Byron Katie Newsletter: March 2008

April 2008
The Byron Katie Newsletter

Of Two Minds

Neuroanatomist Jill Bolte Taylor had an opportunity few brain scientists would wish for: one morning, she realized she was having a massive stroke.

As it happened—as she felt her brain functions slip away one by one, speech, movement, understanding— she studied and remembered every moment. Her explanation about how our brains define us and connect us to the world and to one another is amazing.

Will you step to the right?

Of course we don't all have to have a stroke to understand the beauty of things exactly as they are. The four questions and turnarounds are enough. You can end your own your suffering.

After watching this video, I emailed Dr. Jill:

Dear Dr. Jill,

When I saw the video of your wonderful description of your stroke of insight, I recognized your experience immediately. Although I didn't have a stroke or other physical triggering event, one morning in 1986 I died as a suffering 43-yr-old woman and woke up in a state of joy that has never left me. At first there was only laughter, as a wordless inquiry burned up every concept that I had lived by. I no longer believed my thoughts-or, as you might say it, the output of my left brain lost its hold on me forever.

In time the inquiry took a form that allows me to offer it to others and, when I saw that it's possible for anyone to live as I do, it became my full-time job to facilitate the process of what I call The Work. I have written about this in several bestselling books, and I would love it if you could visit my website, www.thework.com, where there are videos that show me doing The Work with a variety of people. I'm curious to know your reaction and hope we can meet in person someday.

Loving what is, and that would be you,

Katie

Her reply:

Dear Katie, thank you for this kind message.

I love The Work and the message you have given the world. I read Loving What Is a couple of years ago and started giving your book to everyone I knew who needed a shift in perception. I created a Brain/Body/Mind curriculum for Indiana University and your book was on the reading list. That course was before its time at the university and never ran, but I think it will one day in the future.

I really appreciate your reaching out to me. As you can imagine I am receiving over 100 emails a day and trying to keep my head above the flood. All kinds of doors are opening to me. If you have any advice I would love to speak with you. You have been on this wild ride and I value your opinion! I wish you all the best, and I am sure that one day we will stand in the presence of one another and be at one with all that is!

Thank you again for your kindness and the gift you have given our planet.

Jill

Loving you with the right half of my brain,

kt

P.S. Turnaround House >> Register now for April 15th - May 12th, 2008 in San Francisco, CA.

P.P.S. Thanks to all of you for your concern. The surgeon cut out all the cancer after three rounds of wonderful surgery and grafted some skin from around my collarbone. My nose looks swollen, and there are scabs, but it all went well. It always does. Nothing else is possible. That's the way of it.

A Letter from Israel

Dearest Katie,

Today I went to the bank to have a talk with a new manager regarding my bank account and as we were talking she wanted to know what else I do besides working at the advertising agency so I told her a bit about you and the Work and she didn't quite get it and asked for an example. So I asked her if there was anything troubling her and she said yes. There was something on her mind regarding one of her employees and she felt hesitant in how to approach them. So I suggested we do the Work on that and I walked her through the 4 questions and the turnarounds and she totally opened and I could tell it really made things clear for her. All of the sudden she asked me to hold on and she picked up the phone and got someone on the line and asked him to meet with me. Turns out he is in charge of all the organizational consulting/coaching at this national bank and more. She said to him she would like for him to interview me because she feels what I have to offer might be very useful. So now I have an appointment with him on Wednesday in regards to offering the Work at this bank. Isn't that something? At the place where I work, since they do great power point presentations, I am thinking of creating one based on the small booklet to bring to this interview. What do you think, is the universe friendly or what??

What an interesting few days I've had.

The appointment with the coaching organization which the Bank Manager has recommended me to was set for this Sunday.

As I left my house, Sunday morning, to go to that meeting , I thought of you and carried you with me in the form of a warm sweet feeling in my heart. I hailed a cab, and from afar something sparkled at me from the driver's face, I told him the address and half way there realized I left my cash at home in another purse. I didn't know what to do-turn back to get my money--that would make me late for the meeting and yet how would I pay for the ride? I said something out loud and the driver turns to me and says: "Honey, the meeting is what matters and I'll take you there, you don't need to pay me , after the meeting I can pick you up again and you can pay me then". "Thank you so much" I said, "but that means I'll have no change on me at all throughout the day and I really need some change on me." "that's no problem" said the driver "I'll give you some money and after work I'll pick you up, bring you home where you left your money and then you'll pay me." Something about this man was so honest and real with no agenda whatsoever. I accepted. I got to the appointment on time, feeling so ready, so supported. I introduced myself to the CEO, he then asked my permission to invite 2 more people to the meeting ( which means it was already OK) and I had a chance to tell all of them about you and the Work and demonstrated it on them so that they can experience what it is, I told them what you said how people in the company can fill a Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet on one another and I found myself talking of the value of the turnarounds and in what fantastic ways they serve us. At he end they said they were very impressed and are interested in moving forward and start by giving me a slot for a 3 and a half hour workshop in a transportation company that they are coaching right now and as they get to know me better more will come.

I was elated and realized I can now also set my own appointments in other places as well and go and present what I know. The driver waited downstairs and took me to work and then at the end of the day came to take me home and I paid him for all this. It was like the universe was saying that if I do what I love the support will come, whether it's money, love, everything.

Yours,

Orly

A Letter from the Internet

Hi,
My name is Jennifer, and I found The Work while online searching for a way to "unstick" my life. I didn't quite understand at first, but then I read the book Loving What Is, and followed the counsel, I found a new person inside me. I have begun applying The Work to many areas of my life, but tonight I hit a most poignant false story that I wanted to share.

As I did The Work tonight, on underlying beliefs that were triggered by frustrations at my sister, I unearthed a powerful story inside me. I had been telling myself that I should not commit sins, when in fact I have and I do. I have been plagued in my life with anxiety and being overly careful about everything, censoring every area of my life. All of my thoughts went to picking over what I'd done and what I could do in the future that was wrong.

When I realized that it's not true that I shouldn't commit sins, my eyes were opened and I can now see. I can see that I keep God's commandments because I love him, and that fear is not necessary for me to be obedient. When I discovered this, I put down my pen and just cried, because I could feel the love that God has for me, and I could feel the love I have for him, free of fear.

I was afraid that the fear in my former story was what was saving me. But when I considered for a brief moment that it wasn't true, I realized that my love for the Savior and his love for me are what really save me each and every moment of every day, and it brought me to tears.

And it's funny because in the moment that I knew that I should commit sins, the very things that have always tempted me seemed to disappear, forever.

God bless you, and thank you,
Jennifer

A Letter from Belgium

Dear Katie: I was sharing the following story with my Brussels School for TheWork 2003 group (which is still going strong 5 years later!!!) and thought that I also would like to share it with you. Thank you for the gift of The Work. Brianda

A story that I experienced recently: A very good friend of mine gave up smoking around three months ago. One day she told me how surprised and disappointed she was because she didn't feel better about not smoking; on the contrary she felt without energy, depressed, irritated... not good at all. I explained that addictions usually cover up pain so that stopping smoking might have put in front row something unresolved. I asked her when she had started smoking and she said after being in a convent for 8 years when the Mother Superior told her that she was not fit for the convent and she couldn't take her vows. I suggested she do a Judge-Your-Neighbor Worksheet on the Mother Superior, whose name she couldn't even remember at the moment inspite of the fact that she had been with her for 8 years. She did the Worksheet and took her thoughts and assumptions to TheWork and for the first time I saw my friend cry, her face softened and became luminous. She touched the deep love she had for the Mother Superior and also saw how the Mother Superior's decision had given her such a wonderful life with a loving husband and three children and now grandchildren. The cloud lifted as if by magic, and since that day she has been filled with energy, joy and above all gratitude. Today she told me that she has remembered the Mother Superior's name and has nothing but love and gratitude for her. "I can't understand how I could hold on to such a lie and so painful for so many years," she said with tears of gratitude in her eyes. It is beautiful to watch someone being born to Joy.

New: Parents Meet Their Children Through The Work

Taken from Byron Katie’s public events, parents and children use The Work to cut through the stressful thoughts that create family conflict. This audio-CD is about how we project onto our parents and children, and teach each other habits that not only don't work for them, these habits don't work for us in our lives either. It’s about how our false beliefs keep us from knowing who we and our loved ones really are. By questioning our stressful beliefs and turning them around, we can see beyond our hurtful assumptions about the people we live with.

We invite you to reclaim your right to a joy-filled family life.

Pre-order the audio-CD now >>

A Postcard from The School

Miami: La Escuela para El Trabajo

¿Estás listo para acabar con tu sufrimiento? ¿Realmente quieres saber la verdad? ¿Deseas tener paz en tu vida? Entonces te invito a la Escuela para El Trabajo–la Escuela de Ti.

June 6 - 15, 2008
La Escuela para El Trabajo / The School for The Work
Miami, Florida

La Escuela para El Trabajo es distinta de cualquier otra escuela sobre la Tierra –en vez de concentrarse en aprender, te dedicarás a desaprender las historias atemorizantes que, inocentemente, te has creído. La libertad no se logra ignorando los pensamientos. La libertad es lo que tu ya eres, una vez que tus creencias limitantes han sido cuestionadas y contempladas con comprensión. ¿Quién serías sin tus historias estresantes? Asiste a la Escuela para El Trabajo con Byron Katie y descúbrelo.

The Miami nine-day School for The Work will offer Spanish curriculum and an on-site translator. [La Escuela para el Trabajo de nueve días en Miami ofrecerá los ejercicios en español y un traductor para todo el evento.]

More events >>

A Comment on ByronKatie.com (the blog)

hello Katie, this is the first time i have posted and i have been brought to see again and again how wrong i am about the world, which is a marvelous thing, because i really thought there were many bad things in my life, and when i am proved wrong so consistently through the work it is such a blessing, thankyou so much for all the free youtube videos, and accessibility of your work it is just open for the taking, also i have started to realise in a deeper way how i can be honest with myself, before i think i was doing the work but my answers were also coming from a kind of concept i wasn't fully going inside for the truth, so i was cheating myself in fear that someone i loved might find my work and be upset, but when i turn that around i realised, no i am upset upon finding this work because i am not being completely honest with myself and holding back. so the calm i feel now is from being honest and i wanted to meet you to do the work with you and to see you in person because you are so beautiful in the videos and there is an audio tape that i started to cry to, it was something like, 'some people think that there is something wrong in the world, can you imagine that?' it was so soft and sweet that i couldn't stop crying, so thank you i hope we do meet but if not i realise that all i need is already available to me thank you again

Now Available in Paperback

Have you read A Thousand Names for Joy yet? Don't miss it!

A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are is now available in paperback.

Please Order now >>

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If it feels right to you, please share this email with your friends - kt

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