When I was in LA I was fortunate to have the opportunity to meet with Byron Katie, while she was giving the School For The Work to some 300 students. Katie’s story is an amazing one both from a personal perspective and in terms of the impact it had on so many lives over the course of the past 25 years. After being severely depressed for many years, Katie experienced an awakening during which she realized a very simple fact: the negative thoughts that have been haunting her for years my simply not be true. That simple truth led to a life transformation, an unprecedented recovery, and eventually to flourishing and thriving. Eager to share her experience with the world, Katie started to help others accomplish the same breakthroughs she has gone through, and put her system into a structure called The Work – described in her books, workshops, a coaching paradigm, and a self-directed online version.
Even though The Work is a result of her personal experience, it clearly includes some elements that can be found in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and in Hindu and Buddhist wisdom traditions. The beauty and the power of The Work is its simplicity, and the power of asking oneself direct, deep-penetrating questions.
Here is a video with a few minutes of our conversation.
