St. Teresa of Avila is an unsurpassed teacher of Christian prayer and spirituality, and in The Way of Perfection she is at her best. Now, with the help of this study edition, everyone can enjoy the benefits of her wisdom.
In this work, St. Teresa gives practical counsels and advice on prayer, destined originally for the few nuns who embraced the reformed Carmelite life she established. As a handbook for spiritual formation, it presented them with the basic Christian spirituality under girding their Constitutions and Rule.
Over the centuries, the book's appeal has reached far beyond the walls of Carmelite monasteries, and the Way of Perfection has become a spiritual classic. More and more today, Teresa's instructions speak to all those interested in prayer, providing them with the basic guidelines for praying and showing how to avoid potential pitfalls. But as the readership has grown, so does the need for some help in working with this 16th century text.
The principles&teachings in Teresa's book, first presented within the limited horizons of her own situation, clearly lend themselves to broader applications, and can world well in all walks of life. This study edition - with its introduction, commentary, notes discussion questions and glossary - provides what is needed to assist contemporary readers in making these applications and delving more deeply into the text's spiritual riches.