The Interior Castle

TREATS OF THE SAME SUBJECT AND OF THE WAY GOD IS SOMETIMES PLEASED TO
SPEAK TO THE SOUL. HOW WE SHOULD BEHAVE IN SUCH A CASE, IN WHICH WE
MUST NOT FOLLOW OUR OWN OPINION. GIVES SIGNS TO SHOW HOW TO DISCOVER
WHETHER THIS FAVOUR IS A DECEPTION OR NOT: THIS IS VERY NOTEWORTHY.

1. Locutions. 2. Sometimes caused by melancholia. 3. Caution needed at
first. 4. Locutions frequently occur during prayer. 5. Resist those
containing false doctrine. 6. First sign of genuine locutions. 7.
Effect of the words: Be not troubled.' 8. It is I, be not afraid.' 9.
Be at Peace.' 10. Second sign. 11. Third sign. 12. The devil suggests
doubts about true locutions. 13. Confidence of the soul rewarded. 14.
Its joy at seeing God's words verified. 15. Its zeal for God's honour.
16. Locutions coining from the fancy. 17. Imaginary answers given to
prayer. 18. A confessor should be consulted about locutions. 19.
Interior locutions. 20. First sign of genuine interior locutions. 21.
Second sign. 22. Third sign. 23. Fourth sign. 24. Fifth sign. 25.
Results of true locutions. 26. They should remove alarm. 27. Answer to
an objection.

1. GOD arouses the soul in another manner which, though in some ways
apparently a greater favour than the above mentioned, yet may prove
more dangerous, therefore I will give some particulars about it. He
does this by means of words addressed to the soul in many different
ways; sometimes they appear to come from without; at other times from
the inner depths of the soul; or again, from its superior part; while
other speeches are so exterior as to be heard by the ears like a real
voice.

2. At times, indeed very often, this may be only a fancy; especially
with persons of a lively imagination or who are afflicted with
melancholy to any marked extent. I think that no attention should be
paid to either class of people when they say they see, hear, or learn
anything supernaturally. Do not disturb them by saying that it comes
from the devil, [238] but listen to them as if they were sick
persons. Let the prioress or confessor to whom they tell their story
bid them think no more of it as such matters are not essential in the
service of God: the devil has deceived many Christians thus, although
perhaps it is not so in their case; therefore they need not trouble
themselves about it. Thus we must accomodate ourselves to their humour:
if we tell them their fancies proceed from melancholia, there will be
no end to the matter, for they will persist in maintaining they have
seen and heard these things, for so it seems to them.

3. The truth is, care should be taken to keep such people from too much
prayer and to persuade them, as far as possible, to take no notice of
their fancies: the devil makes use of these weak souls to injure
others, even if they themselves escape unhurt. There is need for
caution both with feeble and strong souls at first, until it is certain
from what spirit these things proceed. I maintain that, in the
beginning, it is always wiser to resist these communications; if they
come from God this is the best way to receive more, for they increase
when discouraged. At the same time the soul should not be too strictly
controlled or disquieted, for it cannot help itself in the matter.

4. To return to discuss the words addressed to the soul: any kind I
mentioned may come either from God, the devil, or the imagination. By
the help of God I will endeavour to describe the signs distinguishing
the one from the other, and when these locutions are dangerous, for
they occur to many persons who praise prayer. I do not wish you to
think, sisters, that there is any harm either in believing or in
disregarding them. When they only console you, or warn you of your
faults, it matters not whence they come or whether they are only
fancies.

5. I caution you on one point--although they may come from God, you
must not esteem yourself more highly, for He often spoke to the
Pharisees [239] --all the good consists in profiting by His words. Take
no more notice of any speeches you hear which disagree with the Holy
Scriptures than if you heard them from Satan himself. Though they may
only rise from your vivid imagination, look upon them as a temptation
against the faith. Always resist them; then they will leave you, and
cease, for they have little strength of their own. [240]

6. Now let us return to the first point--whether these communications
come from the inferior or the superior part of the soul, or from
without, does not affect their originating from God.

7. In my opinion these are the most certain signs of their being
divine. The first and truest is the power and authority they carry with
them, for these words are operative. [241] For example: a soul is
suffering all the sorrow and disquiet I have described: the mind is
darkened and dry; but it is set at peace, freed from all trouble and
filled with light merely by hearing the words: Be not troubled.' These
deliver it from all its pains, although it felt as though, if the whole
world and all its theologians had united in trying to persuade it there
was no cause for grief, it could not, in spite of all their efforts,
have been delivered from its affliction. [242]

8. Again, a person is troubled and greatly terrified at being told by
her confessor and other people that her soul is under the influence of
the evil one: she hears a single sentence which says, It is I, be not
afraid,' [243] and is at once freed from all fears and filled with
consolation; indeed, she believes it would be impossible for any one to
disturb her confidence. [244]

9. Again, when exceedingly anxious about important business, not
knowing whether or not it will be successful, on hearing words bidding
her Be at peace; all will go well,' she feels reassured and free from
all care in the matter. [245] Many other instances of the same sort
could be mentioned.

10. The second sign is a great calm and a devout and peaceful
recollection which dwell in the soul together with a desire to praise
God. They say that communications, at any rate in this mansion, are not
uttered direly by God but are transmitted by an angel. [246] Then, O
my God, if a word sent to us by Thee through Thy messenger has such
force, what effects wilt Thou not leave in the soul united to Thee in a
mutual bond of love? [247]

11. The third proof is that these words do not pass from the memory but
remain there for a very long time; sometimes they are never forgotten.
This is not the case with what men may utter, which, however grave and
learned they may be, is not thus impressed on our memory. Neither, if
they prophesy of things to come, do we believe them as we do these
divine locutions which leave us so convinced of their truth that,
although their fulfilment sometimes seems utterly impossible and we
vacillate and doubt about them, there still remains in the soul a
certainty of their verity which cannot be destroyed. Perhaps everything
may seem to militate against what was heard and years pass by, yet the
spirit never loses its belief that God will make use of means unknown
to men for the purpose and that finally what was foretold must surely
happen; as indeed it does. [248]

12. Still, as I said, the soul is troubled at seeing many obstacles in
the way of the accomplishment of the prophecy. The words, their
effects, and the assurance they carry with them convinced the soul at
the moment that they came from God. Afterwards, however, doubts arise
as to whether the locutions came from the devil or from the
imagination, although while hearing them the person would have died to
defend their truth. [249] But, as I said, these misgivings must be
suggested by the evil one to afflict and intimidate her, especially if
by carrying out a command thus given great good will result to souls
and some work be done conducing notably to the honour and service of
God, concerning which great difficulties have to be overcome. In such
cases, where will Satan stop short? At least, he weakens faith, and it
is a terrible evil to doubt that God has power to work in a way far
beyond our understanding.

13. Despite all these difficulties and although the confessors
consulted on these matters say the words were but fancies, while events
take such an unfavourable turn as to make the realization of these
predictions seem impossible, yet there remains so lively a spark of
certainty in the mind (I know not whence it comes) that, although all
other hopes die out, it cannot, if it would, quench this ardent spark
of confidence. At last, as I said, our Lord's words are accomplished,
at which the soul is so satisfied and joyful that it can do nothing but
praise His Majesty--more because it sees His words prove true than on
account of the thing itself, even though it may be of consequence to
the person concerned.

14. I know not why the soul attaches such importance to these
communications being verified. I think that if the person herself were
detected in telling falsehoods, she would not be so grieved as at these
locutions proving untrue--as if she could do anything in the matter
beyond repeating what has been said to her! A certain person was
frequently reminded in such a case of the Prophet Jonas, when he found
Ninive was not to be destroyed. [250]

15. In fact, as these words come from the Spirit of God, it is right
thus to trust them and to desire that He Who is supreme truth should
not be thought a deceiver. Justly, therefore, does their hearer rejoice
when, after a thousand delays and enormous difficulties, they are
accomplished. Although this success may entail great suffering on
herself, she prefers it to the nonfulfilment of what she knows our Lord
most certainly foretold. Possibly every one is not so weak as this, if
indeed it is a weakness, though I cannot myself condemn it as an evil.

16. If these locutions proceed from the imagination [251] they show
no such signs, bringing neither conviction, peace, nor interior joy
with them. But in some cases I have come across, on account of a very
weak constitution or vivid imagination or of other causes I do not
know, persons while absorbed in the prayer of quiet and in spiritual
slumber are so entirely carried out of themselves by their deep state
of recollection as to be unconscious of anything external. All their
senses being thus dormant, as if asleep--as indeed, at times they
really are--they thus, in a sort of dream, fancy they are spoken to or
see things they imagine come from God, but which leave no more effect
than dreams.

17. Again, one who very lovingly asks something of our Lord may fancy
that an answer comes from Him. [252] This often occurs, but I think
that no one accustomed to receive divine communications could be
deceived on this point by the imagination.

18. The devil's deceptions are more dangerous; but if the foregoing
signs are present, we may feel fairly confident that these locutions
are from God, though not so certain but that, if they refer to some
weighty matter in which we are called upon to act or if they concern a
third person, we should consult some confessor who is both learned and
a servant of God, before attempting or thinking of acting on them,
although we may have heard them repeated several times and are
convinced of their truth and divine origin. [253] His Majesty wishes
us to take this course; it is not disobedience to His commands, for He
has bidden us hold our confessor as His representative even where there
is no doubt that the communications come from Him: thus we shall gain
courage if the matter is a very difficult one. Our Lord will reassure
our confessor, whom, when He so chooses, He will inspire with faith
that these locutions are from the Holy Ghost. [254] If not, we are
freed from all further obligations in the matter. I think it would be
very dangerous to act against our confessor's advice and to prefer our
own opinions in such a matter. Therefore, sisters, I admonish you in
the name of our Lord, never to do anything of the sort.

19. God speaks to the soul in another way by a certain intellectual
vision which I think undoubtedly proceeds from Him; it will be
described later on. [255] 8 It takes place far within the innermost
depths of the soul which appears to hear distinctly in a most
mysterious manner, with its spiritual hearing, the words spoken to it
by our Lord Himself. The way in which the spirit perceives these words
and the results produced by them, convince us that they cannot in any
way come from the devil. Their powerful aftereffects force us to admit
this and plainly show they do not spring from the imagination. [256]
Careful consideration will assure us of this for the following
reasons;--

20. Firstly, the clearness of the language varies in the different
kinds of locutions. Those that are divine are so distinct that the
hearer remembers if there were a syllable missing, and what words were
made use of even though a whole sentence was spoken. But if the speech
were only a freak of fancy, it would not be so audible nor would the
words be so distinct but would be only half articulated. [257]

21. The second reason is that often the person was not thinking of what
is heard; sometimes the locution even comes unexpectedly during
conversation, though at times it refers to some thought that passed
quickly through the mind or to a subject it was before engaged upon.
Frequently it concerns things of whose existence the hearer knew
nothing nor even imagined such events could ever come to pass;
therefore it is impossible for the imagination to have framed such
speeches and deceived the mind by fancies about what it had never
wished, nor sought for, nor even thought about. [258]

22. The third reason is that in a genuine case the soul seems to listen
to the words, whereas when the imagination is at work, little by little
it composes what the person wishes to hear. [259]

23. The fourth reason is because divine locutions differ immensely from
others, a single word comprising a depth of meaning which our
understanding could not thus quickly condense into one phrase. [260]

24. Fifthly because, in a manner I cannot explain, these
communications, without any further explanations, frequently give us to
understand far more than is implied by the words themselves. I shall
speak farther on of this way of understanding hidden things which is
very subtle and a favour for which we should thank God. Some people are
exceedingly suspicious about these and other communications of the same
kind. I speak particularly of some one [261] who experienced them
herself, though there may be others who cannot understand them. I know
that she has considered the subject very carefully, God having often
bestowed this grace on her. Her principal difficulty was to discover
whether the locutions were merely fancied. It is easier to know when
they come from the devil although being so wily, he can with facility
imitate the spirit of light. However, he would do this in a form of
words pronounced so distinctly that there would be no more doubt as to
their reality than if they came from the spirit of truth, while those
coming from the imagination leave us uncertain whether we heard the
words or not. But Satan could never counterfeit the effects I spoke of;
[262] he leaves neither peace nor light in the soul, only anxiety and
confusion. In any case, he can do little or no harm to one who is
humble and who, as I advised, does not act on what is heard.

25. If the soul receives favours and caresses from our Lord, let it
examine carefully whether it rates itself more highly in consequence;
unless self-abasement increases with God's expressions of love, they do
not come from the Holy Spirit. Inevitably, when they are divine, the
greater the favours, the less the soul esteems itself and the more
keenly it remembers its sins. [263] It becomes more oblivious of
self-interest: the will and memory grow more fervent in seeking solely
God's honour with no thought of self. It also becomes unceasingly
careful not to deviate deliberately from the will of God and feels a
keener conviction that instead of meriting such favours, it deserves
hell.

26. When these results follow, no graces or gifts received during
prayer need alarm the soul which should rather trust in the mercy of
God, Who is faithful and will not allow the devil to deceive it; but it
is always well to be on one's guard.

27. Those our Lord does not lead by this path may suppose that the soul
can avoid listening to these locutions and that even if they are
interior it is at least possible to distract the attention from them so
as not to hear them and thus escape danger. This cannot be done: I am
not speaking of freaks of fancy which may be prevented by ceasing to
desire certain things or by paying no attention to its inventions. This
is not feasible when these communications come from the Holy Ghost Who,
when He speaks, stops all other thoughts and compels the mind to
listen. [264] Mark this: that I believe it would be easier for a
person with very keen ears to avoid hearing a loud voice, for he could
occupy his thoughts and mind in other things. Not so here; the soul can
do nothing, nor has it ears to stop, nor power to think of aught but
what is said to it. For He Who could stay the sun on its course (at the
prayer of Josue, [265] I believe) can so quiet the faculties and the
interior of the spirit as to make it perceive that another and a
stronger Lord than itself governs this castle; it is thus affected with
profound devotion and humility, seeing that it cannot but listen. May
the divine Majesty vouchsafe that, forgetting ourselves, our only aim
may be to please Him, as I said. Amen. God grant I have succeeded in
explaining what I wished and that it may be some guide to those who may
experience such favours.
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[238] Life, ch. xxiii. 114.

[239] Antonius a Sp. S. l.c. tr. iii. n. 323. St. John of the Cross,
Ascent of Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxvii.

[240] Life, ch. xxv. 13, 18.

[241] Ps. cxlviii. 5: Ipse dixit et facta sunt.' Life, ch. xxv. 5.
Anton. a Sp. S. l.c. tr. iii. n. 353. St. John of the Cross, Ascent of
Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxxi. calls these substantial words.'

[242] Life, ch. xxvi. 6; xxx. 17. Rel. i. 26.

[243] St. Luke xxiv. 36.

[244] Life, ch. xxv. 22; xxxiii. 10. Rel. vii. 22. St. John of the
Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxxi. 1.

[245] Life, ch. xxxv. 7. Rel. ix. 6. St. John of the Cross, Ascent of
Mount Carmel, bk. iii. ch. ii. 7.

[246] Rel. v. 14.

[247] Life, ch. xxv. 23-25. See also Schram, Instit. theol. myst. 528
schol.; 529 schol. ii. and iii.; 5 3 I schol. ii.; 5 32 schol. ii.
Exterior locutions may proceed direct from God, but generally are due
to the ministry of angels; the same holds good with regard to the
imaginary ones. Intellectual locutions, in which the words are merely
impressed upon the substance of the soul without intervention of the
imagination, can only proceed from God, Who alone is able to act upon
the substance of the soul. See also Life, ch. xxvii. 7 (end), 8, 9, and
10, and the corresponding chapters in St. John's Ascent of Mount
Carmel.

[248] Life, ch. xxv. 3, 10. Rel. ii. 17.

[249] Ibid, ch. xxv. 10.

[250] Jonas iv. 1: 'Et afflictus est Jonas afflictione magna et iratus
est; et oravit ad Dominum et dixit: Obsecro, Domine, numquid non hoc
est verbum meum cum adhuc essem in terra mea?'

[251] Life, ch. xxv. 4 (end) and 5 (beginning).

[252] Ibid. ch. xxv. 4 (beginning).

[253] Way of Perf. ch. xxxix. 6. Life, ch. xxvi. 4, 5. St. John of the
Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel, bk. ii. ch. xxii. 14-18.

[254] Rel. vii. 15.

[255] Infra, ch. viii.

[256] Life, ch. xxvii, 8.

[257] Life, ch. xxv. 6 and 10 (end).

[258] Ibid. ch. xxv. 9, 16.

[259] Ibid. ch. xxv. 4, 6.

[260] Ibid, ch. xxv. 12 (beginning).

[261] The whole of this chapter as well as chapter xxv. of the Life
prove clearly that the Saint speaks about herself and that she
investigated the subject with the greatest care.

[262] Life, ch. xxv. 15.

[263] Life, ch. xii. 5: The nearer we draw unto God the more this
virtue (humility) should grow'; xv. 16; xix. 2; xx. 38. Rel. ii. 15;
vii. 17; viii. 7, 9. Way of Perf. ch. xvii. 3.

[264] Life, ch. xxv. 21.

[265] Josue x. 12. 13: Tunc locutus est Josue: . . . sol contra Gabaon
ne movearis; steteruntque sol et luna.'
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