3 Essential keys to begin one’s spiritual life, according to St. Teresa of Avila

The holy Carmelite nun gives us a profound insight in how to begin our journey towards God.

The Doctor of the Church St. Teresa of Avila was a 16th-century Carmelite nun who rapidly ascended the steps of sanctity during her life on earth. Thankfully, much of her experience was written down in a book called The Interior Castle, where she wrote about the interior life for the benefit of other Carmelite nuns.

In it, Teresa begins by explaining the interior life by using an analogy, describing it as a “castle,” with Jesus at the center. However, before we can reach the center we must first enter the front gate of the castle. St. Teresa explains the process in the first part of her book, explaining how the first room must be entered with three things in hand: prayer, meditation and humility.

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