The path of awakening is not about becoming who you are. Rather it is about unbecoming who you are not.
-Albert Schweitzer
This is a list of books and resources I have found extremely helpful in my own personal growth.
Let yourself be guided towards the things that resonate, and leave what doesn’t.
If you let it, your intuition will lead you to what your heart needs.
Books
A NEW EARTH by Eckhart Tolle
I tried to read this book 10+ years ago and it just didn’t resonate. It does now. When you are ready to understand and shed your ego, you will know and this book will feel like you’ve come home. I actually listened to the course he did with Oprah first (available on her Podcast “Super Soul Conversations); it is an excellent companion to reading the book itself.
THE EMPATH’S SURVIVAL GUIDE by Judith Orloff, MD
When someone first casually mentioned that I was an Empath, I dismissed her completely. Then I read this book and was like, “ah, there it is.” I completely saw myself for the first time and understood how easily I picked up on other people’s energy/emotions and carried them as my own. Incredibly helpful if you find that you shift emotions quickly or automatically adapt to the energy around you. Being an Empath is an incredible gift, but if you don’t know how to create energetic boundaries, it can be overwhelming and often exhausting. Learning how to tell the difference between our own thoughts/feelings/emotions and what we are picking up from others is critical to our emotional health.
THE AWAKENED FAMILY by Shefali Tsabary, Ph.D.
This book has been such a huge resource for incorporating mindfulness, not just into parenting, but in my every day life. She teaches how our children can be our guides towards becoming more present, and we can work collectively as a family to become more aware and fulfilled. It profoundly changed how I view our role as parents; instead of trying to shove our kids into pre-determined boxes created by our society and culture, our sole job as parents is to deeply listen and learn who they are as individuals and support them along the path as they become their own true selves. Mindblowing.
UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle
This book should be required reading for all humans. She so clearly illustrates the ways that we have been conditioned by our society and culture, and encourages us to shed the layers of conditioning in order to reveal and be our true selves. So powerful and beautiful, and also I just love her writing style. Conversational, funny, relatable. Read this now.
A RETURN TO LOVE by Marianne Williamson
This book helped me get through a really dark period in my life. I was struggling deeply with the idea of “good” and “bad” (both actions and people), and her reflections on A Course In Miracles really helped me to release the judgements that I hold. I no longer feel responsible for others. I can not (and should not) fix anyone. We are all here to learn, and must do it on our own terms. The idea that my only role is to operate from a place of love and truth within myself has been incredibly freeing. Such a profound shift in how I approach life and my relationship with others.
THE GIFTS OF IMPERFECTION by Brené Brown
Seriously, read anything and everything by Brené Brown. But this was my introduction to her voice and work and had a profound impact on me. We live in such a Pinterest and Instagram driven culture, always comparing and seeking perfection. It feels so good to set that down. This book really helped me see the importance of authenticity, and how much more beautiful it is to be real than perfect.
CONVERSATIONS WITH GOD by Neale Donald Walsch
I have struggled with religion my entire life. So many times I have sought a spiritual community, and felt “kicked out” by church or religion (in one case, quite literally). Nothing ever seemed to align with what I felt to be true in my bones. Reading this book was the first illustration of God (Source, Universe, Spirit, etc. however you feel comfortable referring to a higher consciousness) that completely aligned with what I feel to be true in my heart. It allowed me to find the spiritual connection that I was looking for, not through outside voices/doctrines/beliefs, but through myself.
JOURNEY OF SOULS by Michael Newton, Ph.D.
This book has brought me an incredible amount of peace around the idea of death and grief. It has allowed me to release a lot of fear and sadness that I have held, and given me a new perspective on our time here on earth and how it fits into a much larger experience. Every interaction we have is meaningful. Every life lived, no matter how short, has a purpose. I find comfort in the belief that there is a connection between us beyond what we experience in this one human life.
*I have linked each of these to Amazon for further reference, but please consider buying from your local bookstore!
