The important thing is not to think too much, and so to do whatever best awakens your love.
Saint Teresa of Avila
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Awakens Your Love
Topic: Love, Compassion, & Kindness
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].
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Saint Teresa of Avila
Theme: Spiritual Growth
About This Saint Teresa of Avila Quotation [Commentary]
Saint Teresa of Avila’s wisdom beautifully simplifies the essence of spiritual growth, centering it around the power of love rather than intellectual exertion. Her advice, “The important thing is not to think too much, and so to do whatever best awakens your love,” guides us towards actions that deepen our connection with the Divine through love. This approach suggests that spiritual progress is less about analytical thinking and more about nurturing a heartfelt bond with the Divine, emphasizing simplicity and love as key to a deeper spiritual journey.
In addressing the inevitability of human imperfection on the spiritual path, Teresa offers comfort and encourages perseverance. Her reassurance that “God will draw out the good even from your fall” reframes setbacks as opportunities for growth under Divine grace. This perspective encourages us to view our journey with compassion and resilience, understanding that every step, including the missteps, is part of our spiritual evolution. Teresa teaches us to embrace our flaws and to continue striving towards our spiritual aspirations with integrity.
Teresa’s insights into the spiritual journey illuminate the delicate balance between action and reflection, effort and surrender. She highlights the importance of allowing love to guide our spiritual practices and decisions, suggesting that a love-driven path is the most authentic route to divine union. Through her teachings, Teresa invites us to embark on a spiritual journey marked by love, patience, and trust in the transformative power of the Divine, reminding us that the path to spiritual growth is paved with both challenges and victories, all embraced within the embrace of Divine love.
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