DISTRACTIONS IN PRAYER: BLESSING OR CURSE?
St. Teresa of Avila’s Teachings in The Interior Castle

“A great deal of commentary has been written on this archetypal work of Teresa’s, but no one has approached the work as Sister Vilma does. If we have read The Interior Castle before, we will read it now as though it is an entirely new book. Sister Vilma takes us through the castle from the viewpoint of our distractions. Distractions are, after all, the major problem in anyone’s prayer, and this is why it is so important to have a commentator of the author’s depth guide us through Teresa’s castle from this one perspective: distractions, their meaning for us in our spiritual lives. It is Sister Vilma’s conviction that Teresa’s insights to the dwelling places of the soul alert us to the meaning of our distractions. As we reflect with her, we begin to see how instead of being a curse, our distractions are a blessing, a visitation from God. Journeying again through the castle and looking at distractions and their meaning through this prism of the seven dwelling places, we will listen with fresh insight to the voices of these distractions and will then even learn to welcome them as integral to God’s transforming process.” – Kieran Kavanaugh, ocd

About the Author: Vilma Seelaus, ocd, is a nun of the Carmelite monastery in Barrington, Rhode Island, where she has served as prioress and formation directress. A member of the Carmelite Forum, she is known for her insightful lectures at their annual meeting. A participant in many inter-denominational monastic gatherings, she has been in constant dialogue with a broad spectrum of contemplative nuns and served two terms as President of “The Association of Contemplative Sisters.” As a author, her interest is to offer a contemporary understanding of the presence of God in human life with a focus on the interface between psychological and spiritual realities. A number of her audio tapes on spirituality have been published by Alba House and she has also contributed articles to Spiritual Life, Review for Religious, Mystics Quarterly, Living Prayer, Anima, and The Way.