Reflections of Being

Personal, reflective, and gently investigative, these early essays have a raw, fresh quality which predates the more formal theory and practice of Peter Ralston's two best-selling books, Cheng Hsin: The Principles of Effortless Power and Cheng Hsin T'ui Shou: The Art of Effortless Power. Many of the questions for which the martial arts work of Cheng Hsin is a vehicle of discovery—identity in relation to others, authenticity in the face of belief systems, the draw we have to pursue ineffective self-serving urges, and our tendency to conceptualize rather than experience things—are described here in simple, almost conversational language. Attempting to grasp what authentic knowledge is, Ralston's queries become a quest for how humans can develop a deeper sense of themselves as participants in the world.

Since winning the 1978 World Championship Full-Contact Martial Arts Tournament, Peter Ralston has become a leading practitioner of martial arts, investigating and teaching applications of psychological and spiritual growth. He directs training programs and workshops at Cheng Hsin, The Center for Ontological Research and Internal Martial Arts, in Oakland, California, and conducts staff training workshops for Lifespring, the Institute of Self Actualization, Robbins Research Institute (NLP) and other human potential organizations.