The Interior Castle

TREATS OF HOW GOD INSPIRES THE SOUL WITH SUCH VEHEMENT AND IMPETUOUS
DESIRES OF SEEING HIM AS TO ENDANGER LIFE. THE BENEFITS RESULTING FROM
THIS DIVINE GRACE.

1. Favours increase the soul's desire for God. 2. The dart of love. 3.
Spiritual sufferings produced. 4. Its physical effects. S. Torture of
the desire for God. 6. These sufferings are a purgatory. 7. The
torments of hell. 8. St. Teresa's painful desire after God. 9. This
suffering irresistible. 10. Effects of the dart of love. 11. Two
spiritual dangers to life. 12. Courage needed here and given by our
Lord.

1. WILL all these graces bestowed by the Spouse upon the soul suffice
to content this little dove or butterfly (you see I have not forgotten
her after all!) so that she may settle down and rest in the place where
she is to die? No indeed: her state is far worse than ever; although
she has been receiving these favours for many years past, she still
sighs and weeps because each grace augments her pain. She sees herself
still far away from God, yet with her increased knowledge of His
attributes her longing and her love for Him grow ever stronger as she
learns more fully how this great God and Sovereign deserves to be
loved. As, year by year her yearning after Him gradually becomes
keener, she experiences the bitter suffering I am about to describe. I
speak of years' because relating what happened to the person I
mentioned, though I know well that with God time has no limits and in a
single moment He can raise a soul to the most sublime state I have
described. His Majesty has the power to do all He wishes and He wishes
to do much for us. These longings, tears, sighs, and violent and
impetuous desires and strong feelings, which seem to proceed from our
vehement love, are yet as nothing compared with what I am about to
describe and seem but a smouldering fire, the heat of which, though
painful, is yet tolerable.

2. While the soul is thus inflamed with love, it often happens that,
from a passing thought or spoken word of how death delays its coming,
the heart receives, it knows not how or whence, a blow as from a fiery
dart. [378] I do not say that this actually is a dart,' but, whatever
it may be, decidedly it does not come from any part of our being. [379]
Neither is it really a blow' though I call it one, but it wounds us
severely--not, I think, in that part of our nature subject to physical
pain but in the very depths and centre of the soul, where this,
thunderbolt, in its rapid course, reduces all the earthly part of our
nature to powder. At the time we cannot even remember our own
existence, for in an instant, the faculties of the soul are so fettered
as to be incapable of any action except the power they retain of
increasing our torture. Do not think I am exaggerating; indeed I fall
short of explaining what happens which cannot be described.

3. This is a trance of the senses and faculties except as regards what
helps to make the agony more intense. The understanding realizes
acutely what cause there is for grief in separation from God and His
Majesty now augments this sorrow by a vivid manifestation of Himself.
This increases the anguish to such a degree that the sufferer gives
vent to loud cries which she cannot stifle, however patient and
accustomed to pain she may be, because this torture is not corporal but
attacks the innermost recesses of the soul. The person I speak of
learnt from this how much more acutely the spirit is capable of
suffering than the body; she understood that this resembled the pains
of purgatory, where the absence of the flesh does not prevent the
torture's being far worse than any we can feel in this world.

4. I saw some one in this condition who I really thought would have
died, nor would it have been surprising, for there is great danger of
death in this state. Short as is the time it lasts, it leaves the limbs
all disjointed and the pulse as feeble as if the soul were on the point
of departure, which is indeed the case, for the natural heat fails,
while that which is supernatural so burns the frame that were it
increased ever so little God would satisfy the soul's desire for death.
Not that any pain is felt by the body at the moment, although, as I
said, all the joints are dislocated so that for two or three days
afterwards the suffering is too severe for the person to have even the
strength to hold a pen; [380] indeed I believe that the health
becomes permanently enfeebled in consequence. At the time this is not
felt, probably because the spiritual torments are so much more keen
that the bodily ones remain unnoticed; just as when there is very
severe pain in one part, slighter aches elsewhere are hardly perceived,
as I know by experience. During this favour there is no physical
suffering either great or small, nor do I think the person would feel
it were she torn to pieces.

5. Perhaps you will say this is an imperfection, and you may ask why
she does not conform herself to the will of God since she has so
completely surrendered herself to it. Hitherto she has been able to do
so and she consecrated her life to it; but now she cannot because her
reason is reduced to such a state that she is no longer mistress of
herself; nor can she think of anything but what tends to increase her
torment--for why should she seek to live apart from her only Good? She
feels a strange loneliness, finding no companionship in any earthly
creature; nor could she, I believe, among those who dwell in heaven,
since they are not her Beloved: meanwhile all society is a torture to
her. She is like one suspended in mid-air, who can neither touch the
earth nor mount to heaven; she is unable to reach the water while
parched with thirst and this is not a thirst that can be borne, but one
which nothing will quench nor would she have it quenched save with that
water of which our Lord spoke to the Samaritan woman, but this is not
given to her. [381]

6. Alas, O Lord, to what a state dost Thou bring those who love Thee!
Yet these sufferings are as nothing compared with the reward Thou wilt
give for them. It is right that great riches should be dearly bought.
Moreover, her pains purify her soul so that it may enter the seventh
mansion, as purgatory cleanses spirits which are to enter heaven: [382]
then indeed these trials will appear like a drop of water compared to
the sea. Though this torment and grief could not, I think, be surpassed
by any earthly cross (so at least this person said and she had endured
much both in body and mind), yet they appeared to her as nothing in
comparison with their recompense. The soul realizes that it has not
merited anguish which is of such measureless value. This conviction,
although bringing no relief; enables the sufferer to bear her trials
willingly--for her entire lifetime, if God so wills,--although instead
of dying once for all, this would be but a living death, for truly it
is nothing else.

7. Let us remember, sisters, how those who are in hell lack this
submission to the divine will and the resignation and consolation God
gives such a soul and the solace of knowing that their pains benefit
them, for the damned will continually suffer more and more; (more and
more, I mean in regard to accidental pains [383] ). The soul feels far
more keenly than the body and the torments I have just described are
incomparably less severe than those endured by the lost, who also know
that their anguish will last for ever: what, then, will become of these
miserable souls? What can we do or suffer during our short lives which
is worth reckoning if it will free us from such terrible and endless
torments? I assure you that, unless you have learned by experience, it
would be impossible to make you realize how acute are spiritual pangs
and how different from physical pain. Our Lord wishes us to understand
this, so that we may realize what gratitude we owe Him for having
called us to a state where we may hope, by His mercy, to be freed from
and forgiven our sins.

8. Let us return to the soul we left in such cruel torment. This agony
does not continue for long in its full violence--never, I believe,
longer than three or four hours; were it prolonged, the weakness of our
nature could not endure it except by a miracle. In one case, where it
lasted only a quarter of an hour, the sufferer was left utterly
exhausted; indeed, so violent was the attack that she completely lost
consciousness. This occurred when she unexpectedly heard some verses to
the effete that life seemed unending; she was engaged in conversation
at the time, which was on the last day of Easter. All Eastertide she
had suffered such aridity as hardly to realize what mystery was being
celebrated. [384]

9. It is as impossible to resist this suffering as it would be to
prevent the flame's having heat enough to burn us if we were thrown
into a fire. These feelings cannot be concealed: all who are present
recognize the dangerous condition of such a person although they are
unable to see what is passing within her. True, she knows her friends
are near, but they and all earthly things seem to her but shadows. To
show you that, should you ever be in this state, it is possible for
your weakness and human nature to be of help to you, I may tell you
that at times, when a person seems dying from her desire for death
[385] which so oppresses her soul with grief that it appears on the
point of leaving her body, yet her mind, terrified at the thought,
tries to still its pain so as to keep death at bay. Evidently this fear
arises from human infirmity, for the soul's longings for death do not
abate meanwhile nor can its sorrows be stilled or allayed until God
brings it comfort. [386] This He usually does by a deep trance or by
some vision whereby the true Comforter consoles and strengthens the
heart, which thus becomes resigned to live as long as He wills. [387]

10. This favour entails great suffering but leaves most precious graces
within the soul, which loses all fear of any crosses it may henceforth
meet with, for in comparison with the acute anguish it has gone through
all else seems nothing. Seeing what she has gained, the sufferer would
gladly endure frequently the same pains [388] but can do nothing to
help herself in the matter. There are no means of reaching that state
again until God chooses to decree it, when neither resistance nor
escape is possible. The mind feels far deeper contempt for the world
than before, realizing that nothing earthly can succour it in its
torture; it is also much more detached from creatures, having learnt
that no one but its Creator can bring it consolation and strength. It
is more anxious and careful not to offend God, seeing that He can
torment as well as comfort. [389]

11. Two things in this spiritual state seem to me to endanger
life,--one is that of which I have just spoken which is a real peril
and no small one; the other an excessive gladness and a delight so
extreme that the soul appears to swoon away and seems on the point of
leaving the body, which indeed would bring it no small joy.

12. Now you see. sisters, whether I had not reason to tell you that
courage was needed for these favours and that when any one asks for
them from our Lord He may well reply, as He did to the sons of Zebedee:
Can you drink the chalice that I shall drink?' [390] I believe,
sisters, we should all answer 'Yes'--and we should be perfectly right
for His Majesty gives strength when He sees it needed: He ever defends
such souls and answers for them when they are persecuted and slandered
as He did for the Magdalen--if not in words, at least in deeds. [391]
At last, ah, at last! before they die He repays them for all they have
suffered, as you shall now learn. May He be for ever blessed and may
all creatures praise Him! Amen.
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[378] Life, ch. xxix. 17. (Transverberation.)

[379] Ibid. ch. xxix. 13, 14. Rel. viii. 16-19.

[380] St. John of the Cross, Obscure Night, bk. ii. ch. i. (in fine);
Spiritual Canticle, stanza xiii; xiv-xv. (in fine). When this happened
to St. Teresa she was unable to write for twelve days. Ribera, Acta SS.
p. 555 (in fine). Rel. viii. 13. Life, ch. xx. 16.

[381] St. John iv. 15. Life, ch. xxx. 24. Way of Perf. ch. xix. 4 sqq.
Concept. ch. vii. 7, 8. Found. ch. xxxi. 42. See note, Life, ch. i. 6.

[382] St. John of the Cross, Obscure Night, bk. ii. ch. xii.

[383] Marginal note in the Saint's handwriting. The substantial' pain
of hell consists in the irrevocable loss of God, our last end and
supreme Good; this is incurred from the first moment in its fullest
intensity and therefore cannot increase. The physical pain with which
the bodies will be afflicted when united to the souls after the general
resurrection may vary, but will neither increase nor abate. The
accidental' pain of the damned arises from various causes, for instance
from the ever-increasing effects of evil actions, and therefore
increases in the same proportion. Thus a heresiarch will suffer keener
accidental pain as more and more souls are lost through his false
teaching.

[384] Rel. iv. 1. Concept. ch. vii. 2. Isabel of Jesus, in her
deposition in the Acts of Canonisation (Fuente, Obras, vol. vi. 316)
declares that she was the singer. The words were:

Véante mis ojos,

Dulce Jesús bueno:

Véante mis ojos,

Y muérame yo luégo.
Fuente, l.c. vol. v. 143, note 1. OEuvres, ii. 231. (Poem 36, English
version.) There is a slight difference in the two relations of this
occurrence. In Rel. iv. St. Teresa seems to imply that it happened on
Easter Sunday evening, but here she says distinctly: Pascua de
Resurreccion, el postrer dia,' that is, on Easter Tuesday, April 17,
1571, at Salamanca.

[385] Compare the words 'Que muero porque no muero' in the Glosa of St.
Teresa. Way of Perf. ch. xlii . 2. Castle, M. vii. ch. iii. 14.

[386] Way of Perf. ch. xix. 10. Excl. vi.; xii. a.; xiv.

[387] See the two versions of the poems written by the Saint on her
recovery from the trance into which she was thrown, beginning Vivir sin
vivir in me' and the poem, 'Cuan triste es, Dios mio' (Poems 2, 3, and
4, English version). See also St. Teresa's poem, Ya toda me entregué y
dí.' (Poem 7, English version).

Struck by the gentle Hunter

And overthrown,

Within the arms of Love

My soul lay prone.

Raised to new life at last,

This contract 'tween us passed,

That the Beloved should be mine own,

I His alone.

[388] Rel. viii. 17.

[389] Acta SS. p. 64, n. 229.

[390] St. Matt. xx. 22: Potestis bibere calicem quem ego bibiturus
sum?'

[391] St. Matt. xxvi. to: St. Mark xiv. 6; St. John xii. 7. Way of
Perf. ch. xvi. 7; xvii. 4. Excl. v. 2-4.
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THE SEVENTH MANSIONS
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