Facilitating The Work

So now that we know a little about The Work, Byron Katie, and how we must put ourselves up to Inquiry using the 4 Questions if we want to eliminate or at least reduce our suffering in an given situation, I feel it's important to highlight a few key areas.

Did you know you could become a "Certified" Facilitator of The Work? Sure. This certification from Byron Katie International says you've completed the required sessions ~ which can be cost prohibitive for some ~ and have undergone the training necessary to get your 'Certificate.' It's not a license. With that said,  you don't have to become certified to help another human being.

When 'The Work' came to me ~ before Byron Katie introduced it into the world with a name calling it 'The Work' - I  was about 5. I didn't heal then because I was 5. I hadn't yet been adequately damaged through false perceptions so there was nothing to heal from. And by the time I was at an age to understand I could apply this (for me) Intuitive Knowing, I was into choosing alcohol as my solution. With that said I'm going to make a brain-busting announcement and claim that everyone already has the Truth ingrained and embedded upon their Spirit. 'The Work' is just another method that Byron Katie has brought to the world in order to help us get back to our truth.

So if you would like someone to help you with The Work or to become a person someone can do The Work with, I would love for you to keep three traits in mind and to understand why they're essential to success in Inquiry.

White People Are Scary

Are white people scary? Are black people scary?

Katie addresses a woman and her belief that "white people are scary." I love how Katie shares with the woman, "I am not afraid of your fear." This is how The Work works. Watch this incredible video and notice the four questions!

Article: Can These Four Questions Change Your Life?

On April 19, 2010 an article appeared on Oprah's website entitled Can These Four Questions Change Your Life? by Caitlin Flanagan.

Caitlin had been suffering - in the literal sense of the word suffering - with a diagnosis of cancer. She was bald from the chemotherapy and scared to death of her unquestioned thoughts. So she went to see Byron Katie after seeing Katie on Oprah:

In her darkest hour, Byron Katie—now a spiritual mentor to millions—discovered that life isn't half as painful as we make it. With the help of four simple questions, she shows Caitlin Flanagan how to stop suffering and start getting real.

This article is a beautiful testament to how simply questioning our thoughts can bring us clarity and I appreciate Caitlin for sharing her story. The article is poignant and had all the qualities I look for in an honest review. And I invite you to read the article for yourself and let me know what you think!

The Work - Four Questions and a Turnaround

When people hear the term "The Work" I imagine sweat, blood, and tears are at the top of their thoughts. But thankfully, I'm not into sweat, blood, and tears unless I've been driven to do "The Work" because of unquestioned thoughts.

The Work is the easy part. It's the saving grace part. It's the alleviation of suffering part. So with that said, when you're ready to end your suffering, let's get to The Work and here it is:

Four Questions and a Turnaround

1. Is it true?
2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
4. Who would you be without that thought?

Then we turn the thought around and find at least three genuine examples of how the turnaround is true or truer than your original thought.

That's it. Easy.

Because I want to keep this blog in digestible pieces, I will be exploring and offering examples as well as my own thoughts up for analysis. I believe if we can witness real live examples of this process, it gives us courage and understanding to engage the process ourselves.

I discovered The Work from Byron Katie's book, Loving What Is. In it, she takes live examples and puts them to the Four Questions and Turnaround. This is the process she calls The Work. I encourage you to put up a copy of the book if you've not done so already! Then read it. Then test it by doing the work yourself. Then read it again. And again. For me, this is how it became almost second nature to question the thoughts I would otherwise hook into that would create my suffering. Until next time, have a reality!

Byron Katie and Oprah on Soul Series

Byron Katie was on Oprah’s XM “Soul Series” and discussed Katie’s philosophy of 'The Work,' how she got to be the person she is today, and how you can get there, too.

It was a very good series and I was highly impressed with Oprah's tough questions that most people would probably wonder about and that every skeptic would definitely have questions about.

I say skeptic because 'The Work' is not for the faint of heart. I cannot stress this enough. You must go into it with 3 essentials: honesty [with self], open-mindedness, and willingness. (Read the 'About' section of this blog and see what I did with Loving What Is the first time I picked it up! I will definitely delve more on where I come from and how I got to be where I am, too, as this blog progresses).

If, however, you are fighting for your life, your sanity, your serenity, suicidal thoughts, addictions, attachments, your marriage, your lover, your parents, your kids, feel like you're worthless, are going nowhere, are no good or anything even remotely similar and you get to that point...that ONE point where "everything" has failed (God, yourself, your mind, other people, your kids, your spouse, your friends, your brain, your manipulations and machinations, your pleading, begging, your drinking, your drugs, your prescribed drugs, your eating, your facebooking, your blogging, your twittering, your workaholism, your raging)...this is when you are ready.

So with a little more of that said, I think a kind introduction to Katie would be this series. Her personality is such a winner that when I go back over the book I can always temper the [previously at first] seemingly harsh reality of the truths, with her compassionate spirit.

It's in three parts and the quality is amazing!

Byron Katie with Oprah Winfrey on Soul Series #1 Video
Byron Katie with Oprah Winfrey on Soul Series #2 Video
Byron Katie with Oprah Winfrey on Soul Series #3 Video

Introduction to Byron Katie

Byron Katie, or just 'Katie' as she likes to be called, changed my life. She can change yours too.

Her only call to action is 'The Work' which are four questions and a turnaround. That's it.

All that is required is the willingness to do it. You have ended the work when you stop answering the simple questions.

As time permits and as this blog grows, I will be getting into specific examples of how 'The Work' works because I believe that to keep it, I need to give it away. Like Katie does.

This blog is dedicated to her, to you, to the world. I found serenity and peace in my life so it's not particularly for the faint-hearted or the career victim unless you desire for a splendid life. It is for anyone who thinks they have a problem with themselves. [Notice I said 'think they have a problem.'] Yes, Katie has enabled me to embrace reality. And that means there is never a problem. And if this has not blown your mind yet, it will.

Thanks for dropping by. If you have requests for what you would like me to address here, just leave a comment. Until we meet again, have a reality!