Writing is one of the most beautiful art forms humans are gifted with, and the ability to read brings forth an abundance of pleasures & benefits; education, enjoyment, imagination, curiosity, and freedom.
There is an emphasis on the last word of freedom because, in my opinion, the liberation that you gain from reading certain books can be profound. Words on a page have the ability to completely transform your life.
The books that I have listed below lit a fire within me that still burns to this day. Each serves its own unique purpose with the same outcome; opening my heart and mind to the beauty, possibility, and responsibility that I have in the creation of my world.
Now, let’s get into the good stuff…
The Four Agreements
Don Miguel Ruiz
A short and simple book that clearly outlines 4 ways you can move through life with honor, peace, and integrity.
- Be Impeccable with your Word
- Don’t take anything personally
- Don’t make assumptions
- Always do your best
The book is like a beginner’s guide for living a joyful life that you will keep coming back to over and over. With only 160 pages, this book is quick to read and easily digestible. These truths show that transforming your life doesn’t require any radical changes; simplicity is key.
The principles of this book really act as a foundation from which to build your life, free from the “maya” or illusions of the world. The main purpose is to guide you to step into your own personal freedom, happiness, and love.
This book made a large impact in acknowledging the responsibility I had in creating my own reality. The reality we see is manifested through our words, mindset, and actions.
As an intro to spirituality, this book is a must!
“Find yourself and express yourself in your own particular way. Express your love openly. Life is nothing but a dream, and if you create your life with love, your dream becomes a masterpiece of art.”
Don Miguel Ruiz
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Eckhart Tolle
Written by Eckhart Tolle, this book highlights why conscious presence in each moment is the most important and powerful force in our life. This simple wisdom guides the message of the book; rumination on the past & worrying about the future are distractions that prevent you from experiencing your life that is happening around and within you now. You are not your body or your mind, you are the consciousness that resides within it. If you acknowledge and embody that knowing, you can change your life.
This book was a catalyst in my life at a time when I was deep in depression. I was desperate for relief from the pain and turmoil I was experiencing within and luckily stumbled upon this book, hoping it would be the cure. In a sense, it was.
As I read the first chapter of the book I felt a physical shift within my body and mind that is unlike anything I have experienced. The words seemed as though they were speaking directly to me and I deeply understood the truth of what was being conveyed to me. If you are interested in building the basic principles of how to detach from the distractions of your mind and your emotional patterns, this is a great place to start.
“Always say ‘yes’ to the present moment. What could be more futile, more insane, than to create inner resistance to something that already is? What could be more insane than to oppose life itself, which is now and always now? Surrender to what is. Say ‘yes’ to life – and see how life suddenly starts working for you rather than against you.”
Eckhart Tolle
The Power of Intention
Dr. Wayne Dyer
If you’re looking to tap into the invisible energy force that supports and creates all life & possibilities, this book is for you. This book works to further expand your understanding of ‘The Law of Attraction’ by highlighting the most important aspect; intention. If you connect to intention, ie power or force of the universe, you will have everything you need to co-create your reality.
The first half of the book explains the seven faces of intention and overcoming the ego, and the second half breaks down how you can begin to practice intentional living within your own life.
The night I started reading this book, I found myself unable to sleep because I was filled with so much excitement and hope for life. As I continued reading this book and opened myself to implementing the wisdom behind it, my life truly began to flow with such ease. I began attracting the right people into my life (& outgrowing those that no longer aligned) and so many blessings came to me whether I asked for them or not!
Some examples from the first few weeks of reading this book:
- being given a $25 Starbucks gift card as a tip from a customer at work
- being given a plant for free at Home Depot because it didn’t have a price tag (random but significant)
- getting the internship I wanted for my university
- finally attracting the beautiful and loving relationship I had been manifesting
This book will undoubtedly leave you with something that you carry throughout your life.
“The power of intention is the power to manifest, to create, to live a life of unlimited abundance, and to attract into your life the right people at the right moments.”
Dr. Wayne Dyer
Braiding Sweetgrass
Robyn Wall Kimmerer
Written by a Native American botanist of the Potawatomi tribe, this book is a beautiful love story to mother earth. Combining indigenous wisdom, philosophical principles, and scientific fact, the words of this book will open your eyes and your heart to view the world in a completely different way. The relationship that humans share with the planet is significant and mutualistic when we are able to view plants and animals as our teachers rather than solely expendable resources.
Western scientific methods have caused us to simplify our understanding of nature based on its biology, functioning, etc. Kimmerer offers a perspective held for centuries within indigenous wisdom; plants and animals are part of a greater consciousness that connects the planet together as one.
I have never felt more in awe than while reading this book. Kimmerer is an author who conveys her stories and messages so poetically that the weight of her words is almost tangible. The more I read her stories, wisdom, philosophies of the earth, and our interactions with it, the more I felt as though I had been living under a rock.
There is so much beauty and complexity right outside of our doors and if we get outside we might learn a thing or two.
It is not only a book for enjoyment but a call to action. Inspiring us to remember our responsibility to connect deeper with our environment on an individual level as well as a collective. Moreso now than ever, as climate change and environmental destruction are at the forefront of our concerns.
“In some native languages, the term for plants translates to ‘those who take care of us.'”
Robin Wall Kimmerer
Autobiography of a Yogi
Paramahansa Yogananda
An autobiography where yogic practices and discipline meet with the mystical acts of the divine. As Paramahansa Yogananda recounts his lifelong connection with God, each chapter of the book is filled with fascinating stories and teachings that will leave you humbled and in awe. A truly beautiful book that captivates your full attention each time you read it so as not to miss one word.
This. Book.
Wow.
I can truly say that this is one of my favorite books of all time and I will be rereading it throughout my life. Whether you are on a spiritual path or not, this book will touch your heart and open your eyes to possibilities and understandings of life.
Yogananda intended to relay the message of his Hindu teachings specifically to the Western world, allowing the power of his experiences and knowledge to spread and transform a society often distracted by success, materialism, and individualism. The spiritual teachings shared in this book are universal truths, and in the end, help us understand that we are all one under the veil of consciousness. If you want to change the way you understand the world and the miracles of the divine, read this book.
“The deeper the Self-realization of a man, the more he influences the whole universe by his subtle spiritual vibrations, and the less he himself is affected by the phenomenal flux.”
Paramahansa Yogananda
Final thoughts…
A recommendation I have when reading these books is to be open.
The reality we have built in our minds tends to be limited in order to make it easier for us to understand the complicated world around us. If you are able to release the grip you have on your previous beliefs and ideas of what is true, you will learn that in the complexity there is so much simplicity.
The beauty, possibilities, and ease of life are waiting to be claimed by you for you to expand every aspect of your reality.
Be open to receiving new world views, new ways of thinking, of feeling, of seeing, of being.
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