Teresa's experience was not that of most Christians, an intense union with God. She wrote of her journey in The Interior Castle. Burney takes us through the rooms Teresa described, to the innermost one where the soul remains centered on God. The Christian life of spiritual development and self awareness are compared to venturing through the rooms.
The life Teresa had cannot be forced. Burney remind us, "Trying to force your mind to go places God hasn't given it the grace to go is something Teresa cautioned against..." (100) Teresa's advice is to place the soul in God's hands - give it entirely to God and let Him do with it what He wishes.
This is a book about one who has experienced union with God by one who longs for it. It is an excellent introduction to Teresa's writings and the life of a Christian mystic.
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