--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Souls who do not practice prayer are like…" description: "\"Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.\" — Teresa of Avila" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg" --- # Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose… ![“Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.” quote by Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg) > “Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.” [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Spiritual neglect leaves a person helpless, as if their body cannot move. **In simple terms:** Without prayer, we are spiritually paralyzed. Key Takeaway Cultivate regular prayer to stay spiritually active. Themes spirituality discipline inner strength Mood reflective hopeful Type inspirational philosophical When to use this quote - daily meditation - times crisis - recovering from addiction - seeking purpose Key Concepts prayer faith inner life Questions to Reflect On - How does prayer change your inner response to hardship? - What practices complement prayer for holistic health? A Different Perspective Prayer alone does not solve external problems; action is also needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls. They will practice Indian yoga and all its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/people-will-do-anything-no-matter-how-absurd-in-order-to-avoid-facing/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) > [I don't know what heavy penance could have come to mind that frequently I would not have gladly undertaken rather than recollect myself in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-don-t-know-what-heavy-penance-could-have-come-to-mind-that/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Souls without prayer are like bodies, palsied and lame, having hands and feet they cannot use.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/souls-without-prayer-are-like-bodies-palsied-and-lame-having-hands/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [God Loves you and wants the best for you. Keep Faith in Him when things arent going how you want them to. Practice prayer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-loves-you-and-wants-the-best-for-you-keep-faith-in-him-when/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [... so our customary practice of prayer was brought to mind: how through our ignorance and inexperience in the ways of love we spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-of-norwich/so-our-customary-practice-of-prayer-was-brought-to-mind-how-through/) [Julian of Norwich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-of-norwich/) > [What can be more excellent than prayer; what is more profitable to our life; what sweeter to our souls; what more sublime, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-augustine/what-can-be-more-excellent-than-prayer-what-is-more-profitable-to-our/) [Saint Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-augustine/) > [Just as you wouldn't leave the house without taking a shower, you shouldn't start the day without at least 10 minutes of sacred practice:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/just-as-you-wouldn-t-leave-the-house-without-taking-a-shower-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I don't know what heavy penance I would not have gladly undertaken rather than practice prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-know-what-heavy-penance-i-would-not-have-gladly-undertaken/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A beginner must look on himself as one setting out to make a garden for his Lord's pleasure, on most unfruitful soil which abounds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-beginner-must-look-on-himself-as-one-setting-out-to-make-a-garden/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“No soul ever fell away from God without giving up prayer. Prayer is that which establishes contact with Divine Power and opens the invisible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fulton-j-sheen/no-soul-ever-fell-away-from-god-without-giving-up-prayer-prayer-is/) [Fulton J. Sheen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fulton-j-sheen/) > [It is my conviction that there is perhaps no single factor more important in a spiritual home and in building spiritual strength in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/belle-s-spafford/it-is-my-conviction-that-there-is-perhaps-no-single-factor-more/) Belle S. Spafford > [Whoever has not begun the practice of prayer, I beg for the love of the Lord not to go without so great a good.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/whoever-has-not-begun-the-practice-of-prayer-i-beg-for-the-love-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Trying to describe what I do in prayer would be like telling the world how I make love to my wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/trying-to-describe-what-i-do-in-prayer-would-be-like-telling-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Great morning prayer is like marinating in the Holy Spirit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hart/great-morning-prayer-is-like-marinating-in-the-holy-spirit/) [Mark Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hart/) > [A day without prayer is like a day without sunshine. Thank you Lord for this day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-day-without-prayer-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine-thank-you-lord/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Teresa of Avila > [“Of the good things they do many will pass unnoticed, or will even not be considered good at all; but they need not fear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/of-the-good-things-they-do-many-will-pass-unnoticed-or-will-even-not/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [I made you, dear, and all I make is perfect. Please come close, for I desire you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/i-made-you-dear-and-all-i-make-is-perfect-please-come-close-for-i/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How often I failed in my duty to God, because I was not leaning on the strong pillar of prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-often-i-failed-in-my-duty-to-god-because-i-was-not-leaning-on-the/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Half-instructed confessors have done my soul great harm; for I could not always have such learned ones as I would have desired. They certainly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/half-instructed-confessors-have-done-my-soul-great-harm-for-i-could/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Truth suffers, but never dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/truth-suffers-but-never-dies/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“you will never lack so much of the water of comfort that your thirst will be intolerable;”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/you-will-never-lack-so-much-of-the-water-of-comfort-that-your-thirst/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Whoever has God lacks nothing. God alone suffices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/whoever-has-god-lacks-nothing-god-alone-suffices/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Do you know when people really become spiritual? It is when they become the slaves of God and are branded with His sign, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/do-you-know-when-people-really-become-spiritual-it-is-when-they/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [How friendly we should all be with one another if nobody were interested in money and honor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/how-friendly-we-should-all-be-with-one-another-if-nobody-were/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“an unrestrained infatuation with ecstasy and other extraordinary phenomena developed. These experiences were thought of as something to be obtained at all costs. Among…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/an-unrestrained-infatuation-with-ecstasy-and-other-extraordinary/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [“The Lord has no body now on earth but yours, no hands now but yours, no feet now but yours. Yours are the eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/the-lord-has-no-body-now-on-earth-but-yours-no-hands-now-but-yours-no/) [Teresa of Ávila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [Our greatest gain is to lose the wealth that is of such brief duration and, by comparison with eternal things, of such little worth;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/our-greatest-gain-is-to-lose-the-wealth-that-is-of-such-brief/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [God has no hands or feet or voice except ours and through these He works.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/god-has-no-hands-or-feet-or-voice-except-ours-and-through-these-he/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [His Majesty knows best what is suitable for us. There's no need for us to be advising Him about what He should give us,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/his-majesty-knows-best-what-is-suitable-for-us-there-s-no-need-for-us/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) > [There is no affliction, trial, or labor difficult to endure, when we consider the torments and sufferings which Our Lord Jesus Christ endured for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/there-is-no-affliction-trial-or-labor-difficult-to-endure-when-we/) [Teresa of Avila](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) [Explore all 267 Teresa of Avila quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/) ## More Limbs quotes > [May nothing entice me till I happily make my way to Jesus Christ! Fire, cross, struggles with wild beasts, wrenching of bones, mangling of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-antioch/may-nothing-entice-me-till-i-happily-make-my-way-to-jesus-christ-fire/) [Ignatius of Antioch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-antioch/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Pain held no terror for him. Pain was, if not friend, then family, something he had grown up with in his crèche, learning to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/pain-held-no-terror-for-him-pain-was-if-not-friend-then-family/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [A 'modern' man has nothing to add to modernism, if only because he has nothing to oppose it with. The well-adapted drop off the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elias-canetti/a-modern-man-has-nothing-to-add-to-modernism-if-only-because-he-has/) [Elias Canetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elias-canetti/) > [There are believers who by God's grace, have climbed the mountains of full assurance and near communion, their place is with the eagle in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/there-are-believers-who-by-god-s-grace-have-climbed-the-mountains-of/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [All my life I have gone out on a limb, but I have turned the limb into a bridge, and there is cool, clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-near/all-my-life-i-have-gone-out-on-a-limb-but-i-have-turned-the-limb-into/) [Holly Near](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-near/) > [I was acquainted once with a gallant soldier who assured me that his only measure of courage was this: upon the first fire, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurence-sterne/i-was-acquainted-once-with-a-gallant-soldier-who-assured-me-that-his/) [Laurence Sterne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurence-sterne/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Life are only as long as beautiful Until your limbs are intact,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/life-are-only-as-long-as-beautiful-until-your-limbs-are-intact/) Mak\_786 > [When was the last time you spent a quiet moment just doing nothing - just sitting and looking at the sea, or watching the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-marston/when-was-the-last-time-you-spent-a-quiet-moment-just-doing-nothing/) [Ralph Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-marston/) > [To live without having a Cicero and a Tacitus at hand seems to me as if it was aprivation of one of my limbs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/to-live-without-having-a-cicero-and-a-tacitus-at-hand-seems-to-me-as/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [I am burdened with what the Buddhists call the monkey mind. The thoughts that swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/i-am-burdened-with-what-the-buddhists-call-the-monkey-mind-the/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [Have you been called to go out on a limb for God? You can bet it won't be easy. Limb-climbing has never been easy.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/have-you-been-called-to-go-out-on-a-limb-for-god-you-can-bet-it-won-t/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [You're unwilling to go out on a limb because it just might break underneath you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/you-re-unwilling-to-go-out-on-a-limb-because-it-just-might-break/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [“Put yourself out on a limb, sucka, like me!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/put-yourself-out-on-a-limb-sucka-like-me/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) Browse all 525 Limbs quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Teresa of Avila" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-like-people-whose-limbs-are/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Limbs" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-like-people-whose-limbs-are/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cbb/teresa-of-vila-1246_limbs_souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-lik_1449512.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Souls who do not practice prayer are like people whose limbs are paralyzed.” — Teresa of Avila", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Teresa of Avila", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-of-vila/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Souls who do not practice prayer...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-like-people-whose-limbs-are/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-of-vila/souls-who-do-not-practice-prayer-are-like-people-whose-limbs-are/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```