Kenosis, explained in Phenomenology of Prayer, is the purgation, the self-emptying stage of prayer.
This is the voluntary decentering of our self, making room for the Other in
ourselves. Here, this allows the individual to be at the disposal of the divine
and not the disposal of the self. This is a way to be completely subject to
what God wants to do with us, taking ourselves out of the equation. In my eyes,
using the practice of the shaking of the village, or the leaving the
marketplace, helps with the Kenosis. Sometimes, when we are engulfed in our own
world and the materials of our lives, it is almost impossible to de center
ourselves and be subject to the sacred communication of the divine. To me, this
means turning off my cell phone for my own personal time with God. Then, I
practice being silent and letting all the thoughts and feelings in my head
settle down, letting go of constant thoughts that blur my mind. Only then can I
attempt kenosis, the decentering and abandonship of myself, to make more room
for God to work the way He wants to. For a while, I would not practice this and
would get frustrated when in my personal time with the Lord because I was so
distracted. I think the act of Kenosis is crucial for the worship experience.
How do you think the modern Christian church can help involve Kenosis in their
worship experience? Is it harder to practice Kenosis in a group rather than
solitude?
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