Dark Quote by Maggie Nelson
““The idea is a complicated one, as the burden falls to us to differentiate this Divine Darkness from other kinds of darknesses-- that off a "dark night of the soul," the darkness of sin, and so on. "We pray that we may come unto this Darkness which is beyond light, and, without seeing and without knowing, to see and to know that which is above vision and knowledge through the realization that by not seeing and unknowing we attain to true vision and knowledge," Dionysius wrote, as if clarifying the matter. Equally complicated: the idea of agnosia, or unknowing, which is what one ideally finds, or undergoes, or achieves, within this Divine Darkness. Again: this agnosia is not a form of ignorance, but rather a kind of undoing. (As if one knew once, then forgot? But what did one know?)””
About This Quote
Source Book: The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson, 2015
The passage describes a mystical “Divine Darkness” that transcends ordinary darkness, suggesting that true insight comes from unknowing and surrender, not rational knowledge.
In simple terms: True insight arises from surrender, not rational knowledge
Key Takeaway
Embrace uncertainty to glimpse deeper truth
Themes
spirituality
mysticism
knowledge
paradox
Mood
contemplative
enigmatic
Type
philosophical
poetic
When to use this quote
- meditative practice
- theological study
- personal crisis
- creative work
Key Concepts
Divine Darkness
agnosia
unknowing
undoing
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you practice unknowing without falling into confusion?
- What does “true vision” mean in your life?
A Different Perspective
It may be hard to distinguish productive unknowing from harmful ignorance.
