They are really simple concepts though there are many books out on them. Via Negativa is the way of prayer and meditation. It is absolutely essential to the Christian walk. Via Positiva is the way of pray and action. It also is essential. While they are certainly not exclusive of one another most of us tend to default to one or the other. Some here on the board tend when an issue presents itself to want to do something about it: Via Positiva. That is my default position. When that happens sometimes people who do not naturally follow that path get frustrated with those who do and sometimes they even call names. Others follow the Via Negativa and the followers of prayer and action wonder when these people are going to put feet to their prayers.
How about this: The action oriented people need the strong prayers and meditators. The latter provide wisdom to the former. Those who tend toward meditation need the actors so that Jesus' prayer that the Father's will in heaven will come to earth.
Here's a simple example. A newer convert to our Church was very passionate about following God. When some of us asked for those who would to join us in a door to door calling apostolate he eagerly signed on. On the first day of actually doing door to door visitation he let it be known, he even wrote a long letter to me, that he was not cut out for this and dropped out. We were not alarmed. We did not think it a judgement against our vocation. We simply asked him to pray for us. He is one of the people who spend hours in prayer at the temple. God bless him. Thank God, we are not all alike.
