The Interior Castle 

UNIT I

Read pages 263-296 and answer the following questions. 

Introduction

It would be helpful to write a short description of each of the six dwelling places, one that you can refer to through out this book.  At times, when you are deep in the details of a particular dwelling place, it can be helpful to step back and look again at your summary to keep a clear view of where St. Teresa is and where she is leading us. 

Prologue

Why did St. Teresa of Jesus write the Interior Castle and to whom was it addressed?

DP1:1

1)	How does STOJ describe the soul?

2)  Why does STOJ say that we do not know who we are?

3)	 Do you think you take as good care of your soul as you do of your body?

4)	Why does STOJ think it is good to understand the favors God grants some souls even if we don’t receive such favors? 

DP1:2

In #8, STOJ makes many points, among them:
a.	You must not think of these DPs in such a way that each one would follow in file after the other
b.	The things of the soul must always be considered as plentiful – let it walk through these DPs which are above, down, below and to the sides . . . 
c.	We shall never know ourselves if we don’t strive to know God. 
d.	The room of self-knowledge is all-important yet sometimes the soul should fly from it.  

How can we apply these points to our spiritual journey?

UNIT II

DWELLING PLACE 2

1.	What are some faults of the souls in this dwelling place?

2.	In the first dwelling place they could not “see” or “hear”.  Now they can hear but this hearing is a trial, why?

3.	What are some ways the soul “hears” the Lord in this dwelling place?  Is she talking about locutions?

4.	What, according to St. Teresa is the essence of perfection.

DWELLING PLACE 3:1

1.	Footnote two in Chapter 1:1 is an opportunity to review the difficult times in which St. Teresa wrote.  

a.	Why did Fr. Gratian edit or censor this and similar passages? 

b.	Why did Fr Ribera consider these changes to be unnecessary? 

1.	One of the characteristics of the person in the third dwelling place is that “they are very balanced in their use of speech and dress and in the governing of their households”.  Since as OCDS’s our Rule allows for a great deal of discretion due to the wide variety of our personal circumstances – we need to keep an eye on this “balance”.  Have you had to struggle with the question of balance as you learned to integrate the Rule into your life as a spouse, parent, worker, etc.?

2.	What admonitions and advice does St. Teresa give those who are in the third dwelling place and feel upset by dryness, thinking that they now deserve favors in prayer?

DWELLING PLACE 3:2

1.	In paragraphs one through six St. Teresa describes persons who have been in dwelling place three for some time living, upright and well-ordered lives.  Then God tests them in something minor.  She relates two different reactions to this testing.  Summarize her descriptions of these persons.

2.	St. Teresa in paragraph three says we should test ourselves before the Lord test us.  Think how you might do that.

3.	St. Teresa says this stage can be very difficult and a person could end up stuck in it forever.  What is the remedy for this? 

4.	What are two reasons that St. Teresa gives for discussing delights and favors from God, even if we have not received them? 

5.	Why does St. Teresa think that obedience is so important at this stage? 

UNIT III

DWELLING PLACE 4:1

1.	What is the very important characteristic of dwelling place four?

2.	What is the difference between a consolation and a spiritual delight?

3.	Why does St. Teresa say that we need to understand the difference between the imagination and the intellect?

DWELLING PLACE 4:2

1.  What is the means of attaining the spiritual delights of which she is speaking? 

2.	Why does she recommend such an attitude?

DWELLING PLACE 4:3

1.	In The Way of Perfection St. Teresa spoke of active recollection.  Here she speaks of the prayer of recollection again – but it is different.  How is it different? 

2.	What is it that this prayer of passive recollection prepares us for? 

3.	In #5 she explains what the person should do if this recollection is beginning to be experienced, and if it is not.  What is her advice?

UNIT IV

DWELLING PLACE 5:1

1.  Describe the union the soul attains in this DP.

2.  What is the “sure sign”?

3.	Does she advise the soul to try to understand this union? 

DWELLING PLACE 5:2

1.	How does St. Teresa compare the transformation of the silk worm with union?

2.	After the experience of union, what becomes a painful concern of this soul?

DWELLING PLACE 5:3

1.	What is the kind of union St. Teresa discusses in this chapter?

2.	How can we obtain this union? 

3.	Why does she desire this union more than the previous ones discussed? 

4.	What – in very simple terms – is God’s will for us?

5.	St. Teresa says that the more advanced we are in loving our neighbor the more advanced we will be in loving God.  Why is this so?

UNIT V

DWELLING PLACE 6:1

1.	Why is it that the soul in this dwelling place does not find praise to be as intolerable as it did before?

DWELLING PLACE 6:3

1.	Why can locutions be dangerous? 

2.	What are signs that the locutions are from God? 

3.	What is the response of a soul who hears authentic words of favor from the Lord? 

DWELLING PLACE 6:1-5

What are the three benefits the soul derives from the experiences described in these chapters? 

UNIT VI

DWELLING PLACE 6:6

What are some of the desires and attitudes of the soul? (# 2 & 3)

DWELLING PLACE 6:7

1.	Why does the soul suffer so much over its sins at this point?

2.	Does recalling that its sins are pardoned comfort the soul?

3.	St. Teresa says that even in these more lofty stages of prayer the person should still meditate on the humanity of Christ. She acknowledges that there are many who disagree with this but she remains firm.  What are some of her reasons for this insistence?

DWELLING PLACE 6:8

How does St. Teresa define an “Intellectual vision”?

DWELLING PLACE 6:11

What is the aftereffect of this great pain on the soul? (#10)

UNIT VII

DWELLING PLACE 7:1

What is the great favor God give the soul in this dwelling place?

DWELLING PLACE 7:2

What are the images St. Teresa uses to describe the union of spiritual marriage? 

DWELLING PLACE 7:3

What are the effects of this prayer she mentions?

DWELLING PLACE 7:4

1.	What is the reason God gives souls all these favors?

2.	What does St. Teresa say is the reason for prayer and the purpose of spiritual marriage? 

3.	How does St. Teresa define being truly spiritual? 

4.	What is St. Teresa’s answer to those who think they cannot bring souls to God?