Guy Finley - The Secret of Letting Go

Best-selling letting go author Guy Finleys encouraging and accessible message is one of the true bright lights in our world today. His ideas cut straight to the heart of our most pressing personal and social issuesrelationships, success, addiction, stress, peace, happiness, freedomand lead the way to a higher life. Barnes and Noble says: Guy Finley has helped millions live fuller, more peaceable lives.

Finley is the acclaimed author of The Secret of Letting G o and more than thirty other books and audio programs on the subject of self-realization, several of which have become international bestsellers. In addition, he has presented over three thousand unique self-realization seminars to thousands of grateful students throughout North America and Europe over the past twenty-five years. Each week, 400,000 subscribers in 142 countries read his popular Key Lesson e-mail newsletters.

His popular works, published in sixteen languages, are widely endorsed by doctors, professionals, and religious leaders of all denominations. Among many others, his titles include Design Your Destiny, The Lost Secrets of Prayer, Apprentice of the Heart, Let Go and Live in the Now, The Essential Laws of Fearless Living, Secrets of Being Unstoppable, and 365 Ways to Let Go.

Guy has been a guest on hundreds of television and radio shows, including national appearances on ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, and NPR, and he is currently syndicated on several international radio networks, including Healthylife Radio Network, Achieve Radio Network, WorldTalkRadio Network, and Contact Talk Radio International.

In addition to his writing and appearance schedule, Guy is the founding director of Life of Learning Foundation, the renowned nonprofit center for self-study in Merlin, Oregon, where he presents four self-realization classes each week. These meetings are ongoing, open to the public, and offered for a suggested donation of three dollars.

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

The Secret of Letting Go 2007 by Guy Finley

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First e-book edition 2010

E-book ISBN: 9780738717494

Book design by Rebecca Zins

Cover design by Lisa Novak

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In Appreciation

To those men and women who have gone before us in search of the Kingdom and by whose works we, who also aspire to awaken, are now guided thank you.

Contents

Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Nearly eighteen years have passed since my teacher, a wise and wonderful manVH as he was called by his inner circle of studentssuggested that I write a book. Little did I know what he was really asking of me, but for his gesture I am forever in his debt.

At the time, Vernon Howard was the quietly respected, much-revered author of more than twenty-five wonderful spiritual books. To have his continual encouragement and no-nonsense editorial comments on my initial writings was priceless. And so it was that about a year and a half later, in 1990, my good friends at Llewellyn published the first version of The Secret of Letting Go. In your hands is the new edition of that work.

Over these many years since I started writing about the unlimited life inherent in letting go, thousands of grateful readers from all around the world have shared with mein one way or anotherthe fruit of their discoveries along the way. Let me summarize these special impressions for you.

In varying degrees, each has realized that letting go and spiritual growth are as rain is to a field of wildflowers; that we blossom as beings only as we release ourselves from what is self-limiting. But why do this kind of work within ourselves? Even though its obvious, it needs to be stated: we struggle with whatever we dowith whatever personally compromises us or our contentment in lifeso that we might realize a greater measure of freedom. Seen in this light, we can say that letting go is really an act of love. Lets look at this surprising idea for a moment.

Each time we see the need to let go of somethinga bad habit that drags us down, an unsatisfactory relationship, a career choice that cant complete us in the way we dreamed it would, or maybe unrealistic expectations we have about others that eventually spoil our partnerships with themwhatever it may be: what is it thats actually happened in these moments of honest self-examination? See if this simple answer doesnt describe our situation.

Arent we being asked to give up an existing relationship in order to make room in our lives for something higher? Of course we are. Then why is it so hard to act on our intuition? After all, who doesnt want a life thats better, brighter, and truer? Heres why we hesitate to make this exchange, as so many of us do: the real challenge in such moments is that what we must choose in favor of cant be seen by our physical eyes! Can we see the truth of this, no pun intended?

Inherent in any true spiritual surrender is this one inescapable fact: we cant hope to realize the actual nature of that new and greater relationship we seek until we have released the old one. St. Paul, author of numerous New Testament accounts, best describes what is, ultimately, an indescribable moment: Our faith must be in things unseen, and not in things seen; for who hopes for things (already) seen?

When it comes to letting go and growing beyond who and what we have been up until that time, the deal is non-negotiable: first comes our gradual awakening to what no longer works for us, followed by the inner work to release the same. Then, and only then, dawns the discovery and realization of what isin all casesa new and higher order of our self; our life is transformed. Confidence, contentment, and compassion become our constant companions.