CHAPTER 21
Now although you will call the delights of sensible fervor his coming, strictly speaking, this is not so.1 Our Lord feeds and strengthens your spirit by the excellence, frequency, and deepening of those favors sometimes accompanying grace so that you may perseveringly live in his love and service. But he works in two ways. On the one hand you learn patience in their absence and on the other you grow strong with the life-giving, loving food they provide in their coming.2 Thus our Lord fashions you by both until you become so joyfully supple and so sweetly pliable that he can lead you at last to the spiritual perfection and union with his will, which is perfect love. Then you will be as willing and content to forego all feelings of consolation, when he judges best, as to enjoy them unceasingly.
Moreover, in this time of suffering your love becomes both chaste and perfect. It is then that you will see your God and your love, and being made spiritually one with his love, nakedly experience him at the sovereign point of your spirit.3 Here, utterly despoiled of self and clothed in nothing but him,4 you will experience him as he really is, stripped of all the trappings of sensible delights, though these be the sweetest and most sublime pleasures possible on earth. This experience will be blind, as it must be in this life; yet, with the purity of an undivided heart, far removed from all the illusion and error liable to mortal man,5 you will perceive and feel that it is unmistakenly he, as he really is.
Finally, the mind which sees and experiences God as he is in his naked reality is no more separate from him than he is from his own being, which, as we know, is one in essence and nature. For just as God is one with his being because they are one in nature, so the spirit, which sees and experiences him, is one with him whom it sees and experiences, because they have become one in grace.6
CHAPTER 22
See then! Here are the signs you asked for. If you have any experience of them, you will be able to test (partially at least) the nature and meaning of the summons and awakening of grace which you feel touching you interiorly during your spiritual devotions, and exteriorly whenever you read or hear about contemplation. As a rule, few people are so singularly touched and confirmed in the grace of contemplation as to have an immediate and authentic experience of all these tokens together, in the very beginning. Yet, if you think you have really experienced one or two of them, test yourself against the rigorous criteria of Scripture, your spiritual father, and your own conscience. If you feel they all approve as one voice, it is time to lay aside speculative reasoning and profound imaginative reflections on the subtleties of your being or God’s, of your activities or his. Formerly, they fed your intellect and led you beyond a worldly, material existence to the threshold of contemplation. But imagination and reason have taught you all they can and now you must learn to be wholly given to the simple spiritual awareness of your self and God.1
CHAPTER 23
In Christ’s life we have a powerful illustration of all I have been trying to say. Had there been no higher perfection possible in this life beyond seeing and loving him in his humanity, I do not believe he would have ascended into heaven while time lasted, nor withdrawn his physical presence from his friends on earth who loved him so dearly. But a higher perfection was possible to man in this life: the purely spiritual experience of loving him in his Godhead. And for this reason he told his disciples, who were loath to give up his physical presence (just as you are loath to give up the speculative reflections of your subtle, clever faculties), that for their own good he would withdraw his physical presence from them. He said to them, “It is necessary for you that I go,”1 meaning, “It is necessary for you that I depart physically from you.” The holy doctor of the Church, St. Augustine, commenting on these words, says: “Were not the form of his humanity withdrawn from our bodily eyes, love for him in his Godhead would never cleave to our spiritual eyes.” And thus I say to you, at a certain point it is necessary to give up discursive meditation and learn to taste something of that deep, spiritual experience of God’s love.
Relying on God’s grace to lead and guide you, you will come to this deep experience of his love by following the path I have set before you in these pages. It demands that you always and ever strive toward the naked awareness of your self, and continually offer your being to God as your most precious gift. But I remind you again: see that it is naked, lest you fall into error. Inasmuch as this awareness really is naked, you will at first find it terribly painful to rest in for any length of time because, as I have explained, your faculties will find no meat for themselves in it. But there is no harm in this; in fact, I am actually delighted. Go ahead. Let them fast awhile from their natural delight in knowing. It is well said that man naturally desires to know. Yet at the same time, it is also true that no amount of natural or acquired knowledge will bring him to taste the spiritual experience of God, for this is a pure gift of grace. And so I urge you: go after experience rather than knowledge. On account of pride, knowledge may often deceive you, but this gentle, loving affection will not deceive you. Knowledge tends to breed conceit, but love builds.2 Knowledge is full of labor, but love, full of rest.3
CHAPTER 24
Yet you may say: “Rest? What can he possibly be talking about? All I feel is toil and pain, not rest. When I try to follow his advice, suffering and struggle beset me on every side. On the one hand, my faculties hound me to give up this work, and I will not; on the other, I long to lose the experience of myself and experience only God, and I cannot. Battle and pain assail me everywhere. How can he talk of rest? If this is rest, I think it is a rather odd kind of rest.”
My answer is simple. You find this work painful because you are not yet accustomed to it. Were you accustomed to it, and did you realize its value, you would not willingly give it up for all the material joys and rest in the world. Yes, I know, it is painful and toilsome. Still, I call it rest because your spirit does rest in a freedom from doubt and anxiety about what it must do; and because during the actual time of prayer, it is secure in the knowledge that it will not greatly err.
And so persevere in it with humility and great desire, for it is a work that begins here on earth but will go on without end into eternity. I pray that the all-powerful Jesus may bring you and all those he has redeemed by his precious blood to this glory. Amen.
Notes for
THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING
All cross references to the writings of St. John of the Cross are taken from The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross translated by Kieran Kavanaugh, O.C.D., and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D. (ICS Publications, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, D.C.). Editions of Ascent of Mt. Carmel, Dark Night of the Soul, and Living Flame of Love are also available in Image Books in the E. Allison Peers translation.
The key to the references is as follows: A = The Ascent of Mt. Carmel; N = The Dark Night; C = The Spiritual Canticle; F = The Living Flame of Love.
FOREWORD
1. A, Prologue 7, 9
CHAPTER 1
1. C23, 2, 3
2. N1, 1, 1, 2
CHAPTER 2
1. A1, 5, 8
2. A2, 11, 8; C1, 10; C3, 9
CHAPTER 3
1. C29, 2; F1, 3; F3, 39
2. A2, 9, 4; N2, 11, 1
3. A2, 24, 4
4. A2, 15, 4; A3, 15, 1; F3, 46
CHAPTER 4
1. Atom: the smallest medieval measure of time = 15/94 of a second.
2. A2, 8, 5; A2, 24, 4
3. A2, 8, 4
4. F1, 13
5. F1, 14
6. C38, 5
7. F1, 21
8. C36, 5; F3, 79; Sayings: 25
9. C25, 5; F1, 4; F1, 8; F1, 33
10. A2, 12, 8; N1, 10, 5, 6
11. A2, 9, 4
CHAPTER 5
1. A2, 16, 10; N1, 10, 2, 4; F3, 48
CHAPTER 6
1. A2, 8, 5
2. A2, 9, 4; A2, 24, 4
CHAPTER 7
1. F3, 35
CHAPTER 8
1. A2, 12
, 8
2. A2, 8, 6; A2, 24, 4; F3, 33
3. C22, 3, 4; C27, 6
4. N2, 14, 1
5. A2, 8, 4; A2, 12, 8
CHAPTER 9
1. C29, 2; F1, 3; F3, 39
2. A2, 12, 8; A2, 24, 4
3. N2, 14, 1
CHAPTER 12
1. F1, 21
2. In the original text virtue is defined as: “nothing other than a well ordered and measured affection plainly directed to God for himself.” This definition occurs several times in Richard of St. Victor. The New Catholic Encyclopedia defines virtue as: “an habitual well established readiness and disposition of man’s powers directing them to specific goodness of act” (McGraw-Hill, New York, vol. 15, p. 704).
3. N1, 12, 7, 8
CHAPTER 14
1. N2, 18, 4
CHAPTER 15
1. Matt. 5:48
CHAPTER 16
1. Lk. 7:47
2. C29, 2
3. C9, 5; C11, 2
4. C26, 8, 14
5. C1, 17, 18
CHAPTER 17
1. C1, 3; C39, 13
2. C29, 1-3; F1, 9
CHAPTER 18
1. A2, 14, 4; F3, 43
CHAPTER 21
1. Chapter 8
2. A2, 14, 4; C29, 1-3; F3, 43
CHAPTER 22
1. Matt. 28:1-7; John 20:11-13
2. N2, 13, 6, 7
CHAPTER 23
1. C29, 1-3
2. Medieval form of the proverb: God helps those who help themselves.
CHAPTER 24
1. A1, 11, 2; A3, 38, 3
2. C29, 11
CHAPTER 25
1. C23, 2, 3
2. A2, 24, 8; N1, 13, 5; C24, 7
CHAPTER 26
1. A2, 15, 4; A3, 15, 1; F3, 46
2. A2, 8, 6; A2, 14, 12; A2, 15, 2, 5; A2, 26, 5; N2, 5, 1; N2, 8, 4, 5; N2, 12, 2, 5; N2, 17, 2, 4; C1, 17; C7, 9
3. A2, 26, 1
CHAPTER 28
1. F1, 21
2. C1, 3; C39, 13
CHAPTER 32
1. C24, 8
2. N2, 7, 3
CHAPTER 34
1. F3, 71
2. A2, 12, 8; A2, 14, 12; A2, 15, 2, 5
3. N2, 23, 2, 4, 11, 12
CHAPTER 37
1. F1, 9-14
2. A2, 12, 6
3. F1, 33
CHAPTER 38
1. Eph. 3:18
CHAPTER 39
1. In the original text this definition of prayer reads: “Prayer in itself properly is naught else but a devout intent directed unto God, for the getting of good and the removing of evil.” Contrast this with the homey, personal approach of the sixteenth-century mystic St. Teresa: “Mental prayer is, as I see it, simply a friendly intercourse and frequent, solitary conversation with him who, as we know, loves us.” Life 8
CHAPTER 40
1. A1, 13, 4
CHAPTER 43
1. A1, 4, 3; C9, 6; C26, 14
CHAPTER 46
1. F2, 14; F3, 65
2. Heb. 12:30; Exod. 19:30
3. C6, 6
CHAPTER 47
1. A2, 24, 4; C11, 12; C12, 7; C22, 3, 4; C27, 6; C31, 1; F1, 13; F2, 32, 34; F3, 78, 79
2. C31, 1; F1, 4; F3, 8
CHAPTER 48
1. C40, 6; F2, 14, 22
2. A3, 2, 9-12
CHAPTER 49
1. A3, 2, 9-12; N2, 16, 14; N2, 17, 8
2. C27, 6
CHAPTER 50
1. N1, 3, 1
2. C29, 11
3. A2, 5, 10; N1, 14, 5; F1, 24
CHAPTER 52
1. C16, 2
CHAPTER 55
1. C16, 2
2. N1, 2, 1, 2
3. A2, 27, 3; A2, 29, 10
CHAPTER 56
1. N1, Prologue
CHAPTER 57
1. A3, 35, 4
CHAPTER 58
1. A2, 17, 4, 5; A3, 31, 8, 9
2. A2, 17, 9; A2, 29, 11
3. A2, 19, 12, 13
CHAPTER 59
1. John 3:13
CHAPTER 60
1. Phil. 3:20
CHAPTER 61
1. C40, 6
2. A2, 19, 5, 6
CHAPTER 67
1. Ps. 81:6: “I said ‘you are gods.’ ” John 10:34; A2, 5, 7; C11, 12; C12, 7, 8; C31, 1; F1, 4; F1, 13; F2, 32, 34; F3, 8, 9, 78
CHAPTER 68
1. N1, 10, 5, 6
2. C1, 12
3. N2, 5, 1-7; N2, 8, 2-5; N2, 16, 11; N2, 17, 2-4; C13, 1; C14-15, 16; C39, 12; F3, 49
CHAPTER 69
1. N2, 9, 3; N2, 24, 3
2. N1, 11, 1-4; N1, 12, 2; N1, 14, 4; N2, 6, 1-6; N2, 9, 1-11; C13, 1; F1, 19-22; F2, 27
3. N2, 12, 1
CHAPTER 70
1. N2, 14, 1
2. A2, 8, 6; A3, 2, 3; A3, 5, 3; C14-15, 16; F3, 49
CHAPTER 71
1. A2, 5, 10; F1, 24
2. A1, 5, 6-8
CHAPTER 72
1 . A2, 5, 10; N1, 14, 5
CHAPTER 74
1. A, Prologue, 8; F, Prologue, 1
2. A, prologue, 9
CHAPTER 75
1. A2, 13; N1, 9; C9, 6
Notes for
THE BOOK OF PRIVY COUNSELING
All cross references to the writings of St. John of the Cross are taken from The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross translated by Kieran Kavanaugh., O.C.D., and Otilio Rodriguez, O.C.D. (ICS Publications, Institute of Carmelite Studies, Washington, D.C.). Editions of Ascent of Mt. Carmel, Dark Night of the Soul, and Living Flame of Love are also available in Image Books in the E. Allison Peers translation.
The key to the references is as follows: A = The Ascent of Mt. Carmel; N = The Dark Night; C = The Spiritual Canticle; F = The Living Flame of Love.
FOREWORD
1. A1, Prologue 9
CHAPTER 1
1. C14-15, 5
CHAPTER 2
1. C11, 2, 11, 13
2. Matt. 9:21; Mk. 5:28
CHAPTER 3
1. Prov. 3:9, 10
CHAPTER 5
1. F3, 2
2. A2, 4, 4
3. C38, 3; F3, 1-3
4. C25, 7; C26, 3
5. Ps. 122
CHAPTER 6
1. Prov. 3:13-14, 21-26
2. A1, 4, 8
3. Rom. 13:10
CHAPTER 7
1. A2, 1, 2
2. N2, 23, 4, 5
3. F3, 64
4. C16, 2, 6
5. C3, 6, 9
CHAPTER 8
1. C14-15, 5
2. C1, 17
3. Ps. 67:28
CHAPTER 9
1. A2, 1, 2
2. A1, 15, 1, 2; N2, 14, 2; N2, 15, 6; C14-15, 22
CHAPTER 11
1. A1, 4, 5; C26, 13
2. N2, 17, 4; C Prologue, 1
3. C30, 8, 9
4. A2, 8, 6
5. A2, 14, 4, 11
6. A2, 7, 4
7. A1, 13, 1
CHAPTER 12
1. A1, 5, 7; N2, 3, 3; N2, 13, 11; C11, 9
2. A1, 4, 3
3. A2, 7, 5, 6
4. A1, 5, 7; N2, 3, 3; N2, 13, 11; C11, 9
CHAPTER 13
1. F2, 28
CHAPTER 14
1. C4, 1; F3, 32
CHAPTER 15
1. A2, 7, 2, 8
2. John 10
CHAPTER 17
1. A2, 22, 9, 13
2. A1, 13, 1; F1, 9; F3, 29
3. A2, 5, 3
4. C11, 3
CHAPTER 18
1. A2, 13; N1, 9
2. A2, 13, 5
3. A2, 3, 4; C1, 19; C14-15, 16
CHAPTER 19
1. A2, 11, 1; N1, 1, 2, 3; C17, 7
2. C7, 10; C17, 7
CHAPTER 20
1. N2, 6, 5; C9, 6
2. N1, 10, 2, 3
3. N1, 14, 1-4; N2, 7, 2
4. N1, 10, 4
5. N2, 1, 2
6. N2, 7, 6
7. C10, 6
8. A2, 24, 9
9. F2, 25, 26, 30
CHAPTER 21
1. C1, 4
2. C1, 15
3. F1, 12, 13, 14
4. A1, 5, 7; N2, 3, 3; N2, 13, 11; C11, 9
5. A2, 1, 2
6. C12, 7, 8; C22, 7; C31, 1, 2; F2, 34; F3, 8
CHAPTER 22
1. A2, 12, 5; F3, 65
CHAPTER 23
1. John 16:7
2. I Cor. 8:1
3. A1, 7, 4
WILLIAM JOHNSTON has translated several works from the contemplative traditions of both East and West, as well as work by the great Japanese novelist Shusaku Endo.
HUSTON SMITH, author of The World’s Religions, is widely regarded as the most eloquent and accessible contemporary authority on the history of religions. He has taught at MIT and the University of California, Berkeley.
OVERVIEW
An unknown fourteenth-century mystic writing in Middle English, the author of The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling offers insight into the life of contemplation. In order to experience God, the author describes entering the cloud of unknowing, in which “you will seem to know nothing and to feel nothing except a naked intent toward God in the depths of your being” (this page). You must distance yourself from “every created thing” with a cloud of forgetting beneath you (this page). All thoughts should be abandoned to this cloud of forgetting, even “good and holy thoughts” (this page), because our flawed reasoning cannot fully grasp the spiritual. If you find it difficult to dispel your thoughts, the author advises you to choose a short word as your prayer. He suggests alternating between “sin,” which embodies all evil, and “God,” which embodies all goodness: “If you possess God you will be free of sin and when you are free of sin you possess God” (this page). Once you are free from all extraneous thoughts, your awareness of your own being will still remain between you and God. You can overcome this obstacle only with “God’s special grace” and “perfect correspondence to his grace on your part” (this page), which lies in an intense sorrow for the knowledge of your existence. The author emphasizes in both The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling that you must “desire to lose the knowledge and experience of self” and not “desire to un-be” (this page–this page), which would be a grave sin.
Mary Magdalene, “who represents all repentant sinners called to contemplation” (this page), epitomizes the contemplative work of love that the author details. He affirms the endlessness of the contemplative life, remarking on “Mary’s part which shall never be taken away” (this page). The author cites an episode in the Gospel of Luke to illustrate the active life and the contemplative life: when Jesus comes to Martha’s house, Martha immediately busies herself with preparations for his meal, while her sister Mary simply sits intently at his feet. Martha’s work represents the first degree of the active life and is “holy and important” in its way (this page). Had Mary focused on “the beauty of [Jesus’s] mortal body, or the sweetness of his human voice and conversation,” she would have been engaged in “a holier and better work” (this page), representing the second degree of the active life and the first degree of the contemplative life. Mary chooses “the best part” (this page), however, which the author defines as the second degree of the contemplative life: “Mary turned to Jesus with all the love of her heart, unmoved by what she saw or heard spoken and done about her. She sat there in perfect stillness with her heart’s secret, joyous love intent upon that cloud of unknowing between her and her God” (this page).
The Cloud of Unknowing Page 18