My favorite books on transformation for enlightenment

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a transformational teacher and author based in San Diego, California. I am a being just like you, the very same in essence. Born with an unstoppable yearning for Truth. Through an unwavering quest for the ultimate, I came to a profound realization. Of our infinite nature. You can too! Books played an important part in this quest, especially in the beginning. We are blessed with great teachers speaking to us across time and across dimensions through their words as they transmit their blessings for our enlightenment.


I wrote...

Just Be: Transform Your Life and Live as Infinity

By Suresh Ramaswamy,

Book cover of Just Be: Transform Your Life and Live as Infinity

What is my book about?

In Just Be, I distill the profound revelations about consciousness and transformation that I came to cognize through intuition and meditation. I felt inspired to share these insights because they can quickly alleviate your suffering and bring you to Truth. 

I offer a framework to understand life and the transformational journey. I share powerful techniques to lift your consciousness. And most importantly, included in this award-winning book is a powerful vibrational component to uplift you and help shift your consciousness.

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The books I picked & why

Book cover of A Search in Secret India

Suresh Ramaswamy Why did I love this book?

In my teens, I came across this book during a summer vacation visiting my dear grandparents. It felt like Paul Brunton had the same yearning as I did for uncovering hidden but profound truths. Such truths are buried but alive. Luckily, they can be rediscovered through the experiences of remarkable mystics who have dedicated their life to realization. 

I was spellbound reading Paul’s adventures from nearly a century back. And the account of how his quest finally led him to a great sage who taught primarily through silence and transmission is fantastic!

By Paul Brunton,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked A Search in Secret India as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'He found many marvelous things...But now and then a man of real spirituality set his feet on the way that finally led him to what he had looked and hoped for.' New York Times Book Review

The late Paul Brunton was one of the twentieth century's greatest explorers of and writers on the spiritual traditions of the East. A Search in Secret India is the story of Paul Brunton's journey around India, living among yogis, mystics and gurus, some of whom he found convincing, others not. He finally finds the peace and tranquility which come with self-knowledge when he meets…


Book cover of Be Here Now

Suresh Ramaswamy Why did I love this book?

I recall spending a few days with Ram Dass in Aspen, Colorado, several decades back and enjoying his fascinating stories and spiritual perspectives. Back in the sixties, Ram Dass traveled to India and found his trained intellect humbled when confronted with the powerful truths his teacher revealed. He found himself shifting from a mind-based orientation to a heart-based approach. 

I love this book because Ram Dass distills what he learned and shares it from his heart while breaking all the typical rules of what a book should look like. You’ll see it in every aspect: from the cover design to the layout and paper, the illustrations, and the timeless truths—all inspired high-vibe content.

By Ram Dass,

Why should I read it?

8 authors picked Be Here Now as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Beloved guru Ram Dass tells the story of his spiritual awakening and gives you the tools to take control of your life in this “counterculture bible” (The New York Times) featuring powerful guidance on yoga, meditation, and finding your true self.

When Be Here Now was first published in 1971, it filled a deep spiritual emptiness, launched the ongoing mindfulness revolution, and established Ram Dass as perhaps the preeminent seeker of the twentieth century.

Just ten years earlier, he was known as Professor Richard Alpert. He held appointments in four departments at Harvard University. He published books, drove a Mercedes…


Book cover of Collision with the Infinite: A Life Beyond the Personal Self

Suresh Ramaswamy Why did I love this book?

In this book, Suzanne has done a remarkable job of giving us a feel for the transcendent self. An everyday event thrust her into the non-self, which she found confusing and disorienting. However, as she eventually settles into the state and unpacks it for us, we find a clear and refreshing description that is beautiful. Highly readable if you can get your hands on a copy.

By Suzanne Segal,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Collision with the Infinite as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A new edition of this spiritual classic with a preface by Stephan Bodian, friend of the late author and the original editor of Collision with the Infinite.

Stephan writes: “Since the book first appeared in 1996, spiritual awakening and the nondual perspective it reveals have become increasingly popular among seekers who realize the limitations of progressive practices and want more immediate access to the limitless openness and freedom of their essential nature. At the same time, a number of teachers have emerged who point directly to this truth and invite their students to inquire into their experience, rest in awareness,…


Book cover of The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

Suresh Ramaswamy Why did I love this book?

I find death fascinating. To live fearlessly and with purpose requires an understanding of death. I found this superbly written book to be invaluable in the process. 

The Tibetan tradition has had much to offer us about the process of dying and post-death states. This remarkable knowledge is made quite accessible through this book.

By Sogyal Rinpoche,

Why should I read it?

5 authors picked The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Explains the Tibetan understanding of what happens when a person dies, and how this can help in a person's daily life, in caring for the terminally ill and the bereaved, and to deepen one's understanding of life.


Book cover of God Talks with Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita

Suresh Ramaswamy Why did I love this book?

This treatise is no ordinary commentary on the sacred Bhagavad Gita. Every page in this two-volume set is loaded with spiritual wisdom! Each time I dip into it, I emerge with clarity and upliftment. 

Paramahansa Yogananda put himself in a state of attunement with the originators of this sacred text as he wrote this commentary. The result is unparalleled insights into the yogic path and practical wisdom for higher consciousness. Easily the best writing on the Gita I have come across.

By Paramahansa Yogananda,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked God Talks with Arjuna as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Bhagavad Gita is India's most sacred text - the 'Hindu' Bible. Yogananda's translation and commentary brings a unique and deeply penetrating insight into this great scripture, which is widely regarded as one of the most comprehensive books available on the science and philosophy of Yoga. God Talks With Arjuna explains the Bhagavad Gita's profoundest spiritual, psychological, and metaphysical truths, long obscured by metaphor and allegory. Yogananda takes Lord Krishna's counsel to the warrior Arjuna and applies it to our everyday struggles with the human ego. Our greatest battle he explains, like Arjuna's, takes place within our own minds as…


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Shadow of the Hidden

By Kev Harrison,

Book cover of Shadow of the Hidden

Kev Harrison Author Of Below

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

Author Storyteller Traveller Horror addict Reader

Kev's 3 favorite reads in 2023

What is my book about?

It’s Seb’s last day working in Turkey, but his friend Oz has been cursed. Superstition turns to terror as the effects of the ancient malediction spill over, and the lives of Oz and his family hang in the balance. Can Seb find the answers to remove the hex before it’s too late?

Journey with Seb, Oz, and Deniz across ancient North African cities as they seek to banish the Shadow of the Hidden.

Shadow of the Hidden

By Kev Harrison,

What is this book about?

It’s Seb’s last day working in Turkey, but his friend Oz has been cursed. Superstition turns to terror as the effects of the ancient malediction spill over and the lives of Oz and his family hang in the balance. Can Seb find the answers to remove the hex before it’s too late?

From Kev Harrison, author of The Balance and Below, journey with Seb, Oz and Deniz across ancient North African cities as they seek to banish the Shadow of the Hidden.


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