Cloud of Unknowing (14th century)

'For when I sey derknes, I mene a lackyng of knowyng; as alle that thing that thou knowest not, or elles that thou hast forgetyn, it is derk to thee, for thou seest it not with thi goostly ighe. And for this skile it is not clepid a cloude of the eire, bot a cloude of unknowyng, that is bitwix thee and thi God.'

Otherwise known as The Cloude of Unknowyng in the original Middle English, back in our salad days when you could spell words however you wanted and nobody would be upset if you didn't bathe much. The 14th century had a lot going for it - for example, ignorance! This is pre-Enlightenment, pre-Renaissance, a classic Dark Age if there ever was one, and this text is all about the value and virtue of Forgetting and Unknowing. To know without thinking, to enter a higher state of Being through love and without understanding. It all sounds very abstract, but mysticism is all about personal experience and requires essentially no prior knowledge other than your lived experience.

An exploration of the Christian mystic tradition, we will not be reading this book as theology - whether you follow Christ, the Buddha, Krishna, Ricky Gervais or Haile Selassie as your god, all are welcome - we will not be attempting to preach or convert anyone to a particular way of thinking. What does an obscure text intended for medieval monks have to say for the contemporary troubled soul? You might be surprised how much these ideas resemble what is so frequently packaged and commercialised in mindfulness apps. What does it mean to be a 'mystic' in the age of AI? To have a private, intimate relationship with God - how can I show this off on Instagram?

Lots of free translations, as well as the Olde Middle Englyishe texte, are available free online, but you might fare best with the accessible translation by AC Spearing, with regular spelling and without all the Thees and Thous - message me for a copy.