Teresa of jesus, of the order of our lady of saint teresa of. Teresa of avila 15151582 is one of the most beloved of the catholic saints. The transverberation of saint teresa of avila our lady. Teresa of avila s book of her life seems to loom as the only peak in the relatively featureless landscape of womens selfrepresentation in the form of autobiography. The life of saint teresa of jesus saint teresa of avila outline of the life of saint teresa historical listing of dates of her activities. Continued from page 3 saint teresa of avila in the context of her timesthe following selection, a brief biography of st. Teresa of avila the book of my life by mirabai starr. Teresa of avila, is taken from the collected works of st. Teresa of avila is a great writer of the spiritual life, especially regardingg prayer and striving for mystical union. An extraordinary life is an exceptional biography of a most exceptional woman. O lord, i would like to flow in your blood like a little drop of water in an immense sea. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read the collected works of st. A dozen biographies on spanish reformer and mystic st.
The result was this book, one of the great classics of spiritual autobiography. Saint teresa of avila 15151582 was a spanish mystic, writer and reformer of the carmelite order. Teresa s writings on the four states of mental prayer. Teresa of avila on union with god catholic exchange. Teresa of avila the book of her life by st teresa of avila, david lewis from waterstones today. The life of st teresa of avila by herself ebook written by teresa of avila. The life of saint teresa of avila by herself penguin random house. She was the leader of the carmelite reform, which restored and emphasized more about teresa of avila. Tormented by illness, doubts and selfrecrimination, she gradually came to recognize the power of prayer and contemplation her spiritual enlightenment was intensified by many visions and mystical experiences.
Friendship with jesus teresa of avila crossroads initiative. Teresa gives us a portrait of the first 40 years of her life. Teresa s 500th birthday in 2015, is a fascinating armchair pilgrimage to each of these foundations and more, in full color. The life of st teresa of avila by herself by teresa of. The hackett edition of teresa of avilas spiritual autobiography features kieran kavanaugh and otilio rodriguezs authoritative translation of the book of her life with a new introduction by jodi. I first encountered her when i was an undergraduate at the university of notre dame.
At the time teresa took up her pen to begin the book of her life she was approaching fifty and had been experiencing a steady flow of mystical grace for close to ten years. She also left a significant legacy of writings, which represent important benchmarks in the history of christian mysticism. Teresa concludes sharing her mystical experiences and visions. The book of my life, a new translation by mirabai starr, is the first complete translation to be done by a woman. Teresa of avila uc press ebooks collection, 19822004. In 1562, during the era of the spanish inquisition, teresa sat. The book of her life teresa of avila, kieran kavanaugh.
This treasury, with over 1,000 footnotes cross referencing all three, will give the reader a unified study of avila s spiritual path to gods glorious peace. The life of saint teresa of avila by herself by teresa of. Her written contributions, which include her autobiography, the life of teresa of jesus and. Born in the castilian town of avila in 1515, teresa entered the carmelite convent of the incarnation when she was twentyone. Growing up a woman in post reformation europe and inquisitorial spain, teresa s life was an anomaly from start to finish. The book of my life ebook written by mirabai starr.
She is credited with the reform of the carmelite order, and she and st. Teresa and is able to convey the deepest feelings of this revered saint with authenticity. From the very beginning of her life in a convent, following the death of her mother and the marriage of her older sister, it was clear that teresa s expansive nature. When teresa s father was a child, juan was condemned by the spanish inquisition for allegedly returning to the jewish faith, but he was later able to assume a catholic identity. Throughout this work she teaches her nuns about prayer and also teaches us. Teresa wrote the way of perfection at the request of her nuns who were eager to learn about prayer and contemplation. Teresa of jesus, was a spanish nun and one of the great mystics and religious women of the roman catholic church. Prayingwithteresaofavila just another wordpress site. Famous in her lifetime for her wisdom and visions, she was born in avila, spain, on march 28, 1515, and died on october 4, 1582. Saint teresa of avila on the book of her life ics publications. National book award winner carlos eire tells the story of this incomparable spiritual masterpiece, examining its composition and reception in the sixteenth century. Written from palencia in may, 1581, and addressed to don alonzo velasquez, bishop of osma, who had been when canon of toledo, one of the saints confessors 5 the life of st.
She was obliged, finally, to report in writing her unusual and sometimes disconcerting experiences so as to submit all to the judgment of professionals. She was an active reformer improving the catholic churchs way of life, a woman changing her society and her books all left an impact on the world both short term and long term. A biography was published in 2019 by princeton university. This sixteenth century carmelite was only recently recognized as the first woman doctor of the church. Teresa died in 1582, she was exhumed and her body was found to be incorrupt. She was an influential and pivotal figure of her generation. John of the cross together established the discalced shoeless carmelites. Transcend the sensory material world eires book the life of saint teresa of avila. Teresa had a conversion at the age of 40, when she became completely consumed with love for god and for doing his will. As an abbess and a nun, teresa was known for her beauty, charm, and administrative skills, and her takenoprisoners form of spiritual direction. The transverberation of saint teresa of avila our lady of mercy. Shortly after writing the book of her life for her confessor, st. In 1562, during the era of the spanish inquisition, teresa sat down to write an account of the mystical experiences for which she had become famous.
I found starrs interpretation and choices to be right on target with who i perceived teresa to be. The author of this book writes a long history of her life, conversation, virtues, using the very slight pretext that she was ordered to do so by her. Complete unabridged edition of the way of perfection, interior castle, and the book of her life her autobiography by saint teresa of avila. Her life in letters paperback abridged, january 5, 2018 by teresa of avila author, kieran kavanaugh introduction, regina marie gorman foreword 4. Duende makes us ready to be devoured in the heroic struggle for individuation and genuine freedom, writes tessa bielecki in her rousing introduction to mirabai starrs translation of teresa of avila s the book of my life. Teresa also relates the visiosn and instructions she recieved form god later in her life. Revised edition, 1987 by the washington province of. There was a desire to understand just what is my life. What she deals with mainly are the supernatural infused or. She wrote extensively on prayer and the spiritual life, including her masterpiece of mystical theology, the interior castle.
Of a revelation to the saint at avila, 1579, and of directions concerning the government of the order xi. Theresa expresses in beautiful language her deep relationship with god, and her words of wisdom and everhopeful outlook have. Born in the castilian town of avila in 1515, teresa entered the. Later, her heart was removed, enclosed in a crystal vessel and placed in a jeweled silver reliquary. This edition includes over 500 footnotes, creating a study edition for readers to better understand avila s path to jesus though prayer. Mar 15, 2008 the hackett edition of teresa of avila s spiritual autobiography features kieran kavanaugh and otilio rodriguezs authoritative translation of the book of her life with a new introduction by jodi bilinkoff that will prove especially valuable to students of early modern spain, the history of christian spirituality, and classic women writers. The hackett edition of teresa of avila s spiritual autobiography features kieran kavanaugh and otilio rodriguezs authoritative translation of the book of her life with a new introduction by jodi bilinkoff that will prove especially valuable to students of early modern spain, the history of christian spirituality, and classic women writers. With lively details, teresa recounts her travels and the events and people connected with them in her classic book, the foundations. Teresa of avila three book treasury interior castle, the way of. The life of saint teresa of avila princeton university press.
Teresa of avila, the book of her life, chapter xxix. A refreshingly modern reconsideration of saint teresa 15151582, one of the greatest mystics and reformers to emerge within the sixteenthcentury catholic church, whose writings are a keystone of modern mystical thought. In the second, they experience the supernatural aspect of prayer. Teresa couldnt have been glad to go away, although she writes that she was fed up with her own reckless behavior. A biography was published in 2019 by princeton university press as an installment in its extraordinarily rich series lives of great religious books. In fact, such books are not really understood unless the. The hackett edition of teresa of avilas spiritual autobiography features kieran kavanaugh and otilio rodriguezs authoritative translation of the book of her. It is a collection of data that continues the project begun in st. Teresa of avila volume 1 includes the book of her life, spiritual testimonies and the soliloquies ebook written by st. The hackett edition of teresa of avilas spiritual autobiography features kieran kavanaugh and otilio rodriguezs authoritative translation of the book of her life with a new introduction by jodi bilinkoff that will prove especially valuable to students of early modern spain, the history of christian spirituality, and classic women writers. Of one of her books, namely, the one in which she recorded her life and the. She tells the story of the struggle and love between god and herself which ultimately results in her conversion before the wounded christ.
Apr 15, 2020 at its most mundane, it is a remarkable womans account of her life in golden age spain. Her parents were both pious catholics and in some ways inspired their daughter to take up a life of prayer. Translated by kieran kavanaugh, ocd, and otilio rodriguez, ocd contains book of her life, spiritual testimonies, and soliloquies this is the second edition of volume one of the collected works of st. At its most mundane, it is a remarkable womans account of her life in golden age spain. Teresa of avila 1515 1582 was a mystic, a poet, an administrator, a religious reformer, the foundress of 17 convents, the author of four books, and a deeply devotional christian. As a young child, teresa showed signs of a deeply religious nature. I repeat this simple verse if a distraction of something that happened during the day or the week intrudes during prayer. She deftly moves the 16th century spanish into modern vernacular without losing sight of the ultimate goal. In this book, she recounts her childhood desires and the passion at a young age to be with god. Saint teresa of avila biography, facts, prayer, feast. Teresa of avila 15151582, probably the female saint and mystic with the greatest influence in the world. Teresa wrote her famous book the way of perfection, having recently completed her life, a spiritual autobiography written under obedience. We also can call this a great introduction to the saints thought on prayer, which is found throughout her works. The term autobiography, although anachronistic for texts written before the nineteenth century, serves well as a general description of a firstperson discursive representation.
The life of saint teresa of avila by herself by teresa of avila. Born teresa sanchez cepeda davila y ahumada in 1515, it will soon be the 5th centenary of her birth. The book of her life teresa of avila, kieran kavanaugh, otilio. Teresa of avila was a sixteenth century spanish carmelite nun. She begins her story with tales of her childhood in the early 1500sthe death of her mother, how she became a nun, and the hardships of her life including illness and a period of lukewarmness during which she ceased to pray. The translators have taken full advantage of all that recent scholarship has contributed to a better understanding of teresa and her writings. The life of teresa of avila teresa of avila shares her own life story, four stages of mystical prayer, the founding of the discalced carmelites, and her own mystical experiences. Teresa of avila, volume 1, translated by kieran kavanaugh, ocd, and otilio rodriguez, ocd, with revisions and introductions by kieran kavanaugh, ocd. In this book she described the seven stages of union with god in everyday, easy to understand. I liked that the book conatins a few of her writings in one book, especially when you want to crossreference when you read and study her works. Mirabai starrs translation of teresa of avilas spiritual memoir which is mystic comingofage in sixteenthcentury spain. Saint theresa of avilas autobiography is as applicable today as it would have been when it was completed in 1562.
Tormented by illness, doubts and selfrecrimination, she gradually came to recognize the power of prayer and contemplation her spiritual enlightenment was intensified by many visions and mystical experiences, including the piercing of her heart by a spear of divine love. About the life of saint teresa of avila by herself. Rather than a history of her works and the events that determine her life, this book is more of a spiritual autobiography. These works include the way of perfection and the interior castle. Teresa of avila three book treasury interior castle. There are many mystics in the catholic church who wrote on the spiritual life, but st. Teresa of avila 151582, were published in english in the 1990s testifying to her enduring attraction. The story of her life, interspersed with lessons on prayer. The years from 1567 to her death were occupied with the establishment of discalced carmelite communities of both nuns and friars.
What remains, therefore, is the story of the saints life. So in the middle of everything, avila s celebrations and her own exuberant sortie into womanhood, she went off to live the life of a nun. Though slow starting, one may finish with tears of joy. Elizabeth of the trinity, i was struck by a verse of one of her poems. She returns to the history of her life, and tells how she began to strive for greater. Teresa of avila, rodriguez, otilio, kavanaugh, kieran. Teresa shares more of her more mystical experiences and visions.
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