Guy Finley is a spiritual teacher who distills the wisdom of the ages and makes it accessible to all. He is the author of many books and founder of the Life of Learning Foundation, where he teaches year-round. Visit him at www.GuyFinley.com. In this short and snappy book, Finley explores the benefits we accrue when we realize that we are free to uncover the treasure of our true self. He believes that all the great wisdom traditions agree that we have been left this great inheritance and it is up to us to make the most of it. To make this point clear, he spells it out in three key ideas: no psychological fear, no painful resentment or regret, and no anxiety.
Reclaiming your right to be free takes courage. Finley presents three spiritual principles to help us make this passage:
• "There is no intelligence in any fearful or worried thought or feeling."
• "No negative state has the right to rule over your life."
• "Pain is neither a natural nor necessary part of making a mistake."
We have the ability to change our experience of life and not to be formed and directed by other people, forces, ideas, or institutions.
In other chapters in The Courage to Be Free, the author explores further elements of liberation, including sensing the good when things look bad, finding forgiveness for those who hurt you, not feeling sorry for yourself, letting go, breaking out of ruts, and living in the present moment. Finley provides much food for thought on the path of self-discovery.
