How do you pierce the cloud of unknowing?

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Um, don’t take this the wrong way but I highly doubt you are. Have you read the work of the same name?
 
Yes why? It’s nearly impossible to understand that’s why I’m asking…
 
In the work entitled, The Cloud of Unknowing, the author gives a warning to the reader that the message was addressed for an individual monk on the way to advanced prayer, and not beneficial to the spiritual lives of everyone. Therefore, caution should be taken before, and while reading the book to ensure that the reader understands to not run off with crazy ideas or expectations for contemplative prayer.
 
Okay. It is a work about an advanced topic in contemplation. It was written for monks. Carmelites I believe. If you found it hard to understand perhaps try the version from Paulist Press with updated spelling and all that.
 
I found a modern translation from Shambhala Publications at a used bookstore and have been listening to an audiobook translation by Evelyn Underhill.
 
Okay don’t take this the wrong way either but Shambhala is kind of new agey, syncretic stuff. They publish a lot of Buddhist and Hindu stuff. I’d get the edition from Paulist Press.

And I’m not sure if you meant it this way but the part about not talking to others about it isn’t meant to be some occult secret only for ‘initiates’.
 
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He probably meant as soon as you talked about it everyone would misinterpret you…
 
What about the Evelyn Underhill translation is that faithful to the original?
 
I can’t say as I haven’t read it. I haven’t read the Shambhala one either. I just like the Paulist one because it seems close to the original, there’s a long introduction and many footnotes. A priest edited it and another priest did the preface. Or at least they’re religious. Ones a Jesuit, the other Dominican.
 
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Okay interesting i’ll see if i can order it from the catholic bookstore in town. It says to keep either “God” or “Love” alone in your mind I wonder if it’s telling you to reduce your thought content and remain fixed on presence.
 
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