If you are not practicing mental prayer every day, are you really on the road to heaven? The saints would say that you're not.

In this episode of The Devil is in the Details, Dan and Jordan continue their series on The Devil in the Castle and Saint Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle, stepping from the courtyard into the first mansion. They unpack why the saints, including Teresa of Avila, Alphonsus Liguori, and Aquinas, insist that daily mental prayer and a daily examen are not optional extras, but essential for salvation and authentic discipleship.

You will hear about

• Why Aquinas can say it is a sin not to pray

• How mental prayer actually gives you self knowledge and heals self delusion

• What a simple daily examen looks like in real life

• The “handles” sin creates for the enemy, and how they fall off as you grow in charity

• The lies that keep people from engaging in spiritual warfare, especially fear of “stirring things up”

They also walk through the "demonic goal" for those in the first mansion, the enemy’s tactics to keep you from daily prayer, and the concrete remedies the Church gives us, such as Mass, confession, mental prayer, and a spiritual rule of life.

When Catholics actually pray the Rosary well, hearts heal, families are protected, and hidden lies lose power. Gabriel Castillo (Gabby After Hours) joins Jordan to unpack real spiritual warfare (the 95% that happens in our minds and hearts), how Mary personally heals father/mother wounds, and why a daily Rosary fuels Confession, the Eucharist, and peace of soul.Gabriel’s new book: The Power of the Rosary• Book: https://sophiainstitute.com/product/the-power-of-the-rosary/• Audiobook: https://www.audible.com/pd/The-Power-of-the-Rosary-Audiobook/B0FNS35SBB?srsltid=AfmBOorwoJ7b_vCPR-FXfXmf-lQ-kkJZkn6yTCHvJEZzK_TEZZ2xq6rf• Gabriel’s channel (Gabby After Hours): https://www.youtube.com/@gabiafterhours

We’re launching a new series on Dan’s book The Devil in the Castle, a practical guide to spiritual warfare through St. Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle—with help from St. John of the Cross and St. Ignatius. We unpack authority (who can command what and when), why we defer to priests, how prayer + reflection mark true discipleship, and why “deliverance ministry” needs guardrails.

What you’ll learn

• Why Teresa’s “castle” map matters for everyday Catholics

• How the enemy’s tactics change as you advance toward union with God

• Realms of authority: family, spouses, clergy—where boldness is wise and where it’s reckless

• Why prayer & reflection are the two turning keys into authentic discipleship

• A sober, non-sensational approach to spiritual warfare that avoids common abuses