As mentioned in an earlier blog, we use the book by Caroly Myss, Enter the Castle, which is inspired by Teresa of Avila, who views the Soul as a castle with seven mansions and much soul work to help our evolution.
The soul is our divine essence, a masterpiece of divinity in miniatures and this soul castle represents our deep inner consciousness. It’s an inner sanctum to gather the strength, clarity and stability to access sublime divine guidance, says Myss. As we journey into the Castle, we grow to understand the meaning and purpose of our lives. We build soul stamina and endurance.
According to Myss, the reason we have descended into physical life is to unleash the power of our soul upon Earth, and we can strengthen it.
In the lower three mansions, we work to clear our soul of what Myss calls “reptiles,” those interior sufferings of mind, heart and spirit. These are attachments to the physical world that bring pain, distraction, and haunt our thoughts and feelings. They need to be faced and expelled, which is not easy.
Reptiles can be hatred, jealousy, envy, vengeance, arrogance, dishonesty, vanity, guilt, memories of abuse, inability to forgive, addictions and more. It takes a boot camp of disciplined soul work to expel these venomous, slithering reptiles before we can move along. In the Fourth Mansion, we are purified enough to stretch our soul -- to become a divine container of love.
Traveling through the fifth, sixth and seventh mansions successfully brings us to fearless bliss, united with divine enlightenment.
Quite a journey.
Along the way we encounter Chaos. This may be Divine Chaos, such as a health challenge, death of loved one, earthly disasters or other traumatic events which bring new decisions and directions to our soul’s journey.
For example, a bout with breast cancer twenty years ago prompted my spiritual quest. I found this Center, and never left. Without the chaos and emotional turmoil of that health challenge, which of course I didn’t want, I wouldn’t be here today.
Chaos can also be self-created...to avoid confronting an unpleasant truth. As we examine our actions, reactions, personal choices and motivations, we become aware of how we create chaos to distract ourselves, to cloud reason and create confusion. Perhaps we’re attached to an addiction, and blow up in anger if someone suggests we give it up.
As we examine our attachments, we can ask: "What power do they have over me?
How can I get free? How might it change me to detach?"
A First Mansion challenge is to go through the door of humility. This is not humiliation -- that assault on our self esteem when someone demeans us. No, this is being humble, detached from the need for praise, or approval or the need to win. It’s listening for divine guidance and following it.
We detach, as Myss says, from everyday “earthbound madness.” As we liberate ourselves from the fear of humiliation we can live a “wildly free life.”
I’d like that. Wouldn’t you? And so it is.
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