Module Two: Burnt to a Crisp
“God calls to us in countless little ways all the time.”
-St. Teresa of Avila, Interior Castle, p. 57
His winnowing-fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing-floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
Matthew 3:12
Module Two: Burnt to a Crisp
Study:
In preparation for this week's material, please read Second Dwelling, Chapter 1 (pp 55–64 in the Mirabai Starr translation). Please read the Wisdom for the Way essay titled, “Burnt to a Crisp,” found here. Available on March 9, 2022.
After you have completed the above, choose one or more of the the following:
“Dialogue: The Second Mansion” from the Turning to the Mystics Podcast
“Teresa of Avila: Session 2” a meditation from the Turning to the Mystics Podcast
Fiona Ellis: Expansive Naturalism on Homebrewed Christianity
Discussion Questions:
In the Second Dwelling or Mansion, St. Teresa spends some time talking about falling into error/sin. What does that mean to you?
Where do you feel the word “sin” in your body? Where do you feel unhelpful/harmful habits in your body? How does understanding the word sin/error as patterns of unreflective behavior/habits, open the text?
On page 59, St. Teresa talks about the importance of companionship. As you study the Interior Castle, who could you tell about this journey? What would you ask her/him to carry for you during this time?
What emotion does the quote, “Believe me, if we don’t cultivate peace at home, we will not find it in alien places,” produce?