Entropy and Kenosis … how are these connected? Kenosis is a word related to letting go of something–becoming “poor in spirit.” Entropy is a scientific term related to the winding down of energy into equilibrium. The two ideas seem similar, but the Wisdom teachings show them to be paradoxically at opposite ends of the spectrum.
“If you practice dying to things in yourself, gradually you will become more and more alive.” Maurice Nicoll, Commentaries, p665
“All this Work is to reduce entropy in yourself. Thinking that you are always right, for example, will increase your entropy, and so approach spiritual death. The Sermon on the Mount is to reduce entropy. Study it carefully. The more you see you are not what you think you are, the more is entropy decreased psychologically in internal life. Every time you see you are wrong you make it possible for new energy to flow into you. There was a long time ago a School called Kenotics. Kenosis means to empty yourself, to let something in. This Work also teaches this idea. And the practice of it leads to the Reversal spoken of in some of the diagrams. So begin by trying not to be so full of your delightful and charming self. Become passive through self-observation and you will reduce entropy in yourself.” Maurice Nicoll, Commentaries, p1395
“The energy required to maintain the nucleated egoic system keeps dragging you down below the threshold where you can maintain what you can see. Which is why the ancient spiritual practices put so much emphasis on surrender and humility. What they’re trying to do is free up the energy that gets siphoned off in trying to take everything back to the story of our extremely high maintenance, energy-consuming system of selfhood.” Cynthia Bourgeault, Imaginal Wisdom School 2020, Wednesday am teaching 17.50
“The keynote of the Work is to decrease entropy in ourselves by certain definite efforts and certain shocks which ordinarily we would never think of making.” p667-668 From here M makes a very quotable statement: “whatever you do mechanically is lost forever, and whatever you do consciously remains with you. Making an effort is relatively speaking doing something more consciously, and it will give you force. It will decrease entropy. Going with yourself mechanically, drifting from day to day, will take energy from you and increase entropy.” Commentaries, p668
“Do you recall what Christ said when the disciples asked him, ‘Lord, increase our faith.’ He told them the parable about simply doing what you have to do without any sense of unusual merit or suffering or self-pity.” [Luke 27:7-10] p670 Maurice adds, “This is interesting, for here one might say by faith is meant that which decreases entropy and frees energies which otherwise would suffocate us by flooding into the channels of self-merit, self-pity, appetite, sloth, and negative states.” Commentaries, p671
“The fruits of the spirit are not just attributes; they are Imaginal substances, energy streams. Love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.” Cynthia Bourgeault, Imaginal Wisdom School 2020, Thursday am teaching 52:00
“The fruits of the spirit are alchemical byproducts of Conscious Labor and Intentional Suffering.” Cynthia Bourgeault, 01:00:30 Thursday am teaching of the 2020 Imaginal Wisdom School
“Every effort of Work increases force … the sacrifice of Christ was to decrease entropy for humanity.” Commentaries, p664
“The deep surrender of self through Kenosis is the access path to abundance, not your will.” Cynthia Bourgeault, Pendle Hill, May 2019
“Kenosis and self-calming are opposite ends of the spectrum.” Cynthia Bourgeault, Centering Prayer retreat, November 2019
Logion 54
Yeshua says...
You poor are blessed,
for the realm of heaven is already yours.
Page numbers for Maurice Nicoll refer to Psychological Commentaries on the Teachings of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky (Eureka Editions:2020) unless stated otherwise.
All quotations from the Gospel of Thomas are from Lynn C Bauman, Ward J Bauman, Cynthia Bourgeault, The Luminous Gospels (Praxis 2008)
Read the Impression introducing the Gospel of Thomas.
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