Rating: 
Summary: Life transforming
Review: This book shows us that the root of all our problems begin with a thought. For example: "I hate who I am, I hate my job, I hate my life, I hate Bob, Jane, my ex-wife, I hate the rich, blacks, whites, Jews, Christians, Communism, I hate this world". The list goes on. How do these thoughts make you feel? Negative, resentful, angry, jealous, hurtful, all these things and more. The reality is: you simply are who you are, your job is your job and you are in it right now, Bob is just Bob, your life is just however it is. Life or existence itself is just however it is. It is at the very point of giving thought to a given situation that you experience an emotion. Before a (negative) thought, you're ok. Then the thought comes along, you're not ok, a problem has arisen. So who created this problem? You did. By holding on to a certain thought or pattern of thoughts, you create an experience that you take as reality, your world, THE world, but that world exists only in your mind. The problem exists therefore only in your mind. So what's your problem got to do with your job, your life, your father, your boss, Bob, your so-called enemies. Nothing! You place the blame on the world and then try to change it, when the problem lies internally with your thoughts about the the need to change the world. Change ones thinking, then the world changes too, because the world is simply what's going on in the thoughts of 6 billion individuals. Where is this world that we talk of? There is no world other than in our own minds. It is constructed out of the thousands of thoughts that we have about it, upon which he keep building more thoughts, more concepts. This book is powerful stuff! Yet at the same time, utterly simple and accessible. Forget about religion and other silly beliefs. A set of beliefs, be it spiritual or moral, political or philisophical is just a set of thoughts, the cause of your suffering, not the answer. No answers are needed. If suffering is a product of thought, then how can you use the cause of your suffering (a thought) to solve it? That's like using fire to fight fire. With the help of this book, through the simple realization that our thoughts about a situation or person is the problem and not the situation or person itself, we come to see therefore that our problems are all illusory. Just as when we wake from a nightmare, the nightmare is no longer experienced as reality, when we see through the illusory nature of our thought-created world, we no longer experience our apparent problems as problems. We awaken. We see that thoughts are simply thoughts. Result: PEACE!
Rating:
Summary: It IS True!!!
Review: I've been reading through some of the reviews of this book. The negative reviewers make statements such as, "It's too basic. It's a band-aide approach. She's unqualified." I think the question they need to ask is exactly what Katie teaches, "Is it true? Can you absolutely know it's true?" What makes a person "Qualified" anyway--a piece of paper? I've met garbage collectors that I considered more "qualified" to comment on "life" than some therapists who had the "credentials." Qualified, like beauty, is in the eyes of the beholder. This "work" has helped me tremendously in changing my thinking. It's helped me identify the "stories" I create around the actual truth, and it's helped me realize that those stories are what create my suffering--not the actual reality itself. I think the main thing Katie helps people do is shed their "victim consciousness" and empower themselves. We all create our own reality. She simply helps us "examine" what we're creating and change our perceptions about it. It's in changing those perceptions that we are able to stop creating the same "patterns" over and over again and create more "consciously." And as Forest Gump would say, "That's all I have to say about that!"
Rating:
Summary: Have you suffered enough?
Review: This is the question that I ask people now before recommending this book. Some people simply have not yet suffered enough to be willing to do the kind of letting go that this book requires. I think some people negatively review this "work" because they think it is "self-help" when really it is self-realization. If you've studied non-duality, Ramana, zen - then it makes it easier to be ready for the work, but it's not necessary. You just have to be willing to let go of your story, and to get off the pity pot of suffering. Many people are so deeply invested in their medication, feeling their feelings and justifying their misery that the work will simply be an affront to them. That's fine, it's their business, not mine. But, if you have suffered enough and want freedom and peace more than you want your story - this is the fastest most simple way to get there.
Rating: 
Summary: Another vote for the library
Review: You know the serenity prayer, "God grant me the grace to accept what I cannot change, to change what I cannot accept, and the wisdom to tell the difference"? This book is a thousand times longer, and only gets a through a tiny part of the prayer. It could really be boiled down to one word: "Accept!". I certainly agree that acceptance is a useful tool for finding inner peace, but the author is holding a hammer and nailing down everything in sight. I have a basic philosophical problem with her premise. I believe that vulnerability to others and suffering are a fundamental, and sometimes valuable, part of human existence. My fiance was murdered, and I grieve tremendously for him. I don't want to suffer for the sake of it, but my guess is that Rophie would tell me that I don't need to be sad at all. In my opinion, this is not only ridiculous, it's unhealthy. It's human nature to object to loss, and to pretend otherwise ultimately impedes healing. Rophie claims that you shouldn't need anything from other people, that you can give it all to yourself. I say bollocks! We are biologically designed to need each other. Babies who aren't held and loved can't thrive, and it's not because they're telling themselves sad stories. Like other reviewers, I found her claims of "open inquiry" disingenuous. It was clear in every transcript that she was steering her client to an answer she'd decided upon herself. The author also implies that there's no possibility of healthy disagreement with her perspective. Either you see things her way, or you're unready for "The Work." I've edited my review because on reflection, this is the biggest problem I have with the book. When you're writing a spiritual book, particularly a book about personal reality, you really ought to make room for the possibility that there might be other approaches that work as well or better for different people. Stating that your book is the end-all, be-all and implying that anyone who isn't helped just isn't doing it right doesn't jibe with that darned "open inquiry" thing. As for the person who criticized another reviewer for not reading every line in the book: my hat's off to those of you who could. The parts that weren't offensively smug were horrifically dull. She says her book ENDS suffering? I've had more fun reading tax forms. I will say that several people I respect say this book changed their lives, so it may have value for the new reader. Just make sure you give it a good once over in the bookstore before you fork over your cash.
Rating:
Summary: Five stars for the book. Ten stars for the audio CD
Review: I was dealing with a very upsetting situation at work when the book came in the mail. After reading a few chapters I did "the work" on my problem and realized it was no problem at all. Later I ordered the CD version to listen to in the car. I didn't realize beforehand what a great experience it was going to be, listening to actual recordings of Katie doing the work with people. It's the same material but the experience is at a whole different level. And the CD's editing and sound quality is excellent as well.
Rating:
Summary: loved it
Review: You may love it, you may hate it. So simple it may be easy to miss the point. I found Katie's style and some of the wording a little off putting and some of the ideas challanging, but tried the questions for myself anyway. If you believe the road to change starts with self awareness and self acceptance, then katies questions certainly can't do any harm. My experience is that they are simple and profound. If you have a desire to challange your perceptions and question your view of the world, this is an excellent place to start. I've spent a fair bit of time and money on self help books, looking for answers. I've found myself a lot happier living with these four questions
Rating:
Summary: Do I need say more?
Review: Although I preferred BK's "All War Belongs on Paper", this book is very good. I respect BK - the woman has integrity - a rare quality. Her words, wisdom, insights and candor have provoked profound changes in me. I also recommend reading her "21 ways to stay in peace" (free downloadable from her website).
The inquiry layout is simple enough once you understand that there are no wrong answers, just gently looking at your truth then seeing who you are without your dramatic, painful stories or judgements. She invites you to the inquiry, never trying to change who you are.
Anything else I could say (positive) is only redundant. Read all the reviews. It's hard to be defiant or critical of anything she says or writes. It would only force one back to themselves and BK doesn't mind. It's not her business.
Rating:
Summary: Change your life? For sure!
Review: In the most unique and simple way that is the genius and power of this book, Byron Katie points us to the very root of our suffering - the uninvestigated thoughts of our mind. We are invited to inquire with just 4 very simple questions into our thoughts to see that are never real, and when exposed as being false, they naturally fall away to lift the pain that they once caused. We learn that emotions spring from thoughts that we cannot control. In the same way you are being breathed (can you stop your breathing?), so you are being thought (can you stop thoughts?). We are therefore not the controller, not the thinker and so all our thoughts are impersonal. Our thoughts are not us. If we do not attach to these thoughts and start believing them to be true, then they cannot harm us. Then, they will simply float through the mind like clouds in the sky. The real-life dialogues given are both highly entertaining, but more importantly immensely insightful. Within minutes, the participants of the workshops from which the dialogues are taken, are taken deep into their minds to discover for themselves what is true or not for them. From that realization springs a sudden shift in awareness and transformation in their lives. I've personally been to one of these workshops and virtually every single participant experienced a transformation. It is a truly remarkable sight to behold the unfolding of the changes people experience in such a short space of time. You would never guess how years or even a lifetime of suffering could disappear so suddenly. This is not about permanent enlightenment but about undoing the stress and suffering we experience as we experience them. By and by, we realise the tricks of the mind, thereby lessening the grip that mind has on our lives. By and by, we therefore experience more peace as one by one, our demons that are our thougths are slayed through the power of Inquiry. In short, a simple yet immensely powerful and effective way of dissolving all past and present pain, along with the notion of self, to leave you with an inner peace that most of the scriptures, holy books and self-help books struggle to achieve. For my money, suppliment this book with Power of Now by Echart Tolle to reinforce the understanding in both books and you have a recipe for profound transformation in your life.
Rating:
Summary: The End of Therapy
Review: I had a story. It wasn't a happy story. It was about an abusive childhoood. I wore that story like a pair of sunglasses. I saw my world through that story. I kept spoiling my present with those past experiences. "The Work" a process contained in this book is the only system that allowed me to really get to the truth of my story - ah - the story under such examination just started dropping away. This book is not in competition with any other. No other book can take its place. The niche is unique. In A Course in Miracles you are told forgiveness is the key but no one gives you a road map for how to do that - Byron Katies does. In The Power of Now Eckhardt Tolle tells us to be fully in the present moment and just be aware of the pain body - Byron Katie tells you to investigate that pain body so that it can drop away. For me, this was the single best book that I've experienced that genuinely helped me...I went to A Course in Miracles classes for over 7 years - no real change - I read and am doing The Work in Loving What Is - major changes in two weeks.... I'm very thankful for this book, this work.
I'd like to say that now I wear sunglasses so that people won't be blinded by the light coming from my eyes...but that's stretching it a bit - I'm just a lot happier!
Rating:
Summary: To read this book, borrow a copy don't waste money buying it
Review: I have heard all the ravings about this book. I knew I have wasted my money buying it before half way through it. Basically this book dresses up the prinicple of "how your attitude affects your well being" into something called "the work". I find it disturbing from the diaglogues that the author had with her subjects in that she obviously tried to steer them into answering what she deems is the answer that conforms to "the work". Whilst there are some helpful suggestions as to how to view a situation, I find the author generalized all feelings and emotions to the extent of invalidating them. I believe there are certain feelings or emotions which cannot, and should not, be "turnaround" as propounded by the author. Overall it is just another self help book which I should never have bought.
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