Reimagining the self in relation to God and all creation. Practices of silence in an urban context of societal acceleration

Abstract

What defines the practices of silence of young urban people (25-35 years old) as an experience of the divided self and relationship with God in an urban context of Cape Town characterised by acceleration? The concept of “primordial spirituality” (Waaijman) is used to shed light on the pursuit of spirituality by young urban persons outside formal church structures. This study highlights the dynamic nature of embodied practices of silence for young urban people, offering a counterpoint to societal pressures for constant engagement. In Waaijman’s understanding of primordial spirituality, transformation is a divinely initiated process, in which the human person is drawn into a new mode of being through God’s self-communication and presence. Based on inductive research, a fourfold structure of stages of transformation of the divided self in the experience of silence is reported: struggle, letting go, union, and transformation. Through these fourfold embodied practices, individuals cultivate a deep connection between the undivided self, God, and all of creation, which both challenges and enriches traditional Christian understandings of spirituality.