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PETER RALSTON
Cheng Hsin
From
the Cheng Hsin Homepage
Peter Ralston was raised in Asia and began studying martial arts
at the age of 9. By the age of 19 he was a black belt in Judo and
Jujitsu (Nidan), black belt in Karate (Shodan), had been Sumo champion
at his high school in Japan, Judo and fencing champion at UC Berkeley,
and had demonstrated proficiency in Kempo, Ch'uan Fa and Northern
Sil Lum Kung Fu. At age 19, a growing interest in the "internal" martial
arts lead him to study T'ai Chi Ch'uan, Hsing I Ch'uan, and Pa
Kua Chang.
 Ralston
has pursued this endeavor with a passionate determination for more
than 35 years. He sought out and studied with the world's most
demonstrably skilled teachers, broadening his study with such arts
as Aikido, Japanese and Chinese fencing, western boxing, Muay Thai
(Thai boxing), and new levels of his own investigations into all
of these arts. His exceptional commitment (often practicing for
more than eight hours a day) and depth of study, his intense meditation
and open inquiry have led Ralston to profound levels of skill and
understanding. Consistent with Zen studies, his investigation into
martial arts also came to include a questioning of reality. Long
periods of intense contemplation resulted in many enlightenment
experiences regarding the nature of self and reality which greatly
influenced his study.
To communicate his understanding, in 1975 Ralston founded the
Cheng Hsin School. In 1977 he opened a center called "The
Cheng Hsin School of Internal Martial Arts and Center for Ontological
Research" in Oakland, California. Intent on revealing the
depth and power of this work, in 1978 he became the first non-Asian
ever to win the World Championship full-contact martial arts tournament
held in the Republic of China.
Ralston's main focus in his teaching has been to uncover and communicate
the principles behind any subject matter; frequently it is about
being effortlessly effective. His main focus in his facilitation
work is to uncover the truth of things, to break through assumptions
and beliefs, and to assist others in having a direct, authentic,
and experiential increase in Consciousness.
He has trained staff or done workshops for numerous groups, including
various t'ai chi, aikido, and other martial arts associations,
as well as human transformation organizations such as Lifesprings,
Institute of Self Actualization (ISA), Robbins Research Institute
(NLP), Actualizations, and the Institute for Empowerment. He is
a highly trained and insightful facilitator, freely and openly
teaching what he has learned from years of insight and direct experience.
What is Cheng Hsin?
By Peter Ralston
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