Any good spiritual books?

Does anyone know of any good books of someone going through a spiritual awaking? Ive read a really good one called Way of the Peaceful Warrior. It was about a college student finding his innerself.

 

Paulo Coelho - The Alchemist. Still one of the best selling books generally.

 

awsome I will start it soon and let u know. Thanks.

 

umm Siddartha fo sure... other then that i hiiiighly recommend Castaneda's series

 

That looks really good i just ordered it from the library thanks!

 

I already read sidhartha. Bad ass book.

 

Was carlos spiritual?

 

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i found it was more enligthening then siddartha, or any other books.
this is gaining enlightment towards what there IS... no gods or greater consciousness really involved, this is simply becoming one with our existance. theyre really fascinating novels

 

Glad you acknowledge that CC's books are novels. Some actually believe them, despite all the contradictions.
But it's more about magic and personal power than anything remotely spiritual.

 

agreed . but it got stuck in my consciousness more then Siddartha for example

 

'Demian' and 'The Glass Bead Game' are two of Hesse's novels I like, and which deal with spiritual awakening as a theme. Siddhartha isn't my fave.


CC's books are very amusing and interesting, no denying that - I just have a problem with seeing them as of much practical value. And as I say, I don't see much spiritual in them.

Another great book which many, many people have been inspired by is Paramhansa Yoganada's 'Autobiography of a Yogi' - highly recommend this.

 

Ishmael

Illusions
The Holy Bible
The Cat's Cradle
The Tao Te Ching
The Bhagavad Gita
The Celestine Prophecy
Anything by Deepak Chopra
Lame Deer, Seeker Of Visions

 

"The Tibetian Book of the Dead" is really good but not the most easily accessible. "The Bhagavad Gita" has some great stuff in it. "Black Elk Speaks" is also very good but more historical. "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" kinda fits as a book about awaking.

 

Never could get into Black Elk Speaks, been told it was good though, not my style.

Where would I get a copy of The Tibetan Book Of The Dead, is it in any way related to egyptian book of the dead?

 

A well stocked book store or library probably should have "The Tibetan Book of the Dead", I don't think it that it is that hard to find. It is unrelated to the Egyptian Book of the Dead.

 

The trick is to find the book that speaks to wherever you are right now.

I have just recently discovered the works of Abraham Joshua Heschel. He wrote Between God And Man, which may be one of the best things I have ever read. He also wrote Man Is Not Alone, God In Search of Man, The Prophets and a few more.

Of course, what blows me away may just bore you to tears, and vice versa. It all depends on your spiritual development, your capacity for inspiration, where your head is, what you are ready for, what you need to know next.

I can only speak for myself, but the list of life-altering books that have had significant impact on me personally would have to include:

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig
Lila by Robert Pirsig
The Zen Environment by Marion Mountain
Zen Flesh, Zen Bones edited by Paul Reps
Peace for Beginners by Ian Kellas
The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are by Alan Watts
The Wisdom of Insecurity by Alan Watts
The Immense Journey by Loren Eisely
The Unexpected Universe by Loren Eisely
The Firmament of Time by Loren Eisely
Be Here Now by Baba Ram Dass
Think On These Things by J. Krishnamurti
The Impossible Question by J. Krishnamurti
Simple Words by Adin Steinsaltz
Seeds of Contemplation by Thomas Merton
Amazing Grace: A Vocabulary of Faith by Kathleen Norris

There are many more, of course, but . . .

When you're ready, and when you find someone with whom you can discuss your reading (just because you get so much more out of it), then you owe it to yourself to study at least one, if not all, of the classic religious texts:

The Torah/Chumash and/or The Tanach, which includes the Torah, as well as the writings and the books of the prophets. Sometimes referred to as the Jewish Bible. I really like the Artscroll/Stone Edition. This is not exactly the same as "the Old Testament" because, Yes, it does matter that this is a Jewish translation.

The Gospels/The New Testament, I like the New International Version and/or the New Jerusalem Bible.

The Qu'ran, Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation is my favorite.

The Bhagavad Gita, Stephen Mitchell did a truly wonderful translation.

The Dhammapada, Eknath Easwaran's translation is the only one I have read. I have also heard good things about the translation by Jack Kornfield and Gil Fronsdal.

The Tao Te Ching, You just have to love Jane English's edition.

I am sure I have forgotten one or two but this is a pretty good start.

Peace and Love

 

Just got gifted a book called one by Richard Bach, Author of Illusions and Jonathon Livingston Seagull, Looks good, cant wait to dig into it.


I have been trading some serious books lately, gave one away in NC, got three more an hour later, Left one of those for somebody to find, Then I hitched to NY and my mom gave me a book about the native americans of the area I live in, I gave another book to a good friend of mine, then my dads girlfriends daugter and her boyfriend came up from NC and gifted me with One, by richard bach, so I gave them the third book I had found in NC.

 

I would also recommend anything you can find by Stephen Gaskin, such as Cannabis Spirituality, This Season's People or Monday Night Class. It is Classic Hippie spirituality. You know, searching, awakening, getting some insight, sharing it with your fellow seekers, good stuff.

Peace and Love

 

Finished reading "One", Great book! 2 hitchhikers thumbs up, way up.