The Cloud of Unknowing


Read by David Barnes

(4.6 stars; 87 reviews)

The Cloud of Unknowing (Middle English: The Cloude of Unknowyng) is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century. The text is a spiritual guide on contemplative prayer in the late Middle Ages. The book counsels a young student to seek God, not through knowledge and intellection (faculty of the human mind), but through intense contemplation, motivated by love, and stripped of all thought. This is brought about by putting all thoughts and desires under a "cloud of forgetting", and thereby piercing God's cloud of unknowing with a "dart of longing love" from the heart. This form of contemplation is not directed by the intellect, but involves spiritual union with God through the heart. (Summary by Wikipedia) (5 hr 24 min)

Chapters

00 - Introduction 40:27 Read by David Barnes
01 - Prologue and the First Chapter - Of four degrees of Christian men's living; and of the course of his calling that this book was made unto. 7:30 Read by David Barnes
02 - The Second Chapter - A short stirring to meekness, and to the work of this book. 3:16 Read by David Barnes
03 - The Third Chapter - How the work of this book shall be wrought, and of the worthiness of it before all other works. 3:21 Read by David Barnes
04 - The Fourth Chapter - Of the shortness of this word, and how it may not be come to by curiosity of wit, nor by imagination. 14:00 Read by David Barnes
05 - The Fifth Chapter - That in the time of this word all the creatures that ever have been, be now, or ever shall be, and all the works of those same creatures, should be hid under the cloud of forgetting. 3:43 Read by David Barnes
06 - The Sixth Chapter - A short conceit of the work of this book, treated by question. 2:16 Read by David Barnes
07 - The Seventh Chapter - How a man shall have him in this work against all thoughts, and specially against all those that arise of his own curiosity, of cunning, and of natural wit. 5:59 Read by David Barnes
08 - The Eighth Chapter - A good declaring of certain doubts that may fall in this word treated by question, in destroying of a man's own curiosity, of cunning, and of natural wit, and in distinguishing of the degrees and the parts of active living and contemplative. 9:15 Read by David Barnes
09 - The Ninth Chapter - That in the time of this work the remembrance of the holiest Creature that ever God made letteth more than it profiteth. 4:27 Read by David Barnes
10 - The Tenth Chapter - How a man shall know when his thought is no sin; and if it be sin, when it is deadly and when it is venial. 4:55 Read by David Barnes
11 - The Eleventh Chapter - That a man should weigh each thought and each stirring after that it is, and always eschew recklessness in venial sin. 1:34 Read by David Barnes
12 - The Twelfth Chapter - That by Virtue of this word sin is not only destroyed, but also Virtues begotten. 3:46 Read by David Barnes
13 - The Thirteenth Chapter - What meekness is in itself, and when it is perfect and when it is imperfect. 3:33 Read by David Barnes
14 - The Fourteenth Chapter - That without imperfect meekness coming before, it is impossible for a sinner to come to the perfect Virtue of meekness in this life. 4:08 Read by David Barnes
15 - The Fifteenth Chapter - A short proof against their error that say, that there is no perfecter cause to be meeked under, than is the knowledge of a man's own wretchedness. 3:14 Read by David Barnes
16 - The Sixteenth Chapter - That by Virtue of this work a sinner truly turned and called to contemplation cometh sooner to perfection than by any other work; and by it soonest may get of God forgiveness of sins. 5:10 Read by David Barnes
17 - The Seventeenth Chapter - That a Very contemplative list not meddle him with active life, nor of anything that is done or spoken about him, nor yet to answer to his blamers in excusing of himself. 3:42 Read by David Barnes
18 - The Eighteenth Chapter - How that yet unto this day all actives complain of contemplatives as Martha did of Mary. Of the which complaining ignorance is the cause. 2:42 Read by David Barnes
19 - The Nineteenth Chapter - A short excusation of him that made this book teaching how all contemplatives should have all actives fully excused of their complaining words and deeds. 3:20 Read by David Barnes
20 - The Twentieth Chapter - How Almighty God will goodly answer for all those that for the excusing of themselves list not leave their business about the love of Him. 3:59 Read by David Barnes
21 - The One and Twentieth Chapter - The true exposition of this gospel word, 'Mary hath chosen the best part.' 5:09 Read by David Barnes
22 - The Two and Twentieth Chapter - Of the wonderful love that Christ had to man in person of all sinners truly turned and called to the grace of contemplation. 2:54 Read by David Barnes
23 - The Three and Twentieth Chapter - How God will answer and purvey for them in spirit, that for business about His love list not answer nor purvey for themselves. 3:57 Read by David Barnes
24 - The Four and Twentieth Chapter - What charity is in itself, and how it is truly and perfectly contained in the work of this book. 3:07 Read by David Barnes
25 - The Five and Twentieth Chapter - That in the time of this work a perfect soul hath no special beholding to any one man in this life. 4:17 Read by David Barnes
26 - The Six and Twentieth Chapter - That without full special grace, or long use in common grace, the work of this book is right travailous; and in this work, which is the work of the soul helped by grace, and which is the work of only God. 3:53 Read by David Barnes
27 - The Seven and Twentieth Chapter - Who should work in the gracious work of this book. 1:04 Read by David Barnes
28 - The Eight and Twentieth Chapter - That a man should not presume to work in this work before the time that he be lawfully cleansed in conscience of all his special deeds of sin. 2:23 Read by David Barnes
29 - The Nine and Twentieth Chapter - That a man should bidingly travail in this work, and suffer the pain thereof, and judge no man. 2:24 Read by David Barnes
30 - The Thirtieth Chapter - Who should blame and condemn other men's defaults. 1:17 Read by David Barnes
31 - The One and Thirtieth Chapter - How a man should have him in beginning of this work against all thoughts and stirrings of sin. 1:45 Read by David Barnes
32 - The Two and Thirtieth Chapter - Of two ghostly devices that be helpful to a ghostly beginner in the work of this book. 2:44 Read by David Barnes
33 - The Three and Thirtieth Chapter - That in this work a soul is cleansed both of his special sins and of the pain of them, and yet how there is no perfect rest in this life. 2:50 Read by David Barnes
34 - The Four and Thirtieth Chapter - That God giveth this grace freely without any means, and that it may not be come to with means. 5:43 Read by David Barnes
35 - The Five and Thirtieth Chapter - Of three means in the which a contemplative Prentice should be occupied, in reading, thinking, and praying. 3:22 Read by David Barnes
36 - The Six and Thirtieth Chapter - Of the meditations of them that continually travail in the work of this book. 2:26 Read by David Barnes
37 - The Seven and Thirtieth Chapter - Of the special prayers of them that be continual workers in the word of this book. 3:08 Read by David Barnes
38 - The Eight and Thirtieth Chapter - How and why that short prayer pierceth heaven. 3:37 Read by David Barnes
39 - The Nine and Thirtieth Chapter - How a perfect worker shall pray, and what prayer is in itself; and if a man shall pray in words, which words accord them most to the property of prayer. 3:51 Read by David Barnes
40 - The Fortieth Chapter - That in the time of this work a soul hath no special beholding to any vice in itself nor to any virtue in itself. 3:50 Read by David Barnes
41 - The One and Fortieth Chapter - That in all other works beneath this, men should keep discretion; but in this none. 2:55 Read by David Barnes
42 - The Two and Fortieth Chapter - That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all other things; and surely else never. 2:28 Read by David Barnes
43 - The Three and Fortieth Chapter - That all witting and feeling of a man's own being must needs be lost if the perfection of this word shall verily be felt in any soul in this life. 3:15 Read by David Barnes
44 - The Four and Fortieth Chapter - How a soul shall dispose it on its own part, for to destroy all witting and feeling of its own being. 4:59 Read by David Barnes
45 - The Five and Fortieth Chapter - A good declaring of some certain deceits that may befall in this work. 4:31 Read by David Barnes
46 - The Six and Fortieth Chapter - A good teaching how a man shall flee these deceits, and work more with a listiness of spirit, than with any boisterousness of body. 2:41 Read by David Barnes
47 - The Seven and Fortieth Chapter - A slight teaching of this work in purity of spirit; declaring how that on one manner a soul should shew his desire unto God, and on ye contrary unto man. 5:06 Read by David Barnes
48 - The Eight and Fortieth Chapter - How God will be served both with body and with soul, and reward men in both; and how men shall know when all those sounds and sweetness that fall into the body in time of prayer be both good and evil. 5:06 Read by David Barnes
49 - The Nine and Fortieth Chapter - The substance of all perfection is nought else but a good will; and how that all sounds and comfort and sweetness that may befall in this life be to it but as it were accidents. 2:18 Read by David Barnes
50 - The Fiftieth Chapter - Which is chaste love; and how in some creatures such sensible comforts be but seldom, and in some right oft. 3:21 Read by David Barnes
51 - The One and Fiftieth Chapter - That men should have great wariness so that they understand not bodily a thing that is meant ghostly; and specially it is good to be wary in understanding of this word 'in,' and of this word 'up.' 4:27 Read by David Barnes
52 - The Two and Fiftieth Chapter - How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this word 'in,' and of the deceits that follow thereon. 2:31 Read by David Barnes
53 - The Three and Fiftieth Chapter - Of divers unseemly practices that follow them that lack the work of this book. 5:08 Read by David Barnes
54 - The Four and Fiftieth Chapter - How that by Virtue of this word a man is governed full wisely, and made full seemly as well in body as in soul. 4:23 Read by David Barnes
55 - The Five and Fiftieth Chapter - How they be deceived that follow the fervour of spirit in condemning of some without discretion. 4:41 Read by David Barnes
56 - The Six and Fiftieth Chapter 2:14 Read by David Barnes
57 - The Seven and Fiftieth Chapter - How these young presumptuous disciples misunderstand this other word 'up'; and of the deceits that follow thereon. 3:30 Read by David Barnes
58 - The Eight and Fiftieth Chapter - That a man shall not take ensample of Saint Martin and of Saint Stephen, for to strain his imagination bodily upwards in the time of his prayer. 6:42 Read by David Barnes
59 - The Nine and Fiftieth Chapter - That a man shall not take ensample at the bodily ascension of Christ, for to strain his imagination upwards bodily in the time of prayer: and that time, place, and body, these three should be forgotten in all ghostly working. 4:05 Read by David Barnes
60 - The Sixtieth Chapter - That the high and the next way to heaven is run by desires, and not by paces of feet. 2:52 Read by David Barnes
61 - The One and Sixtieth Chapter - That all bodily thing is subject unto ghostly thing, and is ruled thereafter by the course of nature and not contrariwise. 3:38 Read by David Barnes
62 - The Two and Sixtieth Chapter - How a man may wit when his ghostly work is beneath him or without him, and when it is even with him or within him, and when it is above him and under his God. 2:30 Read by David Barnes
63 - The Three and Sixtieth Chapter - Of the powers of a soul in general, and how Memory in special is a principal power, comprehending in it all the other powers and all those things in the which they work. 2:51 Read by David Barnes
64 - The Four and Sixtieth Chapter - Of the other two principal powers Reason and Will; and of the work of them before sin and after. 2:08 Read by David Barnes
65 - The Five and Sixtieth Chapter - Of the first secondary power, Imagination by name; and of the works and the obedience of it unto Reason, before Sin and after. 2:29 Read by David Barnes
66 - The Six and Sixtieth Chapter 2:36 Read by David Barnes
67 - The Seven and Sixtieth Chapter - That whoso knoweth not the powers of a soul and the manner of her working, may lightly be deceived in understanding of ghostly words and of ghostly working; and how a soul is made a God in grace. 4:15 Read by David Barnes
68 - The Eight and Sixtieth Chapter - That nowhere bodily, is everywhere ghostly; and how our outer man calleth the word of this book nought. 3:42 Read by David Barnes
69 - The Nine and Sixtieth Chapter - How that a man's affection is marvelously changed in ghostly feeling of this nought, when it is nowhere wrought. 3:10 Read by David Barnes
70 - The Seventieth Chapter - That right as by the defailing of our bodily wits we begin more readily to come to knowing of ghostly things, so by the defailing of our ghostly wits we begin most readily to come to the knowledge of God, such as is possible by grace to be had here. 4:20 Read by David Barnes
71 - The One and Seventieth Chapter - That some may not come to feel the perfection of this work but in time of ravishing, and some may have it when they will, in the common state of man's soul. 3:52 Read by David Barnes
72 - The Two and Seventieth Chapter - That a worker in this work should not deem nor think of another worker as he feeleth in himself. 1:47 Read by David Barnes
73 - The Three and Seventieth Chapter - How that after the likeness of Moses, of Bezaleel, and of Aaron meddling them about the Ark of the Testament, we profit on three manners in this grace of contemplation, for this grace is figured in that Ark. 3:04 Read by David Barnes
74 - The Four and Seventieth Chapter - How that the matter of this book is never more read or spoken, nor heard read or spoken, of a soul disposed thereto without feeling of a very accordance to the effect of the same work: and of rehearsing of the same charge that is written in the prologue. 3:34 Read by David Barnes
75 - The Five and Seventieth Chapter - Of some certain tokens by the which a man may prove whether he be called of God to work in this work. 5:37 Read by David Barnes

Reviews

a little gem, beautifully read


(4 stars)

David Barnes is one of the best readers in LibriVox. Thanks to him I discovered this gem.

Classic Text on Christian Mysticism


(4 stars)

This is a high-level work meant largely for monastics, but still has application for any Christian and any seeking a spiritual life. It definitely seems to be in the Franciscan tradition, emphasizing the primacy of the will, of holy desire, over knowledge, which to have of God all other knowing must become un-known, not attended to - the work emphasizes God's transcendence of our comprehension, in proper mystical apophatic tradition. The reader brings a great and fitting tone of calm, meditative sobriety to the recording.


(5 stars)

Kudos. This is a lovely reading of the Evelyn Underhill translation, though my preference would be the more modern language translation by William Johnston (which is easier on the ears and comprehension)

Great book


(5 stars)

Great book. Great narration Simple concepts but profoundly challenging to implement in this busy modern world. This is a book to read again and again.

THANKYOU BIG TIME SUCH A GIFT THIS BOOK AND THE READER IS A JOY


(4 stars)

Thought provoking book


(5 stars)

Really interesting book.

The Cloud of Forgetting


(4 stars)

This is great. Thanks for the recording. My only quibble is that I prefer the title in the original The Cloud of Forgetting. It seems more apt. maybe more poetic as well? Warm regards Dave