The important thing is not to think too much, and so to do whatever best awakens your love.
Saint Teresa of Avila
Awakens Your Love
Topic: Spiritual Growth & Practice
If you want to make progress on the path and ascend to the places you have longed for, the important thing is not to think too much, and so to do whatever best awakens your love. If you fall sometimes, do not lose heart. Keep striving to walk your path with integrity. God will draw out the good even from your fall.
Saint Teresa of Ávila, born Teresa Sánchez de Cepeda y Ahumada (28 March 1515 – 4 October 1582), was an influential Spanish mystic, Roman Catholic saint, and a central figure of the Counter-Reformation. Best known for her deep theological insights, she authored several important works that reflect her devotion to a life of contemplative prayer. Known for her mystical experiences, Teresa embraced the spiritual path as a Carmelite nun, where she found the essence of her vocation. Her understanding of contemplative life through mental prayer has had an enduring impact on Christian spirituality, even transcending the confines of her own religious tradition.
In addition to her spiritual contributions, Saint Teresa is remembered for her significant role in reforming the Carmelite Order of her era. Her reformative efforts were a response to a perceived laxity in her order, focusing on the renewal of commitment to solitude and poverty. Along with Saint John of the Cross, she initiated a movement that resulted in the establishment of the Discalced Carmelites, an order that emphasized austerity and the contemplative life. Notably, this significant institutional development occurred posthumously, with neither Teresa nor John alive when the Carmelite Order ultimately separated into two distinct branches.
The Interior Castle
of Avila, St. Teresa. The Interior Castle. Translated by Mirabai Starr, New York, Riverhead Books, 2003 [Saint Teresa of Avila].
Saint Teresa of Avila
Theme: Spiritual Growth
About This Saint Teresa of Avila Quotation [Commentary]
Saint Teresa of Avila’s guidance to “do whatever best awakens your love” emphasizes that spiritual growth is more about heartfelt devotion than mental complexity. In advising not to “think too much,” Teresa encourages a release from overanalyzing the spiritual path, pointing to love as the core driver of growth. She suggests that deepening one’s connection with the Divine is not about endless thought but about openness to actions that foster genuine love. This shift from intellect to the heart invites seekers to approach their faith with simplicity and sincerity.
Teresa’s words also offer a compassionate view on human imperfection in spiritual growth. Acknowledging that missteps are inevitable, she reassures us that “God will draw out the good even from your fall.” This perspective encourages resilience and a steady commitment to the path despite setbacks. For Teresa, spiritual growth includes embracing one’s limitations with humility, trusting that each stumble serves a purpose. Her words remind us that every experience, even struggles, can foster a closer relationship with the Divine.
Finally, Teresa’s teaching strikes a balance between active striving and trustful yielding. By advising us to “walk your path with integrity” and focus on what stirs love within, she underscores a love-centered spirituality where our inner heart takes precedence over our thinking mind. This approach to faith, guided by love and trust in the Divine, kindles a transformative relationship with God. In her wisdom, Teresa encourages a journey marked by intention and acceptance, where love, more than intellect, becomes the pathway to divine union.
Passage From St. Teresa’s Interior Castle [Excerpt]
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