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.

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.
• Read along with the SpiritualDirection.com book club, and call in with questions: 818-646-7729.

 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.com - The Avila Institute for Spiritual Formation