If you like to question your stressful thinking….
….then of course, when you get to spend all day with Byron Katie you’re gonna have an awesome day.
Here in Seattle last Saturday we got to have the incredible privilege of Katie and 750 people together, investigating the profound undertaking of human suffering.
It wasn’t exactly what you’d call a “light” day of inquiry.
Although….the opening volunteer who rose to sit on the stage with Katie started us off so beautifully….
….it was like the warm glow of a campfire in the night.
With tears in his eyes, because he was so touched by questioning his criticism of his partner, a man examined closely his thoughts about a dirty kitchen and why his partner never cleaned it.
We’ve all been there with that issue, right?
It’s an irritant, like a persistent mosquito, to hold the belief endlessly that someone else should clean up.
At one point, this man turned into the audience and looked up into the balcony.
He called “I’m sorry, honey!”
Turns out, his partner was right there, and Katie said…”Oh! Your partner is here? Come to the stage!”
Everyone was so touched by the love glowing bright between these two people who had been married for many years.
And then….
….the second person who came up on stage was a amazingly courageous woman who had suffered what sounded like horrible sexual abuse from her father for many years.
Abuse of the innocent seems like some of the sickest, most frightening and dreadful experiences that exists in humanity.
It goes in the category of The Worst That Could Ever Happen.
Murder, war, violence, rage, hatred, rape, earthquakes, prejudice.
The stories that make you want to not be a part of the human race.
The stories that feel too hard to face sometimes.
But that’s what people are doing with The Work.
And this woman did her work, with so many peoples’ support, right there on stage with Katie, helping us all to heal rather than suffer anymore.
Knowing that even the perpetrators are suffering….or they would not do what they do.
The next man who went up on stage to do The Work with Katie had just lost his son to suicide.
Tears welled up in my eyes for so much pain felt by a father, and his three surviving daughters.
I sometimes think….how can people live through all this?
It is so painful.
Such hard things happen….what is wrong with the world??!!??
*Ping*
That’s the deepest source of suffering of all.
Believing there is something dreadfully wrong with the world.
We can see the “proof” in our minds, as we think of all these terrible things that occur to people, everywhere.
We’re so sure it’s true.
See here, and there, and here? Look at all these people. So many tears. So much agony. So many people going crazy. So much unspeakable darkness.
But who would you be without the belief that these difficult experiences are Un-Handle-able?
Who would you be without the belief that it’s not possible to heal?
Who would you be without the belief it’s a hard, dark, difficult world and life is hard, dark and difficult?
What if you couldn’t believe that thought in this moment?
Look around.
Touch the chair you’re sitting in.
Feel the air on your face. Look at the room you’re in. Hear the sounds in your environment. Notice what is still, and quiet, and safe right now in this moment….
….even if you’ve been through rough times in the past.
Who would you be without putting your conditions for happiness on the world?
Seriously, like what if you didn’t know as much as you think you know about suffering?
What if you’re wrong about The Worst?
What if it is possible to be happy again, no matter you’ve experienced, no matter how horrendous?
“Do The Work, and everything that was distorted will become beautiful.” ~ Byron Katie in Seattle Jan 2016
“I try to move from what is to what is not, from what is to my image of what should be–and that is my suffering, that is my frustration, that is my despair….The healing you really long for is the deepest acceptance of pain….the healing you really long for is the healing from your identity as the victim of pain.” ~ Jeff Foster in the Deepest Acceptance
Once again, as I did my own work while listening to others break their hearts open, mine broke open wider, too.
I realized, for another time….
….this work is not about accepting all the terrible things, or condoning any of them, or wishing ill upon anyone, or punishing anyone, or damning others or myself for all time and staying stuck in hatred or fear.
This work is about surrendering to what is and discovering….
….it is never all darkness, it is never all lost forever.
Creativity and new life and love come out of the ashes.
Happiness and peace are here again for you.
Right now.
Except for your thoughts, are you OK?
Much love, Grace
NEW: March weekend retreat on Abundance, Desire, and Wanting. Doing The Work on what keeps us from what we really want: Reality Now! March 25-27. Friday night through Sunday afternoon. $295.