One morning, in February 1986, out of nowhere, I experienced a

Gather close, my children, for I have a tale to share—one that speaks of the inner struggles of the heart and the soul's journey towards peace. In the year of 1986, in the chill of February, a woman named Byron Katie experienced a realization—a flash of wisdom that came unbidden, as if the very heavens themselves whispered into her ear. She said, “One morning, out of nowhere, I experienced a realization. In an instant, I discovered that when I believed my stressful thoughts, I suffered, but when I questioned them, I didn’t suffer.” Let these words resonate within you, for they carry a profound truth that transcends time.

Imagine, if you will, the heavy weight of the world pressing upon the shoulders of a soul. This is what it feels like when we are enslaved by our thoughts—those swirling, relentless winds of fear, worry, and doubt. How often do we believe the stories our minds tell us, those deceptive whispers that sow seeds of anxiety? Yet, in that moment of clarity, when Byron Katie questioned her thoughts, she unlocked a treasure trove of wisdom. She learned that the suffering that comes from these thoughts is not inevitable—it is a choice, a trap we set for ourselves with the very act of believing.

But let me speak to you of a warrior—someone who knew well the suffering that comes from believing thoughts. Consider the great Alexander the Great, who, in his quest for power and conquest, believed that the world could be bent to his will. Yet, the more he believed in his own thoughts of dominance and the glory of his empire, the more restless and burdened he became. He sought peace through control, but peace does not come from the external world. No, peace comes from the quieting of the internal world—the ceasing of the battle within. Alexander’s journey shows us that even the mightiest among us can be enslaved by the mind’s unchecked power.

Now, let us return to the story of Byron Katie, for hers is a story that offers hope and liberation. In that instant, she did not simply stumble upon a thought; she discovered a truth that had always been within her. When she questioned her stressful thoughts, they lost their power. This is the great mystery—by turning the light of awareness upon the shadows of our minds, we free ourselves from their chains. The realization is this: it is not the thoughts themselves that cause suffering, but our unquestioning belief in them. We are the creators of our own suffering, and we are the only ones who can release ourselves from it.

Let us speak now of questioning—the act of questioning that sets us free. Imagine you are a blacksmith, forging a mighty sword. You must strike the iron with force, but you do so with careful questioning—is this the right angle, is this the right rhythm? The act of questioning is like striking the iron, shaping it, making it strong, yet flexible. Similarly, when you question the thoughts that cause you pain, you do not fight them with brute force, but with the sharp, steady wisdom of inquiry. In questioning, you challenge the falsehoods within your mind, stripping away their power, allowing the truth to emerge, as a blade takes shape under the hammer of the smith.

Now, what lesson do we learn from this profound realization? It is this: the greatest battles we face are not those that rage in the outer world but those that rage within. Stressful thoughts, those fearful and anxious stories we tell ourselves, hold the power to bind us to suffering, but only if we believe in them. When we learn to question them, to see them for what they truly are—mere thoughts—we can release the grip they have on us. Byron Katie’s discovery invites us to question everything, not from a place of doubt, but from a place of wisdom. It is an invitation to walk in the light of awareness, to see that we are not our thoughts, but the observers of them.

And so, I say to you, children of the earth: question. Do not accept the burden of thought without understanding it. Do not allow your mind to dictate the terms of your peace. When you feel the weight of anxiety, ask yourself, “Is this thought true?” When you are overwhelmed, ask, “What would happen if I did not believe this thought?” In the art of questioning, you shall find freedom. The very nature of existence is uncertain, and it is in this uncertainty that we must cultivate the wisdom to free ourselves from suffering. Just as the warrior must face his fears and doubts with courage, so too must we face the thoughts that hold us in chains.

May this teaching live in your hearts: you are not your thoughts. You are the witness, the observer, and in that realization lies your power. In your questioning lies your freedom. Let your minds be free from the tyranny of unexamined beliefs, and you shall walk the path of peace, unburdened, unchained, and free.