To undertake (prayer [JH]) is a matter of life and death for all Christians. And no one, however lost he may be, should set it aside if God has awakened him to so great a good.
Camino de perfección 16:3
The continuation of the book is therefore entirely dedicated to prayer. However, Teresa has trouble finding a good starting point. What she actually wants to discuss is contemplative prayer (contemplación), but she realizes that not everyone is called to this. In this respect we can only trust in God’s grace. This is why it is better not to have a qualitative judgment on the different types of prayer and humbly to accept what the Lord in His goodness gives us (Camino de perfección 16:18). In the continuation Teresa does, however, make clear that prayer is not a goal in and of itself. We don’t come to prayer by reciting standard formulas but by inwardly directing ourselves towards God and placing our trust in Him alone. Then God Himself will lead us to the source of living water. According to Teresa this source is located in the centre of our soul and when we drink from this source, we are assuaged with a thirst that pulls us ever deeper into the infinite longing of God (perfection).
How right and true, as words coming from the mouth of Truth Itself, that such a person will not thirst for anything in this life – although thirst for the things of the next life increases much more than can ever be imagined through natural thirst!
How thirsty one becomes for this thirst! The soul understands the great value of this thirst, and even though the thirst is a most painful, wearying one, it brings with it the very satisfaction by which it is assuaged, in such a way that it is a thirst unquenchable except in earthly things. Indeed, this thirst slakes in such a way that when God satisfies the thirst, the greatest favour He can grant the soul is to leave in it this same need – and a greater one – to drink the water again.
Camino de perfección 19:2
For Teresa the inner goal of prayer is that we come into contact with God and learn to trust this Source within ourselves more and more. The way in which this is brought about is of secondary importance to her. Since God works in mysterious ways in this regard, it is not our place to determine this. What is important is that we open ourselves for God in prayer, trusting that He is truly leading us on a path that He alone knows. This is why the way of prayer is a royal road and on it we should not shrink or be irresolute:
For when you are about to gain the treasure – or steal it, since the Lord says that the violent take it away (Matthew 11:12) – by a royal road and by a safe road, the road chosen by our King and all His elect and saints, they will tell you that there are so many dangers and so many things to fear.
Camino de perfección 21:5
We travel the road of prayer, when we, in our longing, orient ourselves towards God and do not doubt that we are seen by God in this. This is why, according to Teresa, vocal prayer (oración vocal), as an expression of this inner orientation, cannot be separated from mental prayer (oración mental) or this inner orientation itself. For this it is not necessary to use long prayers. A simple Lord’s Prayer or Hail Mary suffices to direct our attention and enter into contact with the Source of our life:
Is it too much to ask you to turn your eyes from these exterior things in order to look at Him sometimes? Behold, He is not waiting for anything else, as He says to the bride, than that we look at Him. In the measure you desire Him, you will find Him. He so esteems our turning to look at Him that no diligence will be lacking on His part.
Camino de perfección 26:3
