My Top 10 Most Influential Spiritual Books

There are many pointers to the truth . . .

My bookshelves are littered with books on spirituality, mysticism, religion, philosophy, and traditional science. It is an eclectic mix to say the least. Some might say, “Why do you have so many books? Don’t they all say the same thing?”  They do. And they don’t. Each author is attempting to express their truth using his or her beliefs, experiences, and cultural norms. I guess I find it reassuring that these books do have overlapping messages. To me it means that these teachers are all having a similar conversation with the Universe.

Of course, all of the world’s great spiritual teachers have told us that the truth lies within. That is, if we are able to cultivate a conscious connection with Source, with the Universe, that we will know the truth. I believe this to be so. However, it can be helpful to have pointers to the truth. You must make the discoveries on your own, but it helps to have a general direction to follow on your path.

I have spent well over 40 years searching for spiritual truths. This search has taking me many places. And my beliefs have changed over time. Reincarnation. Soul development. Near death experiences. Spiritual practices. Religious truths. Consciousness. The nature of Reality. My beliefs have been influenced many times as I read and reflect.

In the end, it is impossible to describe that which is ineffable, indescribable. In this world of form in which we live, truths can never be fully described with words. They must be experienced. And these experiences must be integrated into your very soul. This Earth school is an intense experience generator. And your soul is an expert experience integrator!

However, if you would like to generate some potentially different and interesting experiences for your soul, here are some pointers that may lead you to do so:

1.       The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. This was and is a ground-breaking book. Eckhart describes his transformation from a state of depression to a state of enlightenment. After he had his enlightenment experience, he realized that he was no longer having thoughts. This in turn led him to the truth that the present moment is all that there ever is. And the implications for that are fantastic.

2.       Discover the Power Within You: A Guide to the Unexplored Depths Within by Eric Butterworth. Eric was a Unity minister. This book is his seminal work in my opinion. In the book, Eric describes Jesus as having a mystical experience—an experience of direct connection with Source. Eric makes the strong case that, you too, can have this same experience.

3.       Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki. In this classic book, Suzuki introduces the reader to Zen Buddhism. And specifically, how to approach a meditation practice by taking on a “beginner’s mind”. This book was influential in my own meditation practice and took me on a search for other practices to cultivate a direct connection to the Universe.

4.       Jesus: Uncovering the Life, Teachings, and Relevance of a Religious Revolutionary by Marcus Borg. Borg is my favorite New Testament scholar. In this book, Borg uncovers a more historical view of Jesus. That is, what can we know about the historical Jesus and his teachings? Borg does a great job of describing what are likely historical facts about Jesus and his teachings. There is a surprising consensus among scholars. This is in contrast to the stories about Jesus (which are also important to many). Borg handles this topic with grace and objectivity.

5.       The Hidden Gospel by Neil Douglas-Klotz. This is a fascinating book to me. We know that Jesus taught and spoke in Aramaic. In turns out that there is an Aramaic version of the Gospels called the Peshitta which dates to the 4th century C.E.  Neil takes the reader on a fascinating journey and exploration of the teachings of Jesus as translated from the Aramaic. The Aramaic translations can take on a much more mystical tone for the teachings of Jesus.  When viewed from an Aramaic lens, for example, there is no sin—only mistakes. The spiritual progress of a person can be likened to a piece of fruit:  It is either ripe or unripe.  This implies to me that we are all a work in progress.

6.       Life Before Life: Children’s Memories of Previous Lives by Dr. Jim Tucker. I’ve written several articles on the topic of reincarnation. I did not always believe in reincarnation. This book and other similar ones changed my mind. There are thousands of documented cases of very small children who have past-life memories. They simply have knowledge that should not possess. Interestingly, some of the children’s claims can be verified in their current life, thus proving the truth of what they say. If reincarnation is true, it implies a fantastic system and structure for the development of your soul.

7.       Dying To Be Me by Anita Moorjani. Anita tells the story of her miraculous near-death experience and subsequent spontaneous healing from cancer. Her story is similar to thousands of other near-death experiencers who all claim that our souls are here to learn the lessons of unconditional love.

8.       Memories of the Afterlife: Life Between Lives edited by Dr. Michael Newton. This book is a collection of stories from people who were hypnotically regressed to the time between lives. Dr. Newton discovered this in-between time accidentally while he was performing a hypnotic regression (to an early life experience). Newton went on to train other hypno-therapists how to regress people to the time in-between their time on Earth. What emerges is a fantastic story that is eerily consistent from person to person. Your soul has a support structure for its development. You chose this lifetime to learn many life lessons. Your soul is on a never-ending quest to expand itself and to know that it is love and light.

9.       The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot. The subtitle for this book is extra-descriptive: The revolutionary theory of reality that explains the latest frontiers of physics; the paranormal abilities of the mind; the unsolved riddles of brain and body.  This book starts to scratch at the surface of our understanding of reality. There is more than this world of space and time. It seems that there are hidden dimensions where everything and everyone is connected. Consciousness appears to be primary and fundamental. That is, space and time arise from consciousness.

10.   A Walk in the Physical: Understanding the Human Experience within the Larger Spiritual Context by Christian Sundberg.  This book is a tour de force description of why you are here on Earth and why your soul chose this life. Christian relies on his pre-birth memories which came to him spontaneously after many years of a meditation practice. In other words, Christian is relating what he knows to be true (rather than what he believes). This is a complex and thorough treatment of your soul’s development here in the Earth school. There are a number of short essays and a fantastic Q&A section in the book. I feel that there are so many truths in this book.

And I will provide you with one bonus book. And that book is my first book, The Hidden Teachings. That book is a compilation of spiritual truths as distilled from the New Testament and other spiritual teachings. It has been influential to me. But not because the teachings were new or original.

The Hidden Teachings is important to me, however. It’s important in that we sometimes teach the things that we need to learn the most. I believe all of the principles that I articulate in The Hidden Teachings. However, I am still very much a student in applying those principles in my day-to-day life.

Every day is an opportunity for me to live the teachings. Sometimes I live up to the teachings, and many other times I don’t. It is part of our human condition. We are all here learning life lessons in this intense life school.

However, the beautiful thing about life is that every moment is an opportunity for growth. There is nothing but the present moment. The past and the future are not real. Only the present moment is real.

So, take a moment to breathe in this present moment. Pause for a few seconds. Be grateful for the moment. Realize that you are a beautiful soul learning many lessons here on Earth.

You are a spiritual warrior on a spiritual journey. My hope is that the books I have shared with you will take you ever further on your journey.

Always let your light shine!

Sean