S p i r i t ua l i t y S t u d i e s 7 - 1 S p r i n g 2 0 2 1 1 1 Slavomír Gálik Tab 1. Comparative Chart of St. Teresa of Ávila and Rōshi Jiyu-Kennett Based on Hermeneutical Approach Teresa of Ávila Jiyu-Kennett Religion Christianity Buddhism Spiritual Tradition Carmelite spirituality Zen Buddhist spirituality Goal (general) I. salvation of the soul awakening Goal (concrete) II. spiritual marriage (Lat. unio) insight into one’s nature Method I. prayer meditation Method II. interpersonal relationship human–God intrapersonality Method III. emphasis on God’s mercy emphasis on one’s own effort Accompanying Actions I. soul purification (Lat. purificatio) emptying, purification of the mind Accompanying Actions II. illumination (Lat. illuminatio) development of subtle energies Accompanying Actions III. mystical death – metaphor silkworm turning into butterfly death moment in the course of developing subtle energies – Āgyā chakra 3.2 Comparation Based on Subtle Energies 3.2.1 St. Teresa of Ávila We anticipate existence of subtle energies (Kundalinī and chakras) in the spirituality of Teresa of Ávila thanks to her description of accompanying mystical occurrence in her prime writing, the Interior Castle. Here she writes about seven stages of prayer that developed throughout her spiritual life. The first three mansions serve for cleansing of the soul, one cannot really notice any subtle energies. However, St Teresa of Ávila explicitly mentions “celestial waters” flowing from the very center of her being. Teresa says (Teresa 1921, 39, 44): “Henceforth they begin to be supernatural and it will be most difficult to speak clearly about them … the dilation begun by the celestial waters in the depths of our being. They appear to dilate and enlarge us internally.” We agree with Tsoukatos (2011, 153), who claims that the symbol of water in St. Teresa’s spiritual learning means a vehicle for prayer and, we could add, also higher mystical degrees. Further, St. Teresa (1921, 44) speaks of fire, warmth and pleasant smell that is filling her body: “Although the spirit neither sees the flame nor knows where it is, yet it is penetrated by the warmth and scented fumes which are sometimes perceived even by the body.” This is quite similar to the description of Kundalinī energies, mentioned in Eastern traditions, especially in yoga. Margaret South (South 2001, 178), too, thinks that this metaphor description corresponds to Kundalinī energies and chakras in yoga: “In her writings, often using the metaphor ‘fire,’ St. Teresa of Ávila describes the arousal of an energy from below that rises upwards in a way analogous to the descriptions found in Eastern texts on Kundalini arousal.” The Fifths mansion is where we see a change in St. Tereza’s spirituality, she metaphorically speaks about a silkworm turning into a butterfly, this is also called mystical death. St. Teresa interprets this transformation in these words (Teresa
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