
"The important thing is not to think much, but to love much, and so to do whatever best awakens us to love." ―St. Teresa of Avila Journey to the 16th century to discover the fiery passion of Saint Teresa of Avila, one of Christianity's most inspiring saints. A tireless reformer and the mentor of Saint John of the Cross, Teresa's greatest legacy is her revelation of ecstatic love for God―a love so powerful that it pierces the heart like a burning sword. Through illness, hardship, and persecution by the Inquisition, this courageous mystic lit the way with her unquenchable spirit to an "interior castle," a place of unimaginable beauty and light where no darkness can touch us. Saint Teresa of Avila gives you a direct link to the living presence of this brave and gentle woman, to draw upon her strength in your own times of need.
Author

Author of critically acclaimed new translations of the Spanish mystics, St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila, Mirabai Starr uses fresh, lyrical language to help make timeless wisdom teachings accessible to a contemporary circle of seekers. She is a professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies and a certified grief counselor. Mirabai Starr writes creative non-fiction and contemporary translations of sacred literature. She is an adjunct professor of Philosophy and World Religions at the University of New Mexico-Taos and teaches and speaks internationally on contemplative practice and interspiritual dialog. A certified bereavement counselor, Mirabai helps mourners harness the transformational power of loss. She has received critical acclaim for her revolutionary new translations of Dark Night of the Soul by sixteenth century Spanish mystic, St. John of the Cross, The Interior Castle and The Book of My Life, by St. Teresa of Avila, and The Showings of Julian of Norwich. She is author of the 6-volume Sounds True series, Contemplations, Prayers, and Living Wisdom. Her poetry collection, Mother of God Similar to Fire, is a collaboration with iconographer, William Hart McNichols. GOD OF LOVE: A Guide to the Heart of Judaism, Christianity and Islam—winner of the New Mexico/Arizona Book Award for Religion, the Nautilus Gold Award in Western Spirituality, and named one of the Best Spiritual Books of 2012 by Spirituality & Practice—positions Mirabai at the forefront of the emerging Interspiritual Movement. Her newest book is Caravan of No Despair: A Memoir of Loss and Transformation. She lives with her extended family in the mountains of northern New Mexico.