Blog | Carmelite Spirituality
Those Pesky Reptiles
"Dear Sister, In the Interior Castle, St. Teresa talks about 'pesky reptiles' and other creatures. What exactly does she mean when she is saying these things?”
read moreCan a Lay Person Be a Carmelite?
Question: Can a layperson be a Carmelite, or is it only for those who are called to be priests, nuns, and sisters?
read moreDistractions During Prayer
Dear Sister, I have a hard time dealing with the silence that prayer requires. My mind never stops racing every time I sit down to pray. Is it possible to overcome this problem?
read moreHow Can I Get Out of My Patterns of Sin?
How can I deepen my relationship with God when I am stuck in patterns of sin that I can’t seem to break? I’ve asked this question to several people at different times, but I really can’t seem to figure this out or make any progress. I am really grieved over this.
read moreSilence & Solitude
Solitude is not an empty space, a void; it is an encounter with the God who loves us, a love-space where in the mystery of this encounter, so much awaits us.
read moreSometimes Prayer is So Frustrating
I really struggle to keep a consistent prayer time and to stay focused when I pray. Sometimes it is so frustrating that I just give up. I know this doesn't help but what can I do?
read moreSpiritually Stuck, Pt 1
I feel like I am stuck in mansion somewhere in mansion one or two. Is this normal? Where do most people get stuck in the journey through the mansions and is there any common way you can suggest that we get unstuck? Maybe I am just impatient. I feel like I should be growing but I am not.
read moreSpiritual Detachment
Dear Sister - I remember St. John of the Cross said that if a bird is tethered to the earth with a small string or a large rope, it won't fly. It doesn’t matter how significant the attachment, but any attachment will hinder our flight to God. So what is attachment?
read moreSpiritual Detachment, Pt 2
Attachments are often difficult for us to recognize or admit in ourselves. We can become quite adept at rationalization and transferring the responsibility for our situation on someone else or something else.
read moreJudging Others
Dear Sister - I have the bad habit of judging people. I would like to break the judgmental habit because it is related to my sin of gossiping. Do you have any advice?
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