What is Self?: A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness [Paperback]

Bernadette Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1989

This extraordinary philosophical treatise on the nature of self and God follows on the author's now-classic book, The Experience of No-Self. The book includes fascinating chronicles of her own spirtual journey.

--This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bernadette Roberts is the author of two other extraordinary books on the Christian contemplative journey, The Experience of No-Self (Shambhala, 1982) and The Path to No-Self (Shambala, 1985). She was a cloistered nun for nine years, after which she completed a graduate degree in education, married, raised four children, and taught at the pre-school, high school, and junior college levels. She lives in Santa Monica, CA. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 222 pages
• Publisher: Mary Goens Publishing (May 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0962399302
• ISBN-13: 978-0962399305
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.3 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,567,063 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Comprehensive, Trinitarian (Not "Nondualist") View of the Spiritual Journey, November 6, 2006

By 

Joseph Conti (Fullerton, CA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: What Is Self?: A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness (Paperback)

Without a doubt, Bernadette Roberts is the clearest, most incisive writer in our time on the mystical splendor of Christianity. Stunning is the range and depth of Robert's presentation of the essential Christian Mysteries in "What is Self?" Her presentation of Christ is without peer.

Please note that "What Is Self?" (and her other books) are very often misrepresented as elaborating a "nondualist" perspective. Having attended many retreats given by Bernadette Roberts over a period of nearly twenty-five years, I know for certain that her paradigm is completely different from "nondualism"-- advaitic, Buddhist, or otherwise.

Indeed, she calls the nondualist misconception of her paradigm "forcing the fit," which she defines in a recent book as "redefining, clipping, pasting, twisting-- to make the original fit a dissonant paradigm" (Roberts, "Forcing-the-Fit" self-published, Foreword, 2008).

In her essay, "Nondualism," she writes: "It is unfortunate that those who aspire to a nondual state will never reach it-- because it doesn't exist. In truth it is just another illusion to be dispelled. With or without self, there is no state in the journey truly 'nondual,' neither in our earthly journey nor in heaven" (Roberts, "Essays on the Christian Contemplative Journey," self-published, 2007, p. 71.)

"What is Self" --with the above works-- clearly distinguishes her paradigm from that of nondualism. Those seeking further clarification of her view this matter will find it on the site, 'Bernadette's Friends."

Joseph Conti, Ph.D.
Dept. of Comparative Religion
California State University at Fullerton

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally - Information and Answers From An Authoritative Source, January 2, 2008

By 

Thomas Carroll (La Grande, Oregon, United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What Is Self?: A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness (Paperback)

So pleased to have connected with this very unusual offering. Roberts spends the first half of the book explaining in great detail - sometimes tediously, but in the end thoroughly and with stunning insight - the nature of all self identity - Small Self, Big Self, or as some refer to it, True Self and consciousness. Her conclusion is that they are all temporary, mutually supporting constructs that fall away as one matures along the human journey. Her description of the "no self" condition - her ability to describe "no self" to readers who assume their identity as being the one absolutely, irreducible, "personal" accessory is an amazing accomplishment. Beyond unitive consciousness, Roberts describes conditions of pure knowing without a knower. And not as some have led us to believe - not God realized, omniscient knowing. Instead a knowing that includes the sober realization that all that has been previously "known" was really and unavoidably, mere self reflection. Roberts, now in her seventies is described by those who know her as, "A Force Of Nature." Having spent her early years in a convent treading a path parallel to St.'s. Teresa and John of the Cross, Mrs. Roberts is now devoted to her family - having long ago left cloistered life to marry and raise her children. Present day philosopher, Ken Wilber predicts that our human developmental/spiritual ceiling will continue to rise - just as we see looking back to the 16th century when Christian mystics assumed that the highest level of development was an ecstatic, I/Thou, union with God. Bernadette Roberts takes the reader with her beyond this previously supposed end game - charting new waters, higher ground and finally leaving us to understand that beyond self there remains "knowing without a knower" with still more to come. And... as frightening as death of self identity may be - it is natural and necessary that we take this final step, as she assures - all, someday will. A great resource, best suited for well grounded, sturdy thinkers.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the message alive today!, December 15, 2007

By 

Olaf van Kooten "Kenkon" (Netherlands (Wageningen)) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: What Is Self?: A Study of the Spiritual Journey in Terms of Consciousness (Paperback)

This experiential description from a christian perspective has left me awe-struck. I went on the path of eastern religions after discovering the access to truth our medieaval mystics e.g Hadewich, Ruusbroeck, Eckehart and Thomas a Kempis had achieved around the 13th century AD. However they did not show me the way to this truth and Christianity as it was explained to me was totally devoid of it. After 35 years of zen buddhist practice I touch on this book and I am dumbfounded by the deep similarities AND the differences between Christianity and Buddhism as direct experiential religions. It has allowed me to resonate deeply with these aspects of reality as are labeled Trinity and Resurrection.
It is clear that the difference in our society is not going to be made by Eastern traditions. It must come from our own tradition. But then this tradition has to stop clinging to a dead mythic past and become alive to the here and now. I want to thank Bernadette deeply for this courageous deed of going down her path unerring and making it available to us all by writing it down so lucidly.
Thank you Bernadette.