James F. Finley

James Finley (born May 30, 1943) is an American author, clinical psychologist, and former Trappist monk who lived at the Abbey of Gethsemani under the spiritual direction of Thomas Merton. He is a core faculty member at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the author of books on Christian mysticism and contemplation including Merton's Palace of Nowhere, The Contemplative Heart, and Christian Meditation. Finley holds degrees from the University of Akron, Saint John College, and Fuller Theological Seminary, and practices as a psychotherapist in California.