Second Mansion — The Practice of Prayer

The second mansion is the soul that has begun to practice prayer but finds it agonizing — the world still calls loudly, and the interior silence feels empty. Teresa describes this as hearing God's voice through sermons, books, and suffering, but being unable to sustain attention. Hex 5 (Waiting/Nourishment) resonates: clouds gather but rain has not yet fallen. The hexagram counsels patience and sincerity in the face of a danger that cannot yet be crossed. Both describe the same spiritual topology — the practitioner who has committed to the path but has not yet received its fruit. The I-Ching says 'it furthers one to cross the great water'; Teresa says press forward despite the aridity. Neither promises comfort, only necessity.

Cross-Tradition Resonances