Peter Ralston - The Book of Not Knowing: Exploring the True Nature of Self, Mind, and Consciousness

Other books by Peter Ralston

The Principles of Effortless Power
The Art of Effortless Power
Reflections of Being
Ancient Wisdom, New Spirit
Zen Body-Being

PART I:

CHAPTER ONE:

CHAPTER TWO:

CHAPTER THREE:

CHAPTER FOUR:

CHAPTER FIVE:

PART II:

CHAPTER SIX:

CHAPTER SEVEN:

CHAPTER EIGHT:

PART III:

CHAPTER NINE:

CHAPTER TEN:

CHAPTER ELEVEN:

PART IV:

CHAPTER TWELVE:

CHAPTER THIRTEEN:

CHAPTER FOURTEEN:

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

CHAPTER SIXTEEN:

PART V:

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN:

CHAPTER NINETEEN:

CHAPTER TWENTY:

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE:

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO:

PART VI:

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR:

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE:

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX:

Just as suddenly as a bubble bursting, my mind opened up to a new level of consciousness and I felt my sense of self completely dissolve. In that instant, I became clearly and absolutely conscious of who and what I am.

Peter Ralston

For forty years Ive had the good fortune of being able to make a living teaching in two extraordinary fields: martial arts and ontologythe investigation of the nature of being. My reputation as a martial artist is what draws most people to study with mein 1978 I was the first non-Asian to win the full-contact World Championships held in China, and I am considered to be among the best in the world. I might be better than most at fighting, but as every new student of mine quickly discovers, the heart of my work has always been consciousness.

While it was increased consciousness that transformed my skills to the level of mastery, some people are still a bit surprised to learn that everything I teach in the physical domainfrom effective body-being to the Art of Effortless Powerrelies heavily on mind work as a foundation. In Japan, the samurai began to practice Zen contemplation because it made them better warriors, but this connection was discovered much earlier, almost by accident, in the Zen monasteries of ancient China. Long hours of stillness in contemplation can be detrimental to the body, so the monks began to incorporate calisthenics, and over time this practice evolved into martial arts.

The study of consciousness itself can stand entirely on its own and does not require any physical activity. For me the fluid, ever-changing action of fighting provided an excellent way to investigate all aspects of being, allowing access to areas of the mind that remain obscure to most people. Both my physical training and my contemplation work were always driven by a fascination with uncovering the truth behind the human condition. I was relentless in my pursuit of understanding every facet of being human, including the nature of perception, relationships, and even reality itself. An essential contribution to this effort was a breakthrough in consciousness, which Zen people call an enlightenment.

There is a lot of misunderstanding about enlightenment in our culture, and such an experience is too often shrouded in mystery and fantasy. It is a life-altering leap in consciousness, but one enlightenment doesnt necessarily turn you into some wizened old sage, and practically everyone is capable of having such an experience. For me, it was a beginning, an entrance into a completely new and inconceivable consciousness. It is impossible to accurately convey such an experience, but Ill try to give you some idea what my first enlightenment was like:

Id just finished several days of intense contemplation. Id never worked harder at anything in my life, and yet I hadnt become conscious of the nature of my own self. I was still at the meditation hall the following morning, sitting contentedly against the wall in a sunlit loft, when I had the most remarkable experience. Just as suddenly as a bubble bursting, my mind opened up to a new level of consciousness, and I felt my familiar sense of self completely dissolve. It seemed like my awareness both expanded and merged with what had always been true: the very essence of being. It was unlike anything Id ever known, and no description could do justice to the experience. In that instant, I was clearly and absolutely conscious of who and what I am.

A deep sense of peace washed over me, and also an unexpected feeling of freedom. No joy I had ever experienced even remotely compared to this awakening. My mind was freed of burdens that I didnt know I had. Assumptions about reality and limitations in my awareness just disappeared. My sense of self was open and without location. A sense of calm, lightness, and ease saturated my being, and I felt I had at last become one with my real self. All inner turmoil evaporated. All doubt and struggle fell away. It was the most extraordinary moment of my life.

Such an awakening is completely outside of conventional human experience. The normal operating principle that used to be and live as my self was no longer there. I didnt even speak about this enlightenment for several days since there was no self left to desire to communicate it. I wasnt freed of self completely, but it simply wasnt a feature at the time, and has never regained the same importance. It turns out that consciousness is not dependent on the self as we might assume, but the significance of this reality can only become clear through personal insight.

The realization in that one instant permeated every part of my awarenessmy whole sense of being changed. Having so much assumption fall away in one moment had the effect of re-creating my consciousness as a blank slate. I was opened up as never before. Suddenly I had room to experience new insights that would previously have been overwhelmed by my lifelong accumulation of beliefs and conclusions. I could see that I had been trapped within my own perceptions, my own logic, my own knowledge and experience.

In such an open state, my ability to learn was completely transformed. Discovery became a real possibilitynot something to be left to other people, but a joyful exercise to be taken on for myself. I investigated my intellect, my awareness, my perceptions, beliefs and assumptions. I explored my body, movement, interaction, and relationships. I discovered that the more I learned, the more I could learn. From such investigation, many more insights arose, and my continued contemplation led to further, even deeper, enlightenment experiences.

Over time, I developed new abilities and ways of thinking. Because my experience was authentically based, issues of self-esteem and self-image had become irrelevant, and without effort I gained a natural sense of authenticity. I didnt have to pretend anything or doubt myself. Limitations of self-doubt gave way to self-acceptance and an openness to whatever is true. Relationships turned from acting out patterns of behavior to seeking out an honest and real expression from myself and others. I was empowered to investigate and clearly see aspects of being human that had previously seemed beyond reach, except as hearsay or belief. I came to understand the nature of belief itself and discovered that the very foundation of my sense of reality and life was but a collection of assumptions and misconceptions.

Becoming unconditionally open to the truth regardless of personal preferences showed me that consciousness is also the key to being truly effective. In time, my body became attuned to principles that facilitated my discovery of effortless power. For the first time, I felt truly comfortable within my whole body. It became soft and relaxed, unified and integrated, full of energy and sensitivity. I could feel every cell of my body all at once, as well as the ground beneath my feet and the space all around me. I developed a powerful ability to feel the presence of other people, and from there made great leaps in skill. Such magical possibilities continued to spring up, and these are what led me to mastery. If Id been a surgeon or pianist, Im certain the changes and leaps in ability would have manifested there instead.