Ethan Persaud - Inner Transformation in St. Teresa of Avila

St. Teresa of Avila’s writing was one of the readings that we completed that led me to reflect most on personal growth and transformation. What stood out to me was the way she describes the soul as moving through different stages, almost like rooms that a person passes through over time. This made me think about how transformation rarely happens all at once in one big moment. It often comes back to a reflection point where you look back and see how far you’ve come over a given period of time, but that change didn’t happen at that point of reflection, but instead because of work that you have put in. During the semester, we discussed a lot about biotransformative experiences, moments that fundamentally change the trajectory of someone’s life. St. Teresa’s writing seems to focus on this exact process, more focused on it in a spiritual way. Growth happens layer by layer. A person moves through confusion, struggle, reflection and eventually clarity. Looking at it from a religious perspective, I come from a Hindu background and this idea reminded me of how we view incarnation. You spend your life building your dharma, your own spirituality. This is done through karmic actions, which people are more familiar with. You build “good” karma through performing dharmic actions throughout your lifetime, and when you pass away you are reincarnated into a different form. This form is dependent on your dharma from your previous life. Across lives, we work towards this end goal of moksha, liberation from the endless cycle of life and death. This is a process where you continue to grow over time, similar to what St. Teresa discussed, just from a different perspective. Additionally, this is relatable beyond the religious context because college itself has felt similar for me. Coming here has forced me to move through different stages of identity and self-understanding. I am definitely not the same person as when I first arrived. St. Teresa’s writing helped me understand that this growth is often gradual and sometimes difficult, but quite meaningful, something I hope to retain throughout the entirety of my four years here.