藉著教會慶祝大德蘭誕生500週年，筆者在這篇文章中以歷史的角度介紹加爾默羅在台創立隱修院的過程，探討隱修精神和默觀聖召的精髓，藉以研究聖女大德蘭《靈心城堡》這本靈修經典之作的神秘經驗。聖女把靈修生活的旅程，描寫為行經一座城堡裡各個不同的住所，第一階段的第一至第三重住所，代表基督徒在靈修生活中自己所能努力做到善功。第二階段第四至第七重住所，則代表靈修生活中非自己所能掌控的神秘體驗，也就是唯有天主能帶領基督徒達到與祂親密結合的境界。梵二大公會議的教會憲章強調「眾人都蒙召成聖」，就是耶穌在福音當中曾說：「你們應當是成全的，如同你們的天父是成全的一樣。」（瑪五，48）

In the context of the celebrations marking the fifth centenary of the birth of St Teresa of Avila, this article outlines the history of the Carmelite presence in Taiwan, the spirituality of the Order and the vocation to the contemplative life. This leads into a study of the mystical experience of St Teresa set out in her classic ＂The Interior Castle＂. St Teresa decribes the spiritual life in terms of investigating the various rooms within a castle. The first three rooms belong to the first stage where the soul must make an effort to do right. Rooms four to seven describe mystical experiences where the soul is not able to grasp things by itself. Here only God can lead the soul into intimate union with Himself. We are all called to reach this state of perfection. The universal call to holiness emphasized in the Pastoral Constitution of the Church (Vatican II) reflects Jesus' injunction in the Gospel: ＂Be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.＂ (Mt 5: 48)