"In your land some are called to the contemplative life and live in cloisters. In my land we don't really have cloisters anymore. But many people hunger for a deeper experience of God. Do you think the cloistered lifestyle is best suited for those removed from the world?"

"The world is full of distractions, baubles to tempt us, activities to dilute us. But I do not mean to disparage the life of the Actives. They can show their devotion through service, through the completion of necessary tasks. Actives do not understand Contemplatives, just as Martha didn't understand Mary. Martha thought her sister was being idle and lazy, which is a common mistake that those in the world make. They don't understand the work of Contemplation. It is to apprehend the Word of God directly. The fruit Contemplation is to be given to the world in prayer. The contemplative needs the cloister in order to clarify his perception. The forgetting or unknowing cannot happen when immersed in noise and prideful endeavour. But you say in your world there are no cloisters? A man cannot pray without discipline; discipline becomes his cloister. With God all things are possible. And yet it is God's work, not ours."

"Can you tell me more of how one enters the Cloud of Unknowing? Can you teach me the steps?"

"Only God can show you the way. But I may be able to offer a few small pointers. You must understand that you come before the cloud with your four faculties: Reason, Will, Imagination and Sensuality. Reason is the faculty by which we distinguish evil from good. Through Will we love God and choose good after it has been approved by Reason. With Imagination we can picture anything, past as well as present. And Sensuality is the faculty of our soul which affects and controls all our bodily reactions, and through which we experience physical creation. All of these faculties are embraced by Mind. And all are misguided since the Fall and need to be anointed with grace: Reason's discernment becomes delusion; Will's intention becomes compulsion; Imagination's vision becomes distraction and Sensuality's apprehension becomes impulsiveness. Only when the mind no longer focuses on physical matters (in terms of Will and Sensuality) or even spiritual matters (Reason and Imagination) but solely on God as he is, do you approach the contemplative way. Through grace you become united with God in spirit, in love, and in harmony of will. But do not strive for this, with violent strainings that are inseparable from a materialistic, physical outlook. Learn to love God with quiet, eager joy, at rest in body as in soul. Wait humbly upon our Lord's will. Do not snatch at it, like some famished dog, however much you hunger for it."

"Sometimes in my life, I am accosted by remembrances of past sins. I try to leave them with God, but they keep interrupting, convincing me I have been separated from grace. Yet nowhere in sacred writings do I find that it is so; God forgives the contrite heart. Do you ever experience this? Do you have a word for this?"

"There are a few spiritual dodges that have worked for me. Try them out and then see if you can do better. The first is to do everything to pretend you don't know these thoughts are pushing in between you and God. Try, as it were, looking over their shoulders seeking something else, which is God, shrouded in the cloud of unknowing. If you do so, I think you will soon find your hard work much easier. "

"There is another spiritual dodge to try if you wish. When you feel completely powerless to put these thoughts away, cower before them like a captive overcome in battle, reckoning it is ridiculous to fight them any longer. In this way you surrender yourself to God while you are in the hands of your enemies, in humility. And this humility causes God himself to come down in his might, and avenge you of your enemies and take you up and fondly dry your spiritual eyes. I believe if you are given the grace to try these out, you will soon be more able to teach me than I you."

"I am so grateful to have met you here in this desert place. I am sure from talking with you that your letters home will be edifying to anyone desiring to be closer to God. I wish you well in your pilgrimage."

"Thank you my friend from a strange land. Remember, it is not what you are or have been that God looks at with his merciful eyes, but what you would be. Continue on your journey with this peace deep in your bosom."

If you are interested in the spirituality of the desert, Arthur Paul Patterson has another essay that may interest you.