Anonymously written around the year 1375, The Cloud of Unknowing — a lucid and deceptively simple manual on contemplative spirituality — offers a fascinating glimpse into the practical side of medieval mysticism. It remains important and valuable in our day not only because of its historical value, but because of how surprisingly relevant and up-to-date it remains, even here in the twenty-first century.
The Cloud of Unknowing appears to have been written for a young person who is just beginning a life devoted to contemplation, either as a monk or a solitary. Its author may have been a priest, or may have himself been a monastic, but unfortunately we can do little more than speculate on the matter. So effective is his cloak of anonymity that we know virtually nothing about him (or her). The author of The Cloud also wrote or translated several minor works, including a richly paraphrased translation of a work by the late fifth-century Syrian mystical theologian now known as Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite. Arguably the most important Christian mystic of his age, Pseudo-Dionysius advocated an apophatic (or “imageless”) spirituality anchored in the sheer mystery and unknowability of the Divine. Following Pseudo-Dionysius, this “negative” spirituality that stresses the unknowability and supra-rational darkness and transcendence that prevents us from ever knowing God fully has remained a perennial (if little-known and little-understood) stream in the waters of the Christian experience. Following Pseudo-Dionysius, mystics such as Meister Eckhart and John of the Cross; modern spiritual teachers like Peter Rollins and Maggie Ross, and — of course — The Cloud of Unknowing all fall within the magnificent, if virtually imprenetrable, vein of spirituality.
Apophatic mysticism seeks to find the Holy at a level deeper (or higher) than any physical thing — or even beyond any word or mental image. For the author of The Cloud of Unknowing, this meant that God cannot be grasped by the intellect; he can only be approached in a context of profound humility and love. Therefore, The Cloud’s author advocates contemplation: prayer steeped not in language or the imagination, but in cultivated inner silence. The author describes at length the virtue of putting all thoughts, all images, all concepts beneath a metaphorical “cloud of forgetting” found within, and then single-heartedly seeking to love God, without concept or control, allowing the naked intent of our love to flourish, even though God remains hidden from our finite awareness by a “cloud of unknowing.” To pierce that cloud, the author instructs the reader to send “sharp darts” of “longing love” — for while we may never fully know God, at least we are able to the best of our ability to love God.
One remarkable feature of The Cloud of Unknowing is that it advocates the use of a single-syllable “prayer word” to effectively discipline the mind and to keep it focused while the heart attempts to grow in its supramental task of loving God. This spiritual exercise involves repeating a short word like “God” or “love” repeatedly, in order to help surrender all extraneous thoughts and seek the place of inner silence, where one may “be still and know” the God who is lavish love. This practice of using a prayer word has been adapted in our own day by the monks who developed the method of centering prayer, a form of meditation which again relies on the repeated single-syllable word as a tool of “centering” or allowing the mind and body to come to a place of resting in the Divine presence.
The author of The Cloud is a true teacher, and displays a rich and nuanced relationship with the youth to whom the book is addressed. By turns encouraging and gentle, then harsh and demanding, this spiritual guide has inspired countless readers to seriously engage with the contemplative life. But his overall tone remains positive and optimistic. Consider this statement, made on the last page of the book and in some ways a summation of its hopeful theology:
It is not what you are nor what you have been that God sees with his all-merciful eyes, but what you desire to be.
Considering that it is written for one who desires to plumb deeply the contemplative life, this is a wonderful and inspiring sentiment: we who aspire to drink deeply from the wells of Divine silence can do so knowing that God sees us not in terms of our failings or our foibles, but in light of that deepest desire of our hearts. In the eyes of God, we are already mystics and contemplatives. All we have to do, now, is to learn how to simply allow that to unfold. Even within the mysterious mists of the cloud of unknowing.
For further reading:
I. Editions of The Cloud of Unknowing (and other works by the same author)
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing with the Book of Privy Counsel, a new translation by Carmen Acevedo Butcher
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing (TEAMS Middle English Texts, Kalamazoo), edited by Patrick J. Gallacher
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counselling (Early English Text Society Series), edited by Phyllis Hodgson
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling, translated by William Johnston, S.J.
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing (Classics of Western Spirituality Series), edited by James Walsh, S.J.
- Anonymous, The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works, translated by Clifton Walters
- Anonymous, The Pursuit of Wisdom and Other Works by the Author of The Cloud of Unknowing (Classics of Western Spirituality Series), translated and edited by James Walsh, S.J.
- Anonymous, A Study of Wisdom: Three Tracts by the Author of The Cloud of Unknowing, translated into modern English with an introduction by Clifton Wolters
II. Commentaries and Studies
- Douglas E. Cowan, A Nakid Entent Unto God: A Source Commentary on The Cloud of Unknowing
- Julia Gatta, Three Spiritual Directors for Our Time: Julian of Norwich, The Cloud of Unknowing, Walter Hilton
- William Johnson, The Mysticism of The Cloud of Unknowing
- Robert Llewelyn, With Pity Not With Blame: The Spirituality of Julian of Norwich and The Cloud of Unknowing for Today
- William A. Meninger, The Loving Search for God: Contemplative Prayer and The Cloud of Unknowing
- Constantino Sarmiento Nieva, This Transcending God: The Teaching of the Author of The Cloud of Unknowing
I just finished a useful and interesting book translated into the modern English by Clifton Wolters. Edifying reading for the religiously inclined, I commend the book to those with spiritual desires and inclinations.
Copyright by Anglican Nuns, The Sisters of the love of God in 1980, the work titled “A Study of Wisdom: Three Tracts by the Author of The Cloud of Unknowing,” is timely reading for anyone of a contemplative interest in God. Fairacres Publications published the very slim book, and I ended reading it with some underlinings. I don’t know what this will do for the resale value in used books should I decide to sell it ever, which is doubtful, but here is one quotation from the tract, “The Discerning of Spirits.”
“…[C]onsent to good or evil, whichever it is, is always the work of the same soul.
“According to the worth of wretchedness of this consent, so is measured the pain or bliss. If the consentis to evil, then at once, by such association, it takes over the function of the very spirit that suggested it in the first instance. If it is to the good, then at once it has, by grace, the same function as the spirit that first prompted it. For as often as a wholesome thought comes into our minds (for example, chastity, seriousness, rejection of the world, voluntary poverty, patience, humility, love) there can be no doubt but that it is the spirit of God that is speaking to us, either directly or through one of his angels–angels in this life who teach us truth, or angels in glory who are the real instigators and inspirers of goodness.”
An educational tract, short, good reading that is worthy of attention.
Peter Menkin–Pentecost, 2007
I was wondering if you know of the cloud of unknown or uncertainty as it relates to the revalation of God to mystics? I was told it was the last step before the mystic has his encountered with God. That it is complete darkness and utterbly terrifying, and that mystics from every religon have said something like this write before there encounter. I was also told there was a book written about it in medieval times. By a mystic of that time? If you know anything about this I would appreciate it helping me out. My email is blakel2009@hotmail.com
Thanks
Well, Blake, begin by reading this page — the book I’m discussing, The Cloud of Unknowing, is precisely the book you’re looking for. Of course, the Christian tradition suggests that entering the cloud of unknowing is not the last step, but rather the first step, on the journey toward receiving the glorious gift of God.
Entering or leaving, moving or still, the mind in silence reflects ineffability. To remain in a detached, receptive and longing state, to be drawn without effort but simply by an abiding presence without form, this is the way home. We come through many paths and frames, to meet in a common space, a space of forgetting and unknowing, where the rational mind, dumbfounded and overwhelmed retires into emptiness. Oh to be here at any time, to enter into the gate that is my Beloved, and to not turn away either out of fear or distraction, but to remain transfixed upon Beloved only. To return, again and again and again, and always leaving via longing’s perfecting draw, all garments at the gateway. Naked into my Beloved’s presence, empty of all my various guises and veils, there is nothing of that self who stood at the threshold for so long. In such dyings, the holy One reveals, pulses, breathes and exposes the hidden grain of Divinity that is subtly woven into the fabric of each and every being and form.
it sounds to me like blake is talking about the dark night of the soul by john of the cross.
Yes, that makes sense.
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If G-d wants to hide in clouds and in parables, and play games, fine with me. Japanese aesthetics, suiseki, wabi-sabi, yugen whatever. I’ve had it. He knows where I am if He wants to find me. The quiet is nice, it’s enough. Go to work, do your job, enjoy your life, and don’t forget to check out ustream.tv/channel/shiba-inu-puppy-cam.
“The Cloud of Unknowing” and Rolle’s “The Fire of Love” are the two mystic classics that I always return to. I’ve been reading them every few years since 1983. I find they contrast and compliment, support and qualify each other. The one aspect I struggle with is the encouragement to work very hard at the attainment of union, while knowing that it is only attainable by grace. The Protestant worker in me wants the hard work to be rewarded, but both authors make it clear that it’s all a matter of grace. Is there another Medieval author that has addressed this strange dichotomy more directly? Is the awareness of grace more connected to Catholic tradition? Would anyone care to grace me with there thoughts on grace?
Rick, I’m not sure if any particular author addresses the issues specifically as you have framed them, but I think the tension between mysticism-as-gift and mysticism-as-work is present among many of the great contemplative authors. For medieval voices, I’d suggest looking at Augustine, but also John Ruysbroeck and Julian of Norwich; and for a more contemporary perspective, Thomas Merton.
My sense is that we are all called to the contemplative life, but we are not all called to experience it the same way. God is the author of our spiritual experiences, whether “mystical” or “mundane,” and we are invited to trust our experience, and trust in God’s wisdom in giving us what we need, which may or may not be what we want. I also think that there is no point in seeing the efforts of the contemplative life as part of a “reward” paradigm, since the “gift” (eternal life) has already been freely and lavishly given to us. We work not in order to earn grace, but in response to grace. Likewise, we do the “work” of contemplation not in order to earn experience of God, but rather to respond to God’s gracious call to intimacy with Him. Those experiences that may or may not ensue are, again, custom-designed by God for each of us, according to our needs and calling. The part of us that wants to be in control may not like this, but as best as I can tell, this is reality so we may as well get used to it.
Cheers,
Carl
Ordinary
Being as it is,
In the ordinary way of things,
You might not come across it,
Though it is as ordinary as anything
You see. It is visible in the chair you sit in,
In the oak table you sit at, in the oak tree.
It is as necessary as water,
As solid as the ground we walk on,
And yet, in the ordinary way of things
You probably would not notice,
The way we don’t notice the mailman
Unless we are waiting for a check
Or a love letter,
Or the way we don’t notice ice
until we are falling,
Being, as it is.
Jo Morris