St Teresa describes the need for self-knowledge. But where do we gain self-knowledge? From examining our own lives and our inclinations? Yes. But we must gain self-knowledge as well by looking at the Son of God. He reveals God to us. He also reveals man to himself. 

Continues question of mortal sin. Let us pray each day to be free from this kind of sin. Explains why she is even talking about mortal sin at all. This is a call to humility, a call to recognize that more is happening in our prayer than we realize. Her focus in this book will be on what God is doing in our prayer.

How does mortal sin relate to the image of the soul as a crystal? If God is at the centre of the soul, grace is the light that fills the soul. Mortal sin is like the soul being covered with a black cloth. Such sin causes the radiation of God's life (grace) to cease. Wonderful image of grace, the radiation of God's love in our souls that makes us bright and beautiful. 

How do we enter the interior castle? The interior castle is the soul itself.  We have to enter into ourselves. We are seeking the One who dwells at the centre of the soul. We seek Our Lord in our souls by prayer, by paying attention to the One inside ourselves and his activities.

But how did St Teresa gain this insight to see the soul as a crystal mansion with many mansions? God gave her this gift as a charismatic grace. May God show himself to us. May he show us our capacity for a living relationship with God.

Did St Teresa want to write this book on prayer? No. She felt great repugnance both by a sense of her lack of ability and her constant headaches. But she trusted in God to help her. If she was being commanded by the Church to write this book, she would trust God to teach her what to say. She began on the Solemnity of the Holy Trinity.

This book is written after St Teresa had vast experience of prayer. It is her masterpiece. A woman writing primarily for other women. She prays that her work will be of profit to others. Above all, she hopes that her effort will lead to Christ being loved and praised by even just one other person.