James Finley (Part 2) – Sacred Psychotherapy: Bringing Depth and Spirit to Healing, Suffering, and Trauma

By Heidi Mitchell | December 21, 2023
James Finley Sacred Psychotherapy Depth Dimension Healing Trauma

Dr. James Finley, clinical psychologist, trauma specialist, scholar, poet, and author of the powerful memoir, The Healing Path, has an extraordinary breadth and depth of understanding about trauma and the alchemical effects of adding a depth dimension to therapy. Here, he shares about his own experience of trauma and healing, the therapeutic effects of introducing the depth dimension to his clients, the dynamics of anger and forgiveness, the path of longing, and how love gives itself away in the preciousness of each moment, rendering ordinary life sacred. James’ profound understanding of grace is unmistakable, beautiful, riveting—both from personal experience and as a student of Thomas Merton, who introduced him to the wisdom of the mystics at the Trappist monastery, Gethsemani.

Practically everything James says is both a poem and a revelation, so whether you are Christian, Buddhist, or atheist, this conversation offers a therapeutic wisdom and understanding of trauma that goes way beyond the norm, as well as a transmission of infinite love, bottomless mercy. At the end, James laughs at how he is talking: “I can’t believe I’m talking like this…a traumatized kid from Akron, Ohio. It’s not coming from me; it’s flowing through me. All I’m doing is passing on what was passed on to me. So as it catches fire in you, it might pass through you into others.” Recorded August 17, 2023.

“Each person I meet is an infinitely loved broken person.”

Enjoyed this episode?

Buy Roger and John A Coffee

Topics & Time Stamps – Part 2

  • A story about the root broken place: Is there an end to love? (01:22)
  • The bottomless abyss of love gives itself away in the preciousness of this moment, which renders it sacred (02:58) 
  • We can’t bear being unconditionally loved (04:17)
  • The path of longing: one longs to be freed of suffering, but there is also the longing that is an echo of God’s longing for us (05:21)
  • The “thorn in the flesh” is your teacher and reminder, and how powerlessness unites us all (07:53)
  • The “set aside” prayer in James’ memoir The Healing Path and the recognition that we live in bottomless mystery (09:36)
  • A deeper way to understand lies in the deep acceptance of the limits of our understanding (10:55)
  • The first pillar of three-fold practice: finding a quiet place for a daily rendezvous with God, discursive meditation, journaling (12:01)
  • When you ask for help, that is the prayer—the prayer from the heart (15:34)
  • The second & third pillars of practice: a teacher/guidance and community (17:08)
  • James’ daily meditation practice and passing on the lineage, heart to heart (20:01)
  • What is James’ attitude toward death? (24:19)
  • How can I learn to die of love, at the hands of love, till there’s nothing left of me but love? (28:07)
  • Accepting death you have freedom from the tyranny of death in the midst of death (29:15)
  • Learned helplessness can transmute into a profound capacity to surrender and merge (31:30)
  • How God enters through the wounded place, and the parable of being broken and whole (35:01)
  • James’ thanks and his upcoming book on the mystical depths of the Enneagram and psychological and mystical discernment (37:50)

Resources & References – Part 2

* As an Amazon Associate, Deep Transformation earns from qualifying purchases.

Listen to Part 1
James Finley Healing Trauma Sacred Psychotherapy Depth Dimension

Student of Thomas Merton and clinical psychologist, Dr. James Finley teaches how connecting to our Divine indwelling can transcend fear and shame and awaken our True Self. A faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation, he is the author of The Healing Path and Merton’s Palace of Nowhere, and the host of CAC’s podcast Turning to the Mystics.

Podcast produced by Vanessa Santos and Show Notes by Heidi Mitchell

Presented by iAwake Technologies’ innovative, sound tech infused, brain wave entraining audio track

Hu Grace

“These tracks brought me a sense of immediate peace.”

~ E. Z.
Cover Art of Hu Grace from iAwake Technologies
Listen to a sample of Hu Grace (01 Welcoming)
Listen to a sample of Hu Grace (02 Journeying)
Listen to a sample of Hu Grace (03 Arriving)

“The tracks open a huge space in my head and my heart to listen carefully to my soul.”

~ Sina

iAwake Technologies was founded in 2010 with the mission of helping the world to heal, wake up, and evolve, through creating and offering cutting-edge, transformational technologies and promoting and inspiring their skillful use in our daily lives.

iAwake’s unique approach to session design entrains both our nervous and our subtle energy systems by combining traditional entrainment methods with newer applications based on the power of resonance. In addition to increasing intelligence, creativity, flow, and skillfulness in practically any activity that requires the human body-mind, with iAwake Technologies, we enter into deep healing brainwave states almost immediately while listening to these audio tracks.

To see what we are talking about, download a free sample of Stealing Flow’s Warm-up track here for a 25-minute, full-spectrum, whole-brain workout.

“I have enjoyed many [meditation technologies] but my VERY favorite meditations come from a company called iAwake Technologies. The science behind their technology is impeccably researched and I don’t think I have ever gone so deep into my practice as when I use their meditation tracks. Actually I bought so many and sent so many people to their website, they wrote to find out who the heck I was!”

~ Colette Baron-Reid, world-renowned intuitive counselor, psychic medium, author, TV personality, and radio host. They call her the Oracle.
Posted in Death and Dying, Grief, Healing Trauma, Psychotherapy, Spirituality, Transformative Practice, Wisdom and tagged , , , , ,