Unmasking the Inner Critic: Lessons for Living an Unconstricted Life

In Unmasking the Inner Critic, Andrew Lang offers his journey through contemplative spirituality to uncover the roots of deeply embedded feelings of not being good enough, lack of self-worth, and aloneness. Lang describes his personal journey of questioning the lessons of a strict Christian upbringing and developing “constrictions” that fueled self-doubt, shame, and fear. Expanding his view to encompass teachings from other faith traditions, Lang found solace in wisdom teachers who emphasized love and abundance. Throughout the book, Lang shares personal stories, spiritual teachings, reflection questions, and action prompts designed to foster healthy spiritual development and encourage readers to manifest positive change in our spheres of influence.

As an educator, Lang writes in an amiable tone to share truths and realizations about sustaining spiritual and personal growth. Unmasking the Inner Critic is an excellent read for people of the Christian faith who seek effective strategies for self-love in order to heal from past emotional, mental, and physical trauma. It is, in equal measure, a spiritual guide, self-help book, and memoir. Lang’s multidisciplinary approach draws from the works of Resmaa Menakem, Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Matthew Fox, Thomas Merton, and others. Lang emphasizes the importance of reconciling our inner lives with intentions to create communities that advocate for and uphold justice.