The Cloud of Unknowing — Listener Questions

About this sermon

On season five of Turning to the Mystics, James Finley turns to the anonymous mystical text “The Cloud of Unknowing” for spiritual guidance, all the while exploring the foundations of contemplation practice. In this episode, James Finley and Kirsten answer questions that were submitted by the listeners during the airing of the 5th season around The Cloud of Unknowing. Due to the length of this episode, we are providing key markers so you can move around the episode however it best applies to your path: 00:02:38 – Recapping The Cloud of Unknowing 00:05:19 – Gender and The Cloud of Unknowing 00:07:38 – Questions about The Path 00:11:55 – Using Words and Anchors in Meditation 00:14:09 – Encountering Anxiety During Meditation 00:22:23 – Working with Non-Attachment and Fear 00:27:30 – Meditation in Group Settings 00:30:32 – Difficult Emotions During Practice 00:33:51 – Accepting Yourself During Practice 00:36:14 – The Cloud and Working with Painful Memories 00:41:19 – Working with Pain and the Infinite 00:43:56 – Struggling to Connect with Unitive Consciousness 00:47:48 – Is Every Thing Eternal? 00:52:16 – Feeling Love During Contemplation 00:55:21 – A Voicemail from Miguel 01:01:14 – The Mystics and Centering Prayer 01:03:37 – Bringing Our Practice Into the World 01:06:40 – Loving God for God Alone 01:09:01 – Contemplative Transformation of Personality Turning to the Mystics is a podcast from the Center for Action and Contemplation with host James Finley who offers a modern take on the timeless wisdom of the Christian mystics through meditation and practice. This podcast is for people searching for something more meaningful, intimate, and richly present in the divine gift of their lives. Turning to the Mystics podcast: https://cac.org/podcast/turning-to-the-mystics/ Episode transcript: https://cac.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/TTTM_Transcript_TCUO_ListenerQuestions.pdf CAC PODCASTS The Center for Action and Contemplation’s (CAC) podcast network serves as a gateway to the contemplative path. In partnership with Richard Rohr and our core faculty, our podcast series are designed to provide spiritual wisdom and guidance in support of inner and outer transformation. https://cac.org/podcasts/ CENTER FOR ACTION AND CONTEMPLATION The Center for Action and Contemplation (CAC) is an educational nonprofit introducing seekers to the contemplative Christian path of transformation. Founded by Richard Rohr in 1987, our programs and resources are designed to help deepen prayer practice and strengthen compassionate engagement in the world.   Learn more about Who We Are: https://bit.ly/3D8TtdU  Learn more about What We Do: https://bit.ly/3qrYFGc  Learn more about Richard Rohr: https://bit.ly/3ozYdmP  Learn more about Contemplation: https://bit.ly/3wNojGF