What is Cloud of Unknowing?
The Cloud of Unknowing is an anonymous work of Christian mysticism written in Middle English in the latter half of the 14th century, teaching that God cannot be understood via reason or intellect, but only through love, and recommending cultivation of two mental states: ‘the cloud of forgetting’ (temporarily setting aside one’s knowledge and intellect), and ‘the cloud of unknowing’ (God dwells beyond human understanding). Written by an anonymous author often called the ‘Cloud-author,’ it addresses a single advanced disciple and lays out a practical, affective path toward God grounded in apophatic or ‘negative’ theology, presenting contemplation as a ‘blind stirring of love’ directed toward God beyond all images and thoughts. The central teaching is that any attempt to grasp the divine through concepts, images, or theological reasoning must be abandoned in favor of a direct encounter through love alone.
Origins & Lineage
The anonymous Cloud of Unknowing was probably written around 1380, and some scholars have situated it within a Carthusian context. The Cloud is an important and influential work situated alongside the other mystical and contemplative works of the late Middle Ages, such as the work of Richard Rolle, The Revelations of Divine Love or Book of Shewings of Julian of Norwich, the works of Walter Hilton, and The Book of Margery Kempe. The Cloud of Unknowing draws on the mystical tradition of Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite and Christian Neoplatonism, which focuses on the via negativa road to discovering God as a pure entity, beyond any capacity of mental conception and so without any definitive image or form. This concept is deeply rooted in the via negativa (the negative way) or apophatic theology, which was significantly influenced by early Christian mystics like Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite; apophatic theology asserts that we can only speak truly of God by saying what God is not, because any positive human description limits the limitless divine reality. A second major work by the same author, The Book of Privy Counseling, continues the themes discussed in the Cloud.
How It’s Practiced
The Cloud of Unknowing consists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union. It provides a practical guide to contemplative prayer, instructing its readers to use a single one-syllable word like ‘God’ or ‘Love,’ which should be used to help push away any distraction that may hinder us from entering the pure and loving presence of God. The author instructs the practitioner that he must put a cloud of forgetting between himself and all created things; during this type of prayer, no thought is welcomed or indulged, describing apophatic prayer – what is sometimes conceptualized as ‘resting in God.’ The first time you practice contemplation, you’ll only experience a darkness, like a cloud of unknowing, and you’ll only know that in your will you feel a simple reaching out to God. Unlike Ignatian contemplation, which uses imagination and sensory details to engage with scripture, the Cloud’s contemplation is apophatic, i.e., the way of no images.
Cloud of Unknowing Today
The practical prayer advice contained in The Cloud of Unknowing forms a primary basis for the contemporary practice of Centering Prayer, a form of Christian meditation developed by Trappist monks William Meninger, Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating in the 1970s. Rediscovered and widely translated in the 20th century, it has become a central text for comparative mysticism, Christian contemplative renewal (e.g., centering prayer movements), and philosophical reflection on the limits of language and knowledge in relation to the divine. Modern teachers such as Cynthia Bourgeault, James Finley, and Carmen Acevedo Butcher have popularized the text through retreats, online courses, and accessible translations. Seekers encounter The Cloud through silent retreats, centering prayer groups, and contemplative Christian communities that emphasize apophatic practice.
Common Misconceptions
The Cloud of Unknowing is not a beginner’s text—it was written for an advanced spiritual disciple already well-versed in active devotional practice. It is not anti-intellectual or dismissive of theology; rather, it addresses a specific contemplative practice that temporarily sets aside discursive thought. Unlike Ignatian contemplation which often uses imagination and sensory details to engage with scripture or the life of Christ, the path of unknowing is deliberately imageless and concept-free, aiming for a direct, supra-intellectual encounter with God’s presence. It does not promise immediate enlightenment or emotional consolation—in fact, the author warns that practitioners may experience only darkness at first. The Cloud is also not identical to Eastern meditation practices, though similarities exist; it remains rooted in Christian theology and devotion to the person of God.
How to Begin
Begin by reading a modern translation of the text itself—Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s edition (Shambhala, 2009) or William Johnston’s translation are widely recommended. Those unfamiliar with contemplative practice should first explore centering prayer through resources from Contemplative Outreach or the Center for Action and Contemplation. Seek out a centering prayer group or contemplative Christian community for support and guidance. Retreat centers such as those run by the Trappists or Benedictines often offer introductions to the practice rooted in the Cloud’s teachings. Teachers like Cynthia Bourgeault and James Finley offer courses and retreats specifically focused on The Cloud of Unknowing for contemporary practitioners.