Day Thirty-eight: Getting something "straight"

HOmecoming parade, Orcas, one truck being pushed

The Second Question of the Work of Byron Katie
Can I absolutely know that this thought/ belief/ opinion/ idea/ concept is true?

This is the second question in the suggested sequence of the Work (Judge Your Neighbor, Write it Down, Ask 4 Questions, Turn it Around).

As in yesterday’s exercise, you will be taking “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” about other people and subjecting them now to questioning, but today, two questions:
1. Is it true?
2. Can I absolutely know it’s true?

This second question comes in handy with a belief/ thought/ idea of ours that we know intellectually isn’t “true” the way gravity is true, but just can’t get ourselves to say, “No” to the first question. (And we don’t have to say any particular answer to any question. This is our work, our search, our truth.)

This question helps us push our minds into a more clear situation: Is it absolutely true, this thought I’m having?


Other people have done something that our feeling bad selves and lots of our “friends” agree that they “shouldn’t” have done. BUT: can we absolutely know that for their highest good and our highest good, they should have been different and better people?

Good news: no one has to agree that anything is not absolutely true. And it’s great freedom to ask.

So, for today, hang out with some “shoulds” and “shouldn’ts” about other people that you aren’t so sure are not true? Ask this second question often. Think and feel and be quiet for the answer and see what you come to. Good