I THRIVE
A Guide to Self Inquiry
“To find yourself, think for yourself.”
― Socrates
What is Self Inquiry?
Self-inquiry is a practice that I THRIVE's creator learned at Samma Karuna International School of Awakening and Healing. It was designed and inspired by the Byron Katie's 'The Work,' which was modeled after cognitive behavioral therapy techniques.
Per the Samma Karuna website Self Inquiry page, '"Self Inquiry practice helps us to understand ourselves better and how our mind really works. This practice helps us to take responsibility for our thoughts and emotions by understanding how they are created. This understanding comes through our direct experience, in which we see how our thoughts recreate our perception of reality. This ultimately helps us to realize who we truly are. This is a traditional yoga practice (awareness practice) using a contemporary framework from the work of Byron Katie."
Disclaimer: While this technique is based on cognitive behavioral techniques, it is not formally considered an evidence based intervention. Before trying any new personal development or mental health intervention, we recommend consulting your physician or provider to rule out any contraindications or concerns. Please practice discernment and review our disclaimer and user agreements HERE.
How it's done: The Four Steps of Self-Inquiry
A) First call to your mind a distressing thought, an assumption, a limiting belief, or similar thought and issue.
B) Next, take it to the questions below:
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
The answers for the first two questions are a simple: Yes or No.
With your distressing thought or limiting belief in mind, ask...
Q1: Is it true?
Reflect on your answer, then move to question 2...
Still with your distressing though in mind, ask...
Q2: Can you absolutely know that it's true?
Reflect on your answer, then move to question 3...
Still with your distressing though in mind, ask...
Q3. How do you react, what happens, when you believe that thought?
Reflect on your answer, then move to question 4...
Still with your distressing though in mind, ask...
Q4. Who would you be without that thought?
Reflect on your answer...
Bonus: Now turn the original thought around and reflect on how it is as true or truer than the original statement.
...Reclaim Your Narrative...
While it may not apply in all situations, in many situations, there is a component of our control and at the end of the day, we are the creator of our own experiences. As painful as it may be, especially if our bodies and minds are damaged by physical or mental harm, which can also impact physical functioning, there is also a component of choice in most aspects of our lives, including how we perceive and live alongside our illness and trauma.
Self inquiry, when done correctly, assists us to awaken from projection and instead choose from an unclouded perspective. It provides a tool for recognizing our part in a given situation such that we can re-choose into a new and better reality by taking ownership of the aspects of a situation we can control or simply getting rid of untrue and useless thoughts, feelings, or emotions that are based in a distorted or inaccurate view.
When you see reality as it actually is and recognize what we can do about it, this increases our chances of creating a life that we want and that is in alignment with our greatest potential and personal values.
“I discovered that when I believed my thoughts I suffered, but when I didn’t believe them I didn’t suffer and that this is true for every human being. Freedom is as simple as that.”
-Byron Katie
I THRIVE
& The Kintrukuroi Project
Reclaim Your Narrative.
Reclaim Your Life.
