Spirituality and Religion

The Cloud of Unknowing

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The Cloud of Unknowing is a seminal work of mystical theology composed in the late 14th century, presenting a unique blend of contemplative prayer and traditional Christian thought. Written in Middle English, the text employs a distinctive epistolary style, addressing a spiritual seeker on the path to divine union. The author emphasizes the limitations of human knowledge when approaching God, advocating for a form of prayer that transcends intellectual understanding, encapsulated in the metaphorical 'cloud' that obscures divine truths. This work is part of the broader mystic tradition, resonating with the themes of unknowing and divine love found in the writings of figures like Julian of Norwich and Meister Eckhart. The anonymity of the author adds an aura of universality to this mystical classic, suggesting that the journey toward God is deeply personal yet shared among believers. Often interpreted as a response to the burgeoning interest in mysticism during the medieval period, the author's insights reflect both personal spiritual experiences and the larger cultural context of contemplative practices emerging within Christianity at the time. For those seeking a profound exploration of spirituality that transcends dogma, The Cloud of Unknowing is an essential read. Its meditative guidance and rich theological insights offer timeless wisdom for contemporary seekers, encouraging readers to embrace the mystery of faith and the transformative power of unknowing.

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Audiobook details

GenreSpirituality and Religion

Length4 hrs 20 mins

Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices

FormateBook with Audio

Publish dateMay 17, 2022

LanguageEnglish

1Introduction

40Chapter 37. Of the special prayers of them that be continual workers in the word of this book

2Prayer

41Chapter 38. How and why that short prayer pierceth heaven

3Prologue

42Chapter 39. How a perfect worker shall pray, and what prayer is in itself; and if a man shall pray in words, which words accord them most to the property of prayer.

4Chapter 1. Of four degrees of Christian men’s living; and of the course of his calling that this book was made unto.

43Chapter 40. That in the time of this work a soul hath no special beholding to any vice in itself nor to any virtue in itself.

5Chapter 2. A short stirring to meekness, and to the work of this book.

44Chapter 41. That in all other works beneath this, men should keep discretion; but in this none.

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6Chapter 3. How the work of this book shall be wrought, and of the worthiness of it before all other works.

45Chapter 42. That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all other things; and surely else never

7Chapter 4. Of the shortness of this word, and how it may not be come to by curiosity of wit, nor by imagination.

46Chapter 43. That all witting and feeling of a man’s own being must needs be lost if the perfection of this word shall verily be felt in any soul in this life.

8Chapter 5. That in the time of this word all the creatures that ever have been, be now, or ever shall be, and all the works of those same creatures, should be hid under the cloud of forgetting.

47Chapter 44. How a soul shall dispose it on its own part, for to destroy all witting and feeling of its own being.

9Chapter 6. A short conceit of the work of this book, treated by question.

48Chapter 45. A good declaring of some certain deceits that may befall in this work.

10Chapter 7. How a man shall have him in this work against all thoughts, and specially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, of cunning, and of natural wit.

49Chapter 46. A good teaching how a man shall flee these deceits, and work more with a listiness of spirit, than with any boisterousness of body

11Chapter 8. A good declaring of certain doubts that may fall in this word treated by question, in destroying of a man’s own curiosity, of cunning, and of natural wit, and in distinguishing of the degrees and the parts of active living and contemplative.

50Chapter 47. A slight teaching of this work in purity of spirit; declaring how that on one manner a soul should shew his desire unto God, and on ye contrary unto man.

12Chapter 9. That in the time of this work the remembrance of the holiest Creature that ever God made letteth more than it profiteth.

51Chapter 48. How God will be served both with body and with soul, and reward men in both; and how men shall know when all those sounds and sweetness that fall into the body in time of prayer be both good and evil.

13Chapter 10. How a man shall know when his thought is no sin; and if it be sin, when it is deadly and when it is venial.

52Chapter 49. The substance of all perfection is nought else but a good will; and how that all sounds and comfort and sweetness that may befall in this life be to it but as it were accidents.

14Chapter 11. That a man should weigh each thought and each stirring after that it is, and always eschew recklessness in venial sin.

53Chapter 50. Which is chaste love; and how in some creatures such sensible comforts be but seldom, and in some right oft.

15Chapter 12. That by Virtue of this word sin is not only destroyed, but also Virtues begotten.

54Chapter 51. That men should have great wariness so that they understand not bodily a thing that is meant ghostly; and specially it is good to be wary in understanding of this word “in,” and of this word “up.”

16Chapter 13. What meekness is in itself, and when it is perfect and when it is imperfect.

55Chapter 52. How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this word “in,” and of the deceits that follow thereon.

17Chapter 14. That without imperfect meekness coming before, it is impossible for a sinner to come to the perfect Virtue of meekness in this life.

56Chapter 53. Of divers unseemly practices that follow them that lack the work of this book.

18Chapter 15. A short proof against their error that say, that there is no perfecter cause to be meeked under, than is the knowledge of a man’s own wretchedness.

57Chapter 54. How that by Virtue of this word a man is governed full wisely, and made full seemly as well in body as in soul.

19Chapter 16. 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.

58Chapter 55. How they be deceived that follow the fervour of spirit in condemning of some without discretion.

20Chapter 17. That a Very contemplative list not meddle him with active life, nor of anything that is done or spoken about him, nor yet to answer to his blamers in excusing of himself.

59Chapter 56. How they be deceived that follow the fervour of spirit in condemning of some without discretion

21Chapter 18. How that yet unto this day all actives complain of contemplatives as Martha did of Mary. Of the which complaining ignorance is the cause.

60Chapter 57. How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this other word “up”; and of the deceits that follow thereon.

22Chapter 19. A short excusation of him that made this book teaching how all contemplatives should have all actives fully excused of their complaining words and deeds.

61Chapter 58. That a man shall not take ensample of Saint Martin and of Saint Stephen, for to strain his imagination bodily upwards in the time of his prayer.

23Chapter 20. How Almighty God will goodly answer for all those that for the excusing of themselves list not leave their business about the love of Him.

62Chapter 59. That a man shall not take ensample at the bodily ascension of Christ, for to strain his imagination upwards bodily in the time of prayer: and that time, place, and body, these three should be forgotten in all ghostly working.

24Chapter 21. The true exposition of this gospel word, “Mary hath chosen the best part.”

63Chapter 60. That the high and the next way to heaven is run by desires, and not by paces of feet.

25Chapter 22. Of the wonderful love that Christ had to man in person of all sinners truly turned and called to the grace of contemplation.

64Chapter 61. That all bodily thing is subject unto ghostly thing, and is ruled thereafter by the course of nature and not contrariwise.

26Chapter 23. How God will answer and purvey for them in spirit, that for business about His love list not answer nor purvey for themselves

65Chapter 62. How a man may wit when his ghostly work is beneath him or without him, and when it is even with him or within him, and when it is above him and under his God.

27Chapter 24. What charity is in itself, and how it is truly and perfectly contained in the work of this book.

66Chapter 63. Of the powers of a soul in general, and how Memory in special is a principal power, comprehending in it all the other powers and all those things in the which they work.

28Chapter 25. That in the time of this work a perfect soul hath no special beholding to any one man in this life.

67Chapter 64. Of the other two principal powers Reason and Will; and of the work of them before sin and after.

29Chapter 26. That without full special grace, or long use in common grace, the work of this book is right travailous; and in this work, which is the work of the soul helped by grace, and which is the work of only God.

68Chapter 65. Of the first secondary power, Imagination by name; and of the works and the obedience of it unto Reason, before Sin and after.

30Chapter 27. Who should work in the gracious work of this book.

69Chapter 66. Of the other secondary power, Sensuality by name; and of the works and of the obedience of it unto Will, before sin and after

31Chapter 28. That a man should not presume to work in this work before the time that he be lawfully cleansed in conscience of all his special deeds of sin.

70Chapter 67. 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 grace.

32Chapter 29. That a man should bidingly travail in this work, and suffer the pain thereof, and judge no man.

71Chapter 68. That nowhere bodily, is everywhere ghostly; and how our outer man calleth the word of this book nought.

33Chapter 30. Who should blame and condemn other men’s defaults.

72Chapter 69. How that a man’s affection is marvelously changed in ghostly feeling of this nought, when it is nowhere wrought.

34Chapter 31. How a man should have him in beginning of this work against all thoughts and stirrings of sin.

73Chapter 70. That right as by the defailing of our bodily wits we begin more readily to come to knowing of ghostly things, so by the defailing of our ghostly wits we begin most readily to come to the knowledge of God, such as is possible by grace to be had here.

35Chapter 32. Of two ghostly devices that be helpful to a ghostly beginner in the work of this book.

74Chapter 71. 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.

36Chapter 33. That in this work a soul is cleansed both of his special sins and of the pain of them, and yet how there is no perfect rest in this life.

75Chapter 72. That a worker in this work should not deem nor think of another worker as he feeleth in himself.

37Chapter 34. That God giveth this grace freely without any means, and that it may not be come to with means.

76Chapter 73. How that after the likeness of Moses, of Bezaleel, and of Aaron meddling them about the Ark of the Testament, we profit on three manners in this grace of contemplation, for this grace is figured in that Ark.

38Chapter 35. Of three means in the which a contemplative Prentice should be occupied, in reading, thinking, and praying.

77Chapter 74. How that the matter of this book is never more read or spoken, nor heard read or spoken, of a soul disposed thereto without feeling of a very accordance to the effect of the same work: and of rehearsing of the same charge that is written in the prologue.

39Chapter 36. Of the meditations of them that continually travail in the work of this book.

78Chapter 75. Of some certain tokens by the which a man may prove whether he be called of God to work in this work