The Path to No-Self- Life at the Center

About the Book This book shows how, once we have adjusted to the unitive state, the spiritual journey moves on to yet another more final ending. In our major religious traditions, the outstanding milestone in the spintual journey is the permanent, irreversible transcendence of the self center or ego. The fact that a great deal has been written about the journey to this point means that many people have come this far. But what, we might ask, comes next? Looking ahead we see no path; even in the literature there seems to be nothing beyond an abiding awareness of oneness with God. Had this path been mapped in the literature, then at least we would have known that one existed; but where no such account exists, we assume there is no path and that union of self and God is the final goal to be achieved.

The main purpose of The Path to No-Self is to correct this assumption. It verifies that a path beyond union does indeed exist, that the eventual falling away of the unitive state happens as the culmination of a long experiential journey beyond the state. The author shows that a path exists between the transcendence of the ego tself-center, which begins the unitive state, and the later falling away of all self (the true self), which ends the unitive state. As a firsthand account, The Path to No-Self will be of interest to those with similar experiences, or those searching for a better understanding of their own spiritual journey. Since the journey is concerned with the effects of grace on human conscious ness, the book will be of interest to those psychologists concerned with the trans formational process.

"Ms. Roberts' experiential approach clarifies several important points that have remained obscure in the writings of Christian mystics of the past. Primary among these is her powerful affirmation that the state of Transforming Union is a preparation for a further stage of divine transformation which, for lack of any classical Christian expression, she calls the experience of no self. "Ms. Roberts' special gift as a spiritual writer is her capacity to articulate the ineffable. The clarity and sharpness of her insight and expression, her honesty about herself and her experience, the balance and groundedness of her psychological perceptiveness, and her sure touch in distinguishing accidentals from essentials-the straight and narrow path from dead-ends-make her account unique among the works of spiritual writers." -Father Thomas Keating Bernadette Roberts is the author of two other books: The Experience of No-Self and What is Self?

Preface This book is a personal account of a particular stage in the Christian contemplative journey, a stage I call "the path to no-self." After the book was first published, however, certain misunderstandings arose regarding the terms ego and self and exactly what I mean by "no-ego" and "no-self." Since this preface is being written in anticipation of a second edition, I would like to take this opportunity to clarify these terms and, at the same time, give a brief overview of the completed journey.

Our spiritual journey begins in earnest when we fol low up on a gratuitous grace-a revelation or piece of enlightenment that virtually turns our life around. To seek this grace more abundantly and to make ourselves worthy of it, our energies become focused on a reforma tion of life, a commitment to spiritual practice, a total dedication to pursuing an intimate life with God. Although this reformation is something we must do, our best efforts will only get us so far in this matter.

Introduction Traditionally the Christian contemplative life is divided into three states, or stages, of progress: purgative, illumi native, and unitive, with the last regarded as the defini tive, most perfect attainment of the soul in this life. While the following pages are concerned exclusively with the unitive stage, it is with an eye to viewing it as a tran sitional, rather than as a definitive step in the contempla tive journey. The reason for this perspective is that the true end of the unitive life is to lead the soul out and beyond itself and, consequently, beyond its unitive life. Although there is no name for this step beyond union, 1 have described it in my book The Experience of No-Self." and simply refer to it as the state of no-self.

The unitive life comes to an end when we pass be yond the self and its personal wholeness to enter the The Experience of No-Self: A Contemplative Journey (Shambhala Publications, Inc., 1984).

**Contents and Sample Pages**