Itemize Books As The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling

Original Title:	The Cloud of Unknowing: and The Book of Privy Counseling
ISBN:	0385030975 (ISBN13: 9780385030977)
Edition Language:	English

The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling Paperback | Pages: 224 pages

Define Of Books The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling

Title	:	The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling
Author	:	Anonymous
Book Format	:	Paperback
Book Edition	:	Deluxe Edition
Pages	:	Pages: 224 pages
Published	:	July 1st 1996 by Image (first published 1375)
Categories	:	Spirituality. Religion. Theology. Christianity. Nonfiction. Occult. Mysticism

Description In Favor Of Books The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling

Originally written in Middle English by an unknown mystic of the fourteenth century, The Cloud of Unknowing represents the first expression in our own tongue of the soul's quest for God. A literary work of great beauty in both style and message, it offers a practical guide to the path of contemplation. The author explains how all thoughts and concepts must be buried beneath a 'cloud of forgetting,' while our love must rise toward God hidden in the 'cloud of unknowing.' William Johnston — an authority on fourteenth-century spirituality and on the writings of this unknown author — provides a substantive and accessible introduction detailing what is known about the history of this text and its relevance throughout the ages. Also included here is the author's other principal work, The Book of Privy Counseling — a short and moving text on the way to enlightenment through a total loss of self and consciousness only of the divine.

In a new foreword, Huston Smith shows The Cloud of Unknowing as a highly relevant text for today's spirituality, containing essential elements from the varieties of religious experience.

Rating Of Books The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling

Ratings: 4.34 From 1533 Users | 74 Reviews

Comment On Of Books The Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counseling

February 5, 2014: Rereading this again! Prompted to return by a reference in another book, The Time Before You Die: A Novel of the Reformation, I'm currently reading. Although a work of fiction, Ms. Beckett's character's reaction to this classic text seemed to be at odds with my own memories of Cloud. And yet as God has used life to humble and teach me, perhaps that's also what Ms. Beckett meant to portray by her youthful monk's misapplication of the text's inherent wisdom.



14th century zen manual. Anonymous was probably a female anchorite.

It is written in the Talmud, "Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he saved an entire world." Concerning the spirit, the only life that a person has the power to destroy or save is his own, then and only then is an entire world destroyed or saved in him and through him. IF, and it is a big IF, this is true, the contemplative life, as described by this anonymous author, would be the one simple and logical

[No review until I've read all the various editions I have, since they seem to have significant differences in tenor, if not actual content; then I'll probably do one review which I copy onto all the editions.Also, for the next reading I'd like to check out the references to writings of John of the Cross that are cross-referenced.Which is all rather funny, since the author strongly discourages intellectual and imaginative pursuits for this work.]

A deep and very useful work. The essence of this book by an anonymous 14th century Christian mystic is the same as the beating heart of all Zen practice. Yes, be still and know. Cut out the noise and focus on the signal. That is all.

I took my time reading this work, contemplating what the anonymous fourteen century mystic meant by his words. I found many of his teachings resonated deep within me and many parallels to my own life experience. It's full of powerful teachings that the Holy Ghost can use to enlighten each person for what it means for them individually. As he states: "no amount of natural or acquired knowledge will bring him to taste the spiritual experience of God, for this is a pure gift of grace. And so I urge