The Cloud of Unknowing facts for kids
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The first page of Cloud of Unknowing in a 15th-century book, starting with a fancy letter "I"
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| Author | Anonymous |
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| Original title | The Cloude of Unknowyng |
| Country | England |
| Language | Middle English |
| Subject | Spiritual guide to contemplative prayer |
| Genre | Christian mysticism |
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Publication date
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Late 14th century |
| Followed by | The Book of Privy Counseling |
The Cloud of Unknowing is a special book written a long time ago, in the late 1300s. We don't know who wrote it! It's a guide about a type of Christian spiritual practice called contemplative prayer. This book teaches that to truly know God, you need to let go of all your thoughts about God's actions or qualities. Instead, you should bravely enter a space of "unknowing." In this space, you might start to understand God's true nature.
Contents
What is the book about?
The Cloud of Unknowing is written as advice for a student. The author tells the student in the beginning not to share the book with just anyone. It's meant for someone who is truly serious about following Christ in a deep, spiritual way.
The book guides the student to seek God, not by using their brain or knowledge. Instead, it suggests using deep thought and love, without any specific ideas or thoughts getting in the way.
The Cloud of Unknowing and Forgetting
The book talks about a "cloud of unknowing." This cloud is like a barrier between you and God. It stops you from seeing God clearly with your mind or feeling God's love perfectly. The author says you should try to stay in this darkness as long as you can. You keep asking for the one you love (God). If you ever feel or see God, it will be through this cloud and darkness.
To do this, you need to put all your thoughts and wishes under a "cloud of forgetting." Then, you can try to break through God's cloud of unknowing with a "dart of longing love" from your heart. This kind of deep thought isn't about thinking hard. It's about connecting with God through your heart.
The author explains that God can be loved, but not fully understood by thinking. You can hold onto God with love, but not with your thoughts. So, even if it's good to think about God's kindness sometimes, when you are doing this special prayer, you must let those thoughts go. You need to cover them with a cloud of forgetting. Then, you bravely and gently move above them with a strong feeling of love. You try to break through the darkness above you with a sharp dart of longing love. Don't give up, no matter what happens!
Dealing with Distractions
As you try to break through the cloud of unknowing with love, your mind might get distracted. Old thoughts or bad feelings might try to pull you away from God. The author tells you to "vigorously trample" on these new thoughts or feelings with a strong feeling of love. You should push them down and cover them with a thick cloud of forgetting, as if they never happened. Keep pushing them down every time they pop up.
Action vs. Contemplation
The author talks about two ways Christians live: an active life and a contemplative life. He uses the story of Mary and Martha from the Bible to explain this. Mary represents those who focus on deep spiritual thought, while Martha represents those who are active in serving God.
The author sees Mary's way as better for those who want to do this special prayer. However, he also says that Martha's service to God was good and helpful for her salvation. It just wasn't the very best path for someone seeking deep contemplation.
Experience Over Knowledge
Another book by the same author, The Book of Privy Counseling, says that experience is more important than knowledge. It warns that knowledge can sometimes make you proud. But gentle, loving feelings won't trick you. Knowledge can make you feel important, but love helps you grow. Knowledge often feels like hard work, but love brings peace.
Focusing on a Single Word
The book suggests focusing on one simple word to connect with God. When you want to pray for goodness, let all your thoughts and wishes be in the small word "God." No other words are needed, because God is everything good. You should focus on the spiritual meaning of the word, without thinking about specific things God does. Don't think about specific good qualities like humility or patience. For someone doing this special prayer, these are all the same. Let this small word represent God in all God's fullness.
The author also says that sometimes, God teaches you how to pray directly. For example, if you are struggling with sin, you might feel it as a "lump." Then, you should keep shouting in your spirit, "Sin, sin, sin! out, out, out!" This spiritual shout is better learned from God through experience than from any person.
Caring for Your Body
Even though the book is about spiritual experiences, the author also talks about taking care of your body. He says that keeping your body healthy is important for this spiritual practice. If you are sick, it can make it harder to focus. So, he advises you to avoid sickness as much as you can. This work needs a calm mind and a healthy, pure body and soul. So, you should live in a balanced way, taking care of both your body and your soul.
Other books by the same author
Besides The Cloud of Unknowing, the same unknown author is thought to have written a few other spiritual books and translations:
- Deonise Hid Divinity: This is a translation of a book called Mystical Theology.
- A Letter of Prayer
- A Letter of Discretion of Stirrings
- It's possible, but not certain, that the author also wrote:
- A Treatise of Discernment of Spirits
- A Treatise of the Study of Wisdom that Men Call Benjamin
How the book influenced others
The Cloud of Unknowing wasn't super popular when it was first written. Maybe because it was meant for people who lived alone and focused on very advanced spiritual practices. However, it became more known later on.
In the 1600s, a monk named Augustine Baker wrote about its teachings. But the book itself wasn't printed until 1877. A famous English mystic named Evelyn Underhill also made an important version of the book in 1922.
The book has become much more popular in the last hundred years. Many new English versions have been made. It has especially influenced modern prayer practices. The advice in The Cloud of Unknowing is a main reason for a modern prayer style called Centering Prayer. This was developed by monks like William Meninger, Basil Pennington, and Thomas Keating in the 1970s. It also helped shape the meditation methods of another monk, John Main.
The way of deep thought suggested in The Cloud is similar to some other types of meditation, like Buddhist meditation and modern transcendental meditation. For example, one part of the book says:
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. A one-syllable word such as "God" or "love" is best. But choose one that is meaningful to you. Then fix it in your mind so that it will remain there come what may. This word will be your defence in conflict and in peace. Use it to beat upon the cloud of darkness above you and to subdue all distractions, consigning them to the cloud of forgetting beneath you.
See also
- Apophatic theology (also known as the via negativa)
- Lectio Divina
