It offers a method by which the suitably disposed reader may practice an advanced and even austere form of contemplation-the divesting of the mind of all images and concepts through an encounter with a ‘nothing and a nowhere’ that leads to the mysterious and unfathomable being of God himself. The Cloud of Unknowing, a masterpiece of simplicity that distills a complex mystical epistemology and discipline into engagingly readable prose, embodies a paradox. Scripture appears on mouseover in your preferred translation, and the Logos version integrates seamlessly into your digital library, so your dictionaries and other reference tools are only ever a click away. With Logos Bible Software, this work is completely searchable, making the text easier to access for scholarly work and personal study.

Attempting to describe the indescribable, The Cloud of Unknowing is a key text for understanding contemplative prayer and the practices of Christian mysticism. According to Underhill’s introduction, “So actual, and so much a part of his normal existence are his apprehensions of spiritual reality, that he can give them to us in the plain words of daily life: and thus he is one of the most realistic of mystical writers.”ĭrawing upon Christian Neoplatonism, this matchless guide encourages readers to seek God truly and glimpse his divine beauty, wisdom, and love-to remove all thought, and work within the realm of the heart. Underhill praises the unidentified author’s vivid humor, robust common sense, and simple style, which helps readers share in the deeply spiritual experiences he has enjoyed. The writer’s identity may be a mystery, but the value of his writing is plain to all. Since this book’s entrance into religious circles more than 500 years ago, the question of authorship has been asked by many, including the Anglo-Catholic writer and mystic Evelyn Underhill, who penned the introduction to this important version of The Cloud. It is a spiritual guide to contemplative prayer-the art of surrendering ego, mind, and expectations so that God may pierce the barrier, or cloud, that separates him from us. The Cloud of Unknowing is a fourteenth-century work of Christian mysticism written by an anonymous author.

The cloud of unknowing