Study Guide: The Cloud of Unknowing, Chapter 12

In Chapter 12, “How contemplation destroys sin and nurtures virtues” (35-36),  Anonymous mentions “virtues” for the first time, and you should read Butcher’s note to understand his use of the word.  In medieval times, the Seven Deadly Sins were often presented as opposites to the Virtues .  

Over the centuries, however, the presentation of “virtues” moved in directions that did not always compare them with the “seven vices.”  As a consequence, the so-called seven virtues were divided into two classes: the cardinal virtues and the theological virtues, and often they were discussed with the fruits of the Holy Spirit as St. Paul describes them in Galatians 5. 

As good as all this is (and difficult to keep straight as to what goes where), perhaps the Boy Scout Oath is about as good as it gets (outside The Cloud of Unknowing) when it comes to describing a virtuous life:  "A Scout is trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, courteous, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, brave, clean, and reverent."  And yet, as Anonymous will remind us, there’s more to it all than that. No self-help program comes close to his wisdom.

As Anonymous encourages us to think about vices and virtues, he admits that some practices are “good” and that “they help [us] grow in grace.”  (35-36).  What are such practices?

But as good as these habits, disciplines, and practices are, they are not equal to the one practice that truly helps us destroy sin and nurture the virtues.   What is that “work” that “trumps everything else” and how does he describe it?

Anonymous’ final paragraph in Chapter 12 is powerful, well worth reading over and over, many times, so that it sinks into our awareness of what’s important when we wish to cultivate a life characterized by everything that’s on the tree of virtues.  What two virtues—Anonymous will discuss them at length in the upcoming chapters-- are especially important to cultivate as a contemplative?

Study Guide: The Cloud of Unknowing, Chapter 11

Chapter 11, “How to evaluate each thought and impulse and avoid being careless about venial sin” (34) is very short and to the point.  In one paragraph, Anonymous asks us to examine the way we think.  He wants us to see how we use our thoughts and how our thoughts use us. 

Watching thoughts--the act of spiritual attentiveness, watchfulness, “mental vigilance” (as Anonymous calls it), and the guarding of one’s heart--has always been a key practice among contemplatives throughout the great traditions of the world.

Although Anonymous doesn’t give us any detailed advice as to how we might best watch our thoughts, he insists that we need to “[pay] attention to the sudden allure of each thought.”  Within the contemplative tradition, however, other teachers have shared their experiences and struggles with thoughts in considerable detail.  You may find it helpful to look at several of their observations.

After reviewing your experience and examining your contemplative practice, how is it that you “catch a tempting idea when it first arises” so that you “stop it from leading you into sin”?

Study Guide: The Cloud of Unknowing, Chapters 9-10

In Chapter 9, “How even the holiest thoughts obstruct rather than help contemplative prayer” (30-31), Anonymous wants us to realize in the first paragraph that anything less than God is not God; and so he reminds us that thoughts about God are not to be equated with God. To be with God we let go of thoughts about God. 

Something better than  thoughts

In the second paragraph, our Teacher tells us that instead of thoughts we have  something “better” by which we approach God in contemplative prayer. 

What is it "beats on the cloud of unknowing" and why does that "secret" (see note 1)--hidden, personal, private, intimate, unknown "something"--work?

It's of vital importance that we "grope [our] way to God" with this special "something"!  Again, what is it?  Notice how often Anonymous refers to it!  From now on, underline each instance to make sure you never forget the important necessity of this "something better" than thoughts. Then in your contemplative practice be sure to use it to "grope your way to God." It's really the secret heart of our Centering Prayer practice.

In the final paragraph, Anonymous stress the importance of not confusing even good, wholesome, and lovely thoughts “about” God (or anything or anyone else) with entering the cloud of unknowing."  Do you agree?

Locate and underline the three times that Anonymous in this chapter calls what we do in contemplative prayer “work.” Then take a look at Butcher’s comment on page 137 (Chapter 3, note 4) and ask yourself, “Does it help if I consider Centering Prayer “work”? If so, how? If not, why not?  Or is it rest?  Both?

In Chapter 10, "How to tell which thoughts are sinful, and which are mortal or venial," our Teacher tells us that in contemplative prayer we may be disturbed by so-called bad thoughts. "Out of the blue" they come to us. When that happens, what does Anonymous suggest we do? And if we don't do what he recommends, what will happen?

When such various thoughts come to us out of the blue, we are to be aware, Anonymous says, that not all thoughts, especially “bad” thoughts are the same. As Butcher explains in her endnotes to this chapter, Anonymous was accustomed to dividing sins into two categories: venial and mortal. He assumes that as contemplatives who have “honestly renounced the world,” that is, we do not have a overly serious problem with so-called mortal sins like

murder and thievery. We should, however, be on guard against their dangerous entrance and presence in our lives, and consequently he gives us examples as to how the so-called “seven” deadly sins may inveigle their way into our thoughts and actions. As you look over the list, which one or ones do you consider personally most dangerous to your spiritual life? What's the most dangerous of the seven? Why? When and how in your work of contemplative prayer do you handle them?

Study Guide: The Cloud of Unknowing, Chapter 8

In Chapter 8, “Answering your doubts about contemplation; why learning curiosity, and intellect must be destroyed; and the difference between the active and contemplative life” (26-29) our Author gives us a medium-sized chapter of seven paragraphs.  If you’re working through The Cloud in a group, it’s about the right size for a good discussion.  For everyone, it makes for good lectio divina.

In the first paragraph Anonymous brings up a question we often ask: "What’s so bad about thinking good pious thoughts?  After all,  sometimes when I read the Scriptures or when I sing a hymn in church, I really have some nice thoughts that I find helpful. Are we really to “’put them down’ and abandon them under the cloud of forgetting” during contemplation?"

So here's a question for discussion: How does Anonymous answer that question “as best [he] can” in the second paragraph?  Do you agree from your own personal experience; and if so, why?

As to why we need to “place [good] mediations under the cloud of forgetting,” our spiritual guide continues answering by asking us consider “two kinds of lives in the Church, the active and the contemplative.”  At this point, for some readers things become a little complicated, and you may find the following diagram helpful:

The Contemplative Life 

(peaceful and “focused on one thing”)

begins on earth and never ends.

It has two stages:

A higher Stage

(union with God)

A lower Stage

(self-examination, looking, and meditation)

which is the same as the higher stage in the active life.

The higher stage of the Active Life 

(self-examination, looking, and meditation) 

is the same as the lower stage in the contemplative life.

The lower Stage

(activity with and service to others)

of the Active Life begins and ends of earth and
is “anxious [for] there are always problems.”

As you read the rest of Chapter 8, try paraphrasing what Anonymous is describing in your own words.  Share insights.   Work to see the distinctions and connections that Anonymous is making.  He will bring you back to this discussion in Chapter 17.

Here are some additional questions that may serves as prompts to clarification and discussion:

1.      During contemplative prayer (for us, Centering Prayer), does Anonymous want us to make a distinction between good and evil thoughts?  Why or why not?

2.    What, in the opinion of Anonymous, is the danger inherent in engaging in good thoughts?

3.    In paragraph 3, Anonymous makes a distinction between two kinds of lives in the Church, the active and the contemplative.  What’s the distinction?

4.    Anonymous also says that both the active and the contemplative lives each have two stages.  What are they?  And how do they come together?

5.    What goes on in the  mind in the “higher active stage" which is identical to the "lower contemplative stage"?

6.    What takes place in the higher stage of contemplation?

7.    During the day how do we move up and down and in and through these various stages?