1. Will (heart of mental prayer)
1.1. Petitions
1.2. Affections
1.2.1. movements of the soul which arise from the consideration of subjects like
1.2.1.1. faith
1.2.1.2. Hope
1.2.1.3. Charity
1.2.1.4. Adoration
1.2.1.5. Admiration
1.2.1.6. Praise
1.2.1.7. thanksgiving
1.2.1.8. oblation of oneself
1.2.1.9. grief for one's sins
1.2.1.10. shame for past life
1.2.1.11. etc....
1.3. Resolutions
1.3.1. Duty
1.3.1.1. nothing is more just
1.3.1.2. will of God
1.3.1.3. Rights of God
1.3.1.4. Rights of my Neighbor
1.3.1.5. Gratitude for Favors Recieved
1.3.2. Our Interest
1.3.2.1. Nothing is better for us in this life or the life to come
1.3.2.2. Means to preserve and augment in myself and others the life of God
1.3.2.3. Virtues and Merits
1.3.2.4. Peace with
1.3.2.4.1. God
1.3.2.4.2. Conscience
1.3.2.4.3. Neighbor
1.3.2.5. The facility of it....so many have succeeded with the aid of Grace...why not me?
2. Levels/Grades of Prayer
2.1. Grades we can attain through Ordinary Grace
2.1.1. Purgative
2.1.1.1. 1. Vocal Prayer
2.1.1.1.1. 2704 Because it is external and so thoroughly human, vocal prayer is the form of prayer most readily accessible to groups. Even interior prayer, however, cannot neglect vocal prayer. Prayer is internalized to the extent that we become aware of him “to whom we speak.” Thus vocal prayer becomes an initial form of contemplative prayer.
2.1.1.1.2. 2700 Through his Word, God speaks to man. By words, mental or vocal, our prayer takes flesh. Yet it is most important that the heart should be present to him to whom we are speaking in prayer: “Whether or not our prayer is heard depends not on the number of words, but on the fervor of our souls.”
2.1.1.1.3. with attention to what one is saying or reading and God, whom one is addressing
2.1.1.2. 2. Meditation
2.1.1.2.1. consideration of a spiritual truth; application to oneself, and resolve to do something about it.
2.1.1.2.2. Rev. Jordan Aumann succinctly sums up the fundamentals of meditation as follows: "Meditation can be defined as a reasoned application of the mind to some supernatural truth in order to penetrate its meaning, love it, and carry it into practice with the assistance of grace." (Spiritual Theology, p.318)
2.1.1.2.3. "Regardless of method, all mediation can be reduced ultimately to a basic framework containing all the essential parts of meditation: consideration of some supernatural truth, application of that truth to one's life, and the resolution to do something about it." (Ibid., p.322)
2.1.1.2.4. 2707 There are as many and varied methods of meditation as there are spiritual masters. Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, lest they come to resemble the three first kinds of soil in the parable of the sower. But a method is only a guide; the important thing is to advance, with the Holy Spirit, along the one way of prayer: Christ Jesus. (2690; 2664)
2.1.1.2.5. Method
2.1.1.2.6. 2705 Meditation is above all a quest. The mind seeks to understand the why and how of the Christian life, in order to adhere and respond to what the Lord is asking. The required attentiveness is difficult to sustain. We are usually helped by books, and Christians do not want for them: the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the Gospels, holy icons, liturgical texts of the day or season, writings of the spiritual fathers, works of spirituality, the great book of creation, and that of history—the page on which the “today” of God is written. (158; 127)
2.1.1.2.7. Engages
2.1.1.3. 3. Affective Prayer
2.1.1.3.1. one turns to "other," namely, God, and prayer becomes "the language of love."
2.1.1.3.2. a type of prayer in which the operations of the will predominate over discursus of the intellect. It is merely a simplified meditation in which love predominates
2.1.1.4. 4. Prayer of Simplicity
2.1.1.4.1. Contemplative prayer is the simplest expression of the mystery of prayer. It is a gift, a grace; it can be accepted only in humility and poverty. Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts. Contemplative prayer is a communion in which the Holy Trinity conforms man, the image of God, “to his likeness.” (2559)
2.1.1.4.2. 2712 Contemplative prayer is the poor and humble surrender to the loving will of the Father in ever deeper union with his beloved Son.
2.1.1.4.3. prayer of simple regard, acquired contemplation, the loving awareness of God
2.1.1.4.4. The former reasoning and affection have now been transformed into a simple loving attention on the divine.
2.1.1.4.5. The prayer is the last grade of ascetical prayer, meaning that the soul is able to attain to this prayer by its own effort with the help of ordinary grace.
2.1.1.4.6. the soul should strive to preserve the loving attention that is fixed on God, but without forcing itself. It must avoid distractions and slothfulness, but if it exerts too much effort it will destroy the simplicity of the prayer.
2.1.1.4.7. Psychologically it is difficult for us to remain attentive over a long period of time, and therefore we should not expect, especially in the beginning, to be able to practice the prayer of simplicity for long periods of time. As soon as the loving attention begins to waver, we should turn to the use of affective prayer or simple meditation. All must be done gently and without violence.
2.1.1.4.8. Nor should the soul be upset if periods of dryness occur. The prayer of simplicity is not always sweet and consoling type of prayer; it is also a transition from ascetical to mystical prayer, and therefore the soul may experience the aridity that normally accompanies transitional states."
2.2. Requires Special Graces from God
2.2.1. Illuminative
2.2.1.1. 5. Infused Contemplation
2.2.1.1.1. first grade of mystical prayer
2.2.1.1.2. will is now operating on the mystical level, the individual experiences peace, sweetness and spiritual delight, which are fruits of the Holy Spirit
2.2.1.1.3. Sometimes the experience is so intense that the individual passes into a swoon or a state of languor which St. Teresa calls a "sleep of the faculties."
2.2.1.2. 6. Prayer of the Quiet
2.2.1.2.1. wherein the human will is completely captivated by divine love.
2.2.1.2.2. the individual experiences peace, sweetness and spiritual delight, which are fruits of the Holy Spirit
2.2.1.2.3. Sometimes the experience is so intense that the individual passes into a swoon or a state of languor which St. Teresa calls a "sleep of the faculties."
2.2.1.2.4. the will is totally captivated by divine love; sometimes all the faculties are likewise captivated (sleep or ecstasy).
2.2.1.2.5. "prayer of consolations from God."
2.2.1.2.6. "The prayer of quiet is a type of mystical prayer in which the intimate awareness of God's presence captivates the will and fills the soul and body with ineffable sweetness and delight. The fundamental difference between the prayer of quiet and that of infused recollection, apart from the greater intensity of contemplative light and more intense consolations, is that the prayer of quiet gives the soul an actual possession and joyful fruition of the sovereign Good."
2.2.2. Unitive
2.2.2.1. 7. Prayer of Simple Union
2.2.2.1.1. both the intellect and the will are absorbed in God
2.2.2.1.2. God implants himself in the interior of the soul is such a way that, when it returns to itself, it cannot possibly doubt that God has been in it and it has been in God
2.2.2.1.3. It should be noted, however, that although St. Teresa is here discussing the mystical prayer of union, she urges the nuns to "ask our Lord to give you this perfect love for your neighbor," because "if you are lacking in this virtue, you have not yet attained union"
2.2.2.2. 8. Prayer of Conforming Union
2.2.2.2.1. this is the "mystical espousal" or "conforming union."
2.2.2.2.2. usually accompanied by mystical phenomena
2.2.2.2.3. This is the longest section of The Interior Castle—eleven chapters—because St. Teresa describes and explains the phenomena that accompany the mystical espousal. She also points out the dangers of such gifts, but admits that if they are received in the proper spirit, they can contribute greatly to the soul's purification and sanctification.
2.2.2.2.4. The basic characteristic of this grade of mystical prayer is that the soul is wounded with love for the divine Spouse and seeks every opportunity to be alone with him. It willingly renounces everything that could possibly disturb its solitude.
2.2.2.3. 9. Prayer of Transforming Union
2.2.2.3.1. also called the "mystical marriage" because it is the most intimate union of the soul with God that is possible in this life
2.2.3. Characteristics of all the prayer that require special Graces
2.2.3.1. It is an unmistakable experience of God's presence, experimentally and intellectually.
2.2.3.2. This is also an invasion of the soul by the supernatural as God inundates the soul with supernatural life
2.2.3.3. The experience will not last a second longer than is desired by the Holy Spirit who causes it with the operation of His gifts
2.2.3.4. The soul cannot contemplate whenever it wants, but only when God desires and in the measure and degree He so wishes.
2.2.3.5. The experimental knowledge of God enjoyed is not clear and distinct but obscure and baffled.
2.2.3.6. During this mystical prayer it is impossible for the soul to doubt about God's very presence and activity within, although the soul may doubt about it afterwards.
2.2.3.7. The soul also enjoys a certain moral certitude of being in the state of grace. Yet this certitude is far superior to that possessed by ordinary Christians in the ascetical state.
2.2.3.8. This mystical experience is indescribable as such, beyond the expression of human languages.
2.2.3.9. Although this mystical union with God may last for a long time, sometimes it is so brief as if it is nothing more than a divine touch. It also admits of variations and fluctuations in intensity.
2.2.3.10. When mystical contemplation is very intense, the body may react visibly. "The eyes become clouded and dull, the organism is weak and intermittent, with an occasional deep breathing as if trying to absorb the necessary quantity of air; the limbs are partly paralyzed; the heat of the body decreases, especially in the extremities…" (Ibid., p.334) [Please take note that there are countless types of spiritual experiences.]
2.2.3.11. This prayer may be so intense that it results in an ecstatic trance. Because of the absorption in God, it is often difficult and even impossible for a mystic to give attention to any other prayers or activities during this prayer.
2.2.3.12. A surest sign of true contemplation is that the soul often leaves this prayer with a great impulse toward a virtuous life. Sometimes the soul may be given a degree of progress in a certain virtue which has been impossible to attain despite great efforts. However, this prayer does not instantaneously bring us to perfection..