The Interior Castle Kindle Edition

The translator flat out admits to taking extreme liberties in translating the original text. The pridefulness required to think you know what the author "means" better than she does! Theres no intellectual integrity here at all. Buy a different translation.

Catholics beware: The translation of this book aims to “free” St. Teresa’s writings from any religious dogma so that it is accessible for people of all faiths; however, that is utter New Age nonsense. St. Teresa of Avila is a CATHOLIC saint, receiving visions of Our Lord within the CATHOLIC religion. There is no other proper and accurate way to understand this CATHOLIC saint and Doctor of the CATHOLIC Church by openly stating in both the forward and on the back cover that her writings can be “free from any religious dogma.” This is not a Catholic book. I would recommend, rather, you seek a translation from a translator or publisher who is Catholic, such as TAN Books so that you can read St. Teresa’s writings from the same framework as she was writing them - as a practicing and devout Catholic.

These are not the words of a 16th century Carmelite nun. This is a new-age knock off written for those who are "spiritual not religious."

Purchased for an online course with the Center for Action and Contemplation. This book was translated by Mirabai Star and authored by St Teresa of Avila. St Teresa is a MUST read for any who wish to enlighten their spiritual sojourn and have progressed as pilgrim for a little while. St John of the Cross was her companion as she reformed Carmelite convents. She was a deeply devout Christian mystic, with a strong mind, and excellent administration skills.Her hilarious sense of humor shines through as she penned the book “In obedience” — as she keeps reminding the reader to her director/confessor. Teresa cleared away any suspicion about her Jewish ancestry and her solidness as a Christian during the Spanish Inquisition. She’s so tender and generous and pragmatic to the sisters she said verses. Christian Mysticim at its highest. 💟 Sit with her, soak it up, and journey to your own Interior Castle. It’s exquisite.

Of course the writings of St. Teresa of Avila are amazing but I gave this 2 stars because this translation was way too "politically correct". Replacing the words mortal sin, evil, hell and devil for softer words such as "unconsciousness", "limitations" and "missing the mark" simply would not have been St. Teresa's style at all. She was an honest, direct woman who never minced words. She meant what she said and said it clearly, exposing every aspect of sin for what it truly is without sugar coating. Even though it was easy to read, I didn't enjoy this translation at all. It became very clear, very quickly that it was done by a non-Catholic who doesn't fully grasp the theology of the Church.

Mirabai Starr, a self-professed “Hindu/Buddhist/Jew,” should not be allowed to translate the works of Catholic spiritual giants like St. Theresa of Avila. She painfully misses the mark of the theology of the Carmelite mystics by changing the wording of St Theresa in order to pull the message away from Catholic spirituality to a kind of vague and ambiguous mess.She softens the language of this wonderful mystic and doctor of the church, saying in her introduction “I took the liberty...to soften some of her more loaded religious vocabulary,” (p. 18) by changing words like “it displeases God” and “sin”to “God appreciates it when we do not” and “negativity” or “missing the mark.”She excuses her noticeable shift from the words of the resplendent Catholic saint through interpreting by herself that St Theresa was at some points playing dumb, and faking true Catholic humility and rather feigning a spirit of abandonment to the authority of theologians and the Church Herself. The translator goes so far as to say in her introduction that St. Theresa “made sure that she regularly told them what they wanted to hear,” thus dismissing St Theresa’s passiveness which she treasured so that she could be drawn closer to God.Unfortunately, this woman clearly knows very little about genuine Catholic spirituality, and for Catholic souls looking for this spiritual masterpiece of St. Theresa so that they can do their spiritual reading and meditation on it, if they are not careful, this pagan translation will certainly cause them to “miss the mark.”

It was Perfect! I had a copy when Interior Castle was first printed in 1961. It is what I consider the most interesting of the works of St. Teresa of Avila, Spanish Discalced Carmelite 16th century nun. I have seen other translations of Interior Castle through the years but for me this is the onethat is easy read and an uncomplicated translation. I could say this is a book on mystical theology; true. More simply, I say it is a book on traveling the mystical, spiritual path, journey, way - to Union with God. I married, my husband and I had 9 children, I joined the Carmelite Third Order and took the name of Sr. Jane of Jesus...I have followed the spiritual path to the Mountain of God, I have directed my 9 children to spiritual enlightenment. Love the book....Grateful for the book....Invite others to peek inside it - perhaps they already have.,

Amongst one of the best books I have read. I sat reading this book under an oak tree in Cwm DDu on the Brecon Beacons up in the mountains and I enjoyed every page.

Always a great read.

Still reading this excellent book which is written in an old sort of language so i have to work out what the Saint is trying to say, which is also good as i have to use my brain!

Outstanding a must for anyone considering doing the Camino. This book was funny, insightful & spiritual. I couldn’t put this book down

This translation makes St. Teresa so accessible