What I Love About The Work Is That It Is Not Help
It’s not a facilitator’s job to show you what you’re missing. That’s your job. And with the questions of The Work, no outside help is needed.
The questions lead you back to yourself. And the turnarounds invite you to look for points of view that balance your original stressful thoughts.
It’s all built in: your stress contains your tailor-made instructions for how to find your peace.
But It’s Common to Think of The Work as Some Kind of Outside Entity
As if The Work will help me. As if I get on a train called The Work and it will get me out of here.
But The Work is nothing. Absolutely nothing!
It is simply a way for you to bring yourself back to your truth. An invitation to expand your mind. But it is always up to you. The Work is nothing without your answers.
I Love Something Valli Waugh Shared in a Recent Two-Hour Taste of The Work Session
He was talking about how he transformed his vision of his father from an abusive man who punched him in the face when he was a teenager, to a man he now has zero anger about.
He said that it took some years for the shift to be complete. He allowed himself to do as many worksheets as he needed to get clear.
One worksheet may have taken a huge chunk of the anger away. But little bits of it would show up when working other topics. And he’d go back and work on his father again, and again. He didn’t stop until it was done.
This, for me, is an example of not depending on The Work as an outside entity to help him, to save him. But rather, taking full responsibility for doing whatever it took.
Using The Work as a tool. But not forgetting that it is nothing but a tool.
Here’s How I Think of The Work
I think of it as a way to explore finding my own truth.
I don’t take commands from The Work. Turnarounds are not absolutes for me. They are simply another option to be considered.
And I don’t think The Work is the only way to find my truth. There are so many ways. In fact, every experience is a way for me to find my truth. I just happen to like this way of questioning. It’s very efficient for me. And I love that everyone finds their own way – including me.
Because The Work Doesn’t Work!
That’s right! The Work doesn’t work.
I do.
I’m the only one that can.
The Work just points me back to this truth, and invites me to step up. And even that’s not true. Because I’m the only one that invites me too!
Have a great week,
Todd
“The Work is merely four questions; it’s not even a thing. It has no motive, no strings. It’s nothing without your answers. These four questions will join any program you’ve got and enhance it. Any religion you have—they’ll enhance it. If you have no religion, they will bring you joy. And they’ll burn up anything that isn’t true for you. They’ll burn through to the reality that has always been waiting.” — Byron Katie, Loving What Is
Get two new articles about The Work of Byron Katie every week, plus my checklist for the Judge-Your-Neighbor-Worksheet. Subscribe to the newsletter here.
If you like this article, feel free to forward the link to friends, family or colleagues. Or share the link on Facebook or other social media. If you have thoughts you’d like to share about it, please leave your comments below.
