10. Trigg-o-nometry

Tuesday, 9th December, 2014

Hillarys, Perth, WA

So I started reading "The Cloud of Unknowing" but from the start I have a predicament, not really believing in God undermines a fundamental element of the book.

The book claims to be "a rainmaker for anyone whose soul has ever felt as dry as a bone".

Essentially, the book seems to be about contemplative prayer, whether you need to believe, I'm not sure.

The first part, the "cloud of unknowing" relates to spiritual exercises.

The second part, the "cloud of forgetting", to prayer without ceasing.

I am, by all accounts about to have a dialogue with Mystery.

For contemplation I am in need of only one thing, a naked intent.

What Anonymous does say about God I quite like; "He can be loved, but not thought".

I do wonder why He has to be a He though. If He cannot be thought then He could just as easily by a She or neither.

If neither then the Tao suits.

For contemplative prayer I am in need of one thing, a kind of spiritual amnesia.

For this I must forget about everything created. Hide everything in existence under the cloud of forgetting.

The first piece of practical advice is to "focus our scattered minds on one small word and try to hold onto it". This word is of one syllable. Fix it to your heart. Fasten it in your mind.

I have fixed my word for a day or so now and I have to say its surprising.

For Anonymous contemplation on one word reconnects us to God.

I use the term God in the loosest sense, as far away from Christianity or any other organised religious doctrination as possible.The Tao would probably define it better.

For me, the term God is loaded with connotations that have a direct correlation to the Christian fait h and I cannot believe in it. People have justified to much in the name of God. I have an open mind but the associations between God and religion are too strong. From this sense I should replace the word God with something else and I was going to use the term Tao but the book is a Christian text and not an Eastern philosophy so I use the term God with caution but also with respect to Anonymous.

The Tao signifies the way, it is everything and nothing which is why it seems to have a direct relationship with the term God.

In relation to my original point it seems Anonymous is wary of my sincerity too, and rightly so, for they ask no-one to read, quote or copy any of the text without a sincere intention to follow Christ.

I am sincere but whether that sincerity will lead to Christ I am unsure.

To contextualise, this book was believed to have been written in the last half of the fourteenth century. The secularisation of Western society, I feel, adds weight to my continued reading of this book. Who knows where it will lead.

In reading the first chapter I wonder whether it is possible to remove or replace the religious rhetoric with a more secular vision?

To be spiritual do we really need to be Christian, and if yes, does that mean those who follow other religious faiths are less spiritual?

I'm not sure I even know what it means to be spiritual.

On this journey I can relate to the first stages of Anonymous' four stages of maturity.

First is Ordinary

Many live the ordinary life out in the world and it could be said we often get lost. to Christians this is the path of Adam, the bite of the apple, sin. To most it's simple fun but fun can lead you down a path which is not conducive to proper behaviour.

The second is Special

Special is almost like recognising the first level and growing to a more reflective life.