Written by an anonymous fourteenth-century author, The Cloud of Unknowing was originally prepared for cloistered monks. Yet this little book has blessed centuries of readers from all Walks of life. Each brief chapter offers a Way to enter into the life of prayer and provides common sense steps on this mystical path. As the book that influenced St John of the Cross and many other great mystics since the late Middle Ages, this classic of contemplative spirituality also supports the contemporary movement of Centering Prayer, inviting readers to its most basic and accessible form. The present edition offers this timeless Work in a fresh and contemporary translation that makes mystical experiences and concepts understandable for today’s reader.