Christian Nondual Approach of Bernadette Roberts

Source

- Source unknown.

Discussion

From the reading notes of Michel Bauwens on a 'essay on Bernadette Roberts

"Because all 'self' words are expressions of the experience that <is> consciousness, anything that can be said of consciousness can be said of self.

Consciousness (or self), consists of two different experiences, knowing and feeling, as well as to different levels, conscious and unconscious.

Consciousness is a unique function of the human brain, a reflexive function where the brain (or mind) bends on itself, to thereby know itself. This knowing or awareness <is> self.

As an automatic and unconscious function, this reflexive mechanism is responsible for the subject-object poles of consciousness. It is the same subject knowing itself in an objective mode. The objective mode is the conscious self, the subjective mode is the unconscious self. Man becomes consciously self-conscious when he becomes aware of his unconscious awareness.

The reflexive mechanism is fueled by life, will, being, or energy: this is the feeling-self.

The energy or 'feeling-self' is the center of consciousness; it is responsible for the experience of physical energy, and of physical form (since any center creates a circumference hence a bounded being).

Consciousness and the senses are 2 separate systems: as long as consciousness remains, man is incapable of 'pure' sensory perception.

The true self is what remains after the ego-center falls away: both emptiness (absence), and the experience of the divine (the unitive state as a 'we' consciousness).

No-self arises only when both the reflexive mechanism and the divine center fall away.

Beyond no-self is the body and 'pure' sensory perception. It is beyond man. It is the know God as 'he is to himself' and not as 'He as he is in our self'.