classes ::: The_Way_of_Perfection, Saint_Teresa_of_Avila, chapter,
children :::
branches :::

Instances, Classes, See Also, Object in Names
Definitions, . Quotes . - . Chapters .


object:CHAPTER 25 - Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural.
book class:The Way of Perfection
author class:Saint Teresa of Avila
class:chapter

In case you should think there is little gain to be derived from practising vocal prayer perfectly,
I must tell you that, while you are repeating the Paternoster or some other vocal prayer, it is quite
possible for the Lord to grant you perfect contemplation. In this way His Majesty shows that He is
listening to the person who is addressing Him, and that, in His greatness, He is addressing her, 95by
suspending the understanding, putting a stop to all thought, and, as we say, taking the words out
of her mouth, so that even if she wishes to speak she cannot do so, or at any rate not without great
difficulty.
Such a person understands that, without any sound of words, she is being taught by this Divine
Master, Who is suspending her faculties, which, if they were to work, would be causing her harm
rather than profit. The faculties rejoice without knowing how they rejoice; the soul is enkindled in
love without understanding how it loves; it knows that it is rejoicing in the object of its love, yet
it does not know how it is rejoicing in it. It is well aware that this is not a joy which can be attained
by the understanding; the will embraces it, without understanding how; but, in so far as it can
understand anything, it perceives that this is a blessing which could not be gained by the merits of
all the trials suffered on earth put together. It is a gift of the Lord of earth and Heaven, Who gives
it like the God He is. This, daughters, is perfect contemplation.
You will now understand how different it is from mental prayer, which I have already described,
and which consists in thinking of what we are saying, understanding it, and realizing Whom we

95

Lit.: "and that His greatness is addressing her."

83


The Way of Perfection

St. Teresa of Avila

are addressing, and who we are that are daring to address so great a Lord. To think of this and other
similar things, such as how little we have served Him and how great is our obligation to serve Him,
is mental prayer. Do not think of it as one more thing with an outlandish name 96and do not let the
name frighten you. To recite the Paternoster and the Ave Maria, or any other petition you like, is
vocal prayer. But think how harsh your music will be without what must come first; sometimes
even the words will get into the wrong order. In these two kinds of prayer, with God's help, we
may accomplish something ourselves. In the contemplation which I have just described we can do
nothing. It is His Majesty Who does everything; the work is His alone and far transcends human
nature.
I described this as well as I was able in the relation which I made of it, as I have said, so that
my confessors should see it when they read the account of my life which they had ordered me to
write. As I have explained all this about contemplation at such length, therefore, I shall not repeat
myself here and I am doing no more than touch upon it. If those of you who have experienced the
happiness of being called by the Lord to this state of contemplation can get this book, you will find
in it points and counsels which the Lord was pleased to enable me to set down. These should bring
you great comfort and profit-in my opinion, at least, and in the opinion of several people who
have seen it and who keep it at hand in order to make frequent use of it. I am ashamed to tell you
that anything of mine is made such use of and the Lord knows with what confusion I write a great
deal that I do. Blessed be He for thus bearing with me. Those of you who, as I say, have experience
of supernatural prayer should procure the book after my death; those who have not have no need
to do so but they should try to carry out what has been said in this one. Let them leave everything
to the Lord, to Whom it belongs to grant this gift, and He will not deny it you if you do not tarry
on the road but press forward so as to reach the end of your journey.



questions, comments, suggestions/feedback, take-down requests, contribute, etc
contact me @ integralyogin@gmail.com or via the comments below
or join the integral discord server (chatrooms)
if the page you visited was empty, it may be noted and I will try to fill it out. cheers



--- OBJECT INSTANCES [0]


--- PRIMARY CLASS


chapter

--- SEE ALSO


--- SIMILAR TITLES [0]


CHAPTER 25 - Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural.
select ::: Being, God, injunctions, media, place, powers, subjects,
favorite ::: cwsa, everyday, grade, mcw, memcards (table), project, project 0001, Savitri, the Temple of Sages, three js, whiteboard,
temp ::: consecration, experiments, knowledge, meditation, psychometrics, remember, responsibility, temp, the Bad, the God object, the Good, the most important, the Ring, the source of inspirations, the Stack, the Tarot, the Word, top priority, whiteboard,

--- DICTIONARIES (in Dictionaries, in Quotes, in Chapters)



--- QUOTES [0 / 0 - 0 / 0] (in Dictionaries, in Quotes, in Chapters)



KEYS (10k)


NEW FULL DB (2.4M)


*** NEWFULLDB 2.4M ***


--- IN CHAPTERS (in Dictionaries, in Quotes, in Chapters)



1







CHAPTER_25_-_Describes_the_great_gain_which_comes_to_a_soul_when_it_practises_vocal_prayer_perfectly._Shows_how_God_may_raise_it_thence_to_things_supernatural., #The Way of Perfection, #Saint Teresa of Avila, #Christianity
  object:CHAPTER 25 - Describes the great gain which comes to a soul when it practises vocal prayer perfectly. Shows how God may raise it thence to things supernatural.
  author class:Saint Teresa of Avila

change font "color":
change "background-color":
change "font-family": 232655 site hits