Author

Books by Teresa of Ávila

Teresa of Ávila (1515–1582) was a Spanish Carmelite nun, mystic, and reformer who founded the Discalced Carmelite order and wrote extensively on contemplative prayer. Her major works include The Way of Perfection, The Interior Castle, and her autobiography The Life. She was declared a Doctor of the Church in 1970 — one of the first women to receive that designation. Her combination of practical organizational ability and deep mystical experience is unusual in the Western spiritual tradition, and her writings remain among the most influential accounts of contemplative prayer in any language.