If you’ve gotten to know me, by now you may have noticed that I love reading. Ever since I can remember, I’ve turned to books as one avenue to quench my thirst for knowledge. And given my longstanding interests in the metaphysical realm, this means that I’ve read many spiritual books. It is never my intention to set myself up as the final authority on any subject. There are so many fantastic authors, teachers, thinkers, feelers, movers, and shakers out there who have not only influenced me, but have helped shape the world. As a result, I wish to share with you some of my personal favorites – not only to aid you on your journey but also to tip my cap to those brilliant souls who have come before.
Below is a list of my recommended spiritual reads divided into three categories based on level of difficulty – introductory, intermediate, and advanced – each level having 12 recs. I feel it’s important to note that even though I am labeling some books as introductory, that doesn’t mean they are any less valuable than the more advanced ones. I do this simply to help you with the selection process. All 36 of the following books are profound and fantastic in their own way!
Due to the growing interest in audiobooks these days, next to each title, there will be an asterisk (*) if audio format is available. Lastly, if you are an avid reader of spiritual literature like me, then please don’t hesitate to reach out directly for further recommendations. I’ve got more than I know what to do with. Happy reading!
Introductory:
- The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho*
- 10 Secrets for Success and Inner Peace – Dr. Wayne Dyer*
- An Autobiography: The Story of My Experiments with Truth – Mohandas K. Gandhi*
- Siddhartha – Herman Hesse*
- The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter, and Miracles – Bruce Lipton*
- Way of the Peaceful Warrior: A Book That Changes Lives – Dan Millman*
- Life After Life: The Investigation of a Phenomenon: Survival of Bodily Death – Raymond A. Moody Jr., M.D.*
- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari – Robin S. Sharma*
- The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself – Michael A. Singer*
- The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment – Eckhart Tolle*
- A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose – Eckhart Tolle*
- For Love of the Real: A Story of Life’s Mystical Secret – Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee
Intermediate:
- The End of Your World: Uncensored Straight Talk on the Nature of Enlightenment – Adyashanti*
- True Meditation: Discover the Freedom of Pure Awareness – Adyashanti*
- The Last Barrier: A Journey into the Essence of Sufi Teachings – Reshad Feild
- The Awakening Guide: A Companion for the Inward Journey – Bonnie Greenwell, Ph.D.
- Power vs. Force: The Hidden Determinants of Human Behavior – David R. Hawkins, M.D., Ph.D.*
- Ending the Search: From Spiritual Ambition to the Heart of Awareness – Dorothy Hunt
- The Heart of Zen: Enlightenment, Emotional Maturity, and What It Really Takes for Spiritual Liberation – Junpo Denis Kelly Roshi & Keith Martin-Smith
- Tao Te Ching – Lao Tzu, Translated by Stephen Mitchell* or Ralph Alan Dale
- Putting on the Mind of Christ: The Inner Work of Christian Spirituality – Jim Marion
- The Leap: The Psychology of Spiritual Awakening – Steve Taylor
- The Complete Conversations with God: An Uncommon Dialogue – Neale Donald Walsch*
- Autobiography of a Yogi – Paramahansa Yogananda*
Advanced:
- God Speaks: The Theme of Creation and Its Purpose – Meher Baba
- Discourses – Meher Baba
- I Am That – Talks with Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
- The Zen Teaching of Huang Po: On the Transmission of Mind – Translated by John Blofeld*
- The Path to No-Self: Life at the Center – Bernadette Roberts
- The Experience of No-Self: A Contemplative Journey – Bernadette Roberts
- In the Light of the Self: Adi Shankara and the Yoga of Non-dualism – Alistair Shearer
- Trust in Mind: The Rebellion of Chinese Zen – Mu Soeng
- The Nature of Consciousness: Essays on the Unity of Mind and Matter – Rupert Spira
- Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – Interpreted by Mukunda Stiles
- God Talks with Arjuna, The Bhagavad Gita: The Royal Science of God-Realization – Paramahansa Yogananda
- The Second Coming of Christ: The Resurrection of the Christ Within You – Paramahansa Yogananda
…continued in Part 2…