Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life

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Then one morning, she woke up in a state of absolute joy, filled with the realization of how her own suffering had ended. She describes self-inquiry as an embodiment, in words, of the wordless questioning that had woken up in her on that February morning. So we can move on to other people and strategies without blaming them, though we allow ourselves, compassionately, to feel disappointed, and take that disappointment as our soul's wisdom that we do need to move on and set that boundary perhaps. Loving What Is by bestselling author Byron Katie is a simple, straightforward antidote to the suffering we unnecessarily create for ourselves and has inspired and help millions of people transform their pain into freedom. The Work consists of four key questions that dissect the things we believe and hold them up to the light of reality.

That is, The Work can bring us home to our true nature, which is universal love, profound wisdom, and freedom from all suffering.

That doesn't mean, as I mentioned below, that there isn't good to be found in this book or that it's not helpful to many.

Stress, depression or unhappiness are the not our enemies, merely the signals that perhaps we are seeking to meet a need of ours through an inefficient or unrealistic strategy. What may not always be wise, reasonable or sane is the various ways we seek to have our needs met that simply probably won't, or won't right now. For nearly a decade she spiraled down into paranoia, rage, self-loathing, and constant thoughts of suicide; for the last two years she was often unable to leave her bedroom. The dialogues follow a predictable pattern and if mapped onto, say, a rape victim, would end with the rape victim "turning it around" and concluding things such as "I hate myself for being raped" or if you really bungle the "turn-around": "I raped myself. Based her own experience, she now shares her method of conquering depression and unhappiness with people all over the world so they can lead a more fulfilling life.

I understand the questions might work for some people in some situations but when it comes to whether or not these 4 questions are the answers to every problem for every person, everywhere, me and Byron Katie certainly differ.