The view of the Christian asceticism and its significance for spiritual life by St. Teresa of Jesus

The purpose of the work is to introduce the conception of the Christian asceticism and its significance for spiritual life by St. Teresa of Jesus. The work is defined by three main writings of St. Teresa: The Book of Life, The Way of Perfection and The Internal Castle. The subject analysis is the Teresa's life, intellectual reflection and her specific advices. The following areas structure the scheme of the work: Teresa's ascetic formation, ascetic reform program and Teresean asceticism prayer. The differentiation of active and passive asceticism and its presence in her writings has been established as the theoretical base of the whole work. This methodology is used to analyse Teresa's expressions of spiritual life and her science. The ascetic formation is followed in her two living stages, firstly before entering the Monastery of the Incarnation and then at the Monastery of the Incarnation. The ascetic program of reform presents Teresean triada which includes love of neighbour, detachment and humility. The last part of the work deals with Teresean asceticism prayer, where the basic aspects of her prayer are introduced. The ascetic stages of the prayer have been investigated within the scope of schemes placed at her writings, The Internal Castle and The Book of Life, Keywords Asceticism, active,..