Apprentice of the Heart: Lessons in Life Only Love Can Teach

I first came across Guy Finley when I stumbed upon his original best-seller, "The Secret of Letting Go." What an incredible discovery that was. I can still remember the excitement of those first few weeks pouring over the book night after night after night. I know it sounds strange, but it was as though I had been eating imaginary food up to that point, and finally had been given my first real meal. Here's the strange part. Prior to finding Finley's books, I had read the big names in the self-help field - the Coveys, the Robbins, the Dyers - and the rest. But what amazed me was that, here was an author I'd never even heard of before, yet somehow his writings supplied the missing ingredient that finally began resolving the problems I'd been battling for years. My hat's off to Mr. Finley for the extraordinary path he must've traveled to be able to put these works together. And "Apprentice of the Heart" is no exception. It's simply magnificient. It's style is remarkably different from his earlier works, and it has a very lofty, inspiring, and poetic presence behind it. One thing you'll love about this book is its honesty. Mr. Finley talks very openly about the real day-to-day struggles and difficulties we all face, but which we're often reluctant to admit -- but then he goes on to reveal the subtle secrets that actually restore life's natural sweetness. Get this book. It will stir your heart to levels you never thought possible.

A subtle treasure, 'Apprentice of the Heart" is unique among spiritual books I've read. The author, Guy Finley, goes beyond simply sharing his inner adventure to Divine Love. Somehow he captures the longing and unquenchable thirst that all seekers know, and puts it into words. He asks us in a poem at the end of one of the book's chapters: "Don't the walls of your heart Ache to break loose and open The floodgates of freedom?" If that stanza resonates with you, I recommend you read this book. You'll love it. The poem continues: "You have riches untold, But have lost the map to the upper regions of yourself Where you are always overflowing. So forget this world with its intermittent streams Whose waters begin and end. Search out the Ocean and stand in Her surge Until the waves wash away the shores of your soul." "Apprentice" is a soul-stirring journey to the heart of Love.

There are only a few real gems that come out of the mind of mankind, and this is one. It does what true objective art ought to -- it stirs in the reader the timeless quality the book is about: Love. This is a writing that ranks with anything I have read from past mystics; maybe better -- because it is written in terms -- from the simplest levels of wanting to learn about human love, all the way to those who wish to unite themselves to Love itself -- that anyone can appreciate and grow from. My hat is off to Mr. Finley.

I've read a few Guy Finley books before and have seen him in person. In my opinion, his teachings go way beyond other self-help and spiritual ideas/systems. I think this new book of his is the best yet. It is written differently from other self-help/spiritual books (I've read a lot), and is a mix of poetry and regular writing. I learned a tremendous amount about myself and about Love from it and have used a lot of the information to help the relationships with my family and my partner. I would recommend it to anyone young or old.

After reading Guy Finley's book I now know a much higher relationship to love exists and I am encourage to find it. Apprentice of the Heart set my spirit ablaze and melted all my petty notions of love. This book is for anyone, of any age or religion who seeks a new relationship with the Divine. Mr. Finley is journaling intimate, devotional prose and psalms that will inspire you to move out of the mundane and open your heart. He transports the reader to new echelons between the Lover and the Beloved. His poetry attains a level of mastery found in the prayer of St. Francis and the works of Rumi. Apprentice of the Heart is the interior exploration of one humble man who will guide you to break down the walls between the self and the Divine. A must read for all true spiritual seekers and those who desire to restore their faith in Agape.