My favorite spiritual books

Reading has been a huge part of my life since I was a kid. Through books (including audio books) the transmission of wisdom is something I am deeply grateful for. This is especially true as I walk a spiritual path, which started in 2015 when I enrolled in a 200hr YTT (yoga teacher training) at Charm City yoga. I had been practicing yoga since 2011 but this training is what really started me down the path. 

Books are, of course, guiding lights on the journey to and through the self. Some of these I read in my yoga training or the various other trainings and workshops that followed.

I think that books come to us at the right time and when we're ready to receive the wisdom they have to share. It's with an open heart that I pass these along to you, so that the guidance can be shared further.  I'd love to hear your feedback if you have read these books or others that have helped you. 

“The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho

I read this short read and powerful book in the fall of 2018. The magic and mysticism of "The Alchemist" is the reminder that you've had the power inside you all along. Listen to your heart, trust the universe and follow your dreams. Such simple advice, but perhaps not so easy to follow. A hero's journey that can be revisited again and again. In fact I reread it at least once a year to connect to my Personal Legend. By fulfilling our purpose, while overcoming adversity and building resiliency, we become the best and highest versions of ourselves. 

"Women Who Run With the Wolves" by Dr. Clarissa Pinkola Estes

My #1 suggestion and required reading for women! I love to give this book as a gift because it is truly medicine. The deep exploration of The Maiden, Mother and Crone archetypes and the cycle of birth, death, rebirth are necessary for women to consider and bring into their own understanding. Indeed, whole courses have been created to study these themes further. After reading it once, with many notes in the margins, WWRWTW is a book I open when I need guidance. I'll read a few pages, come back to a story and get the needed wisdom. Embracing our wild nature, as women, is essential so we can own our power and see our place in the world. WWRWTW was a portal for me into self-understanding. 

"Be Love Now: The Path of the Heart" by Ram Dass

When I started listening to and reading Ram Dass it felt like coming home. His spoken word lectures and written words through books made me feel like I wasn't alone. I was a seeker of divine love and so were many other folks. There are times that I hear Ram Dass speaking to me, encouraging me to be "calm, clear, quiet." When I struggle in meditation to sill my mind, I think of him. The practical advice and wisdom for those on the path is shared by a soul who truly transcends time and space. May we all live a life of love and service. Like several other books on this list, it's one I return to often, opening a random page to see what wisdom jumps off the page at me.

"Radical Acceptance" by Dr. Tara Brach

I read Radical Acceptance for my 200 RYT and reread it in December of 2024. Through Brach's urging, I am cultivating the skill to be compassionate to myself and others. Through observation without judgement, I am better able to see where I get stuck, I'm able to notice the triggers (which are many) and choose to respond rather than react. Each time I return to this book I annotate or highlight a different section because so many speak to me. Her lectures are fantastic as well. 

"Braving the Wilderness" by Brene Brown

I actually listened to this audiobook and it hit me at the right time: as I was riding on a bus through the wild landscape of Patagonia in December 2018. I was at a crossroads and Brene Brown with my prophet. I was living a life others expected of me while drinking in a way that was destructive to my spiritual growth. I knew I had to make a change, I knew I was entering the wilderness, both literally in Patagonia and emotionally / spiritually through my heart. It was January 2019 that I was brave enough to stand in my truth, to reclaim my light and energy. And "Braving the Wilderness" nudged me on the path in the most incredible of ways. 

"The Artist's Way" by Julia Cameron

It was reading a quote by Julia Cameron at Wanderlust in 2018 that got me back into journaling. And journaling, while working to change my relationship to alcohol is what changed my life in the most magical of ways. By starting the day with mindful intention, creativity is nurtured and fostered. Cameron believes, and I certainly agree, that we are all creative beings. Not just some of us....all of us. And expressing divine love through our creativity is our birthright. It's through the ideas presented in this book that I am called to write, to teach yoga, to provide sound healing, reiki and health coaching. I am a conduit of creative love. 

"Anatomy of the Spirit" by Caroline Myss

I read this book as a part of my Reiki training. I realized that some of the energy practices, how to read energy, etc were things that I had been doing for years. And now I just had names and some context for it. Looking at the chakras through the intersections of Christianity and Judaism was a lense that was new to me. Seeing how different traditions understood energy and healing prompted me to dive deeper through training and classes. We can heal ourselves, and what amazing power there is in that.

"The Body Keeps the Score" by Dr. Bessel Van der Kolk

As I quit drinking in January 2019, one thing became very clear quickly: I had been using booze to numb part of me, to erase my memory and forget trauma. But I can't really forget or numb the trauma, it's there because the body keeps the score. Understanding this concept has given me the framework to understand and use breathwork, somatic practices and sound healing to reclaim parts of myself. This is a thick and dense read, one that should be absorbed slowly. I wrote notes in the margins. I cried...a lot. I started to heal. Absolutely required reading for those on a healing journey or supporting someone at the professional or personal level through healing. 

Monthly book total: 4

"Wherever You Go, There You Are" by Jon Kabat-Zinn

This practical book is one I used in my personal practice as I was learning to meditate and I use it now teaching yoga / sharing mindfulness practices with others. Kabat-Zinn's words feel like an anchor to keep me from floating away in a sea of stress and worry. He shares a variety of lessons on different topics and at the core is mindfulness: paying attention on purpose without judgement. It's simple but not easy as humans (myself included) are prone to judgement and distractions. Yet through noticing our thoughts we can choose again and we can come back to mindfulness. It's a muscle to exercise and a skill to build. "Wherever You Go, There You Are" is accessible and down to earth.