If you’re looking to expand your spiritual horizons, you’re in the right place. In this blog post, I’ll be sharing my personal collection of seven exceptional spiritual books that have left an indelible mark on my spiritual journey.
The power of Now: A Guide To Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
This is the kind of book that you want to go slow to allow yourself time to reflect on his teachings, and to aid in that process, he offers suggestions in this book on such moments where you can pause and reflect. You won’t want to rush through it, especially given the multitude of concepts that require an open mind for proper understanding.
Eckhart explains how being in the present moment is the path to achieving consciousness and enlightenment. He emphasizes the importance of surrendering to the present moment without labeling anything. This is how we free ourselves from our mind identification and therefore our suffering that it creates from the mind.
He also explains the ways in which you can practice being in the now, which I found especially useful.
One teaching I particularly appreciate is the idea of letting go of all forms of identification, whether they’re social, personal, or physical. This practice of ‘just being’ is the key to true liberation. So, being in the moment and truly just being is essential to achieve enlightenment. Essentially he explains that It is our identification with the mind that causes us suffering, and by release it and being fully present in the moment is how we achieve true freedom.
Another teaching that felt very profound for me was the concept of surrender in which he explains that surrendering is accepting the present moment unconditionally and letting go of inner resistance to “what is” in order to eliminate pain and sorrow. Surrendering doesn’t mean you shouldn’t take action, or that you should a accept an overall undesirable life situation, it it just referring to the now in which you accept the moment without labeling or judging it, recognize that you desire to change the situation and then taking action from a clear state of being and not from a resistant state of mind.
I particularly find this book to be a source of so much wisdom and I do acknowledge how complex most of these concepts and teachings are, but Eckhart finds ways to explain them from many different angles and forms so that we can understand them better. Specially through the question and answer format of the book which is very useful and clever, because I feel like most of the questions and doubts that we might have, are answered.
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Self by Michael A. Singer
This book is incredibly eye-opening and enlightening; it’s as if Michael Singer can see right through the most mundane and common aspects of our lives that we often overlook. It’s almost frightening at times and so mind-blowing at the same time, when he gives examples that are so specific to our daily experiences that we are not aware of, such as the way we think and react to certain situations that are so on point. And you get this feeling of “oh wait it’s not only me that reacts this way or thinks this way.”
Singer thoroughly examines our thought and emotional processes, revealing how they can harm us more than we realize. He shows how our ways of thinking and experiencing life is actually keeping us from truly living and enjoying life.
He essentially teaches us how we can live from the seat of awareness, and that we are essentially the observers of our experiences and not the experiences themselves. We are not what we think or feel, we are the observers of our thoughts and emotions. We are the ones who are conscious of it. And it’s important we release the habit of identifying ourselves with our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. We are the ones who are aware of it all. This is how we become an awakened being.
He also teaches us how to surrender the extremes and find balance and peace in our life. If you experience something that triggers you immediately after you notice it, relax your shoulders, relax your heart, and let go. Don’t get involved in it. Be aware of it, and let it pass through you. This is how you don’t interrupt the energy flow and keep it stuck in your heart. This is how the energy continues to flow, and release any blockages.
We tend to store these experiences, emotions and energies within us that later continue to trigger us is our life’s because we don’t know how to process them. We tend to either try to ignore it or engage time and energy on it. So to free ourselves we need to fight our urge to close our heart and relax and open instead. The more we resist the more it gets stuck within us. So being aware of it and choosing to relax and let go, is how we experience peace and transcendence. Awareness is the key to freedom.
I couldn’t recommend this book more highly. It is a book that goes beyond the surface as it provides us with a deep understanding of who we are and how we can live our lives truly free and liberated.
Trust Your vibes: Secret Tools for Sixth Sensory Living by Sonia Choquette
I would describe this to be the perfect book for those who are beginning their spiritual journey. Sonia was the ideal spiritual teacher for me because she had the answers and guidance that I needed at the time I initiated my own spiritual journey, and honestly going back to it once in a while is a good reminder of the basics which are nevertheless deeply profound.
It is an extensive book that covers the grounds of living a spiritual, creative, authentic, joyous and fulfilling life by following our inner voice. She teaches us how to tap into our intuition and trust in our vibes.
Not only does this book include practical exercises and techniques to receive and interpret intuitive guidance from our intuition and from the Universe, but we also learn to distinguish between our ego’s voice and our higher guidance.
It’s a complete guide to initiating and building a strong spiritual path, as she approaches many topics, themes, stories, practices and tools to help us feel supported and confident in ourselves and in our inner guidance.
You will learn: how to listen to your intuition; how to connect to your spiritual support system and receive guidance from your divine helpers; how to navigate life with the help of your sixth sense; how to trust in the universe and learn to surrender to the flow; etc.
This book gave me the permission to truly accept my spiritual nature and not be afraid of it, on the contrary, it showed me how much better life is, when we live and embody our spiritual truth.
Change Your Thoughts Change Your Life: Living The Wisdom Of The Tao by Dr. Wayne Dyer
In this book, Dr. Dyer explores the ancient wisdom of the Tao Te Ching, an ancient Chinese text with 81 verses, which has been attributed to the sage and prophet Lao Tzu.
The book is structured as a series of essays, each focused on one of the 81 verses of the Tao Te Ching. And Wayne Dyer provides contemporary wisdom and practical advice for applying these principles to the 21st century. Which you can read at your own pace, so that you can apply these principles into your life in order to live in harmony with the universe.
Dr. Dyer encourages readers to embrace the teachings of the Tao Te Ching to aid in their personal transformation. Some of the main teachings that are included in many of these principles are: living with simplicity and detachment from material possessions and status symbols; giving to others without a second agenda; living without enemies and seeing everything and everyone as part of the Tao; respecting nature; living with the flow and not exerting force over anyone or anything and living without judgment and in the present moment.
Throughout the book, Dr. Dyer provides practical examples and exercises to help us integrate the teachings of the Tao Te Ching into our daily lives. He suggests that by changing our thoughts and aligning with the principles of the Tao, we can experience profound personal and spiritual growth, which will lead to a more fulfilling and harmonious life.
This book is ultimately a guide for living a more purposeful, peaceful, and spiritually connected life by applying the wisdom of the Tao Te Ching to modern times.
Dying To Be Me: My Journey To Cancer, To Near Death, To True Healing by Anita Moorjani
This book is a memoir by Anita Moorjani, who shares her remarkable near death experience (NDE) which led to a transformative experience physically, emotionally, mentally and spirituality.
She describes her journey of being close to death due to an advanced cancer, slipping into a coma, and then experiencing a transcendent and transformative NDE, in which she experienced feelings of unconditional love, oneness, and the absence of fear.
In her experience on the other side she could feel an interconectedness with everything and everyone. She could feel that space and time was something that she could experience all at once. She also felt everyone’s feelings, she saw and heard conversations that were happening far away from where her physical body was, and she was transported to another realm where she felt unconditional love like she never felt before. She also felt joy, awe and bliss. Anita also encountered the presence of her father who had passed away a few years before and she experienced profound insights about herself, life, and the universe. She also knew she had the choice to stay there or come back to her life and she eventually chose to come back where she instinctively knew that she would be healed.
After her NDE, Anita did indeed experience healing and recovery where she miraculously recovered from her advanced-stage cancer. She suggests her physical healing was a result of the spiritual and emotional insights she gained during her NDE. And there were no medical or scientific answers or explanations to what caused her spontaneous healing. She shares how understanding her own worth and self-love played a significant role in her recovery.
A few things that Anita learned from her NDE experience which she describes in her book is that our physical existence is just one facet of a larger, eternal consciousness, and that we are all interconnected and part of a universal source of love; how fear and stress may contribute to illness, while love and self-acceptance promote healing and well-being; and how our dogmas or beliefs systems only keep us limited to the possibilities and potential within us and around us.
Anita encourages readers to embrace their authentic selves, let go of the need for external validation, and acknowledge their inherent worth. Her story is a representation of the importance of releasing fear and embracing love in all aspects of life.
This book opens us to the possibilities of what lies beyond life and helps us transform our views on life, death, and our true nature.
Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda
This book is a memoir by Paramahansa Yogananda, an Indian yogi and spiritual teacher who introduced the teachings of yoga and meditation to the West. The book tells his life story, describing his spiritual journey and experiences, and also offers profound insights into the world of yoga, meditation, and the pursuit of a deeper understanding of the self and the divine.
Yogananda was born in India in 1893 and the book begins with a description of Yogananda’s early life and his early encounters with spiritual figures and experiences, which ignited spiritual curiosity.
A part of this book is centered on Yogananda’s quest to find a spiritual guru. He shares his profound experiences with various spiritual teachers and how he eventually met his guru, who became his mentor and guide in the path of Kriya Yoga and spiritual realization.
Throughout the book, Yogananda describes numerous encounters with remarkable individuals and the miraculous experiences he witnessed, heard about or was a part of. These stories highlight the mystical and extraordinary aspects of life and the Divine.
What I found most interesting in this book is that we get to know the various spiritual masters, saints and yogis whom Yogananda met or heard about in his spiritual quest. It was so captivating to read about them and I feel like through this book not only do we get to know Yogananda who was and still is a very important spiritual teacher, but we also are provided with a guide to our own pursuit of our spiritual journey and a deeper understanding of the self and the divine, as he shares throughout the book profound insights on the nature of the soul, the commonality between religions, and the connection between science and spirituality.
This book stimulates our mind, heart, and soul, and lets us dive into the world of Hinduism, science, religion, mysticism, miracles, and beyond.
The Four Agreements: A Toltec Wisdom Book by Don Miguel Ruiz
This is a self-help and spiritual book based on the ancient Toltec wisdom. The book presents four agreements that, if adopted and practiced, can lead to personal freedom, fulfillment and spiritual transformation.
The agreements are as follow:
1. Be Impeccable with Your Word: The first agreement is about the power of words and the importance of using words to inspire rather than doing harm to ourselves and others. Ruiz encourages us to speak truthfully, avoid gossip, self-criticism and judgement.
2. Don’t Take Anything Personally: The second agreement discusses the importance on not being affected by the opinions and actions of others. Ruiz suggests that realizing that the behaviors of others are a reflection of their own beliefs and issues and not a reflection of ourselves or our worth can lead to greater freedom.
3. Don’t Make Assumptions: The third agreement focuses on the problematic tendency of making assumptions about the intentions and thoughts of others, with our own beliefs and insecurities, which we believe to be true. Ruiz explains that the way to keep us from making assumptions is by asking questions instead of assuming we know the answers and having a clear communication.
4. Always Do Your Best: The fourth agreement encourages us to always try and do our best. However he reminds us that our best isn’t linear, it isn’t going to always be the same because it depends on various aspects of our life, it can even change throughout the day depending on how we feel and our circumstances. If we do our best then than there is no room from self-judgment and we can live life more intensely, be more productive, and feel satisfaction in every level.
This last agreement ties all four agreements perfectly, in the sense that we wont always be impeccable with our world, not take anything personally, or not make assumptions but the most important thing, is to do our best and that is enough to release self-judgment or blame and and with time these habits will become weaker, and the embodiment of the agreements will strengthen.
This book offers a guide for living with more freedom from suffering and limitation, by replacing our old agreements that we unconsciously accepted throughout our life, with these new fundamental agreements so that we can experience true happiness and authenticity.
You will find so much wisdom in such a small book. It is a true roadmap to enlightenment and personal freedom and transformation!
As we conclude this exploration of my top 7 recommended spiritual books, I hope you’ve found inspiration and insight that resonates with your own spiritual journey. Remember that the path to self-discovery and enlightenment is deeply personal, and these books are merely signposts along the way. So, whether you choose to dive into one, a few, or all of these books, embrace the journey with an open heart and an inquisitive mind.
Happy reading, and may your path be illuminated with the light of knowledge and inner peace.
Love & Light! xx
