Translation as Spiritual Practice

Sor Juana moved fluidly between Spanish, indigenous languages, Latin, and theological traditions, translating not just words but entire frameworks of meaning. Translation in her work is spiritual because it requires humility, precision, and reverence for both source and receiver. When navigating authenticity across traditions, translation becomes essential: you must learn the internal logic of unfamiliar systems while remaining rooted in your own. This practice resists both superficial borrowing and rigid separation. Sor Juana's translations preserve the integrity of indigenous knowledge while making it intelligible to colonial audiences—a delicate political and philosophical act. Translation teaches that authenticity is not purity but fidelity: being true to multiple sources while acknowledging the work of bridging them.