Wisdom on Mental Prayer
30 Days with Teresa of Avila – Reflections on Day 8
“Do not tire your brain by trying to work it during meditation.” – St. Teresa of Avila. Dan and Melissa look at progressive development in prayer and the spiritual life as they reflect on letters from St. Teresa in the book 30 Days with Teresa of Avila and her wisdom on mental prayer.
Topics/Questions covered in the show:
- How do the spiritual Doctors of the Church describe the stages of prayer?
- What is mental prayer?
- Different types of meditative prayer.
- St. Teresa advises on transitioning from meditation to contemplation.
- How to deal with aridity.
- Is “centering prayer” beneficial?
- Some recommendations if you get “stuck” in prayer.
- St. Teresa’s Four Waters.
Resources:
- 30 Days with Teresa of Avila – Dan Burke and Anthony Lilles
- SpiritualDirection.com Book Club
- Navigating the Interior Life – Dan Burke
- Meditation and Contemplation: An Ignatian Guide to Prayer with Scripture – Fr. Tim Gallagher
- The Better Part: A Christ-Centered Resource for Personal Prayer – Fr. John Bartunek
- Lectio Divina, A Guide – Dan Burke at Spiritualdirection.com
- A Simple Guide to Christian Meditation – Fr. John Bartunek at Spiritualdirection.com
- The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila: Volume One – includes The Book of Her Life
- http://avila-institute.org – The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation
- For Call in questions for future shows 818-646-7729 — please leave your name, location, and question.
- Don’t forget to tell your friends about the show and help us get the word out. If the show is inspiring to you and you would like to help us make it a daily show, please click here to donate. All donors will receive a signed copy of your choice of Dan’s new books: Finding God through Meditation, 30 Days with Teresa of Avila, or Navigating the Interior Life.
