“Along this path of prayer, self knowledge and the thought of one’s sins is the bread with which all palates must be fed no matter how delicate they may be; they cannot be sustained without this bread.  It must be eaten within bounds, nonetheless.  Once a soul sees that it is now submissive and understands clearly that it has nothing good of itself and is aware of being ashamed before so great a King and of repaying so little of the great amount it owes Him- what need is there to waste time there?  We must go on to other things that the Lord places before us, and there is no reason to leave them aside, for His Majesty knows better than we what is fitting for us to eat…

And if we are able we should occupy ourselves in looking at Christ who is looking at us, and we should speak, and petition, and humble ourselves, and delight in the Lord’s presence, and remember that we are unworthy of being there.”

– Saint Teresa of Avila, The Life, Chapter 13