Chapter 1
The Soul as Castle

Teresa reveals a fundamental pattern: most people live as strangers to their own capabilities. Like someone who inherits a mansion but camps in the front yard, we possess vast inner resources but never venture beyond surface-level existence. We know our basic functions—work, eat, sleep—but remain oblivious to the depths of wisdom, strength, and insight available within ourselves. This pattern operates through distraction and assumption. We assume we know ourselves because we know our routines, our preferences, our surface reactions. But Teresa shows how this surface knowledge actually prevents deeper exploration. The 'reptiles' of daily concerns—bills, gossip, immediate pleasures—keep us circling the outer courtyard. We mistake busyness for living, reaction for reflection. Like someone scrolling their phone while sitting next to an unopened treasure chest, we choose familiar distractions over unknown riches. This pattern appears everywhere today. The nurse who's worked the same unit for fifteen years but never explores what other skills she might have. The factory worker who complains about his job but never investigates what actually energizes him. The parent who knows every detail of their child's schedule but has never examined their own dreams. The person who can recite every celebrity scandal but can't name three things that bring them genuine peace. We live in our own lives like tourists, never becoming residents. When you recognize this pattern, start small but start somewhere. Teresa's 'prayer' translates to any practice of genuine self-reflection—journaling, walking without podcasts, asking yourself hard questions. Create space for internal exploration the same way you'd schedule a doctor's appointment. Notice when you're choosing distraction over depth. The key isn't dramatic transformation; it's consistent attention to your inner landscape. Ask: 'What room of myself haven't I visited lately?' When you can name the pattern—living as a stranger to your own potential—predict where it leads to stagnation and regret, and navigate it by creating space for self-exploration—that's amplified intelligence.