Dalai Lama on What Matters Most: Conversations on Anger, Compassion, and Action


Noriyuki Ueda - 2013
    This little book is the result. In it are some surprising truths and commonsense wisdom."The attachment that seeks what is good is worthwhile. Seeking enlightenment is a kind of attachment that we should keep, as is the desire for an unbiased heart.""Anger that is motivated by compassion or a desire to correct social injustice, and does not seek to harm anyone, is a good anger worth having.""I'm not only a socialist, but also a bit of a leftist, a Communist.""The type of competition that says, 'I am the winner, and you are the loser' must be overcome. But a positive competition allows us to lift each other up so that everybody ends up on top."Open the book to any page and find great wisdom on what matters most. And what matters most is not adherence to any one doctrine or political system but living with an open mind and heart.

Living in the Light of Death: On the Art of Being Truly Alive


Larry Rosenberg - 2000
    These tough realities are not given much attention by many people until midlife, when they become harder to avoid. Using a Buddhist text known as the Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection, Larry Rosenberg shows how intimacy with the realities of aging can actually be used as a means to liberation. When we become intimate with these inevitable aspects of life, he writes, we also become intimate with ourselves, with others, with the world—indeed with all things.

Mindfulness, Meditation and Mind Fitness


Joel Levey - 1999
    Given how many people needlessly suffer from overwhelm, exhaustion, and preventable stress-related illness, the Leveys’ wisdom is needed now more than ever! This book is an inspiration for complete beginners, long-time meditators, and everyone in between, who seek to deepen and expand their practice.Dr. Joel and Michelle Levey were among the very first to bring mindfulness and mind-fitness teachings to mainstream organizations beginning in the 1970s. They have taught tens of thousands of people in hundreds of leading corporations, medical centers, universities, sports, government, and military arenas – including Google, NASA, World Bank, Intel, M.I.T., Stanford, and World Business Academy. They are the founders of Wisdom at Work (http://wisdomatwork.com).Originally published in hardcover as Simple Meditation and Relaxation (Conari Press, 1999) and in paperback as Luminous Mind (Conari Press, 2006), this book has been endorsed by a who's who of experts on mindfulness, relaxation, stress reduction, and healing, including Jon Kabat-Zinn, Daniel Goleman, Joan Borysenko, Larry Dossey, M.D., Ram Dass, and many more.

Being Taoist: Wisdom for Living a Balanced Life


Eva Wong - 2015
         Taoism isn’t a spiritual extracurricular activity, it’s an integral practice for living all of  life to the fullest.  The modern Taoist adept Eva Wong is your guide to living well according to the wisdom of this ancient system.  She uses the ancient texts to demonstrate the Taoist masters’ approach to the traditional four aspects of life--the public, the domestic, the private, and the spiritual—and shows how learning to balance them is the secret to  infusing your life with health, harmony, and deep satisfaction.​

A Fearless Heart: How the Courage to Be Compassionate Can Transform Our Lives


Thupten Jinpa - 2015
    Now, in this extraordinary book, the highly acclaimed thought leader and longtime English translator of His Holiness the Dalai Lama shows us that compassion can bring us even more.   Based on the landmark course in compassion training Jinpa helped create at Stanford Medical School, A Fearless Heart shows us that we actually fear compassion. We worry that if we are too compassionate with others we will be taken advantage of, and if we are too compassionate with ourselves we will turn into slackers. Using science, insights from both classical Buddhist and western psychology, and stories both from others and from his own extraordinary life, Jinpa shows us how to train our compassion muscle to relieve stress, fight depression, improve our health, achieve our goals, and change our world.   Practical, spiritual, and immediately relevant, A Fearless Heart will speak to readers of The Art of Happiness and Wherever You Go, There You Are.

Seek God Everywhere: Reflections on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius


Anthony de Mello - 2009
    Ignatius is one of the great masterpieces of the Christian canon. A series of meditations and practices that guides seekers on a journey to spiritual perfection, this manual has been used by millions of religious and lay persons alike for centuries. Now, in the first new Anthony de Mello book in more than fifteen years, the bestselling author of Awareness  takes readers on an in-depth exploration of the practices of St. Ignatius and offers simple guidance and wisdom to help readers navigate the sometimes-confusing byways on the journey to God. Drawn from a series of talks de Mello gave before his untimely death in 1987,  this book challenges us to achieve new levels of understanding and inner exploration, with chapters on how to hear the voice of the divine, the need for repentance, and how to ascend to love in our day-to-day life,. A must-have for fans of de Mello’s work and anyone interested in learning to pray in profound and meaningful ways, Seek God Everywhere is an inspirational and practical work that will transform your life.

Indigo, Crystal, and Rainbow Children


Doreen Virtue - 2005
    In this informative and entertaining live lecture captured on a two-CD program, Doreen Virtue discusses natural and spiritual methods to help the Indigo, Crystal, and Rainbow Children live happier lives.      Since the 1970s, parents and schoolteachers have noticed that children are becoming increasingly more sensitive, aware, and psychic. The first generation of the new children were the Indigos, followed in the 1990s by the Crystal Children. Now, the new Rainbow Children are starting to emerge. Doreen discusses the characteristics of the Indigos, Crystals, and Rainbows, and describes their souls' purpose and the beautiful messages they have for all of us.

The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere


Pico Iyer - 2014
    There’s never been a greater need to slow down, tune out and give ourselves permission to be still. In The Art of Stillness—a TED Books release—Iyer investigate the lives of people who have made a life seeking stillness: from Matthieu Ricard, a Frenchman with a PhD in molecular biology who left a promising scientific career to become a Tibetan monk, to revered singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, who traded the pleasures of the senses for several years of living the near-silent life of meditation as a Zen monk. Iyer also draws on his own experiences as a travel writer to explore why advances in technology are making us more likely to retreat. He reflects that this is perhaps the reason why many people—even those with no religious commitment—seem to be turning to yoga, or meditation, or seeking silent retreats. These aren't New Age fads so much as ways to rediscover the wisdom of an earlier age. Growing trends like observing an “Internet Sabbath”—turning off online connections from Friday night to Monday morning—highlight how increasingly desperate many of us are to unplug and bring stillness into our lives. The Art of Stillness paints a picture of why so many—from Marcel Proust to Mahatma Gandhi to Emily Dickinson—have found richness in stillness. Ultimately, Iyer shows that, in this age of constant movement and connectedness, perhaps staying in one place is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before. In 2013, Pico Iyer gave a blockbuster TED Talk. This lyrical and inspiring book expands on a new idea, offering a way forward for all those feeling affected by the frenetic pace of our modern world.

Hardcore Zen: Punk Rock, Monster Movies and the Truth about Reality


Brad Warner - 1994
    Brad Warner, a young punk who grew up to be a Zen master, spares no one. This bold new approach to the "Why?" of Zen Buddhism is as strongly grounded in the tradition of Zen as it is utterly revolutionary. Warner's voice is hilarious, and he calls on the wisdom of everyone from punk and pop culture icons to the Buddha himself to make sure his points come through loud and clear. As it prods readers to question everything, Hardcore Zen is both an approach and a departure, leaving behind the soft and lyrical for the gritty and stark perspective of a new generation.The subtitle says it all: there has never been a book like this.

Buddhism for Beginners


Thubten Chodron - 2001
    It will be of much benefit to its readers." —The Dalai LamaThis user’s guide to Buddhist basics takes the most commonly asked questions—beginning with “What is the essence of the Buddha’s teachings?”—and provides simple answers in plain English. Thubten Chodron’s responses to the questions that always seem to arise among people approaching Buddhism make this an exceptionally complete and accessible introduction—as well as a manual for living a more peaceful, mindful, and satisfying Life. Buddhism for Beginners is an ideal first book on the subject for anyone, but it’s also a wonderful resource for seasoned students, since the question-and-answer format makes it easy to find just the topic you’re looking for, such as:    • What is the goal of the Buddhist path?    • What is karma?    • If all phenomena are empty, does that mean nothing exists?    • How can we deal with fear?    • How do I establish a regular meditation practice?    • What are the qualities I should look for in a teacher?    • What is Buddha-nature?    • Why can't we remember our past lives?

Seven Sins for a Life Worth Living


Roger Housden - 2005
    “The purpose of this book,” says Housden, “is to inspire you to lighten up and fall in love with the world and all that is in it.” Reading it is a pleasure indeed.“When you die,God and the angels will hold you accountablefor all the pleasures you were allowed in life that you denied yourself.”Roger Housden, author of the bestselling Ten Poems series, presents a joyously affirmative, warmly personal, and spiritually illuminating meditation on the virtues of opening ourselves up to pleasures like being foolish, not being perfect, and doing nothing useful, the pleasure of not knowing, and even (would you believe it?) the pleasure of being ordinary.

Living from the Soul: The 7 Spiritual Principles of Ralph Waldo Emerson


Sam Torode - 2020
    Trust Yourself All that you need for growth and guidance 
in life is already present inside you.2. As You Sow, You Will Reap Your thoughts and actions shape your character, 
and your character determines your destiny.3. Nothing Outside You Can Harm YouCircumstances and events don't matter 
as much as how you deal with them.4. The Universe Is Inside You
The world around you is a reflection of the world within you.5. Identify with the InfiniteCenter your identity on the soul 
and your life's purpose will unfold.6. Live in the Present The present moment is your point of power. Eternity is now.7. Seek God WithinThe highest revelation is the divinity of the soul.

The Wisdom of Sundays: Life-Changing Insights from Super Soul Conversations


Oprah Winfrey - 2017
    “I see it as an offering,” she explains. “If you want to be more fully present and live your life with a wide-open heart, this is the place to come to.”Now, for the first time, the aha moments of inspiration and soul-expanding insight that have enlightened millions on the three-time Emmy Award-winning Super Soul Sunday are collected in The Wisdom of Sundays, a beautiful, cherishable, deeply-affecting book.Organized into ten chapters―each one representing a powerful step in Oprah’s own spiritual journey and introduced with an intimate, personal essay by Oprah herself―the Wisdom of Sundays features selections from the most meaningful conversations between Oprah and some of today’s most-admired thought-leaders. Visionaries like Tony Robbins, Arianna Huffington, and Shonda Rhimes share their lessons in finding purpose through mindfulness and intention. World renowned authors and teachers like Eckhart Tolle, Thich Nhat Hahn, Marianne Williamson and Wayne Dyer, explain our complex relationship with the ego and the healing powers of love and connection; and award-winning and bestselling writers like Cheryl Strayed, Elizabeth Gilbert, and Elizabeth Lesser explore the beauty of forgiveness and spirituality.Paired with beautiful photographs, including many from Oprah’s private property in California where each episode of Super Soul Sunday is filmed, The Wisdom of Sundays promises to be a timeless keepsake that will help readers awaken to life’s wondrous possibilities and discover a deeper connection to the natural world around them.

The Authentic Life: Zen Wisdom for Living Free from Complacency and Fear


Ezra Bayda - 2014
    Ezra Bayda has good news: life’s challenges aren’t obstacles to our path—they are the path. Understanding that liberates us to use every aspect of what life presents us with as a way to live with integrity and authenticity—and joy.  In this, as in all his books, Ezra’s teaching is Zen made wonderfully practical, in a way that can apply to anyone’s life. Meditation is the foundation, but it doesn’t stop there. It’s about learning to take the practice of presence we cultivate in meditation to all the rest of our complicated lives. Doing that empowers us to navigate our journey with the integrity and authenticity that are what a satisfying life is all about.

Wanting Enlightenment Is a Big Mistake: Teachings of Zen Master Seung Sahn


Seung Sahn - 2006
    He taught that Zen is not about achieving a goal, but about acting spontaneously from "don't-know mind." It is from this "before-thinking" nature, he taught, that true compassion and the desire to serve others naturally arises. This collection of teaching stories, talks, and spontaneous dialogues with students offers readers a fresh and immediate encounter with one of the great Zen masters of the twentieth century.