Moradas primeras, Capítulo 1. En que trata de la hermosura y dignidad de nuestras almas. - Pone una comparación para entenderse, y dice la ganancia que es entenderla y saber las mercedes que recibimos de Dios. Cómo la puerta de este castillo es la oración.
The Soul: A Crystal Castle
Teresa introduces the soul as a magnificent crystal castle where God dwells, yet laments that most people neglect to know their own souls and focus only on the body.
1. While I was praying to our Lord today that He would speak through me — because I couldn't think of anything to say, or how to begin fulfilling this obedience — what I will now tell you came to me, so I could begin with some foundation: that we should consider our soul as a castle made entirely of a single diamond, or of very clear crystal, where there are many rooms, just as in heaven there are many dwelling places. For if we consider it carefully, sisters, the soul of the just person is nothing other than a paradise where He says He takes His delight.1 So what do you think that room must be like, where a King so powerful, so wise, so pure, so full of every good thing finds His delight? I can find nothing to compare with the great beauty of a soul and its great capacity; and truly our minds, however sharp they might be, can scarcely begin to grasp it — just as they are unable to comprehend God, since He Himself says that He created us in His image and likeness. So if this is so — and it is — there's no point exhausting ourselves trying to grasp the beauty of this castle; because although there is as much difference between it and God as between the Creator and the creature (for it is a creature), it is enough that His Majesty says it is made in His image, so that we can scarcely understand the soul's great dignity and beauty.2 2. It's no small pity and shame that, through our own fault, we neither understand ourselves nor know who we are. Wouldn't it be great ignorance, my daughters, if someone were asked who he is and didn't know himself—didn't know who his father or mother was, or what land he came from? So if that would be great brutishness, the brutishness in us is beyond comparison greater when we don't try to know what we are, but stop short at these bodies—and so, in a vague way, because we've heard it and because faith tells us so, we know we have souls.3 But what riches there can be in this soul, or who dwells within it, or how great its worth is—we rarely consider that; and so we set so little store by taking every care to preserve its beauty. All our attention goes to the coarseness of the setting, or the outer walls of this castle—which are these bodies.4
The Many Mansions Within
Teresa describes the many dwelling places of the castle, especially the central chamber where God communicates secretly with the soul, and urges a generous and humble attitude toward God’s favors.
3. So let's consider that this castle has—as I've said—many dwelling places: some up high, others below, others at the sides; and in the center, in the very middle of them all, it has the most important one, where the most secret dealings between God and the soul take place.5 You need to keep this comparison carefully in mind. Perhaps God will be pleased to let me help you understand through it something of the favors He is pleased to grant souls, and the differences among them, as far as I've understood what is possible—for no one can understand them all, there are so many, still less someone as wretched as I. It will be a great consolation to you, when the Lord grants them to you, to know they are possible; and for those who don't receive them, a reason to praise His great goodness. For just as it does us no harm to consider the things of heaven and what the blessed enjoy—on the contrary, we rejoice and try to reach what they enjoy—neither will it harm us to see that it is possible, in this exile, for so great a God to communicate with worms so foul-smelling, and to love a goodness so good and a mercy so boundless.67 I'm certain that anyone who is harmed by understanding that God can grant this favor in this exile must be badly lacking in humility and in love of neighbor. For if that weren't so, how could we fail to rejoice that God grants these favors to a brother of ours—since that doesn't keep Him from granting them to us as well—and that His Majesty makes His greatness known, in whoever it may be? For sometimes it will only be to display them, as He said of the blind man He gave sight to, when the apostles asked Him whether it was because of the man's sins or his parents'. And so it happens that He does not grant them because those who receive them are holier than those who don't, but so that His greatness may be known, as we see in Saint Paul and the Magdalene, and so that we may praise Him in His creatures. 4. Someone might say these things seem impossible, and that it's better not to scandalize the weak. Less is lost if they don't believe it than if those to whom God grants these favors stop benefiting from them; and they will take delight and be stirred to love more the One who shows so many mercies, great as His power and majesty are—all the more since I know I'm speaking to people among whom this danger won't arise, because they know and believe that God gives even greater signs of love.8 I know that whoever doesn't believe this won't see it by experience, because He is very fond of people not putting limits on His works; and so, sisters, may this never happen to those of you whom the Lord does not lead by this path.9
The Door of Prayer
Teresa explains that the door to enter the castle is prayer and reflection, without which the soul remains paralyzed and unable to turn inward.
5. So, returning to our beautiful and delightful castle, we have to see how we can enter it. It seems as if I'm saying something absurd; because if this castle is the soul, it's clear there's no reason to enter it, since it is the soul itself — just as it would seem crazy to tell someone to enter a room when they're already inside. But you have to understand that there's a great difference between one way of being there and another; for there are many souls that stay out on the castle's outer circuit, where those who guard it stand, and they don't care at all about going inside, nor do they know what's in that so precious place, nor who is inside, nor even what rooms it has.10 You've already heard some books on prayer advise the soul to enter within itself; well, this is the very same thing. 6. Not long ago a great scholar told me that souls without prayer are like a body with palsy, or like someone crippled who has feet and hands but can't command them; that's how they are—there are souls so sick and so used to staying with exterior things that there's no remedy, and it doesn't even seem they can enter within themselves; because habit already has such a hold on them from always dealing with the vermin and beasts around the castle's enclosure that they're almost made like them, and though by nature they're so rich and able to keep company with no less than God, there's no remedy.11 And if these souls don't try to understand and remedy their great misery, they'll end up as statues of salt for not turning their heads toward themselves—just as Lot's wife became one for turning hers.12 7. For as far as I can tell, the door to entering this castle is prayer and reflection — I don't mean mental prayer more than vocal, because whatever kind of prayer it is, it has to be done with reflection; prayer that doesn't notice whom it's speaking with, what it's asking for, who is asking, and of whom, I don't call prayer, even if the lips move a lot; because although sometimes it will still be prayer even without carrying this care, that's only when one has carried it at other times.13 But anyone who has made a habit of speaking with the majesty of God the way one would speak to a slave — not even watching whether the words are wrong, but saying whatever comes to the mouth and what has been learned by doing it other times — I don't count that as prayer, and God forbid that any Christian should pray that way; for among you, sisters, I trust in His Majesty there will be none of it, because of the custom you have of dealing with interior things, which is more than enough to keep you from falling into such beastliness.14
Entering the First Mansions
Teresa describes those who begin to enter the lower mansions but are still weighed down by worldly attachments, and she prepares her readers for deeper understanding through experience.
8. So let's not talk about these paralyzed souls who, unless the Lord Himself comes and tells them to get up—as He did with the man who'd been thirty years at the pool—are in deep misfortune and great danger; let's talk instead about other souls who do, in the end, enter the castle. For though they're deep in the world, they have good desires, and sometimes—even if only now and then—they commend themselves to our Lord and consider who they are, though not very carefully. Sometimes once a month they pray, crowded with a thousand cares, their thoughts almost always on those things, because they're so attached to them that, as where their treasure is, there the heart goes; yet they do set themselves at times to free themselves up, and self-knowledge is a great thing, along with seeing that they aren't doing well enough to find the door. In the end, they enter the first rooms of the lower mansions; but so many crawling creatures come in with them that they neither let the soul see the beauty of the castle nor let it rest. It's already a great deal that they've gotten in at all.15 9. It will seem to you, daughters, that this is beside the point, since by the Lord's goodness you are not among these.16 You'll have to be patient, because I won't know how to make clear, as I myself have understood them, some interior things of prayer unless I go about it this way—and may it please the Lord that I manage to say something at all, because what I'd want to help you understand is truly difficult if there's no experience; if there is, you'll see that one can't help touching on what—may it please the Lord, by His mercy—never touches us.17
Read the original Spanish
1. Estando hoy suplicando a nuestro Señor hablase por mí, porque yo no atinaba a cosa que decir ni cómo comenzar a cumplir esta obediencia, se me ofreció lo que ahora diré, para comenzar con algún fundamento: que es considerar nuestra alma como un castillo todo de un diamante o muy claro cristal, adonde hay muchos aposentos, así como en el cielo hay muchas moradas. Que si bien lo consideramos, hermanas, no es otra cosa el alma del justo sino un paraíso adonde dice El tiene sus deleites. Pues ¿qué tal os parece que será el aposento adonde un Rey tan poderoso, tan sabio, tan limpio, tan lleno de todos los bienes se deleita? No hallo yo cosa con que comparar la gran hermosura de un alma y la gran capacidad; y verdaderamente apenas deben llegar nuestros entendimientos, por agudos que fuesen, a comprenderla, así como no pueden llegar a considerar a Dios, pues El mismo dice que nos crió a su imagen y semejanza. Pues si esto es, como lo es, no hay para qué nos cansar en querer comprender la hermosura de este castillo; porque puesto que hay la diferencia de él a Dios que del Criador a la criatura, pues es criatura, basta decir Su Majestad que es hecha a su imagen para que apenas podamos entender la gran dignidad y hermosura del ánima.
2. No es pequeña lástima y confusión que, por nuestra culpa, no entendamos a nosotros mismos ni sepamos quién somos. ¿No sería gran ignorancia, hijas mías, que preguntasen a uno quién es, y no se conociese ni supiese quién fue su padre ni su madre ni de qué tierra? Pues si esto sería gran bestialidad, sin comparación es mayor la que hay en nosotras cuando no procuramos saber qué cosa somos, sino que nos detenemos en estos cuerpos, y así a bulto, porque lo hemos oído y porque nos lo dice la fe, sabemos que tenemos almas. Mas qué bienes puede haber en esta alma o quién está dentro en esta alma o el gran valor de ella, pocas veces lo consideramos; y así se tiene en tan poco procurar con todo cuidado conservar su hermosura: todo se nos va en la grosería del engaste o cerca de este castillo, que son estos cuerpos.
3. Pues consideremos que este castillo tiene -como he dicho- muchas moradas, unas en lo alto, otras embajo, otras a los lados; y en el centro y mitad de todas éstas tiene la más principal, que es adonde pasan las cosas de mucho secreto entre Dios y el alma. Es menester que vayáis advertidas a esta comparación. Quizá será Dios servido pueda por ella daros algo a entender de las mercedes que es Dios servido hacer a las almas y las diferencias que hay en ellas, hasta donde yo hubiere entendido que es posible; que todas será imposible entenderlas nadie, según son muchas, cuánto más quien es tan ruin como yo; porque os será gran consuelo, cuando el Señor os las hiciere, saber que es posible; y a quien no, para alabar su gran bondad; que así como no nos hace daño considerar las cosas que hay en el cielo y lo que gozan los bienaventurados, antes nos alegramos y procuramos alcanzar lo que ellos gozan, tampoco nos hará ver que es posible en este destierro comunicarse un tan gran Dios con unos gusanos tan llenos de mal olor; y amar una bondad tan buena y una misericordia tan sin tasa. Tengo por cierto que a quien hiciere daño entender que es posible hacer Dios esta merced en este destierro, que estará muy falta de humildad y del amor del prójimo; porque si esto no es, ¿cómo nos podemos dejar de holgar de que haga Dios estas mercedes a un hermano nuestro, pues no impide para hacérnoslas a nosotras, y de que Su Majestad dé a entender sus grandezas, sea en quien fuere? Que algunas veces será sólo por mostrarlas, como dijo del ciego que dio vista, cuando le preguntaron los apóstoles si era por sus pecados o de sus padres. Y así acaece no las hacer por ser más santos a quien las hace que a los que no, sino porque se conozca su grandeza, como vemos en San Pablo y la Magdalena, y para que nosotros le alabemos en sus criaturas.
4. Podráse decir que parecen cosas imposibles y que es bien no escandalizar los flacos. - Menos se pierde en que ellos no lo crean, que no en que se dejen de aprovechar a los que Dios las hace; y se regalarán y despertarán a más amar a quien hace tantas misericordias, siendo tan grande su poder y majestad; cuánto más que sé que hablo con quien no habrá este peligro, porque saben y creen que hace Dios aun muy mayores muestras de amor. Yo sé que quien esto no creyere no lo verá por experiencia, porque es muy amigo de que no pongan tasa a sus obras, y así, hermanas, jamás os acaezca a las que el Señor no llevare por este camino.
5. Pues tornando a nuestro hermoso y deleitoso castillo, hemos de ver cómo podremos entrar en él. Parece que digo algún disparate; porque si este castillo es el ánima claro está que no hay para qué entrar, pues se es él mismo; como parecería desatino decir a uno que entrase en una pieza estando ya dentro. - Mas habéis de entender que va mucho de estar a estar; que hay muchas almas que se están en la ronda del castillo que es adonde están los que le guardan, y que no se les da nada de entrar dentro ni saben qué hay en aquel tan precioso lugar ni quién está dentro ni aun qué piezas tiene. Ya habréis oído en algunos libros de oración aconsejar al alma que entre dentro de sí; pues esto mismo es.
6. Decíame poco ha un gran letrado que son las almas que no tienen oración como un cuerpo con perlesía o tullido, que aunque tiene pies y manos no los puede mandar; que así son, que hay almas tan enfermas y mostradas a estarse en cosas exteriores, que no hay remedio ni parece que pueden entrar dentro de sí; porque ya la costumbre la tiene tal de haber siempre tratado con las sabandijas y bestias que están en el cerco del castillo, que ya casi está hecha como ellas, y con ser de natural tan rica y poder tener su conversación no menos que con Dios, no hay remedio. Y si estas almas no procuran entender y remediar su gran miseria, quedarse han hechas estatuas de sal por no volver la cabeza hacia sí, así como lo quedó la mujer de Lot por volverla.
7. Porque, a cuanto yo puedo entender, la puerta para entrar en este castillo es la oración y consideración, no digo más mental que vocal, que como sea oración ha de ser con consideración; porque la que no advierte con quién habla y lo que pide y quién es quien pide y a quién, no la llamo yo oración, aunque mucho menee los labios; porque aunque algunas veces sí será, aunque no lleve este cuidado, mas es habiéndole llevado otras. Mas quien tuviese de costumbre hablar con la majestad de Dios como hablaría con su esclavo, que ni mira si dice mal, sino lo que se le viene a la boca y tiene deprendido por hacerlo otras veces, no la tengo por oración, ni plega a Dios que ningún cristiano la tenga de esta suerte; que entre vosotras, hermanas, espero en Su Majestad no lo habrá, por la costumbre que hay de tratar de cosas interiores, que es harto bueno para no caer en semejante bestialidad.
8. Pues no hablemos con estas almas tullidas, que si no viene el mismo Señor a mandarlas se levanten -como al que había treinta años que estaba en la piscina-, tienen harta malaventura y gran peligro, sino con otras almas que, en fin, entran en el castillo; porque aunque están muy metidas en el mundo, tienen buenos deseos, y alguna vez, aunque de tarde en tarde, se encomiendan a nuestro Señor y consideran quién son, aunque no muy despacio; alguna vez en un mes rezan llenos de mil negocios, el pensamiento casi lo ordinario en esto, porque están tan asidos a ellos, que como adonde está su tesoro se va allá el corazón, ponen por sí algunas veces de desocuparse, y es gran cosa el propio conocimiento y ver que no van bien para atinar a la puerta. En fin, entran en las primeras piezas de las bajas; mas entran con ellos tantas sabandijas, que ni le dejan ver la hermosura del castillo, ni sosegar; harto hacen en haber entrado.
9. Pareceros ha, hijas, que es esto impertinente, pues por la bondad del Señor no sois de éstas. - Habéis de tener paciencia, porque no sabré dar a entender, como yo tengo entendido, algunas cosas interiores de oración si no es así, y aun plega al Señor que atine a decir algo, porque es bien dificultoso lo que querría daros a entender, si no hay experiencia; si la hay, veréis que no se puede hacer menos de tocar en lo que plega al Señor no nos toque por su misericordia.
Notes
- 1 ↩"dice El tiene sus deleites" is elliptical Teresa Spanish ("where He says He has His delights"); rendered as God's taking delight in the just soul, pending scripture resolution.
- 2 ↩"puesto que" read concessively as "although" (common in Teresa), not merely causal "since": the Creator–creature gap remains, yet the imago Dei claim alone overwhelms our understanding.
- 3 ↩Rendered as 'in a vague way': Teresa means a rough, lumpish, unexamined knowledge—knowing we have souls only by hearsay and faith, without seeking what the soul is.
- 4 ↩Jewel and castle metaphors for the body: engaste = the gem's setting; cerca = the castle's enclosure/outer wall (not merely 'near'). Both name the bodily exterior that absorbs our care while the soul's beauty is neglected.
- 5 ↩Source reads "embajo," taken here as "abajo"/"en bajo" ("below").
- 6 ↩"mercedes" rendered as "favors" (Teresian spiritual gifts/graces), not generic kindness.
- 7 ↩"tampoco nos hará" taken as elliptical for "tampoco nos hará daño," parallel to earlier "no nos hace daño."
- 8 ↩"se dejen de aprovechar a los que Dios las hace": rendered as the recipients ceasing to profit from the favors (mercedes/misericordias), not as others ceasing to help them.
- 9 ↩"jamás os acaezca" points back to putting a tasa (limit/measure) on God's works, or failing to believe what He can do; addressed especially to sisters not led along this mystical path.
- 10 ↩Idiom: there is a substantial difference between one manner/state of 'being' and another (not mere tautology).
- 11 ↩Spanish 'conversación' here means companionship/dealings, not mere talk; rendered as 'keep company with'.
- 12 ↩Teresa inverts the Lot's-wife image: Lot's wife became salt for looking back; these souls become salt statues for failing to look inward toward themselves.
- 13 ↩Spanish consideración rendered as reflection: Teresa means attentive, thoughtful awareness in prayer, not mere casual thoughtfulness.
- 14 ↩deprendido is archaic Spanish for aprendido (learned/acquired); rendered as learned by habit.
- 15 ↩Spanish 'le' is singular ('neither let him/her see'); rendered as 'the soul' for clarity with the plural subject 'they' (souls) entering.
- 16 ↩impertinente: here 'beside the point / not to the purpose,' not modern 'rude.'
- 17 ↩Final clause: 'tocar en lo que plega al Señor no nos toque por su misericordia' = one must still discuss the dangerous interior states Teresa prays God, by His mercy, never let touch us.
The Interior Castle (Las Moradas / El Castillo Interior) companion
A daily portion of stillness
Chosen Portion delivers one short contemplative reading and a guided moment of silence each day — the ascent, one step at a time.
Chosen Portion is the paced doorway into this collection: it portions the dense mystical treatises into one daily reading plus guided silence, exactly as the 14-day plan teaches.
- Daily bite-sized excerpts from the contemplative classics, never a wall of text
- A built-in timed stillness practice that grows from 2 minutes to 10
- Gentle progression through the tradition — the app remembers where you are on the ascent