The Work by Byron Katie

Jeroen

Have you ever heard about this series of techniques? It’s very good, even people who have been in a spiritual way for a long time find benefit from it. Basically what it comes down to is first questioning, finding a statement that honestly encompasses what you feel. Then, there is the process of turning statements around to their negative and seeing how true that is. This process of turning around helps you relate to the things you think in new ways.

If you want to see how it works, there is a podcast called At Home with Byron Katie where she goes through the process with people. It’s a great series of examples of how people’s pain gets tackled. Here’s a link to an episode.

Even if you have a measure of spiritual freedom, this process can help you release some of your pain points.

marcitko

Thanks. She's cool.

pegembara

She realized a simple truth: when she believed her thoughts, she suffered, and when she didn’t, she was happy.
Out of this insight, she developed a process of self-inquiry which she now calls “The Work.

To me, the most relevant question in the work is the fourth one.

Who would you be without the thought?

or to put it in another way

Which is more true? Are you the silent witness to the thought or the very thought itself?

Can you absolutely know which to be true?

Shoshin1

Which remind me of this....
I Am just a thought who thinks 'I Am' thinking I Am just a thought

There's a couple on the island who regularly run BK's courses...
I haven't been to them but a few years ago, I did attended a half day BK workshop which a Buddhist psychologist friend was running.

I found her techniques interesting and compatible with Buddhist practice of observing the mind AKA mindfulness ...

I've had a few friends over the years who have done one of her courses...not sure if they have really benefited from it...It' a case of some will benefit greatly from the course, and some will not...

When it comes to Buddhism and Byron Katie's approach, both approaches emphasise the power of inquiry and introspection to challenge and transcend the influence of conditioned thoughts and beliefs, with the aim of ultimately fostering inner peace and liberation

Jeroen

What I find good about BK’s process is that it leads you to question your own beliefs, the things that you used to be certain about. It encourages you to look at those beliefs from a new direction. Especially within relationships this can be liberating.