(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Carmelite Koans: Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2024-07-07 The Zen priest trainees at Shasta Abbey were set to study both of these Catholic Saints, whose works we recognized as authentic spirituality. I am going to give you a tip-of-the-tongue taste here, but encourage you to go as far into their teachings as suits your training. Just don’t philosophize about what you haven’t experienced. Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross were the founders of the Discalced (shoeless) Carmelites in Spain during the Counter-Reformation. Both were named saints, and later Doctors of the Church. Teresa was the first woman so honored. Their lives and careers were complicated, difficult, and fascinating, but those events are not our topic here. Saint Teresa pierced to the heart with God’s love St. John of the Cross, The Ascent of Mount Carmel En una noche oscura con ansias en amores inflamada, ¡oh dichosa ventura!, salí sin ser notada estando ya mi casa sosegada In a dark night With longings kindled in love oh blessed chance I went forth without being observed My house already being at rest John is assuming a good deal on love and discarding self here, before his poem begins. These are not beginners’ koans, but even beginners can see a few steps up the mountain. 1) The Active Night of the Senses (Book 1, Ascent of Mount Carmel) 2) The Passive Night of the Senses (Book 1, Dark Night of the Soul) 3) The Active Night of the Spirit (Books 2 and 3, Ascent of Mount Carmel) 4) The Passive Night of the Spirit (Book 2, Dark Night of the Soul) St. Teresa of Avila, The Interior Castle Before we come to the more advanced parts of this manual, consider Teresa’s teaching to her beginning nuns and monks. Insofar as I can understand the door of entry to this castle is prayer and reflection. I don’t mean to refer to mental more than vocal prayer, for since vocal prayer is prayer it must be accompanied by reflection. A prayer in which a person is not aware of whom he is speaking to, what he is asking, who it is who is asking and of whom, I do not call prayer however much the lips move. That’s four good koans right there. What is the Divine Nature (twice)? Who are you? What is the goal? The First Mansions 1. WHILE I was begging our Lord to-day to speak for me, since I knew not what to say nor how to commence this work which obedience has laid upon me, an idea occurred to me which I will explain, and which will serve as a foundation for that I am about to write. 2. I thought of the soul as resembling a castle,31 formed of a single diamond or a very transparent crystal,32 and containing many rooms, just as in heaven there are many mansions.33 If we reflect, sisters, we shall see that the soul of the just man is but a paradise, in which, God tells us, He takes His delight.34 What, do you imagine, must that dwelling be in which a King so mighty, so wise, and so pure, containing in Himself all good, can delight to rest? Nothing can be compared to the great beauty and capabilities of a soul; however keen our intellects may be, they are as unable to comprehend them as to comprehend God, for, as He has told us, He created us in His own image and likeness.35 Buddhists like to talk about a jewel with 84,000 facets by which to enter into the same heart. This is not the same thing, but these models for Skill in Means can inform each other. Chapter I. Description of the Castle Rarely do we reflect upon what gifts our souls may possess, Who dwells within them, or how extremely precious they are. Therefore we do little to preserve their beauty; all our care is concentrated on our bodies, which are but the coarse setting of the diamond, or the outer walls of the castle. Like the parable in the Lotus Sutra of a man wearing an immensely valuable jewel with no concept of what it is worth. We Buddhists deny self, but affirm Buddha Nature, so we need not be in doubt about what is meant here. Chapter II. The Human Soul. The Second Mansions The Third Mansions The Fourth Mansions The Fifth Mansions The Sixth Mansions The Seventh Mansions Epilogue Further Reading Teresa of Avila (2007). The Way of Perfection. Translated by Benedictines of Stanbrook. Cosimo, Inc. ISBN 978-1-60206-261-0 Works of St. Teresa of Avila (Online)". Christian Classics Ethereal Library THE LIFE OF TERESA OF JESUS: The Autobiography of Teresa of Ávila (PDF) Works by Saint John of the Cross at Christian Classics Ethereal Library Works by or about John of the Cross at Internet Archive Works by John of the Cross at LibriVox (public domain audiobooks) Merton, Thomas (2008), An Introduction to Christian Mysticism. Initiation into the Monastic Tradition 3, Liturgical Publications “What to do when a saint is racist: Wrestling with St. John of the Cross” by George Faithful [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/7/7/2251314/-Carmelite-Koans-Teresa-of-Avila-and-John-of-the-Cross?pm_campaign=front_page&pm_source=more_community&pm_medium=web Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/