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object:1.24 - Describes how vocal prayer may be practised with perfection and how closely allied it is to mental prayer
book class:The Way of Perfection
author class:Saint Teresa of Avila
class:chapter

Let us now return to speak of those souls I have mentioned who cannot practise recollection or
tie down their minds to mental prayer or make a meditation. We must not talk to them of either of
those two things-they will not hear of them; as a matter of fact, there are a great many people
who seem terrified at the very name of contemplation or mental prayer.
In case any such person should come to this house (for, as I have said, not all are led by the
same path), I want to advise you, or, I might even say, to teach you (for, as your mother, and by
the office of prioress which I hold, I have the right to do so) how you must practise vocal prayer,
for it is right that you should understand what you are saying. Anyone unable to think of God may
find herself wearied by long prayers, and so I will not begin to discuss these, but will speak simply
of prayers which, as Christians, we must perforce recite-namely, the Paternoster and the Ave
Maria-and then no one will be able to say of us that we are repeating words without understanding
what we are saying. We may, of course, consider it enough to say our prayers as a mere habit,
repeating the words and thinking that this will suffice. Whether it suffices or no I will not now
discuss.93 Learned men must decide: they will instruct people to whom God gives light to consult
them, and I will not discuss the position of those who have not made a profession like our own. But
what I should like, daughters, is for us not to be satisfied with that alone: when I say the Creed, it
seems to me right, and indeed obligatory, that I should understand and know what it is that I believe;
and, when I repeat the "Our Father", my love should make me want to understand Who this Father
of ours is and Who the Master is that taught us this prayer.

91

St. Luke xi, 9.

92

Lit.: "the good."

93

The word rendered "discuss", both here and below, is a strong one, entrometerse, to intermeddle.

81


The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

If you assert that you know Who He is already, and so there is no need for you to think about
Him, you are not right; there is a great deal of difference between one master and another, and it
would be very wrong of us not to think about those who teach us, even on earth; if they are holy
men and spiritual masters, and we are good pupils, it is impossible for us not to have great love for
them, and indeed to hold them in honour and often to talk about them. And when it comes to the
Master Who taught us this prayer, and Who loves us so much and is so anxious for us to profit by
it, may God forbid that we should fail to think of Him often when we repeat it, although our own
weakness may prevent us from doing so every time.
Now, in the first place, you know that His Majesty teaches that this prayer must be made when
we are alone, just as He was often alone when He prayed, not because this was necessary for Him,
but for our edification. It has already been said that it is impossible to speak to God and to the world
at the same time; yet this is just what we are trying to do when we are saying our prayers and at
the same time listening to the conversation of others or letting our thoughts wander on any matter
that occurs to us, without making an effort to control them. There are occasions when one cannot
help doing this: times of ill-health (especially in persons who suffer from melancholia); or times
when our heads are tired, and, however hard we try, we cannot concentrate; or times when, for their
own good, God allows His servants for days on end to go through great storms. And, although they
are distressed and strive to calm themselves, they are unable to do so and incapable of attending to
what they are saying, however hard they try, nor can they fix their understanding on anything: they
seem to be in a frenzy, so distraught are they.
The very suffering of anyone in this state will show her that she is not to blame, and she must
not worry, for that only makes matters worse, nor must she weary herself by trying to put sense
into something-namely, her mind-which for the moment is without any. She should pray as best
she can: indeed, she need not pray at all, but may try to rest her spirit as though she were ill and
busy herself with some other virtuous action. These directions are meant for persons who keep
careful guard over themselves and know that they must not speak to God and to the world at the
same time. What we can do ourselves is to try to be alone-and God grant that this may suffice,
as I say, to make us realize in Whose presence we are and how the Lord answers our petitions. Do
you suppose that, because we cannot hear Him, He is silent? He speaks clearly to the heart when
we beg Him from our hearts to do so. It would be a good idea for us to imagine 94that He has taught
this prayer to each one of us individually, and that He is continually expounding it to us. The Master
is never so far away that the disciple needs to raise his voice in order to be heard: He is always
right at his side. I want you to understand that, if you are to recite the Paternoster well, one thing
is needful: you must not leave the side of the Master Who has taught it you.
You will say at once that this is meditation, and that you are not capable of it, and do not even
wish to practise it, but are content with vocal prayer. For there are impatient people who dislike
giving themselves trouble, and it is troublesome at first to practise recollection of the mind when

94

More literally: "consider", "reflect".

82


The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

one has not made it a habit. So, in order not to make themselves the least bit tired, they say they
are incapable of anything but vocal prayer and do not know how to do anything further. You are
right to say that what we have described is mental prayer; but I assure you that I cannot distinguish
it from vocal prayer faithfully recited with a realization of Who it is that we are addressing. Further,
we are under the obligation of trying to pray attentively: may God grant that, by using these means,
we may learn to say the Paternoster well and not find ourselves thinking of something irrelevant.
I have sometimes experienced this myself, and the best remedy I have found for it is to try to fix
my mind on the Person by Whom the words were first spoken. Have patience, then, and try to make
this necessary practice into a habit, for necessary it is, in my opinion, for those who would be nuns,
and indeed for all who would pray like good Christians.



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1.24_-_Describes_how_vocal_prayer_may_be_practised_with_perfection_and_how_closely_allied_it_is_to_mental_prayer

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Wikipedia - Guided meditation
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13339896-guided-meditation-practices-for-the-mindful-way-through-depression
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1761269.Guided_Meditations_on_the_Stages_of_the_Path_with_15_hour_MP3_meditation_CD_
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21051600-lucid-dreaming-guided-meditation
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21055860-deep-sleep-and-relaxation-guided-meditation-and-affirmations
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21154213-stress-relief-anxiety-self-help-and-deep-relaxation-guided-meditation
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2229141.Guided_Meditations_Explorations_and_Healings
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/775297.A_Guided_Meditation_for_Healing_Trauma
https://religion.wikia.org/wiki/Jhana_guided_meditation_1-2
dedroidify.blogspot - fck-that-guided-meditation


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