The 2nd Dream

"The Work always leaves you with less of a story.
Who would you be without your story?
You never know until you inquire.
There is no story that is you or that leads to you.
Every story leads away from you.
Turn it around; undo it.
You are what exists before all stories.
You are what remains when the story is understood."
Byron Katie

I'm back to talk about another dream my big brave heart has created.

I am drawn to, and yet often roll my eyes at, self-help books. I am learning that unless those books lead me to ask myself what my answers are, they are useless. At first the idea that someone else might have it all figured out sure was enticing. Now I get it that growth is personal and messy, and that my own answers are the only ones that work for me.

That being said, I have completely fallen in love with The Work by Byron Katie. I first read about The Work in her book, Loving What Is, and without sounding like a cheesy infomercial, it has profoundly impacted my life. I truly believe that in finding The Work, I stumbled onto something I will do for the rest of my life.

The Work requires that we take full responsibility for our lives, to stop telling old stories about ourselves, and to admit that everything we thought was true might not be. I don't know what other people's experiences are with The Work, but for me it has been effortless and joyful. It has opened me up to the answers I've been seeking for many years.

I think a lot about what I want to create in this world and what I want my purpose to be. About a year ago, my heart leapt out of my chest when I discovered that there is a place to grow in the Work, called, drumroll please, The School for the Work. Now this certain school, being of great value to its partipants, does not come cheap. It's, oh, about $5,000 for nine days of learning. My heart sank, then did a double leap when I learned that there are a limited number of full scholarships available to teachers who will bring The Work back to their schools and communities. (!!!)

At the time, however, I was not in a good place to manifest a dream. I was living in a really volatile situation and was absolutely miserable. I applied, but it was no surprise when I was not approved for the scholarship. Disappointed, I put that dream on the back burner and went back into survival mode.

So much has happened since then. I've manifested a much better living situation. I have grown immensely. Even better, I am in a school and community that could really use The Work in a big, big way. I can see now how my tender heart was closed to the courage it would take to attend The School back then, but today it is wide open.

My application is in, and I will find out the news any day now...If you are out there reading this, will you add my dream to your thoughts and prayers?

"A teacher of fear can’t bring peace on Earth.
We have been trying to do it that way for thousands of years.
The person who turns inner violence around,
the person who finds peace inside and lives it,
is the one who teaches what true peace is.
We are waiting for just one teacher.
You’re the one."
Byron Katie