The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila, Vol. 1

This book is a wonderful translation on the writings of St. Teresa of Avila. Each page lifts my mind and inspires my soul with increased fervor and sincerity to serve the Lord Our God. I am very glad I purchased this book on her life.

St. Teresa of Avila is a great writer of the spiritual life, especially regardingg prayer and striving for mystical union. I liked that the book conatins a few of her writings in one book, especially when you want to cross-reference when you read and study her works.

Spirituality development and growth can be difficult in these modern times. St Teresa's life and spiritual journey can easily be taken in small doses and applied daily. Her mystical visions can be understood personaly - a rare treat.

Teresa of Avila has three popular books in print that continue to aid the spiritual development, which is impressive, considering she lived during the 1500s. A Christian mystic, the knowledge that she imparted in her writings was esteemed so highly, that she was the first woman to receive the title of "doctor," by the Catholic Church. Religious and political leaders sought her advice. Her ideas revolutionized religious life, particularly with the emphasis on equality of all members of the order, and her teachings on cultivating a spiritual life focused on prayer, transform lives to this day. Other popular works she wrote and that are still in circulation include "The Interior Castle," and "The Way of Perfection," but it is best to start with her autobiography, since these both of other works refer to ideas mentioned in her autobiography.

There are many interpretations of her writings available on the market, but I have always found Kieran Kavanaugh's editions to be the most insightful. He prefaces the books with a background with background information about Teresa's life, the atmosphere in which she lived, and ideas of her contemporaries. The translations he provides are clear and he adds notes to explain religious and cultural practices which might seem alien to the modern reader. The fact that his work is published through the Institute of Carmelite Studies adds an air of authenticity, since it was the order with which Teresa was affiliated and strived so hard to reform, that other editions lack.

This is no ordinary autobiography, as Teresa was no ordinary woman. Despite her extraordinariness, the book is written in a conversational tone, which makes her ideas easy to understand and remember; one feels as if she is talking to the reader personally. She also conveys ideas and struggles that ordinary people confront, such as not being sure if she has a calling for the religious life (in the beginning, unlike most Christian writers, she say that she never wanted to be a nun), wondering what God's plan for her is, and experiencing spiritual dryness - in which the great teacher of prayer admits to lacking the motivation to pray regularly. How she discerns solutions for these questions is inspirational for any reader.

The extraordinary aspect of her life revolves around her commitment to trying to learn better ways to speak to God and seek God in her life, which was the basis for her prayer life. Witnesses attended her church with the hope of seeing her rise off the floor in an ecstasy, and she does devote some of the book to defining differences between different states of ecstasy and rapture. She also lists different ways in which people may hear God speak to them; some relate to apparitions, which may interest the reader who is interested in these phenomena as they are claimed to exit in the modern day.

But more helpful, for the majority of us, she outlines paths of spiritual development, how sometimes the best of use can only muster enough strength to mouth prayers in difficult times, but that we should continue to persevere, because perseverance will bring spiritual development if out intention is pure. She believes that fundamentally, prayer is nothing more than a conversation with God, and through our practice of talking to God, we will learn how to hear him more clearly and speak to him with more respect and ask better questions. She outlines different sages to prayer that exist, with vocal prayer being the most basic, and mental prayer being the most developed. She articulates that people's approach to the path may vary; different passages inspire people differently, and some religious practices offer more help for some than for others, but this is appropriate, and there are many paths to the same mansion. Through all her advice, she encourages a joyful approach to living one's religion, because we should be happy to serve God with love as he loves us.

St. Teresa of Avila, who lived in sixteenth century Spain, was a woman as complex as those turbulent times; yet also, she was simple, as only the greatest saints can be.

Her writings are discursive, immediately engaging, written in a warm and sometimes disjointed style, like conversation. If you have read "about" Teresa but put off reading the works of the saint herself, feeling it might be too formidable a task, have no fear. She speaks of the highest mystical experiences in terms accessible to 21st century readers. There are some cultural references and attitudes to be filtered, but over all, Teresa's tremendous pleasure in her loving relationship with God, shines through. Do not be put off by the distance of centuries; don't feel that Teresa is too holy to be comprehended. Read the story of her life, and read her descriptions of the stages of a mystical spiritual journey leading to a marvelous knowledge of God, and an ineffable sharing with God.

Teresa speaks to all of us, wherever we are in our faith journeys, whenever we live, whatever our state. Her writings are classic outpourings of a soul sometimes desolate, sometimes ecstatic, but always, dedicated to God. Teresa defies category or analysis. You must read her to experience her.