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Teresa of Ávila, also called Saint Teresa of Jesus or Santa Teresa de Jesús (1515-1582), was a Spanish Carmelite nun who was also known as a mystic. Her beliefs and reforms were viewed as controversial, especially in the face of the Spanish Inquisition, but her legacy continues to be celebrated in various denominations of the contemporary Christian church. Her book, The Interior Castle (El Castillo Interior, also known as The Mansions or Las Moradas) shares a vision revealed to her which outlines the journey of the human spirit. It is this book which serves as the basis for Las siete moradas de Santa Teresa (The seven mansions of Saint Teresa).

Saint Teresa’s vision describes the soul as a castle-shaped diamond containing seven successive mansions: “...que es considerar nuestra alma como un castillo todo de un diamante o muy claro cristal...” (...this is to consider our soul as a castle entirely made of diamond or very clear crystal...). She describes the exterior of the castle as being infested with snakes and other venomous creatures; this is life without God. There are seven “diamonds” or “crystals” written into the music to represent each mansion, while remaining outside of the castle. The subsequent music and accompanying electronic sounds aim to distinctively describe each mansion.

The first mansion describes the soul as being surrounded by sin and starting to seek God’s grace. She also writes: “...en estas moradas primeras aún no llega casi nada la luz que sale del palacio donde está el Rey...” (“in these first mansions, the light that comes from the palace where the King is hardly reaches...”). In the second mansion, the soul is instructed to “abrazaos con la cruz” (“Embrace the cross”) as it humbly advances through the castle through daily thoughts of God and prayer. The theme of humility continues in the third mansion, where God begins the work of purification of the soul. Through this purification, the soul gains a desire to seek service for God’s glory. Saint Teresa describes humility as “el ungüento de nuestras heridas” (“the ointment for our wounds”).

The next three mansions are decidedly more mystical than the first three. Indeed, while traversing these mansions, Saint Teresa reported fits of ecstasy, levitation, visions, and other spiritual phenomena. Light preparations are applied to the piano to create a slightly different sound world, while the traditional Spanish “bolero” rhythm serves as the rhythmic foundation to ground the music. The fourth mansion is marked by the “Prayer of Quiet” (“Oración de quietud”) as the presence of God increases in the soul. Saint Teresa uses the image of the silkworm (La gusano de seda), which lies dormant for much of winter before spinning beautiful silk in the spring, to suggest as the soul dies in its earthly ways, it is preparing itself to receive beautiful gifts from God. The sixth mansion is perhaps the most spiritually trying, as the soul continues to be torn between the ways of God and outside temptations and experiences intense spiritual phenomena ranging from rapture and flight of the spirit to wounding and dryness of the spirit. Saint Teresa describes the soul as being suspended “in prayer with trance or ecstasy or rapture...” (“...cuando suspende Dios el alma en la oración con arrobamiento o éxtasis o rapto...”). In this section, a ballad tune from Llibre Vermell de Montserrat (a manuscript of medieval Spanish devotional texts and sacred folk tunes) called “Los Set Gotxs” or “The Seven Joys,” describing the seven joys of Mary.

The seventh and final mansion describes the achievement of ultimate clarity in prayer and spiritual marriage with God, which has been in preparation since the fifth mansion. This mansion is not necessarily a mansion which can be found, as Saint Teresa says it is “...adonde sólo Su Majestad mora, y digamos otro cielo" (“...where only His Majesty dwells: let’s call it another heaven”). A virelai from the Llibre Vermell is used in this final section, “Ad Mortem Festinamus” or “We hasten towards death” – a sentiment which Teresa joyfully celebrates not out of a state of depression, but in joy of God and what treasures He keeps for us in heaven.

Las siete moradas de Santa Teresa is written as a graduation gift to my dear wife, Ellen, as she finishes her Master’s degree in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care. I look forward to moving through these mansions with you for the rest of our lives.

***This download is for one authorized use and is not to be copied or distributed. Download includes patches for electronics to be used with Ableton; Ableton software not included.***