Finley - The secret of your immortal self : key lessons for realizing the divinity within

Llewellyn Publications

Woodbury, Minnesota

Copyright Information

The Secret of Your Immortal Self: Key Lessons for Realizing the Divinity Within 2015 by Guy Finley.

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First e-book edition 2014

E-book ISBN: 9780738744803

Book design and edit by Rebecca Zins

Cover design by Ellen Lawson

Cover photo by iStockphoto.com/3002495/fotoVoyager

Interior Rocky Mountain maple tree image 2004 Dover Publications (from Trees & Leaves CD-ROM & Book)

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Llewellyn Publications

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Woodbury, MN 55125

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Manufactured in the United States of America

Contents

: A Sneak Peak at What Youll Find in This Book

prologue

A Sneak Peak at What Youll Find in This Book

T here is no reward on earth, or even amongst the stars, equal to the realization of the divinity within you. Those who have awakened and attained this pearl of great value understandwith no sense of pride for their knowledgethat the greatest of human beings is nothing compared to the least of those who have realized the immortal Self. In their soul burns a light that will never go out, a strength that no fear can shake, and a wisdom that understands, without taking thought, that all things good come to those for whom the good is all things.

In one sense, the interior journey that leads to the immortal Self is demanding and difficult, even seemingly impossible at times; and yet, as paradoxical as it seems, there is nothing intrinsically hard about rising above ourselves and slipping into the stream of our own celestial possibilities. After all, how hard is it to let go of a favorite pair of shoes that no longer fit or a sweater worn so thin that it no longer stops even the slightest breeze? These things, beloved as they may have been, have outlived their purpose .

The realization of the immortal Self is inseparable from seeing that who and what we have been in the pastour flattering self-images, treasured ideas, and most prized opinionsno longer serve us. And how do we know when the time has come to drop the very things that once defined our lives? When we see that holding on to them causes suffering.

Much as a great hot air balloon rises into the open skies the moment its restraining tether is cut, so does the aspirant begin his or her ascent into the everlasting life in much the same way. One action: letting go. Two results: we leave one worldone level of selfbehind us and, in the same moment, rise into a higher order of our own consciousness.

Here, in this books first key lesson, is a summary of this great spiritual law. It also provides a sneak peak into what you are about to learn.

key lesson

Growing into the worlds above usrealizing the higher realms of consciousness within usrequires that we outgrow the worlds beneath us.

introduction

Look Into the Invisible Mirror of the Immortal Self

How I Came to Write This Book

A long time ago, nearly fifty years now, I was walking through an open market in a small upscale beach town. Colorful booths of various sizes were displaying the works of local artisans. The late summer afternoon was warm and beautiful, refreshed by a cooling sea breeze that washed away any gathering heat. I was content just to be there, taking in all the sights and sounds. Besides, nothing is more pleasurable to an inveterate treasure hunter than the hope he might just stumble upon something no one else has seen or wants. And then it happened.

In my minds eye, I can still see the thirty odd, old, small wooden benches. They were of differing heights and laid out in three parallel lines with space allowed to walk between them. Upon them sat dozens upon dozens of diminutive trees.

I had heard of bonsai trees before but had never actually seen a living specimen. Each tree was a miniature version of a towering pine, elm, or oak. And, stranger still, each little tree was planted in a small, ancient-looking pot that appeared way too shallow to support it, let alone allow the tree to thrive. I was spellbound; the next thing I knewlike a moth to the proverbial flameI was drawn into the center of their display. And then something even more inexplicable took place.

As I stood over the first bench before me, my eyes became fixed on some kind of pine tree that stood less than twenty inches tall but had the appearance of being over a hundred years old! Its weathered, ancient trunkturned almost back in upon itselfradiated a silent story; it told of a solitary life alone upon some steep sea cliff where, buffeted by unrelenting winds, its character had been shaped by the hardships it was given to bear. And with this one impression, an overwhelming emotion came rolling over me like a wave from some unknown sea within my heart, and I started to cry.

I knew full well that I was in a public place, yet I was powerless to contain my feelings, so powerful was the impression received from this one treenot to mention the feeling of being surrounded by a miniature forest of other perfect specimens. The beauty of it all outweighed any concern of being seen as a fool or a madman.

The rest of that afternoon was spent in a private audience before each of these ancient trees. I was eager to hear their individual stories. There was no way to explain it back then, but now I understand at least some of the real reasons behind this uncanny attraction, including the strong emotional reaction that came on its heels.

As the following explanation reveals, everything points to the existence of a timeless interior Presence that doesnt just precede the relationships we are drawn to in our lives but actually serves to arrange them, including whatever life lessons we take from these encounters. Calling on our own past experience will help validate the truth of this last idea, as well as reveal some of the possibilities it holds for those willing to explore its extraordinary implications.

Within each of us lives a tireless, latent longing to touchand be touched bylifes invisible celestial forces. For instance, whenever we stand as a silent witness to the endless expanse of a dark night sky, we are inwardly moved by this outer display of timelessness spread out above us.

We cant help being drawn to look at a newborn child because the innocence we see within those eyes stirs the depths of our own heart, reminding us of a vital but now largely forgotten virtue. Again, drinking in these exterior impressions awakens, moves, and reminds us of something still latent within us.