Teresa of Avila embraced practicality and aspiration on a vast scale as a brilliant administrator and shrewd businesswoman, earthy mystic and consummate diplomat - a conquistador of the spirit. She was also one of the founding figures of Spain's literary golden age. The vivid legacy she left of her experiences in prayer has made her an object of intense interest to psychologists of religion. Teresa is revealed as more than just a chronicler of paranormal states of consciousness; she emerges as a genuine theologian in her own right with a powerful contribution to make to contemporary understanding. Above all, Teresa is chiefly concerned with developing a model of Christian life as friendship with a God who abandons status and dignity for the sake of human beings. This work is an introduction to the life and writings of this influential woman. The author combines an account of Teresa's life and excerpts from her books and letters, with her own insights as a modern-day contemplative hermit and spiritual mother in the Carmelite tradition.