Bernadette Roberts passed away in her sleep on November 27, 2017. What follows is a review written before her passing.
Bernadette Roberts’ path is that of a Christian and if you have any affinity with Christian mysticism you must read her books. Her primary concern is with addressing the passage from what she calls the unitive stage to the no-self stage. While the unitive stage (or stage of being one with God) is well known in Christian literature, that there is a path beyond this stage is virtually unknown. Bernadette Roberts writes from her experience of living in the unitive stage until the self and its experience of being one with God disappeared into a new way of knowing. As she says:
One possible way of envisioning the human passage is the following. We think of ourselves as originally emerging from the unknown, from darkness, nothingness or non-existence into the light of consciousness. But as consciousness develops we discover the increasing ability to see in the dark, see into the nothingness or mystery within ourselves and eventually realize that this darkness and nothingness is the divine from which we emerged and with which we are one. Thus we discover that our original darkness IS true light. Midway in this passage, divine light (darkness or unknowing) and the light of consciousness are in balance, with neither outshining the other. But as we move beyond this mid-point, divine light begins to outshine the light of consciousness until, in the end, the light of consciousness goes out and only divine light remains. From this vantage point we look back on the passage and see that although consciousness was the veil that dimmed the light, this dimming was necessary in order to make the human dimension possible. But if consciousness makes human existence possible, it is also not separate from the divine, nor does it completely hide it; on the contrary, consciousness or self is man’s faculty or medium for experiencing the divine — so long as it remains, that is [this is key]. Our passage through consciousness is the gradual return to the divine; we leave the divine unknowingly and in darkness, but we return knowingly and in light.
Bernadette Roberts writes for Christian contemplatives, so it may be difficult reading for those outside that world. Her language is that of Christian mysticism: Christ’s Mystical Body, the Trinitarian nature of God, the meaning of the Eucharist, and so on. While her first book The Experience of No-Self had a wider appeal, her subsequent books, The Path to No-Self, What is Self?, and The Real Christ, have an increasingly narrower audience. I think some of the reason is Bernadette’s amazing inability to relate to other traditions. She insists that the no-self event is not a part of the world’s mystical literature and that her’s is the first attempt to describe what is beyond the unitive stage. She points out the errors in the language of other traditions, then excuses her own language as insufficient for describing the no-self stage. It never seems to occur to her that other authors are also struggling to describe the indescribable: to explain the Absolute in relative terms. She freely admits, though, “The Christian path is the only one I ever lived,” and her understanding of it is profound.
Bernadette Roberts’ writing and her life are about finding the true nature of man. Bernadette tells us what she found and it should gladden our hearts that someone sought and found their true nature. Her’s may or may not be the first written account of the no-self stage, but it is certainly one of the most detailed.
A 1986 interview of Bernadette Roberts is available here.
Bernadette Roberts: A small site with information about Bernadette Roberts. This is the place to look her writings, order a dvd, or her self-published works.
Contemplative: Autobiography of the Early Years is one of Bernadette’s last works.
I am speechless and breathless and must read these three books. I read Thomas Keating, Richard Rohr and Cynthia Bourgeault. Thank you for this book information.
I saw her do a presentation at the Science and Nonduality conference in San Jose, a couple of years ago. Her live appearance in jarring to say the least. Most folks walked out.
Checking in with some of her long time supporters, they said it was not uncommon, with people signing up for her retreats based on her superb writing walking out within the first half day.
It appears that that the no-self stage is not for the faint of heart! And certainly not sweet and Kind.
And needs lots of $$$$.
I have never met dear Sister Bernadette Roberts. She helped me to understand, (only as I can at this point) what I’ve been searching to understand for many years through books.) She explained it all so well that I may never have to read another book! My journey is coming to an end….it’s butterfly time. Love you Bernadette! Thank you so much. Always appreciative of you forever. Angel Willson Spokane Dorothysclub.org
If you are interested in more materials on Bernadette Roberts, the greatest Christian mystic of all time, you may look here http://www.bernadetterobertsisnotmyguru.com and here https://bernadetteroberts.blogspot.com/p/dvdcd.html?fbclid=IwAR0-MY-8e2F8MS-hY-QbzquJXZl1qu9eSjcJm9RKVymu9Py_ehHNTnWHP2Y
thank you!
I felt very enlightened when I read the first few chapters, as a sample, of “What is Self?” I can relate to the idea of losing self, unto God, and be merged. I understand how she ties it in with ego and Buddhism, as well. It’s fascinating. As a non-Catholic, my Christian journey involved lots of bible reading and she explains how the Bible is focused on the historical man of Jesus, he is not God etc etc…interesting perspective and ok, fine. However, Jesus said a very important thing in the Bible, the greatest commandment actually, and that was “Love your neighbor as yourself” As much as her ideas are interesting…to what end do they serve? Even a good atheist can and does, love their neighbor as themself, because that is what propagates the species. Man is not an island. The “fittest” survive by helping each other, doing what Jesus commanded. Ironic isn’t it? Bernadette could have tied all her ideas up and brought them full circle back to the entire point of Jesus spiritual teaching. But she doesn’t. Living “no-self” expresses itself as loving your neighbor as yourself. Even the materialists and atheists can stand by that…because that’s how we survive as a species.
Hi LM. One of the most interesting things I heard Bernadette say was that the experience of no-self had nothing to do with the world and wasn’t meant for it. Your question “to what end do they serve?” illustrates her point. Though you refer to ideas, Bernadette spoke of “realities” not ideas, and the reality she discovered had nothing to do with survival of the fittest.