Beginning Deep Prayer with Saint Teresa of Avila - Third Mansions Chapter 2 Part 1- TOG EP 128

The soul has mastered this praying lifestyle. It knows how to pray and contemplate the Holy Scripture. However, the soul has become too aloof in its prayer abilities and frequently experiences consolation during prayer. So, God puts the soul through trials to purge worldly attachments in preparation for the deeper mansions and stages of prayer.

Timeline:

00:00:39  Show Intro - The Interior Castle Third Mansions Chapter 2 Part 1

 00:02:08 Brief Intro to the Third Mansions Chapter 2 

 00:03:11 Source Material Notes

00:06:16 Paragraph 1. Imperfections of dwellers in the first three mansions. 

00:09:46 Paragraph 2. Our trials show us our weakness. 

00:13: 25 Paragraph 3. Humility learnt by our faults. 

00:16:35 Paragraph 4. Love of money. 

00:18:39 Paragraph 5. Liberty of spirit. 

00:20:25 Paragraph 6. On bearing contempt. 

00:21:58 Paragraph 7. Detachment proved by trials. 

00:25:59 Paragraph 8. Virtue and humility are the essentials. 

00:28:55 Paragraph 9. Perfection requires detachment. 

00:33:02 Paragraph 10. We should try to make rapid progress. 

00:34:04 Spiritual Exercises - Dan Burke Practicing Discovery Prayer

00:46:27 Conclusion and Review of the Third Mansions Chapter 2 Part 1 

 

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Show Notes

Third Mansions Chapter MP3 audio from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Zimmerman translation) from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Peers Translation) the translation used for the podcasts.

Supplemental References on the Interior Castle

Interior Castle: The Classic Text with Spiritual Commentary - I am using this book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Within: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and the Gospel on Prayer -excellent reference!

 

 

 

 

Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer - Dan Burke great book!

Till Next Time

I pray you are blessed with this beginning deep prayer series on Tales of Glory. Next time, we're diving into Chapter 2, part 2, of Third Mansions. Our last stop in the ascetical prayer mansions before entering the mystical stages of prayer!

God Bless

Rev. Mike

 

Beginning Deep Prayer with Saint Teresa of Avila - Third Mansions Chapter 1 Part 2- TOG EP 127

 The soul has made great strides and progress in building its interior prayer life. Praying is now a lifestyle, and a relationship with Jesus is flourishing. Then, all of a sudden, the soul feels distant from Jesus, and the momentum of praying stalls. The buckets from the well are coming dry. The soul is frustrated, but Saint Teresa encourages us not to worry because we have entered the Third Mansions of prayer.

 

Timeline:

00:00:45  Show Intro - The Interior Castle Third Mansions Chapter 1 Part 2

 00:04:02 Brief Intro to the Third Mansions Chapter 1

 00:07:36 Source Material Notes 

 00:11:09 Paragraph   9 - The rich young man in the Gospel

 00:17:15 Paragraph 10 - Reasons of aridity in prayer

 00:23:41 Paragraph 11 - Humility

 00:32:00 Paragraph 12 - Tepidity (Lacking emotional warmth) 

 00:37:04 Paragraph 13 -  We must give all to God

 00:38:42 Paragraph 14 - Our debt  

 00:39:56 Paragraph 15 - Consolations and aridities

 00:49:53 Spiritual Exercises - Practicing Third Mansions Teresan Prayer

 00:59:49 Conclusion and Review of the Third Mansions Chapter 1   

Listen to the Podcast on Anchor.fm

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Watch the Podcast on YouTube

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Show Notes

Third Mansions Chapter MP3 audio from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Zimmerman translation) from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Peers Translation) the translation used for the podcasts.

Supplemental References on the Interior Castle

Interior Castle: The Classic Text with Spiritual Commentary - I am using this book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Within: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and the Gospel on Prayer -excellent reference!

 

 

 

 

Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer - Dan Burke great book!

Till Next Time

I pray you are blessed with this beginning deep prayer series on Tales of Glory. Next time, we're diving into Chapter 2 of Third Mansions. Our last stop in the ascetical prayer mansions before entering the mystical stages of prayer!

God Bless

Rev. Mike

 

Beginning Deep Prayer with Saint Teresa of Avila - Third Mansions Chapter 1 Part 1- TOG EP 126

How does the soul know it has entered the Third Mansions stage of prayer life? What are the struggles and trials of the soul as it works to avoid temptation and venial sin? The battle can be so intense that the soul may want to quit or backslide. The soul is capable of connecting with God, yet it now feels distant. Teresa has experienced this, and she shares her wisdom about the Third Mansions!

Timeline:

00:45:00  Show Intro - Growing in Prayer to the Second Mansions

 00:01:00 Recap and Viewer Feedback on the Mansions

 00:03:12 Third Mansions Chapter 1 Part 1 Introduction

 00:06:34 Source Material Notes

 00:09:04 Paragraph 1 - Souls in the Third Mansions

 00:21:05 Paragraph 2 - Insecurity in this life

 00:25:19 Paragraph 3 - Our danger of falling from grace

 00:26:47 Paragraph 4 - The saint bewails her past life

 00:29:08 Paragraph 5 - Our Lady’s patronage

 00:33:27 Paragraph 6 - Fear necessary even for religion

 00:35:33 Paragraph 7 - Saint Teresa’s contrition

 00:36:29 Paragraph 8 - Characteristics of those in the Third Mansions

 00:38:56 Spiritual Exercises - Practicing Third Mansions Teresan Prayer

 00:47:52 Conclusion and Review of the Second Mansions 

 

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Show Notes

Third Mansions Chapter MP3 audio from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Zimmerman translation) from Discerning Hearts

Till Next Time

I hope you enjoyed this discussion on the Interior Castle - Third Mansions - Chapter 1 - Part 1. In Part 2 we'll dive into the issue of aridity in prayer - when the well runs dry!

God Bless

Rev. Mike

Building Christian Communities for Disciplining Souls - TOG EP 125

In Tales of Glory 125, we learn from The Shift podcast co-host Meagan Wright how she follows Jesus's voice, builds small communities with souls, and effectively makes disciples. Meagan, a mom, grandmother, creative and contemplative soul,  worship leader, and a missionary in her own backyard. Meagan discusses how Jesus led her to the desert to build a spiritual oasis.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 Timeline:

00:00:00  Show Intro with guest co-host Meagan Wright
00:01:15 Who is Meagan?
00:09:18 Jesus returns Meagan to her Egypt
00:11:55 Focusing on disciplining people
00:14:55 Permitting changes in life
00:21:06 The importance and simplicity of the soul hearing God
00:22:40 The certitude of a new believer hearing the voice of God
00:25:05 Making disciples
00:33:26 Jesus prepares the tables
00:36:54 Healing the sick soul through community and Jesus
00:41:00 Dealing with the brokenness after deliverance
00:43:15 When deliverance is a journey walked out with Jesus
00:47:08 What’s the craziest supernatural thing Meagan has experienced?
00:52:58 Jesus tells Meagan He is going to build an oasis in the desert

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Show Notes

Support Meagan and Abby on The Shift

Meagan Wright worship music playlist on YouTube
The Shift podcast on YouTube

Gather People

Gather People website wegatherpeople.org

Gater People facebook

Till Next Time

 Thank you for dropping by. I hope you were blessed with the content in this podcast!

God Bless

Rev. Mike

 

 

 

Beginning a Deeper Prayer Life with Saint Teresa of Avila - Second Mansions - TOG EP 124

How does the soul know it has entered the Second Mansions stage of prayer life? What kind of struggles and warfare does the soul embrace as it tries to move deeper into Jesus? Over the last three episodes of The Interior Castle, we acquired our fundamental knowledge of prayer life and the practice of His presence, and we are invited to move into the Second Mansions.

Timeline:

00:00:00  Show Intro - Growing in Prayer to the Second Mansions

 00:01:15 Recap on the First Mansions

 00:01:59 Second Mansions Chapter 1 Introduction

 00:05:10 Second Mansions Chapter 1 Overview

 00:14:03 Paragraph 1 - Saint Teresa wrote elsewhere on this subject

 00:15:04 Paragraph 2

 00:15:45 Paragraph 3

 00:18:52 Paragraph 4 - Self-Knowledge in the Second Mansions

 00:21:05 Paragraph 5 - How God speaks to us in the Second Mansions

 00:21:42 Paragraph 6 - Persevering and waiting on the Holy Spirit

 00:22:37 Paragraph 7 - The faculties of the soul and spiritual warfare

 00:23:32 Paragraph 8 - Spiritual warfare on the soul in the Second Mansions

 00:24:57 Paragraph 9 - The will and the love for Jesus

 00:25:33 Paragraph 10 - The soul begins a relationship with Jesus

 00:27:32 Paragraph 11 - Trials in the Second Mansions

 00:28:25 Paragraph 12 - Associate with people who are farther in the castle 

 00:29:17 Paragraph 13 - Do not petition Jesus for spiritual favors!

 00:32:11 Paragraph 14 - Spiritual desires leads to a weak foundation in prayer!

 00:32:51 Paragraph 15 - Submitting to Jesus’ will builds a strong foundation!

 00:38:02 Paragraph 17 - Place your trust in the mercy of God!

 00:39:41 Spiritual Exercises - Practicing Second Mansions Teresan Prayer

 00:41:27 Conclusion and Review of the Second Mansions 

Listen to the Podcast on Anchor.fm

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Show Notes

The Second Mansions MP3 audio from Discerning Hearts

The Interior Castle PDF (Zimmerman translation) from Discerning Hearts

Till Next Time

I pray you found this information valuable to your prayer life.

God Bless

Rev. Mike

Beginning a Deeper Prayer Life with Saint Teresa of Avila - Prayer of Recollection - TOG EP 123

We're diving into Saint Teresa's fascinating treatise on prayer - The Interior Castle. As we wrap up the First Mansions chapters 1 and 2, we take a slight but necessary detour into Saint Teresa's other books, Life and Way of Perfection, to identify a method of prayer she calls recollection. The soul must understand and implement the prayer of recollection to progress from the First Mansions into the Second Mansions. 

Timeline:
00:00:00  Show Intro - Growing in Prayer to the Second Mansions
00:01:56  Recap on Prayer in the First Mansions
00:03:30  Prayer Life in the Second Mansions
00:06:55  Saint Teresa refers back to her earlier writings in Life and Way
00:09:43  What is the ascetical prayer of recollection?
00:21:08  Implementing the prayer of recollection
00:27:24 Spiritual Exercises I. Where’s Jesus?
00:31:10 Spiritual Exercises II. Meeting Jesus at the Fountain
00:35:40 Spiritual Exercises III. Meeting Jesus at the Breakroom Watercooler
00:37:51 Teresan Recollection Comments and Review
00:48:09 Conclusion

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Show Notes

Life of Saint Teresa - her first treatise on prayer

Way of Perfection - another treatise on she wrote on prayer

Paragraph 1 - Notes

Let us now come to consider who the souls are that enter the second Mansions and what they do there. I want to say very little to you about this, because elsewhere I have written of it at length,

Life Chapter XI

Life Chapter XII

Life Chapter XIII

Way of Perfection Chapter XX - XXIX

Recollection (Practicing His Presence) is discussed in detail in Way of Perfection XXIX.

Returning to what I was saying, I should like to be able to explain the nature of this holy companionship with our great Companion, the Holiest of the holy, in which there is nothing to hinder the soul and her Spouse from remaining alone together, when the soul desires to enter within herself, to shut the door behind her so as to keep out all that is worldly and to dwell in that Paradise with her God. I say “desires”, because you must understand that this is not a supernatural state but depends upon our volition, and that, by God’s favour, we can enter it of our own accord: this condition must be understood of everything that we say in this book can be done, for without it nothing can be accomplished and we have not the power to think a single good thought. For this is not a silence of the faculties: it is a shutting-up of the faculties within itself by the soul.

Till Next Time

I pray you are blessed by this content and you learn to incorporate Teresan recollection in your prayer time.

God Bless

Rev. Mike

Beginning a Deeper Prayer Life with Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle - First Mansions Chapter 2 - TOG EP 122

Discover how to go deeper in your prayer life with Saint Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle. In the First Mansions Chapter 2, Teresa emphasizes the need for self-knowledge, humility, and a fear of offending God in our prayer life. Following the discussion is a spiritual exercise to use self-knowledge in your prayer time with Jesus.
 

 

Timeline:

00:00:00 James 1 v14-15

00:00:32 Introduction

00:02:20 The Interior Castle First Mansions Chapter 1 Recap 

00:03:27 The Interior Castle First Mansions Chapter 2 Overview

00:05:33 Some Quick Comments on Mansions and Your Comments

00:19:50 Introduction to Sin - Mortal, Venial, and Occasions of Sin 

00:27:34 Our Objectives for First Mansions Chapter 2

00:30:08 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 1

00:31:42 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 2

00:34:10 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 3 - Darkness in the soul

00:36:31 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 4 - The soul in mortal sin

00:39:06 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 5 - Fear of offending God

00:41:46 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 8 - Self-knowledge in prayer

00:47:04 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 9 - Humility comes from self-knowledge

00:54:05 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 10 - The importance of  self-knowledge 

00:55:42 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 13 - Many ways the soul can enter the rooms

00:57:56 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 15 -  Sin and the demonic blind the soul  

01:01:50 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 16 - The soul must abandon worldly desires

01:03:55 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 20 - Perfection - love of God and our neighbors

01:05:00 First Mansions Chapter 2 Paragraph 21 - Refrain from indiscreet zeal

01:07:02 Spiritual Exercises - Implementing self-knowledge in our beginning prayer

01:17:07 Conclusion

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Show Notes

YouTube Resources

First Mansions - Chapter 2, Interior Castle (Teresa of Avila) audiobook

Discerning Hearts - First Mansions: Chapter 2 – The Interior Castle by St. Teresa of Avila /w Dr. Anthony Lilles

Supplemental References on the Interior Castle

Connie Rossini website and classes

Interior Castle: The Classic Text with Spiritual Commentary - I am using this book

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fire Within: Teresa of Avila, John of the Cross and the Gospel on Prayer -excellent reference!

 

 

 

 

Into the Deep: Finding Peace Through Prayer - Dan Burke 

Discerning Hearts podcasts PDF copy of the Interior Castle - note it is this version I am following the paragraph formatting for the Allison Peers translation used in the TOG podcast.

The Interior Castle by Saint Teresa of Avila (pdf) 

Till Next Time

I pray you were blessed with this information on beginning a deep prayer life. We learned how to implement the virtue of humility and the fear of offending God into our interior life. 

God Bless

Rev. Mike