RESSONANT READINGS
"If we encounter a man of rare intellect, we should ask him what books he reads."
–Ralph Waldo Emerson
For as long as I can remember, I have been a voracious reader, devouring the written word at every opportunity. At first, finding freedom from a dreary northern California town. To the present day, tapping into deeper spiritual living or just a wild ride into a fantasy realm. Every book has shaped who I am and where I am going, listed below are but a few of those which have lived upon my nightstand, and hold sacred space within my heart.
Clicking on any of the titles below will take you either to a PDF or to my favorite used online book retailer, Better World Books, which has "raised millions of dollars for literacy, saved millions of books from landfills, created jobs for hundreds of people, and provided wonderful books to millions of readers worldwide."
By Hermann Hesse
A story of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege to seek spiritual fulfillment. Hesse synthesizes disparate philosophies--Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism--into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man's search for true meaning. - Goodreads
Gifted to me as I began my journey into sobriety, I find this story to be a parallel narrative to my own. I too constantly sought out a deeper sense of meaning and purpose, traveling from place to place, community to community. Delving deeply into philosophy only to find that it did not quite fulfill. It was only upon discovery of the true and sacred self that I found peace. Siddhartha is a reminder of simplicity through the complexity of being.
By Christopher Moore
The birth of Jesus has been well chronicled, as have his glorious teachings, acts, and divine sacrifice after his thirtieth birthday. But no one knows about the early life of the Son of God, the missing years—except Biff, the Messiah's best bud, who has been resurrected to tell the story in the divinely hilarious yet heartfelt work "reminiscent of Vonnegut and Douglas Adams". -Philadelphia Inquirer
As a skeptic and non-believer, I found this tale of Jesus' journey to be far more approachable than the New King James interpretation (Jesus practicing yoga is just the best). LAMB presents the journey of a very real man becoming the Messiah by way of humility and deep inquiry. This story appeals to me not just because of the levity, but through the rich and relatable relationships purveyed by the timeless characters of Jesus, Mary, and his apostles.
By Don Miguel Ruiz
In The Four Agreements, don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a powerful code of conduct that can rapidly transform our lives to a new experience of freedom, true happiness, and love. The Four Agreements are: Be Impeccable With Your Word, Don't Take Anything Personally, Don't Make Assumptions, Always Do Your Best.- Goodreads
Every day I do battle with the human condition which balks in the face of the Four Agreements. As my ego is alarmingly attached to the qualities which bring much suffering and pain into one's life. The simple, yet difficult code of conducts provides guideposts to happiness and health into my life. I do not practice them regularly enough, but when I do, life becomes infinitely easier to endure.
By Peter Block
How is community built? How does the transformation occur? What fundamental shifts are involved? He explores a way of thinking about our places that creates an opening for authentic communities to exist and details what each of us can do to make that happen.- Goodreads
Peter Block is just enough anarchist, just enough Yogi, just enough idealist to grasp and keep my attention. His deep understanding of the critical failures of our institutions and deep confliction within human nature provides a highly fascinating, borderline nihilistic commentary which invites in just the right amount of starry-eyed idealism to bolster hope for a better tomorrow.
By Charles Eisenstein
In a time of social and ecological crisis, what can we as individuals do to make the world a better place? This inspirational and thought-provoking book serves as an empowering antidote to the cynicism, frustration, paralysis, and overwhelm so many of us are feeling, replacing it with a grounding reminder of what’s true: we are all connected, and our small, personal choices bear unsuspected transformational power. By fully embracing and practicing this principle of interconnectedness—called interbeing—we become more effective agents of change and have a stronger positive influence on the world.- Goodreads
When I need a wholesale reconstructive blueprint for a better tomorrow, which doesn't call for a nuclear holocaust, I reach for "The More Beautiful World..." This book can only be understood in the right time of life, in a certain frame of mind (much like the music of Bob Dylan). For me, it was directly following the completion of a Yoga Teacher Training. I was grounded, clear-minded, and healthy for once. The proposed design for a living felt possible, even inevitable.
By Rolf Gates
Some days, I am really on the beam. Those days usually begin with a healthy dose of prayer, meditation, stretching and readings from spiritual books. Specifically, Meditations form the Mat: Â 365 daily reflections which offer a way to integrate the mindfulness that yoga teaches into everyday life.
By Ivan Illach
"An address by Monsignor Ivan Illich to the Conference on InterAmerican Student Projects (CIASP) in Cuernavaca, Mexico, on April 20, 1968. In his usual biting and sometimes sarcastic style, Illich goes to the heart of the deep dangers of paternalism inherent in any voluntary service activity, but especially in any international service "mission." Parts of the speech are outdated and must be viewed in the historical context of 1968 when it was delivered, but the entire speech is retained for the full impact of his point and at Ivan Illich's request."
As a kid, I wanted to be a missionary. I wasn't religious, but I was hoping to save folks. Save them from the neo-colonialism which is spread through religious "missions". At 14 years old, I was a deep skeptic and even deeper rebel. Upon reading this my junior year of college, at age 32ish, I realized that somethings ever change.
Written under duress by Hunter S. Thompson
Much like Ivan Illach, Hunter S. Thompson's cynicism drastically shaped my interpretation of civilization and the human condition. The original AntiFa, Thompson's politics and flair for dramatics have long influenced my own complex relationship with modern American Culture. Although we disagree on a number of topics (Ayn Rand being one), I deeply appreciate his raw, unapologetic narrative of the depravity of humanity, poetically woven between the yearning for a better existence for which he cautiously longed.
