A profound and transformative method of inquiry
Byron Katie is an American woman who fell into a deep depression that lasted many years. She came out of her depression through an awakening that guided her to come up with a simple yet profound process, called The Work, for untangling thinking and of seeing the world.
This process, which revolves around four questions, is laid out in Katie's book
Loving What Is and also found on her website (
http://www.thework.com/index.php). It is a precise method to identify and question stressful beliefs that creates our own suffering. People from all over the world and all walks of life have come to benefit through this remarkable process.
Katie certifies facilitators of The Work, and now many talented individuals have come to enable people in this practice.
Tania Fierro is one such certified facilitator. A high achiever as an athlete, dancer and university professor, Tania was a spiritual seeker who, after many years of striving, felt that she was not being spiritually fulfilled. But when she found The Work, she was amazed--she felt she had come home to a simple process for self realization. "The Work allowed me to stop the excessive rationalization of techniques that set me up to demand perfectionism in myself and others," says Fierro.
"With The Work I was able to come back to myself, find clarity and action with passion and integrity as well as fearless honest communication and connection to myself and loved ones, especially my son Sebastian. The Work is a powerful tool that I have anywhere, anytime. All I need is a pen, paper and open mind. Doesn't get more simple and I love that."
For more than 15 years, Fierro has worked with individuals interested in living a happier more connected life with themselves and those around them, initially through Buddhism, meditation, philosophy, emotional intelligence, literature and now The Work. She is also a philosophical counsellor and trainer for the Institute for The Work of Byron Katie. Through her Vancouver-area practice called Innerland, (
http://www.innerland.ca/), Fierro offers several types of inquiry, working one-on one, with couples, groups or in workshop settings.
With Fierro 's help, longtime HANS member Lucie Lalumiere has been practising The Work for nearly one year. "The Work has helped me untangle the constraint of my own thinking to see that freedom lies right beneath," says Lalumiere. "I see the immediate and powerful effects ... and I deeply appreciate that it is a practice we can do by ourselves as well as with friends or a certified facilitator."
"This is no ordinary counselling practice because the results you get are double-sided," Lalumiere continues. "You get the support of someone guiding you through the powerful and relevant questions that cut through suffering as well as learning how to do it on your own. This is wonderful because it eventually evolves into not having to depend on a counsellor. You're able to practice it yourself."
Tamara Aleroff, another one of Tania's clients, says, "Tania is a woman of integrity, with a heartfelt approach to everything she does, and a most skilled and meticulous practitioner of The Work."
Being Peace with The Work of Byron Katie. Learn more about its purpose, process and effects with Tania Fierro, at Banyen Books (3608 West 4th Avenue, Vancouver, BC) on Sunday, October 16, 2011 from 11:30 to 1:00 pm.