Fifth mansions – God deepens union with the soul, preparing it to receive the gifts of the Spirit.Fourth mansions – God begins to increase His role in the supernatural development of the soul.

The fourth through seventh mansions are considered to be mystical or contemplative prayer.

Third mansions – Here, love for God is growing so great that the soul develops an aversion to sin and a deepening desire to love and serve others.

Second mansions – The soul seeks a deeper relationship with the Father through daily thoughts of God and daily prayer.

First mansions – Though they are entering a state of grace, the souls are surrounded by sin and only starting to seek God’s grace through humility.

The first three mansions are considered to be stages of active prayer and asceticism. With each graduation, the soul moves from the outer mansions to the inner mansions, ever moving into closer union with God.

40 years following her death on October 4, 1582, she was canonized as a saint by the Roman Catholic church.Īs the author of the Interior Castle, Teresa portrays the spiritual development of the human soul and its response to God as being like a great castle, wherein lies seven rows of mansions. During her time as a Carmelite nun, she became revered as a Spanish mystic and a theologian of contemplative life through mental prayer. Saint Teresa of Ávila was born on March 28, 1515, as Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada.

Teresa of avila castle