Books for the Mind, Body and Spirit – Part Two

This was meant to be a short and sweet book round-up, but I obviously had some words on the subject of spirituality. Part one here.

You guys, my craving for soul-searching books just can’t be stopped. It’s borderline obsessive – I try with all my might to engage myself in a fictional piece of work, but I just can’t make it happen right now. I’ve become fascinated with different types of thinking and practices when it comes to the mind/body connection, and most recently, energy work and healing. Can’t stop won’t stop…but it wouldn’t be SO horrible if my brain could just get through The Goldfinch, is all I’m sayin’…

(I know some of you are wondering what is up with me/this blog. Vague mentions of health and hard times, but in actuality, great things are blossoming from the shitty. (As they usually do.) I’ve been steered down some new and eye-opening paths over the past year. I feel like a lot of ideas and concepts have revealed themselves to me, and I’m just trying to figure out how to make it work here at the blog. I mean, don’t you want to hear about spirituality, my 180-degree lifestyle change, meditation, EFT, and energy work? I MEAN, IT IS SO INTERESTING. (To me.) Really, though. It’s mind-blowingly awesome. (To me.))) <– I lost track of the parentheses in this paragraph.

Lots of things have changed, but hey! Lots of things have stayed the same. I still love cream blush and dry shampoo and pointy flats too. However, if you want to talk about your root chakra being blocked, I’m here for you as well. Peace be with you.

(Is this what happens when you turn 40?)

Anyway! Books! Of which I love the most!

The Untethered Soul – Hands down, the best book I’ve read in a loooong time. The owner of my yoga studio (an Ennegram 3, like yours truly) recommended it to me , and it set me on an entirely new path. So grateful for this book.

E2 – 9 Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments – I have so much to say about this book. The proof is in the pudding – by doing these experiments you will clearly see that there is an energy force present around us, and that you draw from it according to your beliefs and expectations. Whatever you focus on expands.

Here’s the deal – a few months ago (after reading The Untethered Soul, actually), I started to really wonder about mindfulness, consciousness, and the energy around us. I was reading a lot and my mind was opening, but there came a point when I considered backing off. I thought to myself, “wouldn’t it just be easier to go about my daily life without spending days/months/years/my lifetime delving into these subjects that could radically alter the way I truly view myself and the world around me? I mean, maybe I should browse the shoes Shopbop.” Hmm.

And then one evening, I remembered reading a comment about this book, and decided what the hell, I would buy it and try some of the experiments. What happened as a result of Experiment #1 was so astonishing that I knew I couldn’t turn back. I had to forge forward. This universal energy (or God or power or light or whatever you choose to call it) made itself known to me through that experiment, and it’s something I think about every. day. since. It put me squarely on the path of finding spiritual enlightenment. To be honest, I didn’t even finish the majority of the experiments in the book after that experience. My eyes were open.

(So, uh, hi there! Welcome to what’s been going on with me lately! Wait. Are you running away? We can still talk about Juan Pablo!)

The Power of Now – Blew my mind. Tolle beautifully explains how living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. (Now, actually doing that is the great challenge.)

Miracles Now – Gabrielle Bernstein is one of the new generation of spiritual thought leaders (see her with Oprah here), and what I adore about her is that she’s a girly girl who loves her lip gloss and shoes and shopping, but is a smart and savvy spiritual powerhouse. Being spiritual and willing to open yourself up to infinite possibilities doesn’t have to be achieved while wearing no makeup and listening to New Age music. Actually, Gabrielle says it better than I ever could in the first minute of this video. Take a look.

Also, for those of you in the LA area, you should come to her Miracles Now workshop this April! I’m counting the days…

Kitchen Table Wisdom – Touching short stories by Rachel Naomi Remen about hope and healing.

The three remaining books are on my to-read list thanks to Oprah. (I’ll never quit you, O!) In the April issue of O Magazine, these three books were included in her Super Soulful Seven.

The Seat of the Soul

The Book of Awakening

The Seeker’s Guide

Have you read any of these? I can’t wait to dive in.

After I finish The Goldfinch, of course.