Human beings can always use more Light.
It's not that there isn't plenty to be had; the Light of conscious revelation pours down unendingly. The problem is that most of us have blocked ourselves from receiving genuine healing Light by focusing our attention on the false light of self-centered thought. And it isn't just individuals who suffer because of this. The sad state of affairs we see in the larger world today reflects the growing isolation of men and women who have cut themselves off from real life through misplaced attention.
But isolation is not a necessary outcome. We can learn to look beyond the limited world that our thoughts present to us and come into direct contact with reality itself. The goal of all truthful teachings handed down through the ages has been to encourage individuals to follow the path to a more expansive existence. We're told to wake up; to shake off the illusion that our thoughts about ourselves, and life, are all there is; and to put ahead of our own ideas of what we need the wishes of something that's greater than we are. If we take the bold step of sacrificing our thoughts about life in favor of a real life, we will be given everything in return: security, love, wisdom, and all the benefits of a fearless life.
For close to thirty years, Guy Finley has been sharing this message of Light with men and women from around the world and all walks of life, revealing both the foundation of our problems within our own undeveloped selves and the process through which we can grow and enter into a new relationship with life that is the essence of genuine fulfillment. In Guy's writings and in his talks, he has looked at the subject from every angle, showing ever new facets of the priceless gem that is the Truth.
The body of Guy's work is extensive, and part of what makes The Essential Laws of Fearless Living shine is that it draws from this vast resource of aphorisms, insights, and special writings. The central theme of the book is that our thoughts lead us into illusion, and then we are misled into interacting with those illusions instead of with real life. The result is all manner of limitation: limitation in what we think we can do, limitation in what we believe and hope the world will provide us, limitation in relationships—essentially, limitation in every aspect of our moment-to-moment experience.
And there's an even more subtle, soul-undermining effect that comes of living in illusion: it puts us into an antagonistic relationship with life as it unfolds. Whenever reality threatens an illusion—which it does most of the time—we take it as a personal assault. Rarely do things go exactly as we want and believe we need. Everywhere, people and events conspire to frustrate us and take away even the little we have—or so it seems. The “natural” response is anger, fear, depression, and a sense of having been betrayed.
But negativity is not the only possibility for us. I once heard Guy say something simply stunning that could almost serve as a key lesson for this entire book. He said, “The perfected human being is the one who only sees perfection.”
Every moment is perfect because it brings us exactly what we need to be able to see through an illusion that keeps us in pain; it gives us the opportunity to break through that limitation by entering into full awareness. In each chapter of The Essential Laws of Fearless Living, Guy shows us that everything that happens to us is a gift. It provides the next step in the process of our perfection—if we will only see it as such. This truly is the solution to every heartache, and if you meet this book actively, with a willingness to learn its lessons, it can heal your life.
It doesn't matter if you're a longtime student of the principles Guy Finley presents, or this is your first introduction to his writings; The Essential Laws of Fearless Living provides a wonderful opportunity to dip into the work of a modern-day master and find inspiration and enlightenment in this extensive collection of specially selected nuggets of truth. As in all his works, Guy addresses deep matters—the secrets of the universe itself—and he does so in a way that makes this important material fascinating, compelling, and filled with the sense that great mysteries are being revealed. Above all, he makes the truth useable, so that you can make these principles the cornerstone of your daily experience.
Whether in any moment you want simply to bask in a quick ray of sunshine, or you decide to linger a while to follow the path that ray illuminates and delve deeper into the subject, this book fills that need. Enjoy this rich assortment of higher principles, and may it bring much Light into your life.
Dr. Ellen Dickstein