From the Foreword by Douglas Harding: This book has three essential components. (1) A lot of words, plus the points they make. (2) Pictures and diagrams of mine to help make sense of those points. (3) Half a dozen experiments or tests or exercises designed to reveal what you can see you are, in sharp distinction from what you think you are and are told you are. These experiments are the backbone of the whole. I can't stress too strongly that they are for doing, and just reading about them is worse than useless. Yes, much worse!

Since at Root every chapter is about the same Thing––or rather No-thing––it matters little if you find some chapters obscure of incomprehensible. Just read on, and you will come to other parts of the book that are quite clear and easy going.

I conclude on a warning note––to believe anything you read in this book without testing it to the limit is to condemn yourself to bondage and slavery.