The Cloud of Unknowing | The Monk Within

Welcome to this e-course, The Cloud of Unknowing, based on a lecture delivered to the community of monks and friends at St. Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota in 2013, in which Dr. Lanzetta shares her insight into this spiritual classic. The Cloud of Unknowing, written by an unknown monk in the 14th century, remains accessible and relevant today to those who yearn to follow a simple yet profound contemplative path toward God.

Each session includes a link to an audio clip from the lecture and a PDF to download with questions for reflection, suggested practices, prayer, and the text of the lecture to assist with further reflection and study. At the end of this page you will also find a virtual library to support you on your journey.

It is recommended that you move through each session in order, and in your own time, allowing plenty of space between sessions for the material to settle into your being. Many of the reflections and practices involve journaling, so please be sure to have one nearby.

We wish you every blessing as you answer the invitation to share in the Spirit's work of love.

First, listen to the audio for each session. Oral transmission is a standard practice of monastic life, with communities of monks gathering for dharma talks or commentaries on scripture reading. Listening to a spiritual teaching, preferably quietly and without distraction, is one of the most effective ways of absorbing a teaching.

Next, reflect. Allow time for the audio lecture to ruminate and reflect during the next minutes, hours or days.

Then, read the text. Consider approaching the text in a contemplative manner, allowing words or phrases to draw you into reflection, prayer, etc. Christians call this type of engagement with a text, lectio divina—sacred reading.

After, write in a journal. Respond to the Reflections, Practices, and Prayers.

Explore the virtual library. Remember to also take advantage of the resources here on this site, where you will find study guides to Beverly's books, answers to frequently asked questions, and audio of interviews and prayers.

Connect. As with any spiritual undertaking, guidance and companionship are essential. If you do not already have a spiritual director, you may consider finding one. Participants are also encouraged to consider participating in the self-study courses with a friend. Moving through the process as spiritual companions will enrich the experience and provide a grounding for future support and connection.

SESSION 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING

In this session, Dr. Lanzetta introduces The Cloud of Unknowing, calling it an extended treatise on contemplative love, and names the three themes central to the author's instruction: the blind stirring of love; self-emptying; and the practice of contemplative prayer.

First, listen to the audio. Then download the PDF of this session to access the text, reflections, practices, and prayer. (Please note that the text is an edited transcription. The link to the audio is also included in the PDF.)

SESSION 2: OF AND THROUGH LOVE

In this session, Dr. Lanzetta discusses the ladder of spiritual growth introduced by our unknown monk and its four phases: the common, the special, the singular, and the perfect.

SESSION 3: DESIRING GOD FOR GOD'S OWN SAKE

This session gets to what Dr. Lanzetta refers to as "the center of the entire commentary": the blind stirring of love.

SESSION 4: LOVE HEALS

This session explores the via amoris, its capacity to heal and transform, and how, if we place it at the center of our hearts, our daily lives become a prayer of healing for the world.

SESSION 5: THE PRACTICE OF SELF-EMPTYING

Session 5 introduces the cloud of forgetting and how it is only through letting go that we enter into the Divine directly.

SESSION 6: THE DIVESTING OF ATTACHMENTS

In this session, Dr. Lanzetta talks about what it means to be a person of love and how we can actively divest ourselves of all that prevents us from reuniting in love.

SESSION 7: LOVING THE DIVINE ALONE

In this session, Dr. Lanzetta describes how the apophatic journey uncovers and ignites the passion to love the totality of life

SESSION 8: CONCLUSION

In this final session, Dr. Lanzetta summarizes The Cloud of Unknowing and ends with a meditation called "Alter of the Heart".

The Cloud of Unknowing and the Book of Privy Counseling, edited by William Johnston
The Method of Centering Prayer and Fr. Thomas Keating
The Heart of Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault
St. Teresa of Avila (1515 - 1582) was a Spanish mystic, Carmelite nun, founder of seventeen monasteries, and author of spiritual classics.
Meister Eckhart (1260 - 1328) was a German mystic and writer who explored the union between the individual soul and God in various works, written in both German and Latin.
Teilhard de Chardin (1881 - 1955) was a Jesuit priest, philosopher, and scientist known for his theory that humans evolve towards a final spiritual unity.
Thomas Merton (1915 - 1968) was a Trappist monk, theologian, mystic, poet, and writer of numerous books on spirituality and social justice.
The Role of Gender in Medieval Models of Contemplation by Amy Goodloe
The Cloud of Unknowing, a short documentary film, not explicitly about The Cloud of Unknowing, but one that explores connections between Christian mysticism, monasticism and urban spirituality.

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Please note: Your participation in this course entitles you to access, but not to forward, duplicate, or share course content. If you know someone who might benefit from this - or any other The Monk Within Self-Study course - please invite them to register directly.

By having registered for this course, you recognize, understand, agree and affirm that Beverly Lanzetta’s e-course, The Cloud of Unknowing, as well as the design, format, content of the course modules (Reflections, Practices, Prayers, Virtual Library), electronic data, audio, digital, and visual recordings, written lectures, and transcriptions and edited transcriptions including but not limited to the above mentioned categories that refer or relate to the work of Beverly Lanzetta are Beverly Lanzetta’s sole property, protected under U.S. copyright law. The above specified categories of materials and information contained therein may not be forwarded, copied, disseminated, sold, transcribed, or transmitted without Beverly Lanzetta’s prior express written consent or that of her heirs.