Let nothing trouble you.
Let nothing scare you.
All is fleeting.
God alone is unchanging.
Patience
Everything obtains.
Who possesses God
Nothing wants.
God alone suffices.
From The Collected Works of St. Teresa of Avila Volume Three translated by Kieran Kavanaugh and Otilio Rodriquez.
Saint Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer, known for her deep spiritual writings and visionary experiences. She played a key role in reforming the Carmelite order, emphasizing a return to simplicity, prayer, and contemplation. Her most famous works include The Interior Castle and The Way of Perfection, where she describes the soul’s journey toward divine union. A master of Christian mysticism, she wrote about deep states of prayer and the transformation of the soul through love. She was canonized a saint by the Roman Catholic church in 1622 for her profound spiritual insights.
“The important thing is not to think much but to love much and so do that which best stirs you to love. Love is not great delight but desire to please God in everything.”
Works of St. Teresa of Ávila
In 1566 she wrote Camino de perfeccion (Way of perfection), to tell the nuns how to reach their goal.
In 1580 she wrote what is considered her greatest work; the Castillo interior/ Las moradas (Interior castle/ The mansions) this involved describing the various stages of spiritual evolution leading to full prayer.
Between 1573-82 she wrote Las Fundaciones (Foundations), so they would remember the early history of their order.