Tessa Bielecki 
Holy Daring 
The Earthy Mysticism of St. Teresa, the Wild Woman of Avila

This new edition of Holy Daring—revised and updated for new readers in honor of the 500th Anniversary of St. Teresa’s birth—will be an abiding source of inspiration to all who want a fuller, deeper, meaningful, and balanced life.

Tessa Bielecki shows how Teresa’s vibrant natural life was the foundation of her mystical one, rekindling St. Teresa’s outrageous spiritual impulse.

Зміст

Introduction: The Wild Woman of Avila


Chapter 1: Zest for Life

-Body and Soul

-Celebration

-Humor

-Emotional Vitality

-True and False Tears

-Earth, Exile, and Eternity


Chapter 2: Agony and Ecstasy

-Pay Now!

-The Ecstasy of Prayer

-Holy Sensuousness

-Vision of God

-Holy Madness, Martha and Mary

-Stealing Time

-Reclaiming Lost Time


Chapter 3: Spousal Prayer

-Erotic Energy

-Sublimation

-Mysticism of Neurosis

-The Song of Songs

-Breasts, Wine, and Kisses

-Puritanism and Promiscuity

-Obstacles to Divine Intimacy

-Madness and Reason

-Social Ramifications


Chapter 4: Love-Wounds and Service

-Generous Service

-The Freedom of Slavery

-Mystery of the Cross

-Deeper Meanings

-Swords of Sorrow, Swords of Joy

-Flaming Arrows

-Long to Die, Live to Serve


Chapter 5: Meeting the Beloved

-Preparation and Reading

-Meditation Practices

-From Meditation to Contemplation

-Time, Space, and Touchstones

-Jesus Christ or St. Teresa

-Authenticity and Intercession


Chapter 6: Celebrating Fast and Feast

-The Warrior Spirit

-Healthy Guidelines

-Natural and Organic

-Ten Spiritual Practices


Conclusion: Walking the Tightrope


Chronology of St. Teresa’s Life

Про автора

Tessa Bielecki: Tessa Beilecki is a former Carmelite monk who was a Mother Abbess for almost 40 years. She is the author of several critically acclaimed books on Teresa of Avila including ‘Teresa of Avila: Mystical Writings’ and ‘Teresa of Avila: Ecstasy and Common Sense’. She is currently co-director of the Desert Foundation and lives in a hermitage in Crestone, Colorado.

Adam Bucko: Adam Bucko is an activist, spiritual director to many of New York City’s homeless youth, and co-author of a new award-winning book called ‘Occupy Spirituality: A Radical Vision for a New Generation’.