The Cloud of Unknowing and Other Works (Classic, Modern, Penguin)

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St. Teresa of Avila (1515 - 1582) was a Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, founder of seventeen monasteries, and author of spiritual classics. If we are ignorant of our soul’s powers, we will misinterpret spiritual instruction. We will misinterpret Contemplative Prayer.

Of four degrees of Christian men’s living; and of the course of his calling that this book was made unto That by virtue of this work a sinner truly turned and called to contemplation cometh sooner to perfection than by any other work; and by it soonest may get of God forgiveness of sins We can begin to understand the meaning of the Cloud by looking at what may be the most famous quotation in Western mysticism, the passage in the Confessions, IX , 10, where Augustine muses upon the ecstasy at Ostia, an experience that he had in a final conversation with his mother, Monica (McGinn, p. 234). By its similarities and contrasts with the ideas of The Cloud of Unknowing, this brief classical statement of the contemplative ascent can introduce us to the whole mystical tradition: How that a man’s affection is marvelously changed in ghostly feeling of this nought, when it is nowhere wrought That whoso knoweth not the powers of a soul and the manner of her working, may lightly be deceived in understanding of ghostly words and of ghostly working; and how a soul is made a God in graceOf some certain tokens by the which a man may prove whether he be called of God to work in this work How that by virtue of this work a man is governed full wisely, and made full seemly as well in body as in soul Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968) was a Trappist monk, theologian, mystic, poet, and writer of numerous books on spirituality and social justice. The father is not, in this work, offering a full systematic treatment of the spiritual life. His concern here is about a way of prayer, but that is a part of a whole life and a whole attitude. This latter is important. Nonetheless, he does offer a very simple, traditional method of prayer that can be drawn out from his work. That some may not come to feel the perfection of this work but in time of ravishing, and some may have it when they will, in the common state of man’s soul

Simply sit relaxed and quiet. Center all your attention and desire on God, and let this be the sole concern of your mind and heart. If you want to gather all your desire into one simple word that the mind can easily retain, choose a short word rather than a long one, but choose one that is meaningful to you (such as “God” or “love”). Fix the word in your mind so that it will remain there, come what may. The father’s advice involves words of encouragement and the reminder that the darkness of the cloud of unknowing comes between the contemplator and the God one desires to reach; despite the darkness, one wills to reach out to God. That without imperfect meekness coming before, it is impossible for a sinner to come to the perfect virtue of meekness in this life commitment to God and this remains despite temporary lapse”—the father seems decidedly up to date in speaking here about a fundamental option), but only one’s true desire: “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.” When we reach the end of what we know, that’s where we find God. That’s why St. Dionysius said that the best, most divine knowledge of God is that which is known by not-knowing. Because it is not what you are nor what you have been that God looks at with his merciful eyes, but what you desire to be.

The Living Flame of Love. John of the Cross wrote a book called “The Living Flame of Love.” He was near the end of his life and at the very peak of mystical experi­ence. Despite your practice, sin still lurks within you. Over the course of time, it will be destroyed by this practice. Johnston, William. The Mysticism of “The Cloud of Unknowing.” 1967. 4th ed. Foreword by Thomas Merton. New York: Fordham University Press, 2000. The author gives an extensive study of the mysticism of the period and also compares the teaching of The Cloud of Unknowing with that of Saint John of the Cross and other apophatic mystics. There is a good introduction by Thomas Merton.

Approaching God - God cannot be known in a typical fashion, His physical image is Christ. But there is a 'wild' divine part of God that cannot be tamed. If you begin your meditation to envision Him as a cloud, this helps you to strip your preconceived notions of God away as you approach him. Also it is important to strip away all the distractions, via the cloud of forgetting. Visualizing God as a cloud and visualizing a cloud like separation vs the distractions has helped me to focus on uniting with God.The content may seem obscure and hypercontextual: contemplative Catholic mysticism discussed in letters written in middle English...how can this possibly apply to humans in 2020? If the idea of Contemplative Prayer does not resonate with you, abandon it. Look for some other way of praying. Beat with a sharp dart of longing love upon this cloud of unknowing which is between you and your God.