Interior Castle Or The Mansions Theology Religion Essay

Interior go Or The halls Theology Religion EssayIn both Lakoff and Johnsons Metaphors We Live By and Teresa of Avilas Interior Castle or The Mansion there is a discussion of metonymy in relation to fiction, both of which are signifi lott crucial c at oncepts in St. Teresas Christian conceptual parableic system. in spite of appearance this paper I shall formulate an argument proving that St. Teresas Christian conceptual metaphorical system is coherent and falls at bottom Lakoff and Johnsons conceptual metaphorical systems guidelines on the grounds that Teresas system appeases Lakoff and Johnsons definitions of metaphor and metonymy and all the sub-classes. In mark to sustain my argument I provide make reference to the Teresas Interior Castle outlining the structure of her metaphorical system by covering the metaphor and metaphor sub-classes used along with identifying the target and descent theaters entailed in the system.Teresas Christian conceptual metaphorical system has three primary conceptual metaphors IN GOD, IN MANSION, and IN SOUL. Teresa uses a JOURNEY metaphor to talk about the course of instruction to achieving uncanny core with immortal. According to Tim Perrine, St. Teresa of Avila wrote The Interior Castle as a spectral guide to union with matinee idol. Teresa incurd her inspiration for this work from a religious friendship she had. beau ideal gave Teresa a vision that showed her a quartz globe that contained seven dormitorys within it. At the centre of attention of the globe, residing in the deepest mark is god. Teresa interpreted this religious experience as an allegory which reveals the way for integritys person to take a travel to achieve union with matinee idol by stretchiness the 7th inner most polarity. The intelligence must(prenominal) go on a journey to become united with God in the seventh hall. Each residency represents a step closer to im differentiateing God or climbing other level on a ladder. The Crystal Castle with seven different mansions is a metaphor representing the spirit. The rooms closest to the seventh were equal to receive a glimpse of the kernel of God which resided in the seventh room.From the immaterial of the Crystal Castle the get outs ignorenot be seen because darkness and impurity surrounds the outside of the fastness. If champion on this journey to fall into place the seventh room give ins to temptation and falls victim to the devils torment, the light that was once emanating from the seventh room where God resides go forth as a entrust of being infected by transgression, disappear and the venomous animals that were once held outside the Crystal Castle by Gods divine light result be fit to inscribe the castle. In the setoff mansion the concern is the nousfulnesss put up of purity. A sense in the first mansion is surrounded by transgress and is precisely able to reach God by seek his divine ornament through with(predicate) pr eaching humbleness. The second mansion is alike a mansion where unrivaled practices suppliant daily. The mind can only advance on its journey by humility, recognition of God in the soul and daily request. The third mansion is the mansion of exemplary living whereby mavin has such a deal for God in their soul. Their soul also truly dislikes all form of sin and the soul has a longing to do works of charity in the name of almighty God. In the poop mansion the soul opens itself up to God, relying on him for everything and becomes purer as God increases his influence. The fifth mansion contains the initial stage of union with God whereby the soul opens itself up to embody Gods grace in come out to receive his gifts. The soul commits to marry. Teresa refers to the soul as a silkworm which feeds on the victual of God. The soul enters a cocoon like introduce in lay to transform into a butterfly which embodies part of Gods divine light. In the 6th mansion the soul and God ar e like lovers. In this mansion the soul receives an increasing amount of favors from God but is also approach with outside afflictions. In the seventh mansion the soul pull rounds on its journey to achieve apparitional marriage with God as a top of the soul acquiring clarity in prayer. When genius partakes in sins their soul is ineffectual to partake in the journey to reach God. One must be able to acquire humility and self-knowledge to understand the works of God.in wholeness case an individual on their journey learns to truly understand humility and self-knowledge they will realize the beauty of the soul as a result of Gods light. tout ensemble our goodness and that good works that come from ones good are authored by God. The strength and power of ones will is strengthened by what lays shadow that introduction of the seventh room in the Crystal Castle. The journey interior oneself that takes run in the watch glass castle is likened to degrees of prayer by Teresa. One en tered within themselves and penetrates the depths of their soul while gaining perfect self-knowledge along the way which ultimately leads to one reaching the seventh room where God is waiting. One who has perfect self-knowledge is able to become unified with Gods grace through a union with him which allows those who reach the seventh room to take part in his light and love. the soul grows and profits by its communication with God (Teresa, 23), we suffer from a self-ignorance that is curable if one seeks to cure it. Not enough inward smoothion is accustomed to the beauty of the soul. When one doesnt reflect upon their soul which is innate they are ineffectual to receive gifts that soul may possess, they are unable to see who is inside the soul or how important a role the soul can play in their life. souls without prayer are like bodies, palsied and lame, having pass on and feet they cannot use.(Teresa, 43). In order to enter the castle and begin this journey into the soul one mus t take part in prayer and meditation. The sagaciousness must take part in this prayer, repetition praying and not pickings God into consideration is not praying.Those typically found residing in the first mansion in the castle are typically those who self reflect occasionally and pray a few times a month. ordinarily these individuals are concerned with materialistic things. Teresa says that it is still possible for these individuals to realize the state of their soul on the road it is currently travelling and make adjustments and changes in their lives to set their soul on a positive path. Those who choose to do this begin the journey that takes place inside their soul which is referred to as the crystal or diamond castle. Those who enter the first rooms are followed by numerous venomous reptiles which are a metaphor for sin and the torments of hell. The sin of an individual creates these creatures which attempt to blind the individual from seeing the divine light of God which res ides at the center of the castle in the seventh mansion When mortal sin is present in the soul it obscures Gods divine grace. Teresa uses a metaphor to describe what mortal sin does to the soul, the solarise in the centre of the soul, which gave it such splendour and beauty, is totally eclipsed. (Teresa, 46).The soul that is in mortal sin is separated from God and no longer a part of him. It has been taint which causes the crystal which is a metaphor for the soul to become dark and unable to reflect the bright sun. The soul is like a crystal in the sunshine over which a thick bootleg cloth has been thrown, so that however brightly the sun may shine the crystal can never reflect it. (Teresa, 47). Crystal is used as a metaphor to refer to a tainted mortal sin soul, throwing a nasty cloth over a clear crystal that was once able to reflect the sun will no longer be able to do so. The meaning behind this is that sinning taints the soul and creates a disconnection between an individu al and God. As long as that thick black cloth is there, the soul will not be able to experience what the bright sun representing Gods divine grace has to offer. Teresa refers to the soul as a manoeuvre which is planted by a river. The tree receives life from the sun which enables it to bear fruit. The sun is a metaphor for God and the fruit that comes from the tree are metaphors for good acts and good actions. Thus, God is the initiator behind those good deeds. When in the first mansion within the crystal castle one is able to be humble on this journey and that one individual should only think of God when doing any good deed or action.In the second mansion one is taught how important prayer is to reach God. One must retire into them self in order to truly know thyself without retiring into the soul to contemplate life and ones actions, enlightenment will always be out of their reach. In the second mansion the soul is able to take more charge on its spiritual journey. Those who reac h the third mansion are those who realize the issues that arise when one trusts in their own strength.The individuals in the third mansion live a balanced life which is achieved through prayer, penance, charity, and abstaining from sin. Through this the individual is able to go farther in their spiritual journey to become a part of Gods divine grace. In this stage of the journey the individual who has been able to enter the third mansion will have their soul baptized in the Holy Spirit. As a result of this the individual on their spiritual journey has their soul opened up and is filled with the gifts God has accustomed them through the Holy Spirit. Teresa states that An earthy king may have subjects withal all do not enter his court (Teresa, 41). This is a metaphor which refers to those disciples of God on their spiritual journey. God may have many children and followers but this does not mean everyone is granted access into his estate in heaven. Nor should anyone assume that beca use they are a follower or worshiper in Him that they will automatically gain access into the kingdom because of this. On the spiritual journey in the soul those who enter each mansion will learn to be jumble and realize that they are a servant of God and entering his kingdom is something one earns by journeying within oneself and joining God in the seventh mansion. Humility is the emollient for our woundsGod, who is our Physician, will come and heal us. (Teresa, 45). Teresa uses a metaphor for humility by describing it as the ointment for our wounds she makes a point to concentrate on humility because one should learn to be humble in order to succeed on this spiritual journey. Teresa refers to God as a physician who will heal our wounds this metaphor is used to show that no matter what one must go through on this journey God will always be there to heal the wounds of those who seek him.On this spiritual journey in the soul one must have e an everlasting unyielding love for God. A ccording to Teresa true love for God is one of the essential things one must learn to pay no attention to the weaknesses of nature which might retard us. (Teresa, 45). God will carriage after the individual on their spiritual journey and reward them in proportion to their great love for God. Teresa presents a metaphor of nestling indulge birds that are taught by watching elder birds. Their flight makes us canvass to soar, like nestlings taught by the elder birds, who, though they cannot fly at first, small by little imitate their parents I know the great pull in of this. (Teresa, 47) This metaphor is used to teach that one should not give up if they find a trial on this spiritual journey difficult, they should meditate a person who is detached from the worldly things and seeks spiritual marriage with God. honourable like a baby bird learning to fly is taught by the elder more experienced bird to fly, an individual on a spiritual journey trying to reach unity with God should chitchat an elder who has learnt how to get through trials and tribulations in order to become one with God. Their soul is not yet strong enough and may succumb to the suffering that their soul will be exposed to during the trials on their spiritual journey.In the fourth mansion one must practice the prayer of the quiet this prayer is quiet and passive which allows one to travel deeper on their spiritual journey in to the soul where they meet with the divine grace of God. The soul is no longer dependant on the individuals will but becomes dependant on God. The natural and supernatural meet in this mansion the soul receives natural understanding from God, this can be thought of as the mind being impregnated with wisdom directly from the gifts of God. Teresa uses a metaphor to apologise deuce types of prayer one will use in the fourth mansion. The metaphor uses two fountains with basins that fill with water these fountains are filled two different ways. One fountain receives its wate r from a distance that travels through numerous waterworks and pipes. The other fountain receives its water directly from the source which is the spring, no machinery or aqua-ducts are needed. The water that runs through the waterworks and pipes represents commonsensible devotion which is obtained through meditation. This water is obtained through the results of an individuals endeavors which are thoughts, labor of ones mind, and meditating on created things. The fountain that receives the water directly from the spring itself is a representation for God. prayer of Quiet or divine consolation receives supernatural favors directly from God himself just like the fountain which receives water directly from the spring. This greatness from God that presents one with divine joy is presented in the soul itself according to Teresa.This pitch contour between the two fountains represents the individual on this spiritual journey intermission away from the bonds they once had with the outsi de world in order to be able to enter deep prayer which focuses on the importance of love true love that flows directly from the spring itself which is God. On page sixty-three, Teresa presents another IN metaphor. We should rather abandon our souls into the hands of God, leaving him to do as he chooses with us, as far as possible forgetting all opportunism and resigning ourselves entirely to himself. (Teresa, 63) God is a container metaphor whereby the soul which is the target domain of the source domain. The source domain is interior castle that has seven mansions one must go through in order to achieve union with God. The journey present here is a spiritual journey where the soul must enter IN the interior castle in order to become one with God through spiritual union. God is the container prey in the container metaphor along with the interior castle which is also the container butt of the container metaphor. Throughout the rest of the journey IN the interior castle the soul o pens itself up to receive more gifts from God, ultimately leading up to the seventh mansion which is the mansion of spiritual marriage where the individuals soul becomes one with God through spiritual union.