas62yearsold,shegivesdetaileddescriptionsofthemysticalgradesofprayer.Thus,intheSecondMansionsofTheInteriorCastleshesays:“Iwanttosayverylittletoyouabout[theprayeroftheSecondMansions]becauseIhavewrittenofitatlengthelsewhere.”

St.Teresarealizedthatnotallsoulstravelbythesamepathtoperfection,butthatGodleadssoulsbymanydifferentroads.Atthesametimesheknewthatinordertoteachthetheologyandpracticeofprayer,onehastofollowabasicpatternorstructure.Thejourneytospiritualperfectionisaprogressivepassagefromthelowertothehigherstagesofprayer,fromasceticaltomysticalprayer.AndsinceSt.Teresatreatsonlybrieflyofthelowergradesofprayerinherdefinitivework,TheInteriorCastle,itisnecessarytoturntohertwoearlierworksforafullerdescriptionoftheasceticalgradesofprayer.

The Life

InherfirstworkSt.Teresaexplainsthegradesofprayerbyusingthesymbolofthe“fourwaters,”ormoreprecisely,thefourmethodsofwateringagarden.Thefirstmethodisbydrawingwaterfromawellbymeansofabucketattachedtoarope.Thisisthefirststage

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ofprayeranditincludesvocalprayeranddiscursivemeditation.Theindividualisactive,exercisingthefacultiesandreapingwhatbenefititcanthroughone’sownefforts.Butlestthebeginnersthinktoomuchandturntheirdiscursivemeditationintoanintellectualexercise,St.Teresaadvisesthem“nottospendalltheirtimeindoingso.Theirmethodofprayerismostmeritorious,butsincetheyenjoyitsomuch,theysometimesfailtorealizethattheyshouldhavesomekindofasabbath,thatis,aperiodofrestfromtheirlabors....Letthemimaginethemselves,asIhavesuggested,inthepresenceofChrist,andletthemcontinueconversingwithhimanddelightinginhim,withoutwearyingtheirmindsorexhaustingthemselvesbycomposingspeechestohim”(TheLife,chap.13).

Thesecondmethodofwateringagardenisbymeansofawaterwheeltowhichdippersareattached.Asthewheelisturned,thewaterispouredintoatroughthatcarriesthewatertothegarden.St.Teresaexplainsthatthisstage,inwhich“thesoulbeginstorecollectitself,bordersonthesupernatural....Thisstateisarecollectingofthefacultieswithinthesoul,sothatitsenjoymentofthatcontentmentmayprovidegreaterdelight”(TheLife,chap.13).

Thethirdtypeofwateringagardenisbyirrigationbymeansofarunningstream.Itdoesn’tcallforhumaneffortasinthetwopreviousmethods.Prayeratthisstageismystical;thatis,allthefacultiesarecenteredonGod.“Thiskindofprayer,”saysSt.Teresa,“isquitedefinitelyaunionoftheentiresoulwithGod”(TheLife,chap.17).Shecallsita“sleepofthefaculties”becausetheyaretotallyoccupiedwithGod.“Notoneofthem,itseems,venturestostir,norcanwecauseanyofthemtobeactiveexceptbystrivingtofixourattentionverycarefullyonsomethingelse,andeventhenIdon’tthinkwecouldsucceedentirelyindoingso”(TheLife,chap.16).

Thefourthandfinalmethodforwateringagardenisbymeansoffallingrain.Thisstageofprayeristotallymystical,meaningthatitisinfusedbyGodandisnotattainedbyhumaneffort.Itiscalledtheprayerofunion,anditadmitsofvaryingdegrees.

ThegradesofprayerdescribedbySt.TeresainTheLifedonotcorrespondtothedivisionofprayerthatisusuallygiveninmanualsofspiritualtheology.Thereareseveralreasonsforthis,andthefirstoneispossiblythefactofthediscrepancyof15yearsbetweenherfirstandthelastmajorwork.Secondly,thepreciseterminologytodescribesomethetransitionalgradesofprayerbetweendiscursivementalprayerandtheprayerofthetransforminguniondidnotcomeintocommonuseuntiltheseventeenthcentury.Thirdly,sinceshewaswritingfromherownexperience,itispossiblethatSt.Teresahadpassedimmediatelyfromdiscursivemeditationtoahighdegreeofinfused,mysticalprayer.

The Way of Perfection

WhenweturntoTheWayofPerfection,whichSt.Teresabeganin1565,wenoticethattherearesomeadjustmentsinherdivision.SincethefirstnunsoftheTeresianreformhadaskedhertoteachthemaboutmentalprayer,itislogicalthatshewouldbemorepreciseanddetailed,especiallywhenspeakingoftheearlierstagesofmentalprayer.OneofthemostobviousdifferencesinTheWayofPerfectionisthatSt.Teresatriestodistinguishbetweentheprayerofactiverecollectionandtheprayerofinfusedrecollection.

OneneednotgotoheaventospeaktoGod,norisitnecessarytospeakinaloudvoice.

Inthefirststageofprayer—vocalprayeranddiscursivemeditation—theindividualisactive,exercisingthefacultiesandreapingwhatbenefititcanthroughone’sownefforts.

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InChapters28and29shediscussestheprayerofactiverecollection.AfterrecallingthatSt.AugustinehadsaidthathehadlookedforGodinmanyplacesandfinallyfoundGodwithinhimself,St.TeresaassertsthatoneneednotgotoheaventospeaktoGod,norisitnecessarytospeakinaloudvoice.“Howeverquietlywespeak,heissonearthathewillhearus.Weneednowingstogoinsearchofhim,buthaveonlytofindaplacewherewecanbealoneandlookuponhimpresentwithinus”(chap.28).

Ifonepraysinthisway,conversingwithGodwhodwellsinthesoulthroughsanctifyinggrace,eveniftheprayerisvocal,themindwillberecollected.Itiscalledprayerofrecollectionbecause“thesoulgatherstogetherallitsfacultiesandenterswithinitselftobewithitsGod”(loc.cit.).Thismayprovetobesomethingofastruggleinthebeginning,saysSt.Teresa,butifapersoncultivatesthehabitofrecollection,thesoulandthewillgainsuchpoweroverthesensesthat“theywillonlyhavetomakeasigntoshowthattheywishtoenterintorecollectionandthesenseswillobeyandletthemselvesberecollected”(ibid.).

WhenSt.TeresaspokeoftheprayerofrecollectioninChapter15ofTheLife,shesaidthat“thisquietandrecollection...isnotsomethingthatcanbeacquired.”ButinChapter29ofTheWayofPerfectionshesays:“Youmustunderstandthatthisisnotasupernaturalstate,butdependsonourwill,andthat,byGod’sfavor,wecanenteritofourownaccord....Forthisisnotasilenceofthefaculties;itisanenclosingofthefacultieswithinitselfbythesoul.”Inotherwords,itisanascetical,acquiredgradeofprayer,andnotamystical,infusedgrade.

WhatSt.TeresacallstheprayerofquietinChapter31,ontheotherhand,isdefinitelytheprayerofinfusedrecollection,atypeofmystical,infusedcontemplation.Lateron,shewillfurtherrefineherterminology,butforthemomentweshouldreadherdescriptionofthis“prayerofquiet.”

IstillwanttodescribethisprayerofquiettoyouinthewaythatIhavehearditexplainedandastheLordhasbeenpleasedtoteachittome....Thisisasupernaturalstateandhoweverhardwetry,wecannotacquireitbyourselves....Thefacultiesarestilledandhavenowishtomove,foranymovementtheymakeseemstohinderthesoulfromlovingGod.Theyarenotcompletelylost,however,sincetwoofthemarefreeandtheycanrealizeinwhosepresencetheyare.Itisthewillthatiscaptivenow....Theintellecttriestooccupyitselfwithonlyonething,andthememoryhasnodesiretobusyitselfwithmore.Theybothseethatthisistheonethingnecessary;anythingelsewillcausethemtobedisturbed.

THE WAY OF PERFECTION, CHAP. 31 Thepredominantcharacteristicsoftheprayerofquietarepeaceandjoy,forthewillistotallycaptivatedbydivinelove.Thefacultiesofintellectandmemoryarestillfreeandmaywander,butthesoulshouldpaynoattentiontotheoperationsofthesefaculties.Todosowouldcausedistractionandanxiety.Lateron,intheprayerofunion,itwillbeimpossiblefortheintellectandmemorytooperateindependently,becauseallthefacultieswillbecenteredonGod.ButtolearnSt.Teresa’steachingontheprayerofunion,wemustconsultherfinalmajorwork.

The Interior Castle

Usingthesymbolofacastlecontainingsevenapartmentsorsuites(lasmoradas),St.Teresaidentifiesthefirstthreeasthestagesofprayerintheasceticalphaseofthespirituallife,andthetreatmentisverybriefbecauseshehasalreadydiscussedthelowerdegreesofprayerinherpreviousworks.Thelastfourstagesofprayer,fromthefourthtotheseventh

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moradas,representthevariousdegreesofmysticalprayer.Andattheveryoutsetofherdiscussionofthegradesofmysticalprayer,St.Teresaadvisesthereader:

ItmaybethatIamcontradictingwhatImyselfhavesaidelsewhere.Thisisnotsurprising,becausealmostfifteenyearshavepassedsincethen,andperhapstheLordhasnowgivenmeaclearerrealizationofthesemattersthanIhadatfirst.

THE INTERIOR CASTLE, FOURTH MANSIONS, CHAP. 2

ThemostnoteworthychangesinTheInteriorCastleareacleardistinctionbetweenacquiredandinfusedrecollection,furtherprecisionsconcerningtheprayerofquiet,andthedescriptionofsensibleconsolationsandinfusedspiritualdelights.

St.TeresahadpreviouslydiscussedtheprayerofrecollectioninChapters15and16ofTheLifeandinChapters28and29ofTheWayofPerfection.Consequently,inTheInteriorCastleshemakesonlyabriefreferencetoit,sayingthat“intheprayerof[acquired]recollectionitisunnecessarytoabandon[discursive]meditationandtheactivityoftheintellect”(FourthMansions,chap.3).Inthesubsequentliteratureonthepracticeofprayerthisacquiredrecollectionwillbecalledbyvariousnames:prayerofsimplicity,prayerofsimpleregard,acquiredcontemplation,andthelovingawarenessofGod.

ItisintheFourthMansionsofTheInteriorCastle,saysSt.Teresa,that“wenowbegintotouchthesupernatural.”Sheispreparingtodiscusstheprayerofquiet,whichshealsocallsthe“prayerofconsolationsfromGod.”However,beforedoingso,sheturnsbacktodescribetheprayerofinfusedrecollection.

Firstofall,Iwillsaysomething(thoughnotmuch,asIhavedealtwithitelsewhere)aboutanotherkindofprayer,whichalmostinvariablybeginsbeforethisone.Itisaformofrecollectionwhichalsoseemstomesupernatural....Donotthinkthatthesoulcanattaintohimmerelybytryingtothinkofhimaspresentwithinthesoul.Thisisagoodhabitandanexcellentkindofmeditation,foritisfoundedonatruth,namely,thatGodiswithinus.ButitisnotthekindofprayerthatIhaveinmind....WhatIamdescribingisquitedifferent.AsIunderstandit,thesoulwhomtheLordhasbeenpleasedtoleadintothismansionwilldobesttoactasIhavesaid.Letittry,withoutforcingitselforcausinganyturmoil,toputastoptoalldiscursivereasoning,yetnottosuspendtheintellectnortoceasefromallthought,althoughitisgoodforittorememberthatitisinGod’spresenceandwhothisGodis.Ifthisexperienceshouldleadtoastateofabsorption,wellandgood,butitshouldnottrytounderstandwhatthisstateis,becauseitisagiftbestowedonthewill.Therefore,thewillshouldbeallowedtoenjoyitandshouldnotbeactiveexcepttoutterafewlovingwords.

THE INTERIOR CASTLE, FOURTH MANSIONS, CHAP. 3

Thus,theprayerofinfusedrecollectionisthefirstgradeofmysticalprayerintheTeresianschemaofthedegreesofprayer.InthisFourthMansionofthespirituallifeshealsoclearlydistinguishestheprayerofinfusedrecollectionfromtheprayerofquiet,whereinthehumanwilliscompletelycaptivatedbydivinelove.Andsincethewillisnowoperatingonthemysticallevel,theindividualexperiencespeace,sweetnessandspiritualdelight,whicharefruitsoftheHolySpirit.SometimestheexperienceissointensethattheindividualpassesintoaswoonorastateoflanguorwhichSt.Teresacallsa“sleepofthefaculties.”However,shealsowarnsthathypersensitivepersonsofaweakconstitution,badhealthoranexcessivelyausterelifemaysometimesthinkthattheyareexperiencinga“sleepofthefaculties”wheninrealityitiscausedbyoneoftheaforesaidconditions(Fourth

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Mansions,chap.3).Althoughsomeauthorsclassify“sleepofthefaculties”asadistinctgradeofmysticalprayer,St.Teresamakessolittleofitthatitseemstobemerelyanintensificationoftheprayerofquiet.

FromtheFifthtotheSeventhMansions,St.Teresatreatsofthefinalandhighestgradeofmysticalprayer:theprayerofunion.InthisgradeofmysticalprayertherearevariousdegreesofintensityandSt.Teresaidentifiesthemanddescribesthephenomenathatnormallyaccompanytheprayerofunion.IntheFifthMansionsshedescribestheprayerofsimpleunionbysayingthat“Godimplantshimselfintheinteriorofthesoulinsuchawaythat,whenitreturnstoitself,itcannotpossiblydoubtthatGodhasbeeninitandithasbeeninGod”(chap.1).Itshouldbenoted,however,thatalthoughSt.Teresaisherediscussingthemysticalprayerofunion,sheurgesthenunsto“askourLordtogiveyouthisperfectloveforyourneighbor,”because“ifyouarelackinginthisvirtue,youhavenotyetattainedunion”(chap.3).

IntheSixthMansionsthesoulexperiencesthespiritualbetrothal(mysticalespousal)whichisusuallyaccompaniedbymysticalphenomenasuchaspainfultrialsandwoundsoflove,ecstasyandrapture,flightsofthespirit,orevenlocutionsandvisions.ThisisthelongestsectionofTheInteriorCastle—elevenchapters—becauseSt.Teresadescribesandexplainsthephenomenathataccompanythemysticalespousal.Shealsopointsoutthedangersofsuchgifts,butadmitsthatiftheyarereceivedintheproperspirit,theycancontributegreatlytothesoul’spurificationandsanctification.ThebasiccharacteristicofthisgradeofmysticalprayeristhatthesouliswoundedwithloveforthedivineSpouseandseekseveryopportunitytobealonewithhim.Itwillinglyrenounceseverythingthatcouldpossiblydisturbitssolitude.

Finally,intheSeventhMansions,thesoulexperiencesthetransformingunionormysticalmarriage.Thisisthehigheststateofprayerthatcanbereachedinthislifeonearth.St.TeresabeginsbydiscussingtheindwellingoftheTrinity.Thesoul“seesthesethreePersons,individually,andyet,byawonderfulkindofknowledgewhichisgiventoit,thesoulrealizesthatmostcertainlyandtrulyallthesethreePersonsareoneSubstanceandonePowerandoneKnowledgeandoneGodalone”(chap.1).ShethendescribesthevariouseffectsoftheprayeroftheSeventhMansions,andsheconcludesTheInteriorCastlewithsomeveryimportantobservations:

Youmustnotbuildonfoundationsofprayerandcontemplationalone,forunlessyoustriveafterthevirtuesandpracticethem,youwillnevergrowtobemorethandwarfs....Anyonewhofailstogoforwardbeginstofallback,andlove,Ibelieve,canneverbecontentforlongwhereitis.YoumaythinkthatIamspeakingaboutbeginners,andthatlaterononemayrest;but...theonlyreposethatthesesoulsenjoyisofaninteriorkind;ofoutwardreposetheygetlessandless....Weshoulddesireandengageinprayer,notforourenjoyment,butforthesakeofacquiringthestrengthwhichfitsusforservice....Believeme,MarthaandMarymustworktogether....Iwillendbysayingthatwemustnotbuildtowerswithoutfoundations,andthattheLorddoesnotlooksomuchatthemagnitudeofanythingwedoasatthelovewithwhichwedoit.Ifweaccomplishwhatwecan,HisMajestywillseetoitthatwebecomeabletodomoreeachday.

THE INTERIOR CASTLE, SEVENTH MANSIONS, CHAP. 4

BycollatingallthematerialcontainedintheworksofSt.Teresaandtakingintoaccountthecontributionsbylaterauthorsonthepracticeofprayer,wecanofferthefollowingschemaofthegradesofprayer:

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• VocalPrayer,withattentiontowhatoneissayingorreadingandGod,whomoneis

addressing.• DiscursiveMeditation:considerationofaspiritualtruth;applicationtooneself,

andresolvetodosomethingaboutit.• AffectiveMentalPrayer:oneturnsto“other,”namely,God,andprayerbecomes

“thelanguageoflove.”• AcquiredRecollection:alsocalledprayerofsimplicity,prayerofsimpleregard,

acquiredcontemplation,thelovingawarenessofGod.• InfusedRecollection:thefirstdegreeofinfused,mysticalcontemplation.• PrayerofQuiet:thewillistotallycaptivatedbydivinelove;sometimesallthe

facultiesarelikewisecaptivated(sleeporecstasy).• PrayerofSimpleUnion:boththeintellectandthewillareabsorbedinGod.• PrayerofEcstaticUnion:thisisthe“mysticalespousal”or“conformingunion.”• PrayerofTransformingUnion:alsocalledthe“mysticalmarriage”becauseitis

themostintimateunionofthesoulwithGodthatispossibleinthislife.SOURCE:http://ocarm.org/en/content/ocarm/st­teresas­teaching­grades­prayer

About the Author

JordanAumannwasbornonJune15,1916,inDetroit,Michigan,toHenryJohnAumannandViolaHelenSmades.HemadehisprofessionofVowsthroughtheOrderofPreachersin1939,andwasordainedtothePriesthoodin1945.

HetaughtforyearsinRomeatthePontificalUniversityofSt.ThomasAquinas,andwasaConsultortotheSacredCongregationsfortheClergyandCatecheticsandforEvangelization.

Arenownedauthorandtranslator,andformerEditorofThePriest,hewasactiveinteaching,writingandspiritualdirection.Fr.AumannpublishedeightbooksonSpiritualTheologyandnumerousarticles.HispublicationsincludeSpiritualTheologyandChristianSpiritualityintheCatholicTradition,andWhenaPopeAsksForgiveness.TheMeaCulpa’sofJohnPaulII.

FatherJordandiedonJanuary23,2007,afteranextendedillness.MassofResurrectionwascelebratedonJanuary26,atSt.PiusVPriory,1909S.AshlandAve.,Chicago,Illinois,followedbyburialatAllSaintsCemetery.