The Interior Castle, by Teresa of Avila
In my reading of Christian contemplative texts [1], one tends to find some patterns that reappear over and over again. For one, those who view Christian mysticism most highly tend to have a strong degree of support for either or both Roman Catholicism or Orthodox Christianity, as it is within these traditions that one finds the most people devoted to the contemplative life. It seems rather puzzling to me that this book would be regarded so highly, although it is a somewhat rambling and very modest work that demonstrates an awareness the larger context of works in this tradition and also inspired many. It doesn’t hurt either that the author was an associate of John of the Cross in trying to reform the Carmelite order and make it more rigorous, something that was strongly resisted by most of the order in Spain, which…
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James' Ramblings 