Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul

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Entering the Castle: An Inner Path to God and Your Soul

4.02 of 5 stars 4.02 · rating details · 548 ratings · 56 reviews

Internationally renowned motivational teacher, spiritual instructor, and popular theologian Caroline Myss has created a transcendent work of unique insight and revelation in Entering the Castle. This exciting new teaching of contemporary mysticism is also a brilliant synthesis of the psychology of consciousness and of Eastern and Western mystical traditions. Myss provides...more Internationally renowned motivational teacher, spiritual instructor, and popular theologian Caroline Myss has created a transcendent work of unique insight and revelation in Entering the Castle. This exciting new teaching of contemporary mysticism is also a brilliant synthesis of the psychology of consciousness and of Eastern and Western mystical traditions. Myss provides a highly original inner path to self-knowledge -- which is also the road into a spiritual knowledge of God and your own soul -- as she reveals a necessary external path, one that takes you out into the world to serve God and others as a mystic without a monastery -- without having to retreat into total silence, self-denial, or isolation.

As her main template for this extraordinary, modern spiritual journey, Myss uses the beloved, revered writings of The Interior Castle by Teresa of Ávila. Adapting Teresa's vision of the soul as a beautiful crystal castle with many floors, or mansions, and many rooms within those mansions, Myss guides us from room to room, helping us meet different aspects of our self, our soul, and our spirit -- preparing us for the ultimate encounter with God and our own divinity. Through intense practices and methods of spiritual inquiry adapted for contemporary life, she helps us to develop our personal powers of prayer, contemplation, and intuition and to ascend the seven levels of soul knowledge that build an ever stronger interior castle of our own -- a soul of strength and stamina.

As in all her books, Myss also recounts stories of profoundly moving real-life experiences -- of her own, as well as of her students and of renowned spiritual figures -- that bring home the universal truth of her insights. Presiding over the entire book and journey are the great mystics, ancient and contemporary, of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, and Hinduism with their inspiring lives and discerning spirits. And over all, the benevolence, truth, and gentle and tough love of Teresa of Ávila shine through.

Doubtless Myss's most deeply personal, revealing, compassionate, and transforming book yet, Entering the Castle is a comprehensive guidebook for the journey of your life -- a journey into the center of your soul. There, peace, God, and a fearless bliss wait for you to discover them...and claim them for your own.(less)

ebook, 400 pages

Published March 6th 2007 by Atria Books (first published March 1st 2007)

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Jan 23, 2011 Christy marked it as to-read · review of another edition

Oliver DeMille say this about this book and I wanted to take note of it for when I read it:

"This path to the divine is similar to Joseph Campbell's classic Path of the Hero, but with powerful differences, nuances, twists and turns. It is very different than the success path taught by school counselors and career guidance experts. Those familiar with Campbell will find it familiar but brand new; and those who haven't read Campbell will likely find the discovery of this path an epiphany.

My favori...more

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Oct 29, 2010 Kyra rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: woo-to-skip

Caroline Myss, author of such books as Anatomy of Spirit and Why People Don't Heal, brings us a very different part of the metaphysical world. For this book, she discusses the work of Theresa of Avila, with whom she alleges she communicated with while she was writing the book. Dubious as it may sound, it is all the rage within the New Age community right now with Esther and Jerry Hicks' Abraham making communicating with the nonphysical all the more popular (though do not be mistaken. Myss does n...more Caroline Myss, author of such books as Anatomy of Spirit and Why People Don't Heal, brings us a very different part of the metaphysical world. For this book, she discusses the work of Theresa of Avila, with whom she alleges she communicated with while she was writing the book. Dubious as it may sound, it is all the rage within the New Age community right now with Esther and Jerry Hicks' Abraham making communicating with the nonphysical all the more popular (though do not be mistaken. Myss does not endorse the Hicks' work). Yes, once an authority of Chakras and touting a PhD in Energy Medicine (which has surprisingly disappeared since the unaccredited nature of her doctorate program was discovered), now Myss has moved on to demonstrating the power of prayer to the masses.

There is enough spiritual work in this book to last you a lifetime, but do not be so eager to hop on board. Myss makes it clear that even if you do all this material, you still may not feel the grace of God. In fact, you may not even receive that healing you so desire. She explains that the world of healing is irrational and asks you to leave behind critical thinking and to exchange it with irrational thought. And even if you surrender completely to this irrational thought, God may very well not bestow his grace upon you. So what's the perk of following this? Beats me. But, if you are in the mood to be talked down to by someone who believes they are higher than thou and preached to about all the things you are doing wrong in your life, this is a must.

Though, I must be honest, I am more than skeptical of Myss' abilities. I emailed her in regards to the buzz about her alleged 93% accuracy rate in diagnosing illness. I have never heard back from any of her people about this. Watch her on youtube and it is clear that there is nothing enlightened about her. She exhibits every flaw that she would so readily hop on you about, so be wary of her words and do not be so willing to throw yourself down this rabbit hole.(less)

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Jan 01, 2010 Kimberly Cain rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, religion, metaphysical, self-awareness, spirituality

I listened to the audio book, then purchased the print version to keep as a reference. Myss goes to the heart of what I believe to be the most important issue faced by human beings in our quest for happiness & healing - & that is forgiveness.

This is very deep stuff. I've said elsewhere that Myss is hard core. She makes no apologies for the fact that she has little regard for whiners! I find it humorous & at the same time, I appreciate her for it. I think this can be very helpful to t...more

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May 01, 2013 Don Weidinger rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

belongs to all traditions, cosmic mystic, 7rooms levels, Merton, John of Cross, cannot get to soul via intellect, self indulgence is narcissism, self vs soul, true path to humility castle as soul, be humble and brave, intuitive vs reason, power of prayerful spirits, 1st step purification via elimination reptiles and more more, how to be channel for grace via humility, one with soul, fear of humiliation, with truth may be chaos and unfamiliar space with God, 2nd is discernment called to be contai...more

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Sep 12, 2011 Elyse rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have many thoughts about "Entering The Castle". I could write a book about this book! lol

I respect Carolyn Myss. --- However--I think she is 'off' the mark in her approach with this topic - in the 2nd half of her book. She is 'not' a therapist. Myss asks 'too much' of the reader --- being too serious about her own topic/style in which things must be done *devoted* to discover your soul...
--too many rules about 'how-to-do' each room in the Castle. Who voted Myss Queen on Mystic teachings? (She'...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Mark rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It takes 100 pages before you enter the first mansion. Some of the material in the beginning is important, but I'm sorry, I just could not connect with the author's own personal experiences. Some of them just sounded to "new age" to me. Superficial is the word that comes to mind although I do not want to to discredit the author's experiences.[return][return]The author brings up a good point about the need for deeply spiritual people in the world. The author uses the term "monks without monasteri...more It takes 100 pages before you enter the first mansion. Some of the material in the beginning is important, but I'm sorry, I just could not connect with the author's own personal experiences. Some of them just sounded to "new age" to me. Superficial is the word that comes to mind although I do not want to to discredit the author's experiences.[return][return]The author brings up a good point about the need for deeply spiritual people in the world. The author uses the term "monks without monasteries". It is a catchy phrase, but it confuses the purposes of different vocations. Both vocations call for personal sacrifices (a word not much used in this book), but they are directed toward different goals. The author belittles, or does not recognize the secondary function of monasteries as a conveyor belt to drive and supplement, to support and re-energize the spirituality of those working in the world. (The primary function of monasteries is beyond the book and this book review.)[return][return]It seems like the author is specifically looking for some kind of extraordinary experience of God. We all are. But St. John of the Cross and even St. Teresa of Avila herself, along with many other genuine mystics, urge not to seek, or even hope for, these kinds of *extraordinary* experiences. Although they can and do reinforce faith, they become distractions and obstacles for "the one thing necessary"--to love God for God, not for God's consolations and gifts.[return][return]There was also an alarming tone of lack of poverty of spirit throughout the book. The author waits too late to address humility in the book, and then it was a bit shallow. The author treats it almost as a drawback or turnoff to reading any further in the book. In too many places I wrote in the margin, "What about grace?" (One definition of grace, avoiding much Christian connotation, is the gift to see old things in a new way. It is a gift and not something that can be self-manufactured.) The author makes it sound like *you* yourself are responsible for working your way through all the mansions of the castle. Yes, the first couple mansions require *work* on your part, but even through these, God is still doing the *real work*. You have to show up and choose to cooperate. Yes, you have to do your homework, but only grace (energy, power, or whatever term one uses) from God will empower you to do so, not your own volition. Without sincere, deep, and total humility, St. Teresa said that it is impossible to progress through the mansions regardless of how much one wants. (Read Johannes Baptist Metz's small book, [[ASIN:0809137992 Poverty of Spirit]] if you really want to understand humility and realize/live true poverty of spirit.)[return][return]In a spirit of ecumenical/all-faiths dialog, the author has sacrificed the beauty and depth of St. Teresa's original, albeit Christian, metaphors and symbols. The author decides to use the word "reptiles" instead of St. Teresa's word "snakes" for evils and worldly temptations. The word "love", although loaded with connotations, seems to be used very sparingly by the author. St. Teresa's word for God, the object of her total desire and commitment, was her "Beloved". This one missing word makes entering the Interior Castle more of an abstraction or exercise of improving ones self-esteem instead of the infinitely more personal and real seeking union with God.[return][return]The questions the author asks within each mansions do assist one along the proper path as outlined by St. Teresa. One should be aware that there are many other questions (and rooms) within each mansion that have not *yet* been explored by the book. It is also important to remember that it is not a sequential, linear progression as the author notes.[return][return]The detailed imagery the author uses to describe each room and mansion may help many people, but remember the whole idea of the Interior Castle was to be a metaphor/symbol for the *real* journey. Each room and mansion is just a signpost to where you are suppose to go, to some place to visit within. Do not get attached to the signposts, to the imagery of symbols and metaphors. Since St. Teresa was an apophatic mystic, all of the words and imagery themselves will eventually have to be left behind any way in order to seek union with the God above all concepts.[return][return]If this book gives you some insight, great. But I recommend reading the original from St. Teresa. Although this author adds much helpful psychology (which is different in many ways than spirituality), too much is lost and sacrificed in the translation.(less)

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Nov 18, 2012 David Teachout rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: spiritual

St. Teresa was declared to have been a doctor of the Catholic church, as such her words were considered on par with doctrine. For someone to look upon her work and declare it to be mystical in the sense of a modern declaration of one's union with the cosmos would be to treat such with nothing short of intellectual dishonesty and for no other purpose than personal self-deluded promotion. Clearly Myss has no problem with this, nor does she have any issue with misrepresenting so many others' though...more

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Apr 26, 2008 Laurie Hanan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Definitely tops all of her other books, at least for me. In fact, this may be the best book I have ever read, as far as the effect it had on me. My favorite quote: "It takes great courage to look for God. It takes far greater courage to find God." When you truly find God, you will understand the meaning of this quote. To invite God to take over your life is to invoke Divine Chaos into your life. If you are not ready for this type of spiritual upheaval, don't enter the Castle.

I was excited when...more

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May 19, 2010 Jme rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you prefer to stay unconscious, do not pick up this book. The spiritual language alone will not just rustle your soul gently out of a slumber, it will roar it to life in a way from which there is no return.

To accept the challenge of becoming a modern mystic is compelling, frightening, and once accepted, there is no way back--none-only cognitive and spiritual dissonance.
Read this one with someone you love and people who are seeking an authentic life.

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Sep 29, 2011 Meredith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have this book on CD and listened to instead of reading it. St. Teresa of Avila was an amazing mystic. Her way of describing the intricacies of the castle of the inner world are very advanced considering the time period she was writing in, the inquisition (I believe). She is someone Caroline Myss relates to and connected with on a deep level and the insight she shares in this book of Teresa's ideas are very helpful to those wanting to cultivate Sacredness in their life.

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Sep 26, 2011 Michael Graber added it · review of another edition

Using Teresa of Avila's Interior Castle as a guide, Entering the Castle is a both a field guide and workbook for the most intense and rigorous seekers. Casual readers will throw this book away, as its intent is not to entertain, but to enlighten. If having soul stamina and being a mystic without a monastery are your life goals, enter the castle. Otherwise, go watch TV. This is an amazingly thorough guide into the interior life and its barriers.

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Aug 05, 2011 Elena Salazar rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

...lo pongo en stand by...es una sintesis mas bien de las tradiciones Occidentales con algunas menciones a las Orientales. La verdad no es para mi. No quiero decir con esto que a otras personas les llegue a gustar mucho.

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Jul 14, 2011 Debbie Hoskins rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was my first introduction to Caroline Myss. I did find this very helpful. She has a tough love approach to spirituality. Because of this book, I was able to delve into Sacred Contracts.

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Apr 07, 2007 Susan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Those who are searching for inner connections

See my discussion.
1st section
What humility Is

graciousness
looking in the mirror to see/accept ourselves as we truly are
personal power
equality
internal strength
wisdom
compassion
centeredness
quietness
generosity
rest (confidence)
fearlessness
gratitude
service to others
surrendering

What humility is not

groveling
"poor me"
being lesser than
martyrdom
accepting others'mistaken opinions of us
fear
shrinking away from joy
timidity, mousiness, and giving up
having nothing to give
inconfidence/inequality/smalln...more

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Oct 02, 2012 April added it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-didn-t-finish

When I started this book I was too spiritually immature to get through it. Now that I've growned a bit I would like to give it another go at some point....maybe.

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Oct 28, 2009 Gayle Giles rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book is deep make sure you have read alot of her other books first to understand it, I wasn't quite ready but I will go back because I value her knowledge.

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Nov 02, 2012 Karen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I ended up scanning most of this book. It seems overly complicated. There are some good concepts, but she takes so long to describe them that I got bored. I think it might be a good introductory book, but a lot of the ideas were so well known to me that I wasn't really into it.

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Apr 25, 2011 Keli Wright rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

parts of this book were very insightful and made me think parts were just plain silly and I don't need to be told how or what to say when I pray!!!

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Apr 18, 2012 Carrie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is an awesome book but it needs to be read with conviction ;-) It requires commitment, hard work and sincerity to make it through.

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Jul 17, 2011 Susan is currently reading it · review of another edition

Working my way through this book. Go back to the beginning often and there is a different level to what you have read before.

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Dec 10, 2009 Sally Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: myss

I put this off and now that I have begun I know it is the wonderful book I have been told it will be.

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Jun 09, 2012 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spiritual-healing

I have always enjoyed reading about the mystics and St. Teresa of Avila is one of my favorites.

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Apr 22, 2013 Beth E rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: spiritual, non-fiction

Fantastic visualization for the process of coming clean with your own thoughts, your own needs, etc in order to be ready for the journey ahead: a channel for Grace in this world. The need for lots of personal work is a continuing and honest theme supported by many of the world faiths. And as always, Caroline does a great job of holding your feet to the fire, of making you own what is yours, of not letting you off easy, and not telling you this will be an easy process. But the reward is beautiful...more

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May 30, 2012 Aggie rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A friend had recommended this to me but I seem to be in a different place than when I read Myss' work 20 years ago.... didn't really enjoy it. Didn't make me feel like it was anything that I was drawn to

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Oct 26, 2011 Elizabeth Olson rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2010, re-read, som-206, spiritual, read-2011

Only Caroline Myss could have written this elegant, fierce, and practical guide to exploring St. Teresa of Avila's 'Interior Castle.' Myss combines intellect and deep scholarly research with clear and spirit-filled prose to give students unfamiliar with St. Teresa enough background for context, then takes them through exercises and meditations through the rooms of the Castle in order to meet and work with their soul. The result is rich and will reward those who choose to spend time working throu...more

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Jan 28, 2009 Sarah Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is so great! I have done some of the exercises....

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Apr 17, 2011 Yvan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Deeply insightful. Forces to address all of our shadows

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May 21, 2009 Chris H. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

More like a modern retreat or contempletive text.

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Jan 15, 2011 Emily added it · review of another edition

Shelves: abandoned, spirituality

I'm just not a Caroline Myss fan.

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Jul 26, 2009 Jody is currently reading it · review of another edition

Caroline, my soul thanks you.

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About Caroline Myss

Caroline Myss was born on December 2, 1952 in Chicago, and grew up with her parents, and two brothers, one elder and one younger, in the Melrose Park, Illinois neighbourhood near Chicago. Caroline was raised a Catholic, and attended the Mother Guerin High School, River Grove, Illinois, run by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in journal...more Caroline Myss was born on December 2, 1952 in Chicago, and grew up with her parents, and two brothers, one elder and one younger, in the Melrose Park, Illinois neighbourhood near Chicago. Caroline was raised a Catholic, and attended the Mother Guerin High School, River Grove, Illinois, run by the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She completed her Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism from the Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana in 1974, and started her career in journalism in Chicago.

In the course of her career, she interviewed Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, M.D., the author of the famous book, On Death and Dying, which inspired her to pursue a Master's degree in theology from Mundelein College, Chicago, which she completed in 1979. She also claims to hold a Ph.D in "intuition and energy medicine", but the degree was granted by Greenwich University, a now-defunct correspondence school that was never accredited to deliver higher education awards by any recognized government accreditation authority.

She started giving medical intuitive readings in 1982 and co-founded a small New Age publishing company, Stillpoint Publishing in Walpole, New Hampshire, where she also worked as an editor in 1983, next she began consulting with holistic doctors, which in 1984, led to her extensive collaboration with Dr. Norman Shealy, an M.D. schooled at Harvard, and the founder of the American Holistic Medical Association, with whom she later co-authored, "Aids: Passageway to Transformation," in 1987, followed by "The Creation of Health: The Emotional, Psychological, and Spiritual Responses that Promote Health and Healing," in 1988. Deriving from her practice as a medical intuitive, she started writing books, in the field of energy medicine, and healing, all of which became New York Times Best Sellers.[18] Starting with Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing (1996), which overlapped seven Christian sacraments with seven Hindu chakras and the Kabbalah's Tree of Life to create a map of the human "energy anatomy"; this was followed by Why People Don't Heal and How They Can (1998), which explored the reasons people do not heal through her concept of "woundology." Her next book, Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential (2002) dealt with the issue of finding "Life Purpose," while describing Sacred Contracts as "a set of assignments that our soul had formed around before incarnation". She has since appeared on the The Oprah Winfrey Show numerous times.

By 2000, she discontinued doing private medical intuitive readings, and instead started teaching it, through her workshops, seminars, radio shows and guided tours. She tours internationally as a speaker on spirituality and mysticism, and lives in Oak Park, Illinois, near Chicago. In 2003, she started the Caroline Myss Educational Institute, with Wisdom University in San Francisco.

Her 2007 book, "Entering the Castle" draws upon the writings of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a 16th century Carmelite nun, who wrote her most important work, The Interior Castle, towards the end of her life.(less)

More about Caroline Myss...

Books by Caroline Myss

Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing

Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential

Why People Don't Heal and How They Can: A Practical Programme for Healing Body, Mind and Spirit

Invisible Acts of Power: Channeling Grace in Your Everyday Life

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