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?