The Interior Castle | Mansion 1: Self-Knowledge & Contemplation

The Interior Castle | Mansion 1: Self-Knowledge & Contemplation

Hi everyone! Welcome back to a new episode of A Little More Inspired. Today, I’m continuing my series on The Interior Castle and diving deeper into the teachings of St. Teresa of Avila. Mansion One is the beginning of the spiritual life, and like anything new, it is often the hardest part because it requires an immense amount of change and effort from us. Leaving behind a life of distraction is not easy, especially because the world, with all of its attractive things, constantly tries to pull us back into our old ways. This stage is also the beginning of grace, because even having the desire to think differently, seek God, and change your life is already God’s grace working within you. In this episode, we explore self-knowledge and contemplation, two things that must be worked together in balance throughout the spiritual journey. Self-knowledge is the art of honest self-examination. It is learning to look inward truthfully and take inventory of what is and is not working in our lives. But like anything, too much self-focus can eventually lead to paralysis if we are not also dedicating time to sit in God’s presence and allow Him to dwell within us. To move forward spiritually, we need both examination and contemplation: a healthy awareness of ourselves, and a deeper intimacy with God. Once we begin finding that balance, we slowly begin moving toward true spiritual transformation. So join me as we learn together, and as always, I hope you leave feeling a little more inspired. .... ✨ Stay Connected & Inspired! ✨ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alittlemoreinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://alittlemoreinspired.com/] 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alittlemoreinspired⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/alittlemoreinspired/] 📧 Email: alittlemoreinspired@gmail.com “music by penguinmusic - "Better Day from Pixabay”

The Interior Castle: Entering the Inner Courtyard of Mansion 1

Hi everyone 🤍 welcome back to A Little More Inspired. In this episode of my Interior Castle series by St. Teresa of Ávila, we begin moving inward—leaving the outer distractions of the world and stepping into the first areas of the soul. We talk about what it actually looks like to start the spiritual life, and why it often begins not with peace… but with discomfort. That feeling that something is missing? That quiet restlessness? That’s not random—it’s grace. In this episode, we explore: • why most people stay near the outer walls • how distraction, comparison, and attachment keep us there • the difference between venial and mortal sin (in a real, practical way) • how sin slowly distorts our perception and weakens the soul • and why God is not ranking us—but inviting us into deeper relationship We also talk about something really important— how fear-based teaching and shame can actually push people away from God, and what it looks like to understand sin from a place of clarity instead of fear. This episode is really about awareness. Understanding where we are, what is shaping us, and what it means to begin choosing a life that moves us closer to God. If you’ve ever felt like something is missing, or like you’re being called to something deeper… this is for you. I hope you enjoy this episode and leave feeling a little more inspired 🤍 .... ✨ Stay Connected & Inspired! ✨ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alittlemoreinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://alittlemoreinspired.com/] 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alittlemoreinspired⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/alittlemoreinspired/] 📧 Email: alittlemoreinspired@gmail.com “music by penguinmusic - "Better Day from Pixabay”

The Interior Castle: Introduction to The Soul & Mansions

Hi everyone! Welcome back to a new episode of A Little More Inspired. In this episode, I begin a beautiful journey with you as we explore the works of St. Teresa of Ávila, The Interior Castle. St. Teresa of Ávila is a Spanish Carmelite nun whose spiritual writings on contemplative prayer and the journey of the soul led her to become a Doctor of the Catholic Church. This Christian mystic’s profound spiritual experiences are still impactful today. I am starting a series on The Interior Castle, and I will dissect each mansion. The Interior Castle (1577) by St. Teresa of Ávila is a classic work of Christian spirituality that outlines the soul’s journey toward divine union, metaphorically described as traveling through seven nested “mansions” of a crystal castle. It serves as a guide for prayer, self-knowledge, and mystical transformation. In this first episode, I will be introducing you to the overall themes we will be exploring, an introduction to the human soul, and what to expect of the seven mansions that St. Teresa breaks down to explain the progress of the soul as it seeks its ultimate union with God. I hope you enjoy and leave feeling a little more inspired. Check-Out Biblical Fiction YT: wendigoon Dante's Paradiso & The 9 Levels of Heaven Explained [https://youtu.be/b__PdJegZTA?si=tmpKYU5YfpH-k00y] Dante's Inferno & The 9 Levels of Hell Explained [https://youtu.be/NGbuZ-65Qz8?si=sgUY4NVY7sfROvdJ] Dante's Purgatorio & The 9 Levels of Purgatory Explained [https://youtu.be/gCUFztOkrEU?si=ywr4BEBpkpEHOjX-] .... ✨ Stay Connected & Inspired! ✨ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alittlemoreinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://alittlemoreinspired.com/] 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alittlemoreinspired⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/alittlemoreinspired/] 📧 Email: alittlemoreinspired@gmail.com “music by penguinmusic - "Better Day from Pixabay”

Humility Part 2: Overcoming Pride Through Self-Knowledge

Welcome back to another episode of A Little More Inspired. In today’s episode, Part 2 of this humility series, I’m focusing on how pride is overcome through self-knowledge. We’ll explore why humility begins with truly knowing ourselves — our wounds, patterns, defenses, and the subtle ways pride can take root in our inner life. I also share more about my own desire to understand my heritage and where I come from, and how learning the truth of our personal and cultural history can be a powerful act of humility rather than shame. This episode looks at how pride often disguises itself as virtue, why we avoid looking inward, and how developing self-awareness — personally, spiritually, and historically — opens the door to real growth. Ultimately, this is about shifting from outward performance to inner transformation, and learning how humility begins when we choose truth over self-denial. I hope you leave feeling a little more inspired. .... ✨ Stay Connected & Inspired! ✨ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alittlemoreinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://alittlemoreinspired.com/] 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alittlemoreinspired⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/alittlemoreinspired/] 📧 Email: alittlemoreinspired@gmail.com “music by penguinmusic - "Better Day from Pixabay”

Humility of Heart: What is Humility & Pride?

Welcome back to another episode of A Little More Inspired. In this episode, I’m beginning a new series inspired by the book Humility of Heart by Fr. Cajetan Mary da Bergamo. This spiritual classic was written in the 1700s, yet its wisdom remains deeply relevant for anyone seeking to grow and deepen their spiritual life today. Many of the spiritual teachers I’ve learned from — and Jesus Himself — emphasize humility as the doorway to the soul and the foundation of true spiritual growth. As I continue exploring the seven mansions of the Interior Castle, I felt it was essential to also explore the virtue that makes progress along the spiritual path possible: humility. We cannot truly understand humility without also examining its opposing vice — pride. Pride is what led even angels to fall from heaven, so it’s no surprise that overcoming pride becomes a lifelong spiritual struggle for each of us. In this episode, I dive into what humility truly is, what pride really looks like (especially in its subtle forms), and why humility is essential for authentic spiritual development. I hope you leave this episode feeling a little more inspired. .... ✨ Stay Connected & Inspired! ✨ 🌐 Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠alittlemoreinspired.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://alittlemoreinspired.com/] 📸 Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@alittlemoreinspired⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ [https://www.instagram.com/alittlemoreinspired/] 📧 Email: alittlemoreinspired@gmail.com “music by penguinmusic - "Better Day from Pixabay”