Be Here Now – Ram Dass
This is the book that started my spiritual journey. Ram Dass penetrated a thick shell I built up against anything spiritual and opened my heart back up. “It’s all right now, but later? Forget it baby! That’s later. Now is now. Are you going to be here or not? It’s as simple as that!” I love Ram Dass’ authenticity and sense of humor. I highly recommend this book to everyone.
The Essential Marcus Aurelius – Marcus Aurelius
I love this collection of excerpts from Aurelius’ personal journals. It was amazing to see the similarities in daily struggles between myself and an ancient Roman emperor. These meditations contain some great lessons in concerning yourself only with what you can control. I highly recommend this book, although I’m not all that into popular modern stoic writing.
The Only Dance There Is – Ram Dass
This is the second book by Ram Dass I read. Ram Dass wrote this after spending much more time integrating the Eastern teachings from “Be Here Now” into Western culture. I felt that I had actionable spiritual teachings to take into the world after reading each chapter, whereas “Be Here Now” left me with more internal reflections. This may be a great Ram Dass book to start with if “Be Here Now” seems too esoteric.
How to Relax, Fight, Eat, and Love – Thich Nhat Hanh
These books quite literally explain how to relax, fight, eat, and love from Buddhist monk Thich Nhat Hanh’s perspective. I found “How to Eat” particularly helpful as I struggle with binge eating disorder. All these short books share practical Buddhist perspectives on how to bring mindfulness into relationships and routine daily activities.