The Ecstasy of St. Theresa

I was baptized and confirmed in the Roman Catholic Church. Recently as I have struggled with my beliefs in reiki and other teachings outside the Church such as kundalini, I realized my saint through confirmation is St. Theresa the Little Flower. How I came to pick this saint I don't really recall, I believe I remember being drawn in with her simple nature and her mystical love for Christ. I am grateful that I chose this saint because she now represents more to me at the age of 33 then she did at the age of 14 when i was confirmed.

Interestingly, many Christians consider Catholics to be of Satan. So this blog will mean nothing to them. And even more interesting is the Church itself would discourage me making the connections I am about to speak of. Or I guess you could say the metaphorical nature of the comparisons I am about to make would probably be laughed at. That's ok. I now know the Catholic Church holds great wisdom and I love the Church, but I do not love its government. Many times in history the Church has condemned people that they now consider saints!

Today I was at mass and again during the Eucharistic prayers felt my hands become very hot. I know this is reiki and its Gods way of showing me that reiki is a gift not a demonic force. I began to think about St Theresa. I would like to include here some of her writings. I will make no commentary. I will only say that much of this sounds like kundalini. What are your thoughts?

St. Theresa speaking on her moments of "ecstasy"

"... Beside me, on the left hand, appeared an angel in bodily form... He was not tall but short, and very beautiful; and his face was so aflame that he appeared to be one of the highest rank of angels, who seem to be all on fire... In his hands I saw a great golden spear, and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times ... and left me utterly consumed by the great love of God. The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease, nor is one's soul then content with anything but God. This is not a physical, but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it-even a considerable share ..."

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa is considered by many as the apogee of Bernini's oeuvre and is notable for the following qualities;

Bernini's St. Theresa is often described as a gesamtkunstwerk (a German word meaning "total work of art") for the artist's incorporation of a variety of elements: sculpture, painting, and lighting effects all presented in a theatrical setting.

The Ecstasy of St. Theresa is not just a sculpture, but a total environment: Bernini designed the entire chapel, creating a veritable stage set complete with sculpted audience members.

Eroticism: 
Although some art historians insist that Bernini could not possibly have intended to imbue this subject with an erotic energy, as that would have been inconceivably heretical for that time, in reality the concupiscent implications of this work are unmistakable: the beautiful, bare-chested young angel gently opens Theresa's dress, preparing to penetrate her with his arrow, while the saint throws back her head with an expression of ecstasy.

The sensuality of the piece is directly inspired by St. Theresa's own writings!

http://www.artble.com/artists/gian_lorenzo_bernini/sculpture/the_ecstasy_of_saint_theresa

She claimed that during her illness she rose from the lowest stage, "recollection", to the "devotions of silence" or even to the "devotions of ecstasy", which was one of perfect union with God. During this final stage, she said she frequently experienced a rich "blessing of tears." As the Catholic distinction between mortal and venial sin became clear to her, she says she came to understand the awful terror of sin and the inherent nature of original sin. She also became conscious of her own natural impotence in confronting sin, and the necessity of absolute subjection to God.

Around 1556, various friends suggested that her newfound knowledge was diabolical, not divine. How sad.

"Let nothing disturb you.

Let nothing make you afraid.

All things are passing.

God alone never changes.

Patience gains all things.

If you have God you will want for nothing.

          God alone suffices." ~ St Theresa

"It is love alone that gives worth to all things." - St. Teresa of Avila

"Christ has no body but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

Compassion on this world,

Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,

Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.

Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,

Yours are the eyes, you are his body.

Christ has no body now but yours,

No hands, no feet on earth but yours,

Yours are the eyes with which he looks

compassion on this world.

Christ has no body now on earth but yours."

~ Teresa of Ávila

In Love and Healing, Amy