REVIEW: Guy Finley – The Courage to Be Free: Discover Your Original Fearless Self
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(Weiser Books, $16.95, 114 pages)
The Courage to Be Free is a small gem of a book – one to be treasured. In it, author Guy Finley doesn’t offer any startling new spiritual insights, but instead lovingly leads us to remember and rediscover our original spiritual birthrights.
The message is that we are born with all the spiritual assets needed to combat the thoughts of fear, worry, and doubt that block our freedom. Finley makes the life lessons very reader-friendly by his colorful use of proverbs, metaphors, and especially his parables.
The story of Solomon, the wise old owl and how he handled the five golden eagles, walking in marching drill, on parade, wearing crash helmets, eye goggles and raincoats is worth the price of the book. The eagles had been tricked and had forgotten that they knew how to fly. How many of us haul around so much “stuff” that isn’t original equipment that we can’t take flight?
In his Key Lessons, Finley goes on to explain that “psychological fear”, “painful resentment “ and “anxiety” (rushing around)” are, none of them, part of our original equipment. He even uses William Shakespeare to back up his reasoning, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so”.
Just as the monkeys in South America get trapped because they won’t let go of the fruit in the box, so, too, do we get trapped by anxious thoughts and feelings. We should accept and rejoice in our Self, in the present moment.
This book is step-by-step, practical spirituality. Finley advises that we learn to act on what we know is true about negative states. He then gives examples of what actions to take. i.e. Deliberately slow down your life. Refuse to ever again add to the pain of another . Find the strength to be a real “friend in need”.
The Courage to Be Free ends with this inspirational challenge. “You are not only created to change, you are free to do so anytime you choose”.
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