Summary of The Way of Perfection by St. Teresa of Avila

Here is my book summary of St. Teresa of Ávila’s The Way of Perfection (Second Edition. London: Thomas Baker, 1919), according to some key themes:

1. Prayer

St. Teresa of Ávila teaches that every soul is a dwelling place for God, who resides within as a king in a palace of virtue. The more virtuous the soul, the more splendid this inner palace becomes: “Let us realize that we have within us a most splendid palace built entirely of gold and precious stones… Within this palace dwells the mighty King” (163). She urges believers to begin prayer by contemplating the sacredness of this divine indwelling and realizing that God constantly watches over us, awaiting our response: “He never takes His eyes off you!” (149). Through the practice of recollection, which involves turning away from distractions and focusing inward, believers deepen their connection with God. True prayer, she insists, cannot coexist with self-indulgence; striving for virtue is essential for spiritual growth (91, 24).

Vocal prayer, when performed with full attention and devotion, is another powerful way to connect with God. St. Teresa warns against distraction during prayer and stresses the importance of engaging fully with the words spoken to God: “We ought to attend to how we say our prayers” (141). Even the recitation of familiar prayers like the Our Father, when said with sincerity, can elevate the soul to contemplation. Teresa encourages using devotional books to aid focus, reminding us that vocal prayer should always be mindful: “Never address your words to God while you are thinking of something else” (136).

Meditative prayer, which Teresa considers foundational for spiritual growth, allows for deeper encounters with God. She describes meditation as essential for engaging in mental prayer, where believers can experience divine insights. She recommends reading Scripture and spiritual books to help focus during prayer: “For more than fourteen years, I could not meditate without a book” (97). Meditation, Teresa assures, leads to higher forms of prayer, such as the prayer of quiet and contemplation, where the soul experiences a profound union with God.

2. Poverty

For St. Teresa, poverty is not a form of deprivation but a path to spiritual freedom. She finds peace in having little: “When I have least I am most free from anxiety” (10). Teresa views poverty as a means to gain mastery over worldly goods, enabling the soul to live without distractions: “Whoever despises all earthly goods holds dominion over them” (12). Voluntary poverty, undertaken for love of God, purifies the soul and fosters virtues such as purity. She emphasizes that poverty helps the soul focus on spiritual progress, unencumbered by material concerns: “If poverty is real, it guards purity and all the other virtues” (13).

3. Detachment

St. Teresa teaches that true spiritual freedom comes from detachment from worldly things and total reliance on God. She asserts that when the soul clings solely to God, He infuses it with virtue: “If we cling to our Creator alone… His Majesty will infuse the virtues into us” (52). Detachment, for Teresa, is an active discipline, requiring believers to guard their hearts against attachments to fleeting things. She emphasizes constant vigilance, urging Christians to remind themselves of “the vanity of all things and how quickly they pass away” (59). This detachment frees the soul from worldly concerns and allows it to rise toward God.

Complete union with God, Teresa explains, requires full surrender of the will. Only when believers yield themselves entirely to God’s will can they experience the peace of divine transformation. “As Christ does not force our will,” she writes, “He only takes what we give Him” (165). This surrender brings about spiritual freedom and sanctification.

4. Mortification

St. Teresa emphasizes the importance of mortification, the practice of denying bodily comforts to strengthen the spirit. She acknowledges that overcoming self-indulgence is challenging, but it is essential for spiritual growth: “Our first effort must be to cease loving our bodies” (61). Mortification, for Teresa, involves enduring small sufferings quietly for the love of God: “Learn… to suffer some little thing for the love of God without everyone’s knowing it” (65). This practice leads to spiritual mastery over the body, making it easier to pursue virtue. Mortification, she insists, should be gradual and internal, helping align the soul with God’s will.

5. Humility

6. Perseverance

Perseverance, according to St. Teresa, is essential for spiritual victory. She encourages believers to adopt a firm resolve, assuring them that as long as they do not give up, success is guaranteed: “Unless we allow ourselves to be defeated, we are sure to succeed” (139). The spiritual journey, she explains, requires enduring trials with the mindset of completing the race, no matter the cost: “Struggle manfully until you perish in the attempt, for you only came here for battle” (121). This determination is critical for both spiritual growth and the practice of prayer, which must be undertaken with a commitment to perseverance.

7. Friendship

St. Teresa speaks of holy friendship as a mutual pursuit of virtue. True friendship, she explains, is selfless and seeks the highest good of the other person: “There is no thought of self in this affection; its only wish and care is to see its favorite enriched with divine graces” (43). Holy friendship, according to Teresa, supports spiritual growth, as friends encourage one another in their journey toward God. Teresa recounts how the prayers and support of friends played a vital role in her spiritual life, keeping her on the path of righteousness: “After God Himself, I owe it to such persons that I am not in hell” (46). The essence of true friendship, she says, lies in rejoicing in others’ spiritual progress as if it were our own.

8. Obedience

St. Teresa emphasizes the importance of total surrender to God’s will. She writes that the essence of the spiritual life is yielding completely to God’s plans: “My whole aim in writing this book has been to incite us to yield ourselves entirely to our Creator” (193). This surrender requires humility and a recognition of our own nothingness in light of God’s greatness. Teresa assures that following God’s will often brings trials and sufferings, but these hardships are signs of His love. The more we love God, the more we are able to endure for His sake, as “fervent love can suffer much for Him” (191-2). Complete obedience to God, Teresa believes, leads to spiritual transformation and union with Him.

9. Trials and Temptations

St. Teresa teaches that trials are signs of God’s love, with the heaviest crosses given to His dearest souls. She encourages believers to draw strength from Christ’s example, remembering His sufferings to endure their own: “Often recall His weariness and how much harder His labours were than your own” (151). She warns against spiritual complacency, advising vigilance and humility in the face of temptations. Small daily victories in resisting temptation, she says, prepare the soul for greater trials: “By constantly conquering yourselves in little things you may train yourselves to gain the victory in great matters” (84).

In spiritual warfare, Teresa offers two powerful weapons: love and fear. Love drives the soul forward, while fear keeps it vigilant: “Love will quicken your footsteps and fear will make you look where you set your foot down” (245). She emphasizes the importance of prayer in revealing and resisting the devil’s deceptions, allowing the soul to remain steadfast: “Prayer is the surest way to discover the devil’s snares and make him reveal himself” (48).

10. The Eucharist