Guest chaplain: Molly
McKenzie-Evans
“THE WORK” by Byron Katie
THE WORK
by Byron Katie is a way to
identify and question the thoughts that cause all of
the suffering in the world. A bold statement indeed,
but lets take a quick look. I will leave researching
Katie’s personal story to the reader. Suffice to say
that after spending years in a dark depression, she
experienced an unexplainable realization; a lasting
life-changing awakening.
Katie saw that when she
believed that something should be different than it
is (“My husband should listen to me,”) she suffered,
and that when she didn’t believe this thought, she
felt peace. In a flash of insight, Katie saw that
our attempt at happiness was backward. Instead of
hopelessly trying to change others and the world to
match our thoughts about how it “should” be, we can
question these thoughts and, by meeting reality as
it is, experience unimaginable freedom and joy.
Katie went on to develop a simple method of inquiry
she calls “THE WORK”. This is a process that folks
of all ages around the world are using to become
transformed by
finding their own insights and answers.
The vehicle to knowing our
truth is a written worksheet. When confronted with a
stressful thought – “My husband should listen to me”
– we can ask four questions and then turn it around:
1) Is it true?
(if the answer is no, move to
#3)
Is it true that my husband
should listen to me?
2) Can you absolutely know
that it’s true?
Can I ever really know when
someone is listening or not? Am I sometimes
listening even when I appear not to be?
3) How do you react, what
happens, when you believe that thought?
I give him ’the look’. - -
I interrupt him.- - I punish him by not
paying attention to him.- - I start talking
faster and louder, trying to force him to listen.-
- I tell my ‘story’ to others about how he
should listen to me. - - I shut down.- -
I isolate myself. - - I feel depressed
and lonely. Notice
the painful effects of believing the thought.
4) Who would you be without
the thought?
Can you see that you would be
free, more patient, more loving, happier?
Now turn it around:
To Self – “I don’t always
listen to my husband”. See if you can find 3
concrete examples when you didn’t. Write them down.
To the Other – The opposite
is, “My husband does listen to me.” Find 3 examples
of how this is as true or truer. Write them down.
Another Turnaround – “I don’t
listen to myself.” Do you not listen to your
intuition? To your inner guidance?
One of Katie’s favorite
statements is, “When we argue with reality (what
is), we lose – every time.
Here’s what I have found by
doing THE WORK.
! It’s not a forgiveness
technique, but it takes me to forgiveness.
! It isn’t about changing
anything or anyone but I am changed.
! It’s not about letting
anything go, but the false beliefs I have been
operating from.
! I simply am not able to
judge another now without immediately asking myself,
“Where does that live in me?
If I really want to know the
answer, I do a work sheet and there it is. I am
loving ‘what is’ more and more. I am happier.
AFFIRMATION: God
really IS good – all the time!
Our devoted prayer ministry
honors your prayer requests by praying for thirty
days here at UCNI, as well assending your prayer
requests to Silent Unity, which also prays for
thirty days. Prayer Chaplains are available each
Sunday for your special prayer support and will
support you spiritually with prayer, hospital and
nursing home visits upon request.
The new UCNI prayer line is
also available. You can leave a prayer request on
the line or leave information you need to let the
church know. Leave your name and phone number and
you will receive a return call. The phone number is
208-292-1710.
