What is like to enter into the 7th Dwelling Place?  What was it like for St. Teresa?  Then we turn to a discussion about spiritual marriage.  We focus on what this experience/union with God was like for St. Teresa.  These chapters truly help us to ha...

In the final rooms of the 6th Dwelling Place of the Interior Castle, St. Teresa teaches us about some special favors our Lord gives to prepare the soul with wedding garments for entrance into His Kingly Chambers, the Throne Room.

The Lord (the Bridegroom) continues to draw the soul (the Bride) closer to Him through the purification of the soul as well as mystical favors that may occur.  In this episode, we talk about the importance of keeping the humanity of Christ present in our prayer.

God continues to draw the soul closer to Him through the purification of the soul as well as mystical favors that may occur.  In this episode, we talk about ecstasies, raptures, flights of the spirit, spiritual betrothal, the gift of tears, and more.

Here in the 6th Dwelling Place, the soul goes through an intensification of the Dark Night, specifically the Dark Night of the Spirit.   It’s no surprise that St. Teresa of Avila begins in the first chapter with trials and sufferings.

The 5th Dwelling Place/Mansion can be understood to be the deeper revelation of God to the soul and the joining of hands in spiritual courtship with our Divine Spouse.

As we continue the journey through the interior castle, we grow deeper and deeper in our intimacy and relationship with the Lord. The 5th Dwelling Place can be understood to be the joining of hands in spiritual courtship with our Divine Spouse.

This is an exciting mansion as God begins to take the lead becoming much more active in the soul, while the soul becomes more passive and receptive to God, more fully surrendering to Him, especially in prayer.

In reference to the third dwelling place/mansion, St. Teresa of Avila tells us that she believes “that through the goodness of God there are many of these souls in the world.” This episode highlights some of the big issues and what's needed to move forward into the higher mansions, and features Theresa Rittenhouse, OCDS and Frances Harry, OCDS.

The Second Dwelling Place or Mansion pertains to souls who have already begun to practice prayer and have heard the calls of the Lord.  Hence, the seed planted in the first mansion is now starting to germinate and sprout roots.

Guest, Theresa Rittenhouse, OCDS, joins host Frances Harry in a Carmelite Converstion on the first dwelling place/mansion of St. Teresa of Avila’s classic masterpiece, “The Interior Castle.”

St. Teresa of Avila, in her classic masterpiece, The Interior Castle, teaches us how to become more intimate with God by journeying through the seven mansions/dwelling places of this interior castle of our soul.