이병철 - 도덕경과 '기쁨의 천 가지 이름' 읽기를 마치고
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한 달에 한번씩 숲마루재에 모여 책읽기라는 이름을 내세운 이야기 나누며 먹고 마시는(?)모임에서 오늘 도덕경과 '기쁨의 천 가지 이름' 함께 읽기를 마쳤다.
두 책을 함께 읽어온 지 2년 가까이 걸린 셈이다.
두 책을 함께 읽은 것은 도덕경을 좀 더 새로운 시각으로 만났으면 하는 생각에서 였다. '기쁨의 천 가지 이름'은 '네 가지 질문'으로 잘 알려진 바이런 케이티가 쓴 책인데, 한문이나 노자에 대해 전혀 알지 못했던 케이티가 도덕경을 읽으면서 떠오르는 느낌과 생각을 적은 것이라 기존의 한문이나 주석서 중심의 해석과는 전혀 다른 관점이었기 때문이었다.
81장 '신언불미(信言不美)'를 마지막으로 도덕경 읽기에 대한 저마다의 소감 나누기를 하고
다음달부터 함께 읽을 책으로 토마스 베리와 브라이언 스윔의 '우주 이야기' 를 정했다.
그동안 동서의 경전 등을 비롯한 여러 책들과 함께 '문명의 붕괴(제레드 다이몬드)', '호모데우스(유발 하라리)' 등을 읽었으니 이번엔 빅뱅에서부터 신생대의 홀로세, 인류세를 넘어 이후의 생태대까지를 거시적으로 조명해보는 것도 필요하고 재미있을 거라는 생각에서 선택한 것이다.
오늘 모임은 숲마루재 대신에 이 모임의 도반인 빈잔과 여울님이 인근 시골에 마련한 집에서 가졌는데 십여년 전에 시골집을 구해 수리한 집으로, 두 부부의 성격과 취향처럼 깔끔하게 잘 꾸며놓았다.
부부가 귀농학교와 한옥학교를 다니고 구들놓기도 직접 배워 단장한 집이 아담하면서도 정갈했다.
도반들이 이 집의 당호(堂號)를 하나 부탁하기에 얼핏 떠오르는 게
불교 경전에 있는 수희찬탄(隨喜讚嘆)이란 단어였다. 흔히 수희공덕(隨喜功德)이라고도 하는 데, 함께 기뻐한다는 의미로 티벳 불교의 핵심 가르침인 자비희사(慈悲喜捨)의 사무량심(四無量心) 가운데 희무량심(喜無量心)의 의미이기도 하다. 그래서 이 집의 당호를 수희재(隨喜齋)로 부르기로 했다. 이런 당호를 가진 집들이 여럿 있겠지만 좋은 의미이니 함께 쓰는 것도 무난하리라 싶다.
특히 오늘은 책거리(?) 하는 날이라 내가 좋아하는 쑥떡과 함께 와인을 곁들인 저녁 음식이 왠만한 레스토랑 보다 났다는 생각이 들 정도로 푸짐하고 맛깔졌다.
오늘 자리를 마련한 여울과 빈잔 부부에게, 그리고 여기까지 함께 해온 모임의 도반들에게 감사를 전한다.
함께할 수 있어 기쁘고 고맙다.
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기쁨의 천 가지 이름 - 대자유인 바이런 케이티,
道를 살다, 道를 말하다
| Modern Spiritual Classic 1
바이런 케이티 (지은이),
김윤 (옮긴이)침묵의향기2014-12-27
원제 : A Thousand Names For Joy (2007년)
절판
보관함 +
개정판이 새로 출간되었습니다.
개정판 보기
중고상품 (9)
6,800원
415쪽150*220mm585gISBN : 9788989590484
순수한 앎의 빛 - ‘참된 나는 누구인가’에 대한 탁월한 통찰
기쁨의 천 가지 이름 - 바이런 케이티, 도덕경을 말하다, 개정판
지금 여기에 현존하라 - 자유와 평화, 참된 자기로 깨어나는 마스터키
가장 깊은 받아들임 - 바다보다 드넓은 참된 자기로 살아가기
당신의 아름다운 세계 - 바이런 케이티, 금강경을 말하다
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이 책의 원서/번역서
장바구니 담기
A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are (Paperback) Paperback
A Thousand Names for Joy (Hardcover) Hardcover
A Thousand Names for Joy : How to Live in Harmony with the Way Things are (Paperback) Paperback
책소개
세계적인 영적 지도자인 바이런 케이티가 도(道)에 대해 말한다. 궁극의 진리 혹은 진실이란 무엇이며, 우리는 본래 무엇인지를, 어찌하여 생각이 모든 괴로움과 스트레스의 원인이며, 어떻게 하면 생각의 감옥에서 완전히 해방되어 흔들림 없는 평화를 누릴 수 있는지를, 어디에도 걸림 없는 완전한 대자유의 삶이란 어떠한지를, 그리고 모르고 있을 뿐 실은 우리가 이미 그 자유라는 진실을 심오한 통찰과 감동적인 언어로 들려준다.
도덕경을 소재로 한 탁월한 영성 작품으로서, 생각의 족쇄에서 풀려나는 단순하면서도 경이로운 방법인 '작업'에 대한 설명과 사례도 곁들인다. 바이런 케이티는 현재 세계에서 가장 영향력 있는 영적 지도자 중 한 명이며, 시사주간지 「타임」은 그녀를 새 시대의 영적 지도자로 소개했다.
목차
서문
머리말
기쁨의 천 가지 이름
부록: 작업을 하는 방법
감사의 말
추천의 글
책속에서
P. 79 궁극적으로, 실재하는 것은 보이지 않고 들리지 않으며 생각될 수 없고 붙잡을 수 없습니다. 당신은 자기의 눈을 보고 있고, 자기의 귀를 듣고 있으며, 자기 상상의 세계에 반응하고 있을 뿐입니다. 그 모든 것은 애초에 당신의 마음이 창조한 것입니다. 당신이 그것에 이름을 붙이고, 그것을 창조하고, 그것에 온갖 의미를 부여하고 있습니다. 당신은 현실에 ‘무엇’을 덧붙이고, 다음에는 ‘왜’를 덧붙입니다. 그 모든 것은 당신입니다. 접기
P. 85 스트레스를 주는 근원적인 생각은 하나의 ‘나’라는 생각입니다. 그 생각이 있기 전에는 평화가 있었습니다. 생각은 무(無)에서 태어나며, 즉시 나온 곳으로 돌아갑니다. 만일 생각들의 이전, 사이, 이후를 바라본다면, 한없는 빈 공간만이 있음을 알게 될 것입니다. 그것은 모르는 공간입니다. 그것이 참된 우리 자신입니다. 그것은 모든 것의 근원이며, 그 안에 모든 것이 있습니다. 삶과 죽음이, 시작과 중간과 끝이……. 접기
P. 93-94 대지는 조건 없이, 아무도 모르게 그저 주기만 하며, 그것이 사랑의 증거입니다. 대지는 바람과 비, 사막, 바위, 자기가 창조한 것들의 소리를 통해 얘기합니다. 그녀는 의미 없는 노래를 부를 뿐이며, 어떤 보답도 기대하지 않으면서 계속 주기만 합니다. 그녀는 당신을 평생 도울 것입니다. 그리고 설령 당신이 그녀에게 깡통을 던지거나, 그녀의 혈류에 독극물을 붓거나, 그녀에게 폭탄을 떨어뜨린다 해도, 거기에는 여전히 전적인, 무조건적인 사랑이 있을 뿐입니다. 그녀는 주고 또 줍니다. 그녀는 깨어 있는 나입니다. 그녀는 당신입니다. 접기
P. 97 모든 사람이 자기의 할 일을 하고 있습니다. 다른 일보다 더 가치 있는 일은 없습니다. 우리가 너무 끔찍하다고 생각하는 세상의 것들은 실제로는 훌륭한 스승들입니다. 거기에는 아무런 잘못이 없으며, 부족한 것도 없습니다. 우리는 언제나 필요한 것을 얻습니다. 우리에게 필요하다고 ‘생각되는’ 것이 아니라……. 그 뒤 우리는 필요한 것을 이미 가지고 있으며, 그것은 우리가 원하는 것임을 알게 됩니다. 그 뒤 우리는 오로지 지금 있는 것만을 원하게 됩니다. 그런 식으로 우리는 언제나 성공합니다. 무슨 일이 일어나든지. 접기
P. 135 깨달음은 삶으로 표현되기 전에는 가치가 없습니다. 나는 고통을 겪는 한 사람을 위해 지구의 끝까지 여행할 것입니다. 절망하고 희망을 잃은 사람들은 내 몸의 깨어나지 못한 세포들입니다. 나는 나 자신의 몸에 대해 얘기하고 있으며, 세상이라는 몸이 나의 몸입니다. 나 자신이 존재하지도 않는 물속에 빠져 익사하도록 내가 내버려둘까요? 나 자신이 상상으로 만들어진 고문실에서 죽도록 내가 내버려둘까요? 나는 생각합니다. “맙소사, 문제가 있다고 정말로 믿는 사람이 저기 있구나.” 나도 문제가 있다고 생각하던 시절이 있었습니다. 그러니 그 사람이 도움을 청할 때 어떻게 거절할 수 있을까요? 그것은 나 자신을 거절하는 것입니다. 그래서 나는 갈 수 있으면 “예” 하고 갑니다. 그것은 특권입니다. 아니, 그 이상입니다. 그것은 자기사랑입니다. 접기
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추천글
바이런 케이티는 우리 시대의 진정으로 위대한 영적 스승입니다. 그녀의 가르침은 나에게 굉장한 도움이 되었습니다. 나는 이 지혜로운 여성을 사랑하며, 모든 사람에게 이 경이로운 책 속에 빠져 보라고 권합니다. - 웨인 다이어 (<행복한 이기주의자>, <의도의 힘>의 저자. 심리학 교수)
바이런 케이티의 ‘작업’은 우리 지구별에 위대한 축복입니다. 고통의 근본 원인은 우리의 마음속에서 끊임없이 지나가는 생각과 이야기들을 우리 자신이라고 믿는 데 있습니다. ‘작업’은 그런 망상을 자르고 우리 존재의 영원한 본성을 알게 하는 예리한 검과 같습니다. 거기에서 우리의 본래 상태인 기쁨과 평화, 사랑이 흘러나옵니다. - 에크하르트 톨레 (<NOW> <지금 이 순간을 살아라>의 저자)
단언컨대, 이 책은 진정 최고의 책이다. 말할 수 없는 것들에 대해 이보다 더 분명하고 섬세하며 눈부시게 말할 수 있는 사람이 또 있을까. 나는 케이티를 읽는 내내 너무나 즐거웠고, 감사했으며, 행복했다. - 김기태 (<지금 이대로 완전하다>의 저자)
바이런 케이티 (Byron Katie) (지은이)
세계적인 영적 스승 바이런 케이티는 ‘생각에 대한 믿음’이 모든 스트레스와 고통의 원인이라는 것을 발견했다. 그리고 모든 생각에서 해방되어 완전한 자유와 평화에 이르는 단순하면서도 경이로운 방법인 ‘작업’(The Work)을 창안했다. ‘작업’은 네 가지 질문과 뒤바꾸기로 이루어져 있으며, 간단한 질문으로 생각의 족쇄에서 풀려나 평화로운 마음을 경험하게 한다. 시사주간지 타임(TIME)은 그녀를 새 시대의 영적 지도자로 선정했다.
미국 캘리포니아 남부 사막지대의 소읍인 바스토우에서, 세 자녀를 둔 어머니이자 부동산 중개인으로 평범하게 살던 케이티는 이혼을 계기로 점점 우울증이 심해졌고 분노와 좌절감에 빠져들었다. 십 년 동안 우울증에 시달리며 급기야 죽고 싶은 충동에 사로잡히게 된 그녀는 결국 1986년에 요양원에 들어갔다. 그 뒤 보름쯤 지난 어느 날 아침, 요양원 다락방에서 홀로 방바닥에 누워 자던 그녀는 홀연히 고통이 없는 절대 기쁨의 상태로 깨어났으며, 그 깨달음의 자유는 결코 그녀를 떠나지 않았다.
요양원에서 집으로 돌아온 뒤, 사람들이 스스로 그녀의 집을 찾아오기 시작했다. 그녀에 대한 소문이 점점 퍼지면서 여기저기에서 초청이 밀려들기 시작했다. 그 후로 케이티는 많은 나라를 돌아다니며 사람들에게 ‘작업’을 소개하고 있으며, 수많은 사람들이 ‘작업’을 통해서 참된 평화와 행복을 찾았다고 증언하고 있다.
지은 책으로는 《네 가지 질문》 《사랑에 대한 네 가지 질문》 《기쁨의 천 가지 이름》 《당신의 아름다운 세계》 《그 생각이 없다면, 당신은 누구일까요?》(1,2권) 《나는 지금 누구를 사랑하는가》 《호호야, 그게 정말이야?》 등이 있다. 접기
최근작 : <기쁨의 천 가지 이름>,<당신의 아름다운 세계>,<그 생각이 없다면, 당신은 누구일까요? 2> … 총 80종 (모두보기)
김윤 (옮긴이)
서울대학교 경영학과를 졸업했다. 지금은 자유롭고 평화로운 삶으로 안내하는 글들을 우리말로 옮기고 소개하는 일을 하고 있다. 그동안 번역한 책으로는 《네 가지 질문》 《기쁨의 천 가지 이름》 《가장 깊은 받아들임》 《아잔 차 스님의 오두막》 《지금 여기에 현존하라》 등이 있다.
최근작 : <철학을 좋아하게 만드는 책> … 총 26종 (모두보기)
출판사 제공 책소개
바이런 케이티, 절망의 한가운데에서 절대 기쁨으로 깨어나다
미국 캘리포니아 남부 사막지대의 소도시에서 평범한 주부로 살던 바이런 케이티는 이혼을 계기로 십여 년에 걸쳐 우울증이 심해지고 자살충동에 시달리다가 요양원에 입원했는데, 1986년 2월의 어느 날 아침, 홀연히 (사람들이 깨달음이라고 부르는) 절대 기쁨의 상태로 깨어났다.
“나를 괴롭히던 모든 분노와 생각, 내 모든 세상, 온 세상이 사라지고 없었습니다. 동시에 깊은 곳에서 웃음이 솟아 나와 넘쳐흘렀습니다. 아무것도 알아볼 수 없었습니다. 마치 다른 무엇이 깨어난 것 같았습니다. ‘그것’은 자기의 눈을 떴습니다. ‘그것’은 케이티의 눈을 통해 바라보고 있었습니다. 그리고 기쁨으로 가득 차 있었습니다! 기쁨에 취해 있었습니다. 그것과 분리되어 있는 것은 아무것도 없었고, 그것이 받아들이지 못할 것은 아무것도 없었습니다. 모든 것은 바로 그것 자신이었습니다.”
그때 바이런 케이티가 발견한 진실은 단순한 것이었다. 모든 스트레스와 괴로움의 원인은 ‘생각’을 믿기 때문이라는 것. 생각을 믿으면 스트레스와 고통을 받고, 생각을 믿지 않으면 평화롭고 행복하다는 것이다.
“나는 내 생각을 믿을 때는 고통을 받지만, 그 생각을 믿지 않을 때는 고통을 받지 않는다는 것을, 그리고 이것은 모든 사람에게 진실이라는 것을 알게 되었습니다. 자유는 그처럼 단순합니다. 고통은 우리가 선택하는 것이라는 걸 알게 되었습니다. 그때 내 안에서 발견한 기쁨은 한 순간도 사라진 적이 없습니다. 그 기쁨은 언제나 모든 사람 안에 있습니다.”
그녀는 깨어나면서 ‘작업’을 발견했고, 생각의 족쇄에서 해방되는 단순하면서도 경이로운 이 방법을 그 후 세상에 널리 전하고 있다.
대자유인 바이런 케이티,
道를 살다, 道를 말하다
어떤 영적 스승도 없이 스스로 깨어난 그녀는 당연히 어떤 영적 전통에도 속하지 않았고, 영적 고전을 접한 적도 없었다. 그런 그녀에게 영성문학 작가인 남편 스티븐 미첼은 자신이 의역한 도덕경을 한 장씩 읽어 주고 여기에 대해 바이런 케이티가 한 말을 기록하여 책으로 펴냈다.
이 책에서 그녀는 남편의 요청에 응하여, 말할 수 없는 도(道)에 대해 말한다. 도덕경 1장부터 81장까지 차례차례 이어지는, 도에 관한 그녀의 말들은 마치 저마다의 광채로 빛나는 보석들로 촘촘히 장식된 화환과 같아서 그 다채로움과 깊이를 몇 마디 말로 요약하기는 어렵다.
그러나 적어도, 그녀가 가리키는 궁극의 진실이라는 것은 지금 여기를 떠나 있지 않으며, 나와 따로 있는 어떤 고매한 것이 아니며, 길고 고단한 수행이나 노력을 통해 도달할 수 있는 어떤 경지도 아니다. 오히려 그와는 정반대로, 언제나 지금 있는 것이며, 바로 나 자신이지만, 단지 우리가 알아보지 못하고 있을 뿐인, 어떤 분리도 없는, 언어 이전의 무엇이다. 도덕경 1장에 대해 케이티는 말한다.
“언어 이전의 이 세계에는 오로지 실재하는 것만이 있습니다. 그것은 나뉘어 있지 않고, 파악될 수 없으며, 지금 여기에 이미 현존합니다. 분리되어 보이는 것은 어떤 것도 실재일 수 없습니다. 그것은 마음이 이름을 붙여 창조한 것이기 때문입니다. 이 점을 이해하면, 실재하지 않는 것도 아름다워집니다. 왜냐하면 실재를 위협할 수 있는 것이 아무것도 없기 때문입니다. 나는 ‘나무’나 ‘너’나 ‘나’라고 불리는 어떤 분리된 것도 보지 못합니다. 믿든 믿지 않든 이런 것들은 상상일 뿐입니다.”
도(道)가 무엇인지를 가리키는 형형색색의 언어들과 엮이면서 이 책의 무늬를 이루는 또 하나의 큰 줄기는 도(道) 자체로서 살아가는 바이런 케이티의 모습이다. 도(道)가 무엇인지를 깨달았다고 해서 금세 완전한 자유를 누릴 수 있는 것은 아니다. 오랜 세월 굳어진 생각에 대한 믿음은 뿌리가 깊고, 생각의 속도는 빛보다 빨라서 순식간에 마음을 흔들어 놓을 수 있기 때문이다.
마침내 모든 생각, 모든 관념의 감옥에서 해방된 도인은 어떻게 살아가는 것일까. 책 곳곳에는 그런 대자유인의 삶을 생생히 보여주는 모습들과 에피소드들이 푸짐하게 담겨 있으며, 그런 그녀의 삶은 그녀의 말들이 어떤 이론이 아니라 진실로 그러한 것임을 증언한다. 스티븐 미첼은 서문에서 그런 삶의 예를 몇 가지 언급한다.
“이 책은 또한 그녀가 아기 손녀와 춤을 추고 있든, 그녀의 집이 도둑들에게 다 털리고 남은 것이 하나도 없든, 그녀를 죽이려 하는 남자 앞에 서 있든, 또는 주방을 향해 걸어가는 모험을 떠나든, 그녀가 실명할 것이라는 의사의 진단을 듣든, …… 암 진단을 받든, 언제나 흔들림 없이 기뻐하는 한 여성의 모습을 담은 초상이다.”
우리 모두는 자유를 구하지만
우리가 이미 그 자유입니다
그런데 만약 그런 삶이 바이런 케이티나 극소수의 사람들에게만 해당하는 것이라면, 평범한 다수의 우리와는 다른 특별한 소수에게만 가능한 삶이라면, 이런 말이나 글은 별 가치도 없고 쓸모도 없을 것이다. 그러나 온 우주에서 어떤 분리도 보지 못하는 바이런 케이티에게는 그녀가 곧 우리 자신이다. 그리고 모르고 있을 뿐, 우리가 이미 찾으려 하는 그 자유이며, 그녀가 그 길을 발견했으므로 우리도 똑같이 발견할 수 있다고 단호히 말한다. 그리고 변함없이 “어떻게?”를, 그 길을 우리에게 보여준다.
“나는 고통에 대해 알고, 기쁨에 대해 알며, 내가 누구인지를 압니다. 나는 곧 당신입니다. 아직 당신이 그 사실을 깨닫지 못하고 있다 해도……. 어떤 이야기도 없을 때는 과거도 미래도 없고, 걱정할 것도 없고, 해야 할 일도 없고, 가야 할 곳도 없고, 되어야 할 사람도 없고, 모두가 좋습니다.”
사람들이 ‘작업’을 통해 스스로 진실을 깨닫고 자유로워지도록 돕는 데 중점을 두었던 《네 가지 질문》 등 전작들과 달리, 이 책은 바이런 케이티 자신이 세계를 어떻게 보는지, 일상생활을 어떻게 살아가는지 등을 있는 그대로 보여준다. 그리고 그녀는 궁극의 진실과 자유로운 삶에 관해 어디에서도 보기 힘든 독특함과 섬세함, 명쾌함으로 표현한다. 따라서 바이런 케이티에 대해 더 잘 알고 싶은 독자들과 도(道)에 관심 있는 독자들이라면 더없이 반가워할 귀하고 탁월한 영성문학 작품이다. 접기
평점분포 10.0
구매자 (3)
전체 (3)
공감순
드물고 드문 책이다. 이렇게 자유롭고 기쁨 가득한 영혼과 같은 시대, 같은 별에 살고 있다는 사실만으로도 행복하다. 번역자와 출판사에도 감사한다. 구매
사자평 2015-02-10 공감 (2) 댓글 (0)
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바이런 케이티의 책은 읽을 때마다 다시 읽힙니다. 이렇게 지금 이 순간으로 즉시 돌아오게 해주는 귀한 책이 감사합니다. 구매
joonoo815 2018-12-08 공감 (1) 댓글 (0)
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도덕경 해설서를 쓰신 김기태 선생께서 추천의 글에서
˝단언컨데, 이 책은 진정 최고의 책이다!˝라고 말씀하십니다.
읽기 쉽고, 아름답고, 잘 만들어진 책 같습니다.
이런 책을 만난다는 것은 행운이고 축복이라 생각합니다.
<네가지 질문>과 함께 읽으면 더욱 좋을 듯합니다. 구매
sangsup2607 2015-07-13 공감 (1) 댓글 (0)
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마이리뷰
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'진실 아님'을 산산조각 내 버리는 책 -'기쁨의 천 가지 이름'
기쁨의 천 가지 이름
도덕경을 바탕으로 저자의 '일상 생활'을 담은 책이다.
보통 경전에 관한 해설책을 읽으면,
한문 원어, 한문 풀이, 저자의 해석, 일화로 구성되어 있는 경우가 많다.
그런데 이 책은 '도덕경 해설'이기는 한데,
읽어보면 그냥 도덕경 한 구절과, 거기에 따른 저자의 사사로운 생활을 죽 써놓았다.
이 책이 아름답게 느껴지는 이유가 여기에 있을 것이다.
'일화' 대신에, '자신의 일상 생활'을 쓴 건 바로, 그만큼 저자가 도(道)에 가깝게 살고 있어 가능한 것이다.
인간은 자유롭게 살아야 한다. 아니, 인간=자유이다.
자유에 관해 개념적으로만 알고 있는 사람에게 추천하고 싶다.
이토록 자유롭고 아름다운 책을 알게 되어 기쁘다.
- 접기
darksword777 2015-01-30 공감(2) 댓글(0)
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득도한 삶이란...
바이런 케이티는 득도하였다.
화두선을 점검한 내용과 모두 같다.
대표적인 돈오돈수이다. 득도후 마음의 평화를 얻었다.
독특한 것은 저자의 득도이전에 동양의 종교와 철학에 대하여 전혀 알지 못했다고 한다. 내용을 비교해 보니 같은 것이었을 뿐이다. 결국 득도의 내용은 동일한 것이다. 근대 서양사상의 대표인 이성중심의 합리주의와는 전혀 설명 될 수 없는 내용이 많았다. 다시 말하면 합리주의로는 모든 것을 설명할 수 없다는 것이다. 세상에 한가지로 절대적일 것은 없는 모양이다.
선을 모르거나 득도를 이해 못하는 사람이 읽으면 이해할 수 없고 어려운 내용이다. 하지만 일독을 권한다. 저자에게 감사한다.
- 접기
송경섭 2018-09-03 공감(0) 댓글(0)
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A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things Are
byByron Katie
394 total ratings, 221 with reviews
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A commentary that uses the Tao Te Ching as a launch pad for musings on the experience of being human in our times.
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A commentary that uses the Tao Te Ching as a launch pad for musings on the experience of being human in our times.
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In her first two books, Byron Katie showed how suffering can be ended by questioning the stressful thoughts that create it, through a process of self-inquiry she calls The Work. Now, in A Thousand Names for Joy, she encourages us to discover the freedom that lives on the other side of inquiry.Stephen Mitchell—the renowned translator of the Tao Te Ching—selected provocative excerpts from that ancient text as a stimulus for Katie to talk about the most essential issues that face us all: life and death, good and evil, love, work, and fulfillment. The result is a book that allows the timeless insights of the Tao Te Ching to resonate anew for us today, while offering a vivid and illuminating glimpse into the life of someone who for twenty years—ever since she “woke up to reality” one morning in 1986—has been living what Lao-tzu wrote more than 2,500 years ago.Katie’s profound, lighthearted wisdom is not theoretical; it is absolutely authentic. That is what makes this book so compelling. It’s a portrait of a woman who is imperturbably joyous, whether she is dancing with her infant granddaughter or finds that her house has been emptied out by burglars, whether she stands before a man about to kill her or embarks on the adventure of walking to the kitchen, whether she learns that she is going blind, flunks a “How Good a Lover Are You?” test, or is diagnosed with cancer. With her stories of total ease in all circumstances, Katie does more than describe the awakened mind; she lets you see it, feel it, in action. And she shows you how that mind is yours as well. (less)
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Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
The Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu was written more than 2,500 years ago and is the most widely published book in the world next to the Bible. Stephen Mitchell has done a sturdy and pensive translation of this ancient text that is just brimming with wisdom. Now Byron Katie, Mitchell's wife, has taken this classic and used it as a launch pad for her own musings on the experience of being human in our times. Her first two books were bestsellers about a process she calls self-inquiry or The Work, in which she uses four questions to open up a transformational process. A Thousand Names for Joy offers her idiosyncratic and thought-provoking commentary on the chapters of the Tao Te Ching and its wonderful blend of practical tips and paradoxes.
Katie mirrors the openness that is characteristic of Lao-tzu's vision of reality. She writes:
"I am content doing the thing in front of me, since my mind doesn't conflict with what I do. It has no reason to; there are no beliefs that would get in the way. Because the world is internal, I don't search for anything outside. Everything outside is inside. I have no need to meet anyone other than the people who enter my life, so my life is a continual invitation. I invite everyone and everything to come and go as they wish; all experiences are welcome here. There is never anything alien to the mind at peace with itself. It is its own joyous community."
Try to imagine what your life would be like if you saw it in this way. Things come and go. You don't clutch or get attached to things. You recognize that everything is provisional and ephemeral. There is no need to divide the world into good things and bad things or to separate yourself from others. The metaphor here is a perpetual open house for people, ideas, experiences, and adventures.
"When you become a lover of what is," writes Katie, "the war is over." Instead of fear, joy reigns. That is why the author can praise a hotel room for all the simple pleasures that lie at her touch. That is why she can let go of her favorite purse after realizing she left it in a restaurant in New York. Letting go brings great freedom: "It's exciting to give a total stranger what you have, and to know that giving is equal to having, and that giving is also a kind of having. (This doesn't mean that I didn't cancel my credit cards.) But it was clear that the purse was supposed to belong to someone else. How did I know that she needed it? She had it. There are no accidents in my world. When you're a lover of what is, your suffering is over."
This Taoist attitude toward possessions goes against all that is usually taught in Western culture yet it opens doors to a new way of being. A lover of what is also discards the illusion of control, especially the idea that we can make things go our way. Freedom is an elixir that comes with unbounded joy: "Where there's no story, no past or future, nothing to worry about, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to be, it's all good."
Book Review by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
The Tao Te Ching by Lao-tzu was written more than 2,500 years ago and is the most widely published book in the world next to the Bible. Stephen Mitchell has done a sturdy and pensive translation of this ancient text that is just brimming with wisdom. Now Byron Katie, Mitchell's wife, has taken this classic and used it as a launch pad for her own musings on the experience of being human in our times. Her first two books were bestsellers about a process she calls self-inquiry or The Work, in which she uses four questions to open up a transformational process. A Thousand Names for Joy offers her idiosyncratic and thought-provoking commentary on the chapters of the Tao Te Ching and its wonderful blend of practical tips and paradoxes.
Katie mirrors the openness that is characteristic of Lao-tzu's vision of reality. She writes:
"I am content doing the thing in front of me, since my mind doesn't conflict with what I do. It has no reason to; there are no beliefs that would get in the way. Because the world is internal, I don't search for anything outside. Everything outside is inside. I have no need to meet anyone other than the people who enter my life, so my life is a continual invitation. I invite everyone and everything to come and go as they wish; all experiences are welcome here. There is never anything alien to the mind at peace with itself. It is its own joyous community."
Try to imagine what your life would be like if you saw it in this way. Things come and go. You don't clutch or get attached to things. You recognize that everything is provisional and ephemeral. There is no need to divide the world into good things and bad things or to separate yourself from others. The metaphor here is a perpetual open house for people, ideas, experiences, and adventures.
"When you become a lover of what is," writes Katie, "the war is over." Instead of fear, joy reigns. That is why the author can praise a hotel room for all the simple pleasures that lie at her touch. That is why she can let go of her favorite purse after realizing she left it in a restaurant in New York. Letting go brings great freedom: "It's exciting to give a total stranger what you have, and to know that giving is equal to having, and that giving is also a kind of having. (This doesn't mean that I didn't cancel my credit cards.) But it was clear that the purse was supposed to belong to someone else. How did I know that she needed it? She had it. There are no accidents in my world. When you're a lover of what is, your suffering is over."
This Taoist attitude toward possessions goes against all that is usually taught in Western culture yet it opens doors to a new way of being. A lover of what is also discards the illusion of control, especially the idea that we can make things go our way. Freedom is an elixir that comes with unbounded joy: "Where there's no story, no past or future, nothing to worry about, nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to be, it's all good."
Harmony Books, 02/07
ISBN: 9780307339232
$24.95 Hardcover
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From Australia
There are 0 reviews and 1 rating from Australia
From other countries
Light dweller
5.0 out of 5 stars Life changing! And Im a harsh critic
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 December 2016
Verified Purchase
I've read many, many books on personal transformation, enlightenment, non-duality the whole gamut. I'm a psychotherapist and a psychic healer, and a harsh critic of the explosion of spiritual books that we are besieged with. I'm not a doting fan of Byron Katie either.
Books are a very personal taste and depends very much on where you are at, and what you relate at any speific point on your own unique life journey.
Other reviews have written how this book lays it's foundations in the Tao Te Ching,so won't say much about that except to day that it does so in a very accessible, practicable and engaging style, offering immediate insight.
In short ... this book, in my opinion serves as as a spiritual bible, that many could relate to. It creates a simple shift of perspective to see beyond our own unnecessary struggle, reminding us of our true nature as infinite beings. it's a powerfully deep yet very acessible guide lovingly delivered in bite size portions.
For those reviews that rant on about Byron Katie regurgitating the work of other great authors and gurus... well everything inspirational is never a stand alone piece of work, it's all inspired in one way or another or recycled through greater consciousness. Does it really matter?
If it creates a positive life change and you relate to the material, energy of the book and delivery style... then that's what's important. Drop the ego and enjoy the journey this book takes you on 😀.
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Amazon Customer
1.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 February 2019
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This book i found disturbing especially the part about her white dog crawling across the floor on its useless aged back legs with blood dripping from its mouth , that is not ok. If an animal is suffering you do not just observe it for any period of time . Also suggesting the possibility that it could be good for a mother to loose a child to death instead of observing it as a tragedy. Clearly this author has no real concept of the real reality of love . The book was like insanity in text . I will not even pass this to the charity shop, its for the bin .
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Frank Skinner
4.0 out of 5 stars Bold and uncompromising
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 8 April 2012
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The Tao Te Ching is such a wonderful text and Stephen Mitchell's translation stands alone without the need for commentary. I had come across Byron Katie previously and not been too interested as I felt her previous works were geared more towards psychology/wellness rather than non-duality/mysticism.
Coming across this in a local bookstore was a welcome surprise. Her inspired responses to verses of the Tao Te Ching make up this book and they are non-traditional, bold and uncompromising. She talks about everyday experiences she has been through together with more extreme ones such as being confronted with a man with a gun. Sure not everything is 100% consistent, but I'm more than happy to forgive this given the directness of her expression. In many ways this book reminds me of Jeff Foster's "Life without a centre"
"The reasons I love rules and plans and religions is that people feel safe in them for a while. And, personally, I don't have any rules. I don't need them. There's a sense of harmony that goes on all the time as things move and change, and I am that harmony, and so are you"
The only reason I've knocked a star off is that upon looking at her website she charges quite a large amount of money for her courses. While there is nothing wrong with this in itself, it doesn't sit completely well with me.
If you are drawn to this then definitely go for it. If you have already read Byron Katie but are not familiar with eastern thought, I suspect this may be a more challenging read. I would encourage you to pick up this book and dive into it - it's well worth the effort and could change your life.
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woman
5.0 out of 5 stars A mind expanding read . .
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 15 June 2013
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Byron Katie's journey took her from the very depths of suicidal depression to an awakening which transformed her thought processes. Unknown to her at the time, this inquiry into the nature of thought was congruent with Taoist philosophy . .
This book clearly shows how we create our own worlds from our thoughts and how we lead miserable lives . . or joyous ones according to how much we believe the thoughts. It has quotes from the Tao te Ching at each chapter heading, which Katie expands upon in her own way.
Reading this book is like coming home and the fascinating thing for me, is how Taoist theory is linked to our current explorations in Physics . .
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AP
5.0 out of 5 stars BEAUTIFUL, LIFE CHANGING OBSERVATIONS FROM AN ENLIGHTENED LOVER OF ...
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 22 February 2016
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REMARKABLE BOOK FULL OF SUBTLE, BEAUTIFUL, LIFE CHANGING OBSERVATIONS FROM AN ENLIGHTENED LOVER OF REALITY.
A GORGEOUS MIX OF ULTRA DEEP REVELATION ALL FROM THE UNIVERSE OF CONSCIOUSNESS IN LOVE WITH ITSELF AND THE VASTNESS OF IT'S OWN CREATIVITY & CREATION.A LOVE POEM TO THOSE WHO ALSO WANT TO WAKE TO THIS AWE INSPIRING REALITY.ANOTHER MASTERPIECE FROM THE AMERICAN BUDDHA. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
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Jane Martin
5.0 out of 5 stars The Freedom Key
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 20 September 2018
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Five stars exchanged for one thousand smiles. This book helps me to live a more balanced life. It equals the Tao of Pooh and shall be cherished for the rest of my days. Thank you dear Katie and Stephen. Big respect and much love 💕
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Jenkins69
5.0 out of 5 stars Life transforming book!
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2017
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I highly recommend it to anyone wishing to expand their mind and free themselves of suffering. This is an inspirational guide on how one can move beyond the judgemental mindset so common in humanity today-to a place of acceptance, loving what is and joy.
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Clare Duke
5.0 out of 5 stars Byron Katie is a must read for all.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 6 September 2017
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I love Byron Katie. This is another wonderful read.
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P. R. Watson
4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 24 February 2018
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bought for some one else
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Jennifer B.
5.0 out of 5 stars My hero
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 25 November 2018
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Amazing work, amazing human being. Everyone should listen to this. It's full on.
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Sep 19, 2008Betty rated it it was amazing
This book helped me relax and know that there's never, ever anything to worry about, that life is safe and good all of the time, and that as long as I question my thoughts and don't take my beliefs as truth, it always will be. What freedom. (less)
Apr 16, 2013Farnoosh Brock rated it it was amazing
I listened to this book on audio, courtesy of Byron Katie team themselves, pior to my interview with her.
The audio is simply mesmerizing. She has a voice that sounds like the voice of God if there were such a thing. She is incredibly soothing and comforting.
The book content is beautiful, but the concept of the Tao gets very esoteric for me, and I tried to stay with it. I did not multi-task when listening to this audio book and I really contemplated the deep concepts of truth, reality, self, existence, earth, nothingness, everything, identify and so much else, and I wish I could appreciate it deeper.
Sometimes, I disagreed with Katie. Sometimes, she spoke directly to my heart. Sometimes I wanted to hug her and other times I wanted to turn it off because she had lost me.
It is still a 5 star for the profound effect it had on me and will for the rest of my life, no doubt. When I spoke to her, I felt her presence, her amazing presence in the now, in the moment that is here and from that alone, I could see how living and being her must be. She is remarkable. I will continue to appreciate her.
I would guess that this book is much better on audio than text. The emphasis that Katie puts in the right places is necessary and makes it easier to understand. Absolutely wonderful audio recordings. May you find peace and happiness and oh yes, JOY, in listening to the fabulous Byron Katie. (less)
The audio is simply mesmerizing. She has a voice that sounds like the voice of God if there were such a thing. She is incredibly soothing and comforting.
The book content is beautiful, but the concept of the Tao gets very esoteric for me, and I tried to stay with it. I did not multi-task when listening to this audio book and I really contemplated the deep concepts of truth, reality, self, existence, earth, nothingness, everything, identify and so much else, and I wish I could appreciate it deeper.
Sometimes, I disagreed with Katie. Sometimes, she spoke directly to my heart. Sometimes I wanted to hug her and other times I wanted to turn it off because she had lost me.
It is still a 5 star for the profound effect it had on me and will for the rest of my life, no doubt. When I spoke to her, I felt her presence, her amazing presence in the now, in the moment that is here and from that alone, I could see how living and being her must be. She is remarkable. I will continue to appreciate her.
I would guess that this book is much better on audio than text. The emphasis that Katie puts in the right places is necessary and makes it easier to understand. Absolutely wonderful audio recordings. May you find peace and happiness and oh yes, JOY, in listening to the fabulous Byron Katie. (less)
I guess I'm officially giving up on Byron Katie. This is the second book of hers I tried to read (after coming across a quote that I liked*). Parts of the book made absolutely no sense to me, as if they were written in a language I didn't understand. The parts I could sort of follow seemed to be proposing a method for suppressing fear and anger, which, IMO, is not a good idea, as suppressed emotions are likely to come back eventually, stronger than ever.
Also, the book is not logically consistent. Katie writes about how she was happy when her purse was stolen:
"I once left my purse in a restaurant in New York. I get very excited when things like that happen. I thought of the purse, my very favorite, and I thought of someone finding the cash and the wallet and the business cards and the notebook and the hand cream and the pens and the lipstick and the dental floss and the eye drops and the wonderful new cell phone and the energy bar and the pictures of my grandchildren. It's exciting to give a total stranger what you have, and to know that giving is equal to having, and that giving is also a kind of having. (This doesn't mean that I didn't cancel my credit cards.) But it was clear that the purse was supposed to belong to someone else. How did I know that she needed it? She had it. There are no accidents in my world. When you're a lover of what is, your suffering is over."
At first, I thought this an interesting, if implausible idea -- to think of a beloved object that is lost or stolen as a gift to someone else. That certainly would take the sting out of the loss, at least for as long as you could sustain the thought.
But why, then, did Katie cancel her credit cards? It's a pretty good bet that whoever found Katie's purse (and essentially stole it by deciding to keep it, rather than contacting Katie) wasn't really interested in the dental floss, or the energy bar, or the pictures of Katie's grandchildren, but instead wanted the cash and the credit cards.
If Katie was excited to give a total stranger what she had, and if the purse was "supposed to belong to someone else," and if Katie knew that this person "needed it," then why frustrate the recipient of the gift by canceling the cards and denying the purse's new owner what he or she most likely needed and wanted the most -- the ability to buy things using Katie's credit cards?
I know that Katie has many readers and followers who say that her work has greatly improved their lives. Maybe, for whatever reason, I'm not capable of seeing or understanding her real message. But when Katie waxes lyrically about how happy she is that a stranger is enjoying the things in her purse, while at the same time canceling her cards to prevent the stranger from using them, I think that Katie doesn't totally believe herself in what she is saying, and I call bullshit.
* This is the quote that I stumbled across that I liked: "No one will ever understand you. Realizing this is freedom. No one will ever understand you -- not once, not ever. Even at our most understanding, we can only understand our story of who you are. There's no understanding here except your own." I still think that's a great quote taken by itself. Reading it in the context of the book, though, had the opposite effect from what I had hoped, making it seem less enlightening, rather than more. (less)
Also, the book is not logically consistent. Katie writes about how she was happy when her purse was stolen:
"I once left my purse in a restaurant in New York. I get very excited when things like that happen. I thought of the purse, my very favorite, and I thought of someone finding the cash and the wallet and the business cards and the notebook and the hand cream and the pens and the lipstick and the dental floss and the eye drops and the wonderful new cell phone and the energy bar and the pictures of my grandchildren. It's exciting to give a total stranger what you have, and to know that giving is equal to having, and that giving is also a kind of having. (This doesn't mean that I didn't cancel my credit cards.) But it was clear that the purse was supposed to belong to someone else. How did I know that she needed it? She had it. There are no accidents in my world. When you're a lover of what is, your suffering is over."
At first, I thought this an interesting, if implausible idea -- to think of a beloved object that is lost or stolen as a gift to someone else. That certainly would take the sting out of the loss, at least for as long as you could sustain the thought.
But why, then, did Katie cancel her credit cards? It's a pretty good bet that whoever found Katie's purse (and essentially stole it by deciding to keep it, rather than contacting Katie) wasn't really interested in the dental floss, or the energy bar, or the pictures of Katie's grandchildren, but instead wanted the cash and the credit cards.
If Katie was excited to give a total stranger what she had, and if the purse was "supposed to belong to someone else," and if Katie knew that this person "needed it," then why frustrate the recipient of the gift by canceling the cards and denying the purse's new owner what he or she most likely needed and wanted the most -- the ability to buy things using Katie's credit cards?
I know that Katie has many readers and followers who say that her work has greatly improved their lives. Maybe, for whatever reason, I'm not capable of seeing or understanding her real message. But when Katie waxes lyrically about how happy she is that a stranger is enjoying the things in her purse, while at the same time canceling her cards to prevent the stranger from using them, I think that Katie doesn't totally believe herself in what she is saying, and I call bullshit.
* This is the quote that I stumbled across that I liked: "No one will ever understand you. Realizing this is freedom. No one will ever understand you -- not once, not ever. Even at our most understanding, we can only understand our story of who you are. There's no understanding here except your own." I still think that's a great quote taken by itself. Reading it in the context of the book, though, had the opposite effect from what I had hoped, making it seem less enlightening, rather than more. (less)
Mar 03, 2012Bill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
I'm inspired to share how I found out about Byron Katie in the first place. Around the time I came to the firm decision to both retire and to pursue my MtF transition during retirement (September 2010), I realized that I'd begun returning to something I'd let fall by the wayside since my college days: the mystical writings of the so-called ancient Hindu and Buddhist writers, and to some extent Taoist. I not-did the theist approach for basically all the years between my marriage in 1978 up until September 2010, by which I mean I basically was an atheist (without theism), consciously so between roughly 2005 and 2010. After my retirement started in January 2011, I found myself studying the Tao Te Ching, specifically Stephen Mitchell's translation which is free on the Internet; I was inspired to do that by remembering a couple PBS broadcasts of talks given by Dr. Wayne Dyer, which I had seen in roughly 2008. I then found http://realization.org, and there I found an interview with Byron Katie. Later, I found that Stephen Mitchell and Katie had married, and also found Stephen and Katie's website. I recently decided to buy "A Thousand Names for Joy" as an ebook. It would be an understatement to say that this book resonated with me, and it's probably unnecessary to say that I knew it would, because that's all in the past. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who has had even the slightest inclination to be happier, and to all of my Goodreads friends. As usual, I've removed the Digital Rights Management encryption from my legally purchased copy (in EPUB format) and will be happy to "lend" the book to you if you'll first email Katie and Stephen and ask her for permission for me to lend my DRM-free copy to you. One final note: I found myself thinking, as I read the book, "I hope something can be done about Katie's eye disease and the fact (is it true?) that she'll eventually be blind from that disease, even though she's saying that it doesn't matter". The good news is, near the end of the book there's a happy ending to that story. (less)
Feb 18, 2011J.E. rated it it was ok
The framework is too esoteric and fakey for the easy, natural philosophy of the primary author. The "Tao" and "master" insertions are rigid impositions that make the text inaccessible in places and give the impression of insecurity, or of a grasping for validity.
However, when these moments pass and Byron Katie sinks into to the stories and patterns that characterize her one-on-one dialogues (which are brilliant and can be found on YouTube), the book shows its real value. Without the trappings and repetition, it might have been half the length, but what is there can be thought provoking and interesting.
A couple passages:
"You can't make people moral. People are what they are, and they'll do what they do with or without our laws. ...You can say 'thou shalt not' `till you're blue in the face, and they'll do it anyway. The best way, the only effective way, is to serve as an example, and not to impose your will.
I used to try to make my children moral by telling them what they should do, what they shouldn't do …I thought that this was the way to make them good people. When they didn't do what I wanted, I would shame or punish them, believing it was for their own good. So in reality, what I taught them was to break my laws and be very careful not to get caught. I taught them that the way to have peace in our home was to sneak and lie."
"It’s a fine thing to love Jesus, but until you can love the monster, the terrorist, the child molester, until you can meet your worst enemy without defense or justification, your reverence for Jesus isn’t real, because each of these is just another of his forms. That’s when you know you’re truly revering your spiritual teacher, when your reverence goes across the board." (less)
However, when these moments pass and Byron Katie sinks into to the stories and patterns that characterize her one-on-one dialogues (which are brilliant and can be found on YouTube), the book shows its real value. Without the trappings and repetition, it might have been half the length, but what is there can be thought provoking and interesting.
A couple passages:
"You can't make people moral. People are what they are, and they'll do what they do with or without our laws. ...You can say 'thou shalt not' `till you're blue in the face, and they'll do it anyway. The best way, the only effective way, is to serve as an example, and not to impose your will.
I used to try to make my children moral by telling them what they should do, what they shouldn't do …I thought that this was the way to make them good people. When they didn't do what I wanted, I would shame or punish them, believing it was for their own good. So in reality, what I taught them was to break my laws and be very careful not to get caught. I taught them that the way to have peace in our home was to sneak and lie."
"It’s a fine thing to love Jesus, but until you can love the monster, the terrorist, the child molester, until you can meet your worst enemy without defense or justification, your reverence for Jesus isn’t real, because each of these is just another of his forms. That’s when you know you’re truly revering your spiritual teacher, when your reverence goes across the board." (less)
Sep 12, 2014Merel rated it did not like it
What a horrible book. There are lots of good points and spiritual ideas that sound fair and true but if balance and joy means a life without Self, emotions, empathy and just basic humanity, I'm not sure it is worth it. The author's point seems to be that if you do not believe it, it does not exist. Like suffering. If you just tell yourself it is all in your thoughts and stop believing in it everything is perfect as it is. And yeah, that's a great way to make excuses for not caring a shit about anything. It does not sound balance, joy and enlightenment to me, more like psychopathy.
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Jun 30, 2021Vianey H rated it it was amazing
Wow! This book took a long time for me to read. By the end of the past year and half I have been been curious of my thinking. Is it true? How do I know it is true? Her process is simple. At times too simple and my mind rebels. Makes me think of the movie The Matrix. Where the first matrix created to keep people trapped in those pods was too perfect and it resulted in more rebellion and questioning. Her 4 questions are simple. But it is the willingness to pause and question what we hold to be true. There would be moments if such clarity and it would take weeks for me to process.
Now I will warn any future readers. There were chapters that made no sense to me. Like I wasn’t sure if perhaps she wasn’t completely sane at times. But then, what do I know? She is her own self. Not my business. 😀. Of you can be curious enough to read thru those chapters it will be worth it. You won’t know until you do. I will definitely read this again. (less)
Now I will warn any future readers. There were chapters that made no sense to me. Like I wasn’t sure if perhaps she wasn’t completely sane at times. But then, what do I know? She is her own self. Not my business. 😀. Of you can be curious enough to read thru those chapters it will be worth it. You won’t know until you do. I will definitely read this again. (less)
I quit. I don't know if I'm just not used to reading this type of book, but I'm over it after only 14 pages. She's too damn repetitive and I just can't get behind her philosophy. Maybe I needed to read her other books first to really 'get' what she's talking about, but as of now I'm not a believer. She just keeps saying the same thing over and over, and that thing is that everything that happens in the present is what is exactly supposed to be happening and that fact should bring you joy - even if it's getting cancer or being robbed at gunpoint. I'm done. (less)
Jul 19, 2007Alicia St Rose rated it it was amazing
Recommends it for: anyone who wishes to end their mental suffering by loving what is..
Shelves: selfrealization
As of August 2007, I'm on my fifth read of this profoundly moving book. I'm savoring it one paragraph at a time. I copy a key sentence from one paragraph each day and carry it with me.
Yes, this book is so rich in clarity, that every paragraph offers some insight.
If you are familiar with the Tao Te Ching, then this book will illuminate Lao Tzu's message like nothing ever has.
Simply amazing...
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Yes, this book is so rich in clarity, that every paragraph offers some insight.
If you are familiar with the Tao Te Ching, then this book will illuminate Lao Tzu's message like nothing ever has.
Simply amazing...
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Jan 24, 2018Dolly rated it really liked it · review of another edition
I'm not entirely sure what to think about this book...
interesting quotes (page numbers from edition with ISBN13):
"In my experience, confusion is the only suffering." (p.)
"The world is the mirror image of your mind." (p.)
"By its very nature the mind is infinite. Once it has questioned it's beliefs, it can find beauty in all things. It's that open and free." (p.)
"No one who ever lived is a better or aworse human being than you." (p.)
"Admire Jesus's compassion or the Buddha's wisdom all you want, but what good can their qualities do until you find them within yourself." (p.)
"In the absence of defensiveness, gratitude is all that's left." (p.)
"No one has ever known the answer to 'Why?' The only true answer is 'Because.'" (p.)
"In the face of everything that appears to be real, only kindness remains." (p.)
"When I give to you without motive,
I am delighted. I act with kindness, because I like myself when I do that. The kindness can only be to myself. It doesn't include anyone else, not even the apparent receiver. I am both giver and receiver and that's all that matters." (p.)
"This world is enough for me. Anything I ever need to do or be is in this unlimited space. It's enough to accomplish my purpose and my purpose is to sit here now and sip tea. I can imagine a world outside when I can see, and as it happens, I prefer this one. It is always more beautiful here, wherever I am, than any story of a future or a past. The here and now is where I can make a difference. It's what I live out of. Nothing more is required." (p.)
"" (p.)
"" (p.) (less)
interesting quotes (page numbers from edition with ISBN13):
"In my experience, confusion is the only suffering." (p.)
"The world is the mirror image of your mind." (p.)
"By its very nature the mind is infinite. Once it has questioned it's beliefs, it can find beauty in all things. It's that open and free." (p.)
"No one who ever lived is a better or aworse human being than you." (p.)
"Admire Jesus's compassion or the Buddha's wisdom all you want, but what good can their qualities do until you find them within yourself." (p.)
"In the absence of defensiveness, gratitude is all that's left." (p.)
"No one has ever known the answer to 'Why?' The only true answer is 'Because.'" (p.)
"In the face of everything that appears to be real, only kindness remains." (p.)
"When I give to you without motive,
I am delighted. I act with kindness, because I like myself when I do that. The kindness can only be to myself. It doesn't include anyone else, not even the apparent receiver. I am both giver and receiver and that's all that matters." (p.)
"This world is enough for me. Anything I ever need to do or be is in this unlimited space. It's enough to accomplish my purpose and my purpose is to sit here now and sip tea. I can imagine a world outside when I can see, and as it happens, I prefer this one. It is always more beautiful here, wherever I am, than any story of a future or a past. The here and now is where I can make a difference. It's what I live out of. Nothing more is required." (p.)
"" (p.)
"" (p.) (less)
Feb 02, 2009Cheryl rated it liked it
I have to sit with this book for a while before I really can rate it. I know I loved the absolutely unique voice of this woman, and her absolutely unique worldview; and I love anything that makes me think differently. I think about the book a lot. It might be too out there for me, but I think I can learn some things from her "Work" which is essentially a therapeutic tool to deal with unresolved issues. You make a statement about something unresolved, and ask some questions about it, and then reverse or turn it around and it seems so enlightening when you read the case examples included. This book was more than just that, it included her worldview that coincides withe Taoist beliefs. Hmm. (less)
Sep 12, 2010Jeremy Neal rated it really liked it
I love this book.
It's quite rare to read an account by somebody who is relating the experience of enlightenment, I've read plenty of treatises on what you need to do to get there.
I'm not enlightened, but neither am I a cement-head, and I can see that on a spectrum of learning, all of these ideas make sense. This is written like a dream; not in terms of prose, but in terms of relating a particular perspective, it's beautiful. (less)
It's quite rare to read an account by somebody who is relating the experience of enlightenment, I've read plenty of treatises on what you need to do to get there.
I'm not enlightened, but neither am I a cement-head, and I can see that on a spectrum of learning, all of these ideas make sense. This is written like a dream; not in terms of prose, but in terms of relating a particular perspective, it's beautiful. (less)
Jul 19, 2018Elka rated it did not like it
Ever read a book that was so awful you want to rethink your friendship with the person who suggested it? Yup, that bad. The whole book was a string of disjointed gibberish. What should I make of this? "A clear mind doesn't suffer. That's not possible. Even if you're in great physical pain, even if your beloved child dies, even if you and your family are herded off to Auschwitz, you can't suffer unless you believe an untrue thought." Excuse me?? (less)
Feb 01, 2021Jessica Mullen rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Absolutely life changing
The Work in the context of the Tao Te Ching cemented the process of undoing thought. For me, it was a more accessible route to understanding and integrating The Work than Loving What Is, since I already had faith and understanding in the Tao Te Ching.
The Work in the context of the Tao Te Ching cemented the process of undoing thought. For me, it was a more accessible route to understanding and integrating The Work than Loving What Is, since I already had faith and understanding in the Tao Te Ching.
Dec 26, 2012Rick Archer rated it really liked it
Byron Katie's best book. A commentary on the Tao Te Ching (translated by her husband) in light of her own experience. Read it several years ago. ...more
Jun 08, 2017Anne added it
Interesting and very engaging.
This book sounded great. But I couldn't finish it. The writing is horrible with scattered thoughts. And some of it is so far out in left field that it made me cringe. For example, on page 47 she writes "Until we know that death is as good as life, and that it always comes at just the right time..." Seriously? Could she tell that those who have had their children gunned down at a school shooting? Or how about to those who lost their loved ones in the Las Vegas mass shooting? Or other such tragedies. Could you say that to the family members of those who were lost and do it with a straight face? Such nonsense! In other words, numb yourself to everything in the world so that you never have to suffer or truly feel anything other than joy. Good grief, what nonsense. (less)
I love the core of her basic philosophy - that it's your thoughts about things that cause you stress & unhappiness rather than the things themselves - but I don't really buy into it quite as far as she takes it. As a result, a lot of this book felt way, way out in left field. This would've been more interesting if I were either more familiar with the Tao or a bigger believer in her philosophy. (less)
Read twice in 2018.
I read this at the suggestion of a good friend who knows I enjoy philosophy books. I've been aware of Byron Katie's four questions for many years, so I was not surprised to see them show up in this book. You apply the four questions to any negative or anxiety-producing thought, and they help you see the reality of the situation. The questions are:
Q1. Is it true?
Q2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
Q3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
Q4. Who would you be without that thought?
However, instead of a book built around those questions, what I found here was an awkward attempt to shove Ms. Katie's questions and "philosophy" into her husband's (Stephen Mitchell) translation of the Tao Te Ching. The results are weird statements like the following:
and
and
Ms. Katie's self-help questions do not mix well with Eastern philosophy, and in many passages she comes across as a woman needing, not sharing, mental health support.
I'm giving the book 2 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a book on dealing with anxiety, skip this one and check out "Feeling Good" by Burns instead. "The Analects" is a good choice if you want Eastern philosophy. (less)
Q1. Is it true?
Q2. Can you absolutely know that it’s true?
Q3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
Q4. Who would you be without that thought?
However, instead of a book built around those questions, what I found here was an awkward attempt to shove Ms. Katie's questions and "philosophy" into her husband's (Stephen Mitchell) translation of the Tao Te Ching. The results are weird statements like the following:
I used to spend a lot of time in the desert. I would just walk, with no destination. I would walk straight, even if the path turned right or left, because I understood that there was no way to be lost. I often didn’t know where I was or how to get back to familiar ground. But I was living with the certainty that wherever I was, that’s where I was supposed to be at that moment. This is not a theory; it’s the literal truth. If I think that I’m supposed to be doing anything but what I’m doing now, I’m insane.
and
The voice within is what I honor. It’s what I’m married to. This life doesn’t belong to me. The voice says, “Do the dishes”—okay. I don’t know what it’s for, I just do it. If I don’t follow the order, that’s all right, too. But this is a game about where life will take me when I do follow. There’s nothing more exciting than to say yes to such a wild thing. I don’t have anything to lose. I can afford to be a fool.
and
This morning I had the thought to shower, and I notice that I stayed with the e-mail. I find that fascinating. Showering was a wonderful idea. Will it move to that or not? It’s exciting to wait and watch and allow life to move at its own pace as it continues to do what it does. For no reason, when a few dozen e-mails are finished, the body rises. Where is it going? It thinks it’s going to the shower, but there’s no way to know, not ever, until it’s standing there in the shower stall, turning the knob. And until the water comes out, there is still no way to know if a shower will happen. As the water pours over my body, the thought arises, “What a wonderful idea!”
Ms. Katie's self-help questions do not mix well with Eastern philosophy, and in many passages she comes across as a woman needing, not sharing, mental health support.
I'm giving the book 2 out of 5 stars. If you're looking for a book on dealing with anxiety, skip this one and check out "Feeling Good" by Burns instead. "The Analects" is a good choice if you want Eastern philosophy. (less)
Apr 04, 2014Gregg Bell rated it it was amazing
I thought Byron Katie was a flake. I had no interest in reading any of her stuff. But the book club I was in was reading her. As it was, this book club was very far from where I lived so I ended up buying the book, rather than making the long drive to pick it up from the library (where the book club had ordered enough for the club), and am I ever glad I did.
The title is misleading. A lot of what's within the book is misleading. But--the good news--you won't miss out on Katie's heart for people and her really useful method of dealing with problematic thinking called "the work."
The book is supposedly riffing off the Tao Te Ching (a popular book for self-help gurus to riff off of). And the book has just about nothing at all to do with the Tao Te Ching, except at some, perhaps, very basic level.
I'm cutting to the chase. Here's "the work" (or The Four Questions and Turnaroud). (And you apply these questions whenever you have a troubling thought.)
1)Is it (the thought that's troubling you) true?
2)Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3)How do you react when you believe that thought?
4)Who would you be without the thought?
and
Turn it around.
Here's some sample thoughts. 'My boss hates me.' 'I had a pain in my chest and I'm sure it's heart disease.' 'I'll die young like my mother did.'
The point is if a thought is giving you great emotional distress, you can run it through the four questions. Here's an example of running the thought 'My boss hates me' through the four questions.
1)Is it (the thought that's troubling you) true?
--Yes, it's true. My boss hates me.
2)Can you absolutely know that it's true?
--Well, no. I can't absolutely know that it's true.
3)How do you react when you believe that thought?
--I get very upset. I think he'll fire me because he hates me.
4)Who would you be without the thought?
--I'd be a much happier, more relieved person.
And the Turnaround, which I find to be the least helpful part of it all, would be something like:
I hate my boss.
And Katie says that the Turnaround does need to resonate with you as being accurate for it to be worthwhile.
This little four question method works. Plain and simple. Try it and you'll see. It's not intensive psychoanalysis. It's nothing comprehensive. But it is a reliably effective tool for pulling yourself out of painful thoughts.
Katie's whole philosophy is based on the notion of when we disagree with what is, we suffer. And on the flipside, when we stop disagreeing with what is, we stop suffering.
I'm not buying her philosophy hook line and sinker, but I do think it has substantial merit.
Katie postulates that oftentimes our painful thoughts come when we 'tell ourselves stories,' and that only by questioning the reality (with the four questions) of those stories do we stop fighting what is and have peace.
It's been true in my life. Oftentimes I'll just have one negative little thought, and the story burgeons from that thought and just keeps expanding and expanding until it reaches a catastrophic level. The four questions short circuit that process.
Katie herself has descended into the depths of despair and knows what she's talking about. In an early chapter she writes: "Would I let myself die in an imagined torture chamber?"
"The mind," she writes, "is brilliant in its ability to prove what isn't actually is."
And it's only through sustained conscious questioning of the mind's stories that we reconnect with the reality (what is) of our lives.
It is our "war with reality" that is causing all our misery.
A Thousand Names for Joy gives us a way to find a truce with that war and live in peace.
This book is packed with tremendously helpful psychological and spiritual advice. Totally worth buying and underling and referring to time and time again.
I thought Byron Katie was a flake. Well, I don't know her personally, and in some ways she still seems kind of flaky. But she is also a woman who has fought her way up from the depths and with great love and compassion shared with the world how she did it. (less)
The title is misleading. A lot of what's within the book is misleading. But--the good news--you won't miss out on Katie's heart for people and her really useful method of dealing with problematic thinking called "the work."
The book is supposedly riffing off the Tao Te Ching (a popular book for self-help gurus to riff off of). And the book has just about nothing at all to do with the Tao Te Ching, except at some, perhaps, very basic level.
I'm cutting to the chase. Here's "the work" (or The Four Questions and Turnaroud). (And you apply these questions whenever you have a troubling thought.)
1)Is it (the thought that's troubling you) true?
2)Can you absolutely know that it's true?
3)How do you react when you believe that thought?
4)Who would you be without the thought?
and
Turn it around.
Here's some sample thoughts. 'My boss hates me.' 'I had a pain in my chest and I'm sure it's heart disease.' 'I'll die young like my mother did.'
The point is if a thought is giving you great emotional distress, you can run it through the four questions. Here's an example of running the thought 'My boss hates me' through the four questions.
1)Is it (the thought that's troubling you) true?
--Yes, it's true. My boss hates me.
2)Can you absolutely know that it's true?
--Well, no. I can't absolutely know that it's true.
3)How do you react when you believe that thought?
--I get very upset. I think he'll fire me because he hates me.
4)Who would you be without the thought?
--I'd be a much happier, more relieved person.
And the Turnaround, which I find to be the least helpful part of it all, would be something like:
I hate my boss.
And Katie says that the Turnaround does need to resonate with you as being accurate for it to be worthwhile.
This little four question method works. Plain and simple. Try it and you'll see. It's not intensive psychoanalysis. It's nothing comprehensive. But it is a reliably effective tool for pulling yourself out of painful thoughts.
Katie's whole philosophy is based on the notion of when we disagree with what is, we suffer. And on the flipside, when we stop disagreeing with what is, we stop suffering.
I'm not buying her philosophy hook line and sinker, but I do think it has substantial merit.
Katie postulates that oftentimes our painful thoughts come when we 'tell ourselves stories,' and that only by questioning the reality (with the four questions) of those stories do we stop fighting what is and have peace.
It's been true in my life. Oftentimes I'll just have one negative little thought, and the story burgeons from that thought and just keeps expanding and expanding until it reaches a catastrophic level. The four questions short circuit that process.
Katie herself has descended into the depths of despair and knows what she's talking about. In an early chapter she writes: "Would I let myself die in an imagined torture chamber?"
"The mind," she writes, "is brilliant in its ability to prove what isn't actually is."
And it's only through sustained conscious questioning of the mind's stories that we reconnect with the reality (what is) of our lives.
It is our "war with reality" that is causing all our misery.
A Thousand Names for Joy gives us a way to find a truce with that war and live in peace.
This book is packed with tremendously helpful psychological and spiritual advice. Totally worth buying and underling and referring to time and time again.
I thought Byron Katie was a flake. Well, I don't know her personally, and in some ways she still seems kind of flaky. But she is also a woman who has fought her way up from the depths and with great love and compassion shared with the world how she did it. (less)
Feb 23, 2016Jillian rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Byron Katies' comments on the Tao Te Ching. Excellent "dip into" book for inspiration. She is a truly remarkable woman who genuinely lives her message - being in total harmony with the way things are. The book is not pretending to be great writing, but it is a great and real life interpretation of the Tao Te Ching. In each short chapter, Katie elaborates on her understanding of a snippet from the Tao - always fascinating. I can only read a few pages at a time. This is a book for slow reading, many times, and lots of reflection. (less)
Sep 11, 2017Antonina Sh rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
This book is my Bible now.
I've been doing the Work for about a month now, but this just took it to a whole new level for me.
I can see how my life quality is improving, in so many aspects - physically, emotionally, mentally. It's fascinating really. How much easier it is than suffering.
I will have it with me all the time, at all times, because just reading a couple of pages a day is the best therapy there is for me. (less)
I've been doing the Work for about a month now, but this just took it to a whole new level for me.
I can see how my life quality is improving, in so many aspects - physically, emotionally, mentally. It's fascinating really. How much easier it is than suffering.
I will have it with me all the time, at all times, because just reading a couple of pages a day is the best therapy there is for me. (less)
