An Introduction to The Work of Byron Katie

by Stephanie Brail

One of the best and most transformative tools for personal growth I have ever found is absolutely free, and you can do it anytime. It doesn't require any special tools or knowledge. You don't have to believe in any specific religion or even God to use it.

This fabulous tool is called "The Work of Byron Katie," or just "The Work" for short.

Byron Katie is a woman who used to live her life in a lot of anger, selfishness, and greed. One day she had a complete meltdown...and then she had a miraculous breakthrough. She completely transformed, and is now one of the leading spiritual teachers on the planet.

The Work is very simple. It's all about questioning the stories we create in our minds that cause pain to ourselves and those around us. It's also about accepting reality, without judgment.

The general gist of The Work is this:

Judge your neighbor,
write it down,
ask four questions,
turn it around.

What's great about The Work is that you don't have to censor yourself or pretend you don't harbor bad feelings when you are upset. Too many new age techniques such as affirmations insist on ignoring negative feelings, which may not do much to clear them deep down inside.

So how do you do The Work? You ask yourself questions. It's best to do this with a pen and paper, but you can also do this in your mind once you've gotten the hang of it.

The four questions are:

1. Is it true?

2. Can you absolutely know that it's true?

3. How do you react when you believe that thought?

4. Who would you be without the thought?

At the website for The Work, you will find a free worksheet. You will fill this out with whatever upsets you, and then use the questions.

Here's a fictional, simplistic example:

That person is a fraud and a liar.

Is it true?
 
Actually, I don't know if it's true. I don't have the full story.

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

No. I do not.

How do you react when you believe that thought?

I get really upset and angry. People like that piss me off. I react by attacking the person.

Who would you be without the thought?

I would maybe consider that the person is a human being and look at it in another way. Maybe I'd feel some sympathy for them.

(Now, some of you may be asking: But what if the negative statement is true? If it is, then look to question three: How do I react when I think this thought? If thinking the thought is giving you pain, maybe you need to let it go.)

The Turnaround

The final part of The Work is the "turnaround." This is where you flip your initial sentence around to see if any other statements might be just as true if not truer. (It does not mean the turnaround is true.)

In this example, we can turnround "That person is a fraud and a liar" in a number of ways. For example:

"That person is not a fraud or a liar."

"I'm a fraud and a liar." (Think of all the times you've lied or cheated.)

Here's another example:

That man is violent and dangerous because of his past record.

Is it true?
 
Well...he has a criminal record!

Can you absolutely know that it's true?

Actually, I do not absolutely know that it's true for certain. He could have changed. He may have found God. He may have had a drug problem in the past. I just don't know what he's thinking and feeling right now.

How do you react when you believe that thought?

I get extremely scared. I get angry, too, angry at him for making me feel this way, angry that he might hurt my children.

Who would you be without the thought?

I would maybe be calmer in the situation. I would maybe have some compassion for what caused him to act out violently in the past.

The Turnaround:

That man is not violent and dangerous. (This may be just as true as the first statement, we don't know. This is not to say you should not be careful.)

I am violent and dangerous (to myself, with my negative thoughts, and to him, by judging him and attacking him).

(Please don't take this as reason to not be wary of a past criminal in your midst. It's simply an exercise to open your mind and let go of your judgments and fear.)

Now, this may all seem very simplistic, but once you start doing this, The Work can be very profound. You will find yourself judging people less and accepting them more.

It will not make you perfect overnight (I still get very judgmental), but it is a wonderful tool and can help calm you down when you are upset about something or somebody.

To fully understand The Work, it is best to listen to Byron Katie in audio or watch her on video. I didn't really "get it," until I heard her speak. (If you can see her in person, even better. She is amazing!)

For more information about The Work, check out: www.thework.com