Here’s my list of 5 must-read spiritual books: independent of any one God, open to criticism, giving readers goosebumps, and hopefully answering some questions about the ‘soul’.
These were the books that I read during the first few months of my spiritual awakening and have really helped put the journey into perspective. And so, I hope you will enjoy them just as much!
#1 – Many Lives, Many Masters by Dr. Brian Weiss
This was where my journey began. I picked this book up at the airport on a whim, and by the time I reached home from the flight, my life had changed. This work is worth your attention because it’s written by a psychiatrist who’s just as skeptical about writing it, as the reader reading it.
What does he talk about? Past lives! So, he discovers answers to questions like – do we really reincarnate? Why do we have unexplained fears or likings towards places and people? How does hypnosis work, and is it safe to undergo such therapy? It also reveals fascinating information from the souls that are guiding us from above, whom the author calls Masters.
I was so fascinated and inspired, I went for a past life regression myself! Here are my experiences from the time.
Many Lives, Many Masters is a compelling read, because you get a good mixture of psychological therapies, healing, and some respite from the countless questions we ask about life and why things are the way they are.
The best part is that even after decades, the book is changing millions of lives, and has compelling evidence scientifically proving the existence of life beyond life. Here are some other reading recommendations for anyone seeking ‘evidence’ that spirituality is real.
#2 – Illusions by Richard Bach
If you’ve enjoyed the Alchemist by Paulo Coelho, you’ll surely love this one.
The disclaimer on this book by the author was: it’s up to you to believe if this is a true story or not. Regardless of whether this book is based on a true story or is spiritual fiction, it’s a classic recommendation.
In short, it’s an account of an enlightened “Master”. Except he isn’t like the Buddha, enlightening other people. He’s low-key about his self-realization. And, he’s actually quite mischievous, as he goes about bending the rules of the 3D world with his heightened awareness and powers!
He’s presented as a mystical character that keeps a book of spiritual secrets, which he slowly reveals to the author through the course of this book. Book-ception, ha!
#3 – Journey of Souls by Michael Newton
Another psychiatrist set out to explore what happens between lives, or after death. It is complementary to yet distinct from Dr. Brian’s book and makes a great read if you want more clarity on metaphysical questions.
In Journey of Souls, you will find heavy (at times, intimidating) introspection for profound questions like –
- what happens after we die,
- what happens before we’re born,
- why we have challenging lives and how we actually opt for them,
- how soulmates find their way back to each other,
- what ‘heaven’ looks like,
- the truth about spirit guides, etc.
The fascinating thing is, the book is a collection of credible and validated case studies from dozens of patients who, in a ‘Superconscious’ state, began to talk about similar experiences of the afterlife. As a result, Dr. Newton’s work was pioneering and revolutionized the approach to metaphysical reality.
#4 – Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch (Part 1)
Okay, so we’ve discussed past lives and between lives. What about this life? One day, the author of my next recommended spiritual book began automatic writing. The conversation was literally, with God!
I thoroughly enjoyed this book for its humorous and impartial perspective.
One thing this book taught me is – God doesn’t get offended! So, mock him, or love him, he’s all the same. But, it will shake your core religious beliefs, and if you’re an atheist, it might even convert you to a fan of the Universe.
This book, Conversations with God works beautifully to move you from a God-fearing and Karma-fearing to a God-loving and Karma-appreciating person. It also makes you stop resenting God, and take up responsibility for your actions in life. Empowering, funny and revolutionary!
This is a powerful series with 4 parts and you might just end up reading through all of them.
#5 – The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer
While most of the previous spiritual books in the list are research-based and scientific, this one is grounding, through daily, practical outlook changes.
What I enjoyed the most about this book are the analogies! This author knows how to break things down for you. He does this by giving you a lot of easy practices to try – how to push your own buttons, how to accelerate your spiritual understanding, and how to truly heal.
A great deal of explanation is provided on key concepts such as detachment, surrendering, and even the Tao way!
The Untethered Soul isn’t meant to be finished in one go. But if you give it time to sink in, it will transform your life. Therefore, timeless and essential for every person on the Spiritual path who’s learning to deal with their ‘monkey mind’.
Michael continues to inspire the world with his teachings, and my newly found admiration is for his youtube video, where he simplifies the different types of yoga and talks about becoming a Karma Yogi.
Concluding Thoughts
While there are many great spiritual books out there, these books have set the foundation of my own journey in the first year of my spiritual awakening. If you’d like to check out more of my recommendations, here are my other book reviews:
- 15 Life-Changing Lessons I Learned from Reading Spiritual Memoirs
- 5 New Spiritual Authors Worth Giving A Chance To
- 15 Influential Spiritual Authors Worth Reading
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Hi there! Thanks for sharing. I’m excited to read Conversations with God. It’s the second time I have heard it mentioned in a short amount of time. Must be a sign. I read Many Lives, Many Masters and couldn’t put it down as well as The Surrender Experiment.
Hey Ashlee, that’s so awesome! I definitely think it’s a sign to read Conversations with God! These books are life-changing in so many ways, can’t wait to hear what you feel about Neale Donald Walsh’s work 🙂
You should also try Surrender experiment, Siddhartha and The four agreements
Yes great books, they’re in my other recommendations! 🙂
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