Horse first, cart later, perhaps. Cloud reflections 5.
Chapter four of the Cloud of Unknowing is a crucial one.
In Chapter three we learned the basics of the simple practice of contemplation. We were encouraged to life up our heart in love for God, forget everything else, and feel a naked intent onto God.
(By the way, I think I am done with my awkward attempts to bridge the gap between a contemporary post-modern, “enlightened” take on this text and the rawness, the frankness and the power of it’s original language. I know I have probably lost many readers who come to this blog for so-called contemporary language and insights, and a liberally correct spiritual viewpoint. That is the risk I took when I chose the text. Just a heads up. That voice may, or may not, return to this blog; in either case, it was never “me” anyway.)
In Chapter four we find a brief recap and a description of what a mature practice feels like:
“When contemplation is genuine, it’s nothing but a sudden impulse coming out of nowhere and flying up to God like a spark from a burning coal.”
The Cloud works in spirals. The author teaches the nuts and bolts, then comes back at it from different points of view, then comes back to the central practical teachings of brass tacks contemplation.
What is the central teaching here? And why are we bothering?
One main theme we have explored previously on this blog has to do with Valley versus Mountain spirituality (please see the postings on this category). The Cloud has a lot to say about these two dimensions, phrasing the discussion as active versus the contemplative life. The Cloud does present pithy quintessential Valley teachings.
Let me give you a sense of Valley versus Mountain spirituality by confessing some recent personal feelings that were stirred up and which gave way to a couple of instances of unskillful speech on my part.
Here’s the story. There was some excitement was generated a few months ago during the teachings of classical Buddhist abbhidharma here in Honolulu by a talented and learned visiting teacher. Someone asked me my personal take on those teachings and I remarked, frankly, that they gave me a headache.
I admit, this smacks of a bad attitude, and I own that part of it. It was not necessary for me to say this, and served no good purpose.
But let’s see what was underlying this put down.
Deep, mature spirituality is a search for lasting, transformative fulfillment now. The paradox of this search is, as I have been trying to say a hundred different ways, simply the discovery that what we are searching for has already been given.
Let’s say there are overall two ways of going about this search for this lasting fulfillment now. One way emphasizes mastery of heady, abstruse formulas and jargon, on a path which is presented as incredibly arduous, best suited for career ascetics. This is pure Mountain spirituality. Orthodox Theravada Buddhism is mostly Mountain path.
The other approach teaches in simple, easy to understand language, how to cultivate a love affair with uncreated grace, which is our birthright, at the deepest levels of our longing.
This is Valley spirituality. It does not require white knuckles, orange robes, a head full of concepts or a bag full of techniques. The only technique, if you have to have one, is our unmitigated, un-improvable, always already present moment awareness. The only destination is here. The only meditation center we need to visit is the heart.
We can also call the first path the way of self-perfection, and abbhidharma is a good representative teaching of this path.
We can also call the second path the way of union (with the divine mystery, God, or whatever phrase works for you). The Cloud has great representative teachings of this second path.
My point is that these are two very different journeys.
Private self-perfection is all about control, and conquering defilements.
The second path is all about finding God in the disorder and chaos of daily life without needing to control, conquer or change it.
Some of the most poignant teachings I have ever encountered on Valley vs Mountain were given in 12th century Japan by Shinran, and have become the living heart of the Jodo Shinshu Buddhist tradition.
Richard Rohr in his new book decsribes this second path as a falling into union. We just allow it; we give ourselves permission to love God.
But it is not a doing, we didn’t do anything—we were done to! (he writes).
How to give up control? That’s a big part of this second path.
Loving God is really a brilliant way. I like to call it a skillful means, to use the Buddhist term (upaya). This avoids the whole concept of a “you” trying to get somewhere or have a certain experience.
You suddenly realize you are in Someone Else’s embrace, as Rohr puts it. But you don’t need to bother analyzing who this Someone Else is. Just leave that alone, realx the ego’s grip, and ease into this ever-present divine embrace.
We put the horse of practice before the cart of figuring it out.
That’s what the Cloud tell us over and over—you can’t think your way to God.
In theological circles God is recognized as a divine indwelling.
We don’t try to recognize this divine indwelling, as there is really nothing you can do to attain it, as it is already attained!
Instead we practice it.
Horse first, cart later (maybe).
Then you will see it. Or not. Doesn’t matter.
So this second path asks us to walk in trust, often in the darkness (of unknowing).
Take a risk.
As the author of the Cloud says so clearly (loose collection of excerpts from Chapters 3 and 4)
darkness means absence of knowledge—when I speak of darkness s and of a cloud I don’t mean the clouds you see on an overcast day or the darkness in your house when a your candle fails.
No one can fully comprehend the uncreated God with his knowledge, but he can in a different way, fully grasp him through love.
Truly this is the unending miracle of love.
That one loving person, through his love, can embrace God, whose being fills and transcends the entire creation.
This marvelous work of love goes on forever, for he whom he loves is eternal.
To experience this love is the joy of eternal life.
Have a great, loving week!
Tom
