William Johnston (1) (1925–2010)

The Cloud of Unknowing is a classic of English mystical literature from the 14th century, composed in the apophatic tradition. In his introduction, the editor William Johnston goes on at some length about the suitability of the advice from the anonymous Cloud author for modern would-be mystics with interests in Zen and other contemplative paths, and Johnston tries to water down and modernize the Christology of the Cloud by characterizing it as a "cosmic Christ" per Teilhard de Chardin. But show more that reading seems foreign to the text as I grasp it. The Cloud is plainly and professedly in the Christian tradition of pseudo-Dionysius, asserting the excellence of a contemplation that surpasses the distinctions of reason and imagination, yet firmly anchored in the presuppositions of conventional Christian theology.

Chapters 34 & 35 were the high-point of the Cloud for me. The first emphasizes that love under will is the disposition of the accomplished mystic on this path. The second helpfully discusses the need for reading, thinking, and praying, to train the contemplative. In Chapters 37-39, the Cloud is concerned with a particular method of "short" prayer. Johnston's introduction makes it sound as if this method might be something like mantrayoga, but in fact it turns out to have more in common with the ceremonial magic technique of "vibrating god-names," and the Cloud actually recommends a prayer consisting of the single word "God" without repetition. Chapter 55 has some curious demonological remarks. The psychological model of the Cloud is set forth in Chapters 62-66, and it is interesting to note that it begins with the Augustinian trinity of memory, reason, and will, except that in the Cloud memory has become "mind."

Two biblical tropes in the Cloud deserve special mention. The first is the perennial Mary & Martha characterization of the contemplative life and active life respectively. This rhetorical figure was so common among the medieval religious that the Cloud author takes its significance for granted, and uses it in ways that might at first confuse a naive reader. The other noteworthy trope is the Ark of the Covenant as a figure of contemplation, which leads to a discussion of the roles represented by Moses, Bezaleel, and Aaron. This analogy is carefully explained, and struck me as quite evocative.

This edition of the Cloud includes another text by the same author: The Book of Privy Counseling. Its title alludes to the fact that the addressee of the book is evidently a religious subordinate of the writer. Unlike the Cloud, in which the opening and closing passages clearly anticipate a wider audience for the writing, Privy Counseling, while allowing for that possibility, insists that its purpose is to inform one reader who considers the author his "spiritual father."

There is not much content of Privy Counseling that contradicts or surpasses the Cloud. A good deal of the text consists of an unusual exegesis of the third chapter of the biblical Proverbs. In this particular, the author's thesis hinges on an unusual "spiritual" reading of Proverbs 3:9, where the "substance" is glossed as "your very self in simple wholeness," and "first fruits" as "your existence." This creative exegesis does a certain amount of violence to the evident intentions of the original text. Instruction to the reader to use material resources wisely and piously becomes exhortation to non-material contemplation. And then (in verses 14 & 15) the value placed upon sound judgment becomes a prioritization of the apophatic way beyond reason and imagination. Johnston anticipates that learned modern readers may be "perturbed" by this "contemplative approach to Scripture," but justifies it with a remark that they reflected "a growth in the understanding" between the writer and the reader, both informed by the same spirit. I think the Cloud author himself knew better, when writing in Privy Counsel that "the light of Scripture, reliable counsel, and the dictates of common sense" should be used to evaluate ideas and courses of action. show less

"This book contains two streams of useful, highly spiritual thought. The first part grounds you in a dedicated and devotional practice that cuts away at all the emotional and (sometimes) spiritual baggage acquired via various spiritual practices in your background. The teaching is potent and direct but not without heart. Recommendations and things to do along the way mix within the descriptive 75 brief lessons, resulting (hopefully) in understanding God better while continuing to live in the show more Cloud of Unknowing. The second part is geared for counseling yourself and others. Application of concepts in part one are woven into new fabric of spiritual dimension, that is, a more extrovert application than experienced in the first part. Either way this classic is a must for any serious student of religion and/or spirituality, from the most orthodox to New Thought." show less

I read this book after running across references to it in two books, “Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse” by Louise Erdrich and “Yoga and the Quest for the True Self” by Stephen Cope. I figured if I ran across the reference twice in such disparate places, I should check it out.

There were definitely some parallels with yogic meditation, which was the main thing I was curious about. In yoga as I practice it, Isvara is the “divine ideal of pure awareness”, and show more Pranidhanat is “devotion or devotion”. So in this book that ideal of Isvara would be Jesus Christ, of course. It was nice to read about the contemplative side of Christianity and to see it placed on an equal footing to the active side of Christian faith. This might be the first book where I have seen that happen. As such, it was definitely worth the read for me. show less

A nicely fresh translation from two Middle English Anonymous Catholic mystic books, that listed in the title and "The Book of Privy Counsel." The author of these two books is very down to earth in his way of describing the methods for what he calls "contemplation." As many have noted elsewhere, the Medieval Christian mystics often describe meditation practices that resemble Buddhist practice, in spite of never apparently ever having contact with one another. The author of these works is no show more exception.

The "cloud of unknowing" of the title is very much like the meditation state practiced in Buddhist insight meditation. The believer is to draw all attention away from himself and his rational thought processes and simply focus all on a longing for union with God. Knowing God perfectly is impossible, and the rational mind is especially ill equipped to do so, but through God's grace and contemplative prayer the Christian can experience God and union with him that becomes a knowing beyond knowing.

I find it amazing that two such different spiritual communities would stumble upon such similar approaches, and now that modern science has shown the mental and physical benefits of meditation, it deserves to play a greater part in modern Christian practice. show less