“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counsellors, and the most patient of teachers. ~ Charles William Eliot
I’m a book person. You might not be—and that’s completely okay.
These books are simply invitations. If reading isn’t your thing, find the audiobook. Listen to a podcast interview with the author. Watch a talk. Take a class. Wander through a library. Follow your curiosity.
Resources are everywhere.
Make room for your creativity. Laugh often. Spend time in nature. Find teachers who challenge and encourage you. Find friends who see the world the way you do—and others who don’t. Stay curious.
When you consider all the wisdom that’s available to us, this is just a tiny list. But these are the books that found me at the right time, and many of them quietly changed the way I move through the world.
If I had to recommend just a few…
The Untethered Soul — Michael A. Singer
If I could only recommend one book, this would probably be it. I’ve read it more than once, and every time I come away with something new.
A New Earth — Eckhart Tolle
This one didn’t land for me the first time. Then I listened to an interview with Eckhart Tolle, picked it up again, and suddenly everything clicked. Sometimes it’s simply about finding a book at the right moment.
True Love — Thich Nhat Hanh
A tiny book with an enormous heart. You could read it in one evening and spend a lifetime practising what it teaches.
The Alchemist — Paulo Coelho
One of those rare novels that seems to say something different every time you return to it.
The Artist’s Way — Julia Cameron
If you’re willing to commit to the process, it’s an extraordinary journey back to your own creativity.
Books I return to again and again
-
Planting Seeds — Thich Nhat Hanh & the Plum Village Community
-
The Yamas and Niyamas — Deborah Adele
-
The Gifts of Imperfection — Brené Brown
-
Eastern Body, Western Mind — Anodea Judith
-
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success — Deepak Chopra
-
The Four Desires — Rod Stryker
-
Letters to a Young Poet — Rainer Maria Rilke
-
Writing Down the Bones — Natalie Goldberg
-
Just Breathe: Mastering Breathwork — Dan Brulé
-
The Basic Teachings of the Buddha — Glenn Wallis
-
Living an Examined Life — James Hollis
-
The Breathing Book — Donna Farhi
-
Tiny Habits — BJ Fogg
-
The Body Keeps the Score — Bessel van der Kolk
-
Consolations — David Whyte
-
Drinking from the River of Light — Mark Nepo
And finally…
Read Mary Oliver.
Any collection.
Whenever I feel myself drifting too far from what matters, I return to her words. They always remind me to slow down, pay attention, and fall in love with the ordinary world again.
And read poetry that makes you stop. The kind that makes you feel something before you even understand why. Those are the words worth keeping close.