The Interior Castle

ONTINUES THE SAME SUBJECT, EXPLAINING BY A COMPARISON IN WHAT DIVINE
CONSOLATIONS CONSIST: AND HOW WE OUGHT TO TRY TO PREPARE OURSELVES TO
RECEIVE THEM, WITHOUT ENDEAVOURING TO OBTAIN THEM.

1. Physical results of sensible devotion. 2. Effects of divine
consolations. 3. The two fountains. 4. They symbolize two kinds of
prayer. 5. Divine consolations shared by body and soul. 6. The incense
within the soul. 7. Graces received in this prayer. 8. Such favours not
to be sought after.

1. GOD help me! how I have wandered from my subject! I forget what I
was speaking about, for my occupations and ill-health often force me to
cease writing until some more suitable time. The sense will be very
disconnected; as my memory is extremely bad and I have no time to read
over what is written, even what I really understand is expressed very
vaguely, at least so I fear. I think I said that spiritual consolations
are occasionally connected with the passions. These feelings of
devotion produce fits of sobbing; I have even heard that sometimes they
cause a compression of the chest, and uncontrollable exterior motions
violent enough to cause bleeding at the nose and other painful effects.
[124]

2. I can say nothing about this, never having experienced anything of
the kind myself; but there appears some cause for comfort in it,
because, as I said, all ends in the desire to please God and to enjoy
His presence. What I call divine consolations, or have termed elsewhere
the 'prayer of quiet,' is a very different thing, as those will
understand who, by the mercy of God, have experienced them.

3. To make the matter clearer, let us imagine we see two fountains with
basins which fill with water. I can find no simile more appropriate
than water by which to explain spiritual things, as I am very ignorant
and have poor wits to help me. [125] Besides, I love this element so
much that I have studied it more attentively than other things. God,
Who is so great, so wise, has doubtless hidden secrets in all things He
created, which we should greatly benefit by knowing, as those say who
understand such matters. Indeed, I believe that in each smallest
creature He has made, though it be but a tiny ant, there are more
wonders than can be comprehended. These two basins are filled in
different ways; the one with water from a distance flowing into it
through many pipes and waterworks, while the other basin is built near
the source of the spring itself and fills quite noiselessly. If the
fountain is plentiful, like the one we speak of, after the basin is
full the water overflows in a great stream which flows continually. No
machinery is needed here, nor does the water run through aqueducts.

4. Such is the difference between the two kinds of prayer. The water
running through the aqueducts resembles sensible devotion, which is
obtained by meditation. We gain it by our thoughts, by meditating on
created things, and by the labour of our minds; in short, it is the
result of our endeavours, and so makes the commotion I spoke of, while
profiting the soul. [126] The other fountain, like divine
consolations, receives the water from the source itself, which
signifies God: as usual, when His Majesty wills to bestow on us any
supernatural favours, we experience the greatest peace, calm, and
sweetness in the inmost depths of our being; I know neither where nor
how.

5. This joy is not, like earthly happiness, at once felt by the heart;
after gradually filling it to the brim, the delight overflows
throughout all the mansions and faculties, until at last it reaches the
body. Therefore, I say it arises from God and ends in ourselves, for
whoever experiences it will find that the whole physical part of our
nature shares in this delight and sweetness. While writing this I have
been thinking that the verse Dilatasti cor meum,' Thou hast dilated my
heart,' [127] declares that the heart is dilated. This joy does not
appear to me to originate in the heart, but in some more interior part
and, as it were, in the depths of our being. I think this must be the
centre of the soul, as I have since learnt and will explain later on. I
discover secrets within us which often fill me with astonishment: how
many more must there be unknown to me! O my Lord and my God! how
stupendous is Thy grandeur! We are like so many foolish peasant lads:
we think we know something of Thee, yet it must be comparatively
nothing, for there are profound secrets even in ourselves of which we
know naught. I say comparatively nothing' in proportion with all the
secrets hidden within Thee, yet how great are Thy mysteries that we are
acquainted with and can learn even by the study of such of Thy works as
we see! [128]

6. To return to the verse I quoted, which may help to explain the
dilation begun by the celestial waters in the depths of our being. They
appear to dilate and enlarge us internally, and benefit us in an
inexplicable manner, nor does even the soul itself understand what it
receives. It is conscious of what may be described as a certain
fragrance, as if within its inmost depths were a brazier sprinkled with
sweet perfumes. Although the spirit neither sees the flame nor knows
where it is, yet it is penetrated by the warmth, and scented fumes,
which are even sometimes perceived by the body. Understand me, the soul
does not feel any real heat or scent, but something far more subtle,
which I use this metaphor to explain. Let those who have never
experienced it believe that it really occurs to others: the soul is
conscious of it and feels it more distinctly than can be expressed. It
is not a thing we can fancy or gain by anything we can do; clearly it
does not arise from the base coin of human nature, but from the most
pure gold of Divine Wisdom. I believe that in this case the powers of
the soul are not united to God, but are absorbed and astounded at the
marvel before them. I may possibly be contradicting what I wrote
elsewhere; [129] nor would this be surprising, for it was done about
fifteen years ago, and perhaps God has given me since then a clearer
insight into the matter. I may be entirely mistaken on the subject,
both then and now, but never do I wilfully say what is untrue. No; by
the mercy of God, I would rather die a thousand times than tell a
falsehood: I speak of the matter as I understand it. I believe that in
this case the will must in some way be united with that of God. The
after effects on the soul, and the subsequent behaviour of the person,
show whether this prayer was genuine or no: this is the best crucible
by which to test it.

7. Our Lord bestows a signal grace on the soul if it realizes how great
is this favour, and another greater still if it does not turn back on
the right road. You are longing, my daughters, to enter into this state
of prayer at once, and you are right, for, as I said, the soul cannot
understand the value of the graces there bestowed by God upon it, nor
the love which draws Him ever closer to it: we should certainly desire
to learn how to obtain this favour. I will tell you what I know about
it, setting aside certain cases in which God bestows these graces for
no other reason than His own choice, into which we have no right to
enquire.

8. Practise what I advised in the preceding mansions, then--humility,
humility! for God lets Himself be vanquished by this and grants us all
we ask. [130] The first proof [131] that you possess humility is that
you neither think you now deserve these graces and consolations from
God, nor that you ever will as long as you live. You ask me: How shall
we receive them, if we do not try to gain them?' I answer, that there
is no surer way to obtain them than the one I have told you, therefore
make no efforts to acquire them, for the following reasons. The first
is, that the chief means of obtaining them is to love God without
self-interest. The second, that it is a slight lack of humility to
think that our wretched services can win so great a reward. The third,
that the real preparation for them is to desire to suffer and imitate
our Lord, rather than to receive consolations, for indeed we have all
offended Him. The fourth reason is, that His Majesty has not promised
to give us these favours in the same way as He has bound Himself to
bestow eternal glory on us if we keep His commandments. We can be saved
without these special graces; He sees better than we do what is best
for us and which of us love Him sincerely. I know for a certain truth,
being acquainted with some who walk by the way of love (and therefore
only seek to serve Jesus Christ crucified), that not only they neither
ask for nor desire consolation, but they even beg Him not to give it
them during this life: this is a fact. Fifthly, we should but labour in
vain: this water does not flow through aqueducts, like that we first
spoke of, and if the spring does not afford it, in vain shall we toil
to obtain it. I mean, that though we may meditate and try our hardest,
and though we shed tears to gain it, we cannot make this water flow.
God alone gives it to whom He chooses, and often when the soul is least
thinking of it. We are His, sisters, let Him do what He will with us,
and lead us where He will. If we are really humble and annihilate
ourselves, not only in our imagination (which often deceives us), but
if we truly detach ourselves from all things, our Lord will not only
grant us these favours but many others that we do not know even how to
desire. May He be for ever praised and blessed! Amen.
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[124] 'A clear description of an attack of hysteria with the
significant remark that she herself had never experienced anything of
the kind'. (Dr. Goix, quoted by P. Grégoire, La prétendue hystérie de
Sainte Thérèse, Lyon, Vitte, 1895, p. 53.)

[125] Way of Perf. ch. xix. 5; also St. John of the Cross, Ascent of
Mount Carmel, bk. ii, ch. xiv, 2, and xxi. 3.

[126] Life, ch. x. 2.

[127] Ps. cxviii. 32. Life, ch. xvii. 14,

[128] Life, ch. xiv. 9. Way of Perf. ch. xxviii. 11.

[129] Life, ch. xiv. 3: The faculties are not lost, neither are they
asleep; the will alone is occupied in such a way that without knowing
how it has become a captive it gives a simple consent to become the
prisoner of God.' Ibid. § 4: The other two faculties help the will that
it may render itself capable of the fruition of so great a good;
nevertheless, it occasionally happens even when the will is in union
that they hinder it very much.' See also Way of Perf. ch. xxxi. 8.

[130] Way of Perf. ch. xvi. i. Life, ch. xxii. 16.

[131] Philippus a SS. Trinitate, l.c. art. 3.
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