St. Teresa's Nine Grades of Prayer

St. Teresa's Nine Grades of Prayer

Vocal Prayer: being attentive to the words one is saying and/or reading with focus on God, whom one is addressing.

Discursive Meditation: application of one's mind to spiritual truth; in order to penetrate it's meaning and carry it into practice.

Affective Mental Prayer: the operation of the will predominates over the intellect. A simplified meditation where love predominates.  Prayer becomes "the language of love."

Acquired Recollection: or the prayer of simplicity: a simple love or gaze on some Divine Object, whether it be the Crucifix, the Eucharist or the loving awareness of some Christian truth or mystery.  

Infused Recollection: the first degree of infused, mystical contemplation, a cooperation with God the Holy Spirit.  The other methods of prayer are abandoned to be present, an experience of God.

Prayer of Quiet: Captivated by divine love; the awareness of God's presence, the soul is filled with sweetness and joy. sometimes all the faculties are captivated (ecstasy).

Prayer of Simple Union: both the intellect and the will are captivated and occupied with God.

Prayer of Ecstatic Union: also  the "mystical espousal" or "conforming union." The Soul is centered on God alone.

Prayer of Transforming Union: also called the "mystical marriage" a prelude to the beatific life of glory and the most intimate union of the soul with God.  Transformation of the soul into it's Beloved...

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