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The Cloud of Unknowing · 47 of 80

Chapter 42. That by indiscretion in this, men shall keep discretion in all other things; and surely else never

BUT peradventure thou askest me, how thou shalt govern thee discreetly in meat and in sleep, and in all these other. And hereto I think to answer thee right shortly: “Get that thou get mayest.” Do this work evermore without ceasing and without discretion, and thou shalt well ken begin and cease in all other works with a great discretion. For I may not trow that a soul continuing in this work night and day without discretion, should err in any of these outward doings; and else, me think that he should always err. p. 206

And therefore, an I might get a waking and a busy beholding to this ghostly work within in my soul, I would then have a heedlessness in eating and in drinking, in sleeping and in speaking, and in all mine outward doings. For surely I trow I should rather come to discretion in them by such a heedlessness, than by any busy beholding to the same things, as I would by that beholding set a mark and a measure by them. Truly I should never bring it so about, for ought that I could do or say. Say what men say will, and let the proof witness. And therefore lift up thine heart with a blind stirring of love; and mean now sin, and now God. God wouldest thou have, and sin wouldest thou lack. God wanteth thee; and sin art thou sure of. Now good God help thee, for now hast thou need! p. 207

Asked of Guide

Why does the author tell me to be heedless in outward things while keeping this inner work?

The author says uninterrupted practice of the inner work—“this ghostly work within in my soul”—creates a waking, busy beholding that naturally governs eating, sleeping, speaking and all outward acts with discretion. He argues that striving to manage those externals directly sets a “mark and a measure” and fails, whereas steady attention to God reshapes conduct from the inside.

He gives a practical prescription: “Get that thou get mayest”—secure the interior practice first and let it guide behavior; the habit of love brings discretion. This echoes Ignatius of Loyola’s advice in the Spiritual Exercises to order life by interior consolation rather than by attempting rigid external control.

Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.