100 books like Meditations of the Heart

By Howard Thurman,

Here are 100 books that Meditations of the Heart fans have personally recommended if you like Meditations of the Heart. Shepherd is a community of 11,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Book cover of Year of Yes: How to Dance It Out, Stand In the Sun and Be Your Own Person

Tereill Peay Author Of My Broken Stiletto: A Woman's Guide to Up Leveling Your Faith, Finances, and Fashion

From my list on to improve style, increase cash, illuminate confidence.

Why am I passionate about this?

Throughout my journey, I’ve had to endure many challenges coming from humble beginnings so I wrote my book based on my experiences of being the 1st generational college graduate to overcoming many obstacles that affected my self-esteem while running a multimillion-dollar branch in the banking industry. Writing My Broken Stiletto allowed me to showcase that being resilient is a mindset that can be challenging but worth the reward when you get out of your own way.

Tereill's book list on to improve style, increase cash, illuminate confidence

Tereill Peay Why did Tereill love this book?

This book gave me the inspiration that I could release the people-pleasing effect and learned to say yes to myself.

This book helped me to examine my belief system of how I approach my self-image and how that affected the people around me including my family and friends.

If you are a creative person, an entrepreneur, a mom, or someone struggling with balancing your life and tend to put yourself last, this book will help you shift your mindset and perspective to show up authentically for yourself first.

Having a list of demands on your neck can feel overwhelming and Shonda shows us how to handle it all from her mishaps all while looking amazingly stunning in the process. For me, it was allowing myself to relinquish control and say yes to the things that light me up.

Shonda’s journey of navigating Hollywood lets us know that we all have…

By Shonda Rhimes,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Year of Yes as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

As the mega-talented creator of Grey's Anatomyand Scandaland executive producer of How to Get Away with Murderand the single mom of three children, Shonda Rhimes had lots of good reasons to say NO when an unexpected invitation arrived. Hollywood party? No. Speaking engagement? No. Media appearances? No. [The side benefit of saying No for an introvert like her: nothing new to fear.]

Then Shonda's sister laid down a challenge: just for one year, try to say YES to the invitations that come your way. Shonda reluctantly agreed?and the result was nothing short of transformative. In YEAR OF YES, Shonda Rhimes…


Book cover of The Conscious Professional: Transform Your Life at Work

Sonya Bruton Author Of Finding Your Way in the Nonprofit Sector: Your Portable Mentor for Avoiding Pitfalls and Seizing Opportunities

From my list on getting you out of the way to find your way.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a clinical psychologist I know how critical it is to have someone help you see beyond where you can see yourself. Authors have served that role for me at every stage of my development. It boils down to a pretty simple equation, how we think and feel determines how we behave. The path to different starts in your mind, and books are one of the most successful activators of your thoughts. My path of self-discovery led me to these books and the wisdom within them continue to expand my opportunities. I hope they serve as a launch pad for you.

Sonya's book list on getting you out of the way to find your way

Sonya Bruton Why did Sonya love this book?

This book brought me valuable mindset and skillset shifts as promised, but one of the unexpected jewels was the language that it gave me for valuing work. 

I have never been good at negotiating the highest salary and therefore had to learn pretty early in my career not to equate my pay with my worth. I received from this book the language that I needed to represent that money is not the only form of payment in a job. 

The reader learns that wages are the first paycheck and there are three more. I have learned along the way that my greatest earnings have come from the emotional rewards from my work in the nonprofit sector (2nd paycheck) and the added skills and professional growth gained (3rd paycheck). 

By Jessica Hartung,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Conscious Professional as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

It’s Time for a More Conscious Approach to Work. Every day, in offices around the world, people long for a fulfilling career that makes a positive difference. Purpose-driven professionals struggle to connect the dots between what they do every day and the larger impact they want to make in life. If that describes you, no matter the type of organization you work for or your role in it, you can begin growing toward that kind of influence. You can take charge of your day-to-day experiences and radically transform your life at work—all by learning to leverage daily opportunities to grow…


Book cover of The Dream Giver: Pursuing your God Given Destiny

Sonya Bruton Author Of Finding Your Way in the Nonprofit Sector: Your Portable Mentor for Avoiding Pitfalls and Seizing Opportunities

From my list on getting you out of the way to find your way.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a clinical psychologist I know how critical it is to have someone help you see beyond where you can see yourself. Authors have served that role for me at every stage of my development. It boils down to a pretty simple equation, how we think and feel determines how we behave. The path to different starts in your mind, and books are one of the most successful activators of your thoughts. My path of self-discovery led me to these books and the wisdom within them continue to expand my opportunities. I hope they serve as a launch pad for you.

Sonya's book list on getting you out of the way to find your way

Sonya Bruton Why did Sonya love this book?

This book fosters inward reflection, perseverance, and pathways to your big dream(s). 

I read it at a time in my life when I was stuck. I have built my professional reputation on successfully taking people, places and ideas from one level to the next.

The conviction that everyone can achieve their goals was cemented for me in this book about a Nobody named ordinary living in a place called familiar. Rooting my life in things that were familiar, had me unable to move. 

After reading this book, I earned two master's degrees and a Doctorate, and moved three times. The second half of the book offers coaching with a religious foundation that may distract some readers from the lessons. The first half of the book is sufficient in those cases.  

By Bruce Wilkinson, David Kopp, Heather Kopp

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Dream Giver as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Bestselling author Bruce Wilkinson shows how to identify and overcome the obstacles that keep millions from living the life they were created for. He begins with a compelling modern-day parable about Ordinary, who dares to leave the Land of Familiar to pursue his Big Dream. With the help of the Dream Giver, Ordinary begins the hardest and most rewarding journey of his life. Wilkinson gives readers practical, biblical keys to fulfilling their own dream, revealing that there's no limit to what God can accomplish when we choose to pursue the dreams He gives us for His honor.

Are you living…


Book cover of The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World

Sonya Bruton Author Of Finding Your Way in the Nonprofit Sector: Your Portable Mentor for Avoiding Pitfalls and Seizing Opportunities

From my list on getting you out of the way to find your way.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a clinical psychologist I know how critical it is to have someone help you see beyond where you can see yourself. Authors have served that role for me at every stage of my development. It boils down to a pretty simple equation, how we think and feel determines how we behave. The path to different starts in your mind, and books are one of the most successful activators of your thoughts. My path of self-discovery led me to these books and the wisdom within them continue to expand my opportunities. I hope they serve as a launch pad for you.

Sonya's book list on getting you out of the way to find your way

Sonya Bruton Why did Sonya love this book?

For me enduring joy has been elusive and too easily stolen. 

This book provides an active course for capturing it and holding on to it. One area that hit the bullseye for me was the need for laughter in the maintenance of joy. I was rewarded as a child for being serious and responsible. 

As a result, they are my learned defaults. The truth, however, is that they are not my natural way. Those close to me always note that I am funny, but if you are just meeting me or encounter me in a work setting, you would never guess this. 

Unleashing laughter in all settings has become my new goal.   

By Dalai Lama, Desmond Tutu, Douglas Carlton Abrams

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Book of Joy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Two spiritual giants. Seven days. One timeless question.

'The ultimate source of happiness is within us.' DALAI LAMA

'We grow in kindness when our kindness is tested.' DESMOND TUTU

Archbishop Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama have been friends for many, many years. Between them, they have endured exile, violence and oppression. And in the face of these hardships, they have continued to radiate compassion, humour and above all, joy.

To celebrate His Holiness's eightieth birthday, Archbishop Tutu travelled to the Dalai Lama's home in Dharamsala. The two men spent a week discussing a single burning question: how do we…


Book cover of So You Want to be a Medium? A Down-to-earth Guide

T.M. Simmons Author Of Southern Charms

From my list on magical realms and spiritual enlightenment.

Why am I passionate about this?

I started writing way back in grade school, and I love to read. My first book came out in 1990, after much work and many classes. It was one of the proudest days of my life. To date, I've published over forty books, both fiction and non-fiction. I worked hard on my writing and, later, also on developing my psychic gifts to help lost, lonely souls. Both are the result of lots of studying and development, but both of which give me immense satisfaction. Along with years of writing experience, I have over thirty years of paranormal investigative experience.

T.M.'s book list on magical realms and spiritual enlightenment

T.M. Simmons Why did T.M. love this book?

This book is chock full of more advanced lessons for improving your gifts of psychic abilities.

It was my crew's second "textbook." The Sanders program guide laid a good foundation to build upon, and this book expanded on those lessons. Vanden Eynden calls it a down-to-earth guide, and it is. It has a different slant, more into meditation to get in touch with your spirit guides. But she has a wealth of other information.

The SRT crew enjoyed her lessons and found their gifts growing even more. We use these abilities in our investigations, which are becoming geared to helping homeowners with problematic or malevolent ghosts.

By Rose Vanden Eynden,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked So You Want to be a Medium? A Down-to-earth Guide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Are you fascinated by the spirit world? Wish you could communicate with loved ones on the Other Side? According to Spiritualist minister Rose Vanden Eynden, everyone possesses innate capabilities for spirit communication. Emphasizing the principles of modern Spiritualism, So You Want to Be a Medium? demonstrates how to enhance one's spiritual senses for working between worlds.

Through exercises involving meditation, breathing, dream work, symbols, and energy systems, the author teaches how to prepare one's mind and body for spiritual communication. Readers also learn about the many kinds of spirit guides and elemental energies, how to get in touch with them,…


Book cover of Meditation and Kabbalah

Daniel C. Matt Author Of God and the Big Bang: Discovering Harmony Between Science and Spirituality

From my list on Jewish spirituality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a scholar of Kabbalah. My father was a rabbi and I grew up studying Torah with him. He was deeply spiritual, and that drew me to exploring the mystical Judaism. After completing my Ph.D. in Jewish studies, I traveled to India, meditated in the Himalayas, and discovered how mystical teachings East and West are remarkably similar. I taught Jewish spirituality for 20 years at a graduate school in Berkeley. Then a wealthy family approached me and commissioned me to translate the Zohar, the masterpiece of Kabbalah. This took me 18 years and the translation was published in 9 volumes by Stanford University. Now I teach Zohar online.

Daniel's book list on Jewish spirituality

Daniel C. Matt Why did Daniel love this book?

This book concentrates on the experiential side of Kabbalah (the Jewish mystical tradition).

Kaplan describes many techniques of meditation, based on original sources that he translates from Hebrew and Aramaic. He includes teachings from the Talmud, early Jewish mystical texts, the Zohar, Abraham Abulfia, Isaac Luria, and Ḥasidic masters.

This is a very rich collection, which will introduce you to a many profound and inspiring teachings. Kaplan is able to explain complex ideas clearly.

By Aryeh Kaplan,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Meditation and Kabbalah as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Kabbalah is divided into three branches-the theoretical, the meditative, and the practical. While many books, both in Hebrew and English, have explored the theoretical Kabbalah, virtually nothing has been published regarding the meditative methods of these schools. This is the first book published in any language that reveals the methodology of the Kabbalists and stresses the meditative techniques that were essential to their discipline. Kaplan offers a lucid presentation of the mantras, mandalas, and other devices used by these schools, as well as a penetrating interpretation of their significance in light of contemporary meditative research. In addition, Meditation and…


Book cover of Emmanuel's Book: A Manual for Living Comfortably in the Cosmos

Joe Stillman Author Of The Man Who Came and Went

From my list on to inspire your personal mystical quest.

Why am I passionate about this?

Back in New York, while struggling to be a screenwriter, I was spiritually questing. My friends and I read “books that change lives”. New age books, self-help, mystical, spiritual. We meditated with crystals. We dabbled in tofu. And our lives did change. Some moved to Santa Fe. Some took up Reiki. I found my way to LA to write for TV and film. Throughout my time there, I was working on my own story to tell, like the ones I had loved in New York. That story eventually morphed into The Man Who Came and Went. For me and my friends at least, these books really did change lives.

Joe's book list on to inspire your personal mystical quest

Joe Stillman Why did Joe love this book?

I saved the best for last. In the mid-’80s, I was in a meditation group, and though we were centered around the teachings of Edgar Cayce, we read every new age and self-help book that came along. Far and away our favorite, with the most inspiring viewpoint, was Emmanuel’s Book. It was written a bit like poetry and I think there’s a reason for that. Emmanuel had a way of bypassing the human mind and speaking to us on a level deeper. As he liked to say: “Your life is none of your mind’s business.” Emmanuel has a way of putting you in contact with a knowing place within. As to whether or not you stay there, well that’s your personal mystical problem. 

By Pat Rodegast, Judith Stanton,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Emmanuel's Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Here is the revealing underground classic, a work  that stands beside the "Seth" books as a  delightful and invaluable guide to our inner  spirit and our outer world. Emmanuel speaks to us  through Pat Rodegast and shares his wisdom and  insights on all aspects of life. Beautifully written and  illustrated, Emmanuel's Book I  is to be treasured, enjoyed and passed on to a  friend. Emmanuel says: "The gifts I wish to  give you are my deepest love, the safety of truth,  the wisdom of the universe and the reality of God .  . . . The issue of whether there…


Book cover of The No-Nonsense Meditation Book: A Scientist's Guide to the Power of Meditation

Dominique Antiglio Author Of The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology: Breathe and Connect with the Calm and Happy You

From my list on self-awareness from a Sophrologist.

Why am I passionate about this?

Dominique Antiglio is a Qualified Sophrologist, former Osteopath, and best-selling author based in London. Sophrology is a simple practice for mental well-being supporting everyone to tap into the unlimited resources of consciousness and become empowered in daily life. Having used Sophrology to overcome her own issues as a teenager, Dominique is passionate about how each one of us can find resilience and meaning through difficult times. She is a world-leading Sophrologist, founder of BeSophro, a leading Sophrology clinic in London and a Sophrology platform so everyone can learn to practice the method based on relaxation, breathing, visualisation and movement. Dominique gained her Master's in Caycedian Sophrology under Professor Caycedo.

Dominique's book list on self-awareness from a Sophrologist

Dominique Antiglio Why did Dominique love this book?

It is difficult to find books that have both a solid research background and explain concepts in a manner that is easy to understand. As a Sophrologist, I have a strong interest in scientific studies that measure how meditative practices like mindfulness, sophrology, or transcendental meditation can transform our brain and therefore our consciousness. Dr. Laureys has written a captivating book, sharing his rigorous scientific approach while using an accessible tone throughout on how the brain of meditation masters of our time have transformed their brains. This book makes you want to take up meditation and explore the infinite possibilities of the mind.

By Steven Laureys,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The No-Nonsense Meditation Book as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER

As featured in New Scientist: 'Meditation could retune our brains and help us cope with the long-term effects of the pandemic'

'Readers in search of an introduction to mindfulness that's free of woo-woo promises should look no further.' Publishers Weekly

'For a boost to your wellbeing don't miss the brilliant The No-Nonsense Meditation Book, which unites brain science with practical tips' - Stylist

Rigorously researched and deeply illuminating, world-leading neurologist Dr Steven Laureys works with celebrated meditators to scientifically prove the positive impact meditation has on our brains.

Dr Steven Laureys has conducted ground-breaking research into human consciousness…


Book cover of Luminous Darkness: An Engaged Buddhist Approach to Embracing the Unknown

Diana Winston Author Of The Little Book of Being: Practices and Guidance for Uncovering Your Natural Awareness

From my list on Buddhist stories from lesser-known women authors.

Why am I passionate about this?

There are so many good spiritual books out there that get little attention, especially books by women and women of color. I have been a meditation practitioner for three decades, running a mindfulness center at UCLA, and been teaching and sharing Buddhist and mindfulness teaching for 20+ years. I need my sources of inspiration too! Each of these books forced me to think—and brought new depth to my own meditation practice. I am interested in how the Buddhist and mindfulness teachings, which I love so deeply, can help us build resiliency and weather the challenges of the intersecting, current ecological, political and social crises. These books are a great start.

Diana's book list on Buddhist stories from lesser-known women authors

Diana Winston Why did Diana love this book?

Follow Eden on a journey into all the fecundity of darkness—into the body, nature, silence, world challenges. She is an amazing guide to a shadow side of the Buddhist practice that I have not seen elsewhere. She shows how these neglected aspects of ourselves are actually a path to awakening and healing. It’s a pretty remarkable and unusual book and it just came out!

By Deborah Eden Tull,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Luminous Darkness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A resonant call to explore the darkness in life, in nature, and in consciousness—including difficult emotions like uncertainty, grief, fear, and xenophobia—through teachings, embodied meditations, and mindful inquiry that provide us with a powerful path to healing.

Darkness is deeply misunderstood in today’s world; yet it offers powerful medicine, serenity, strength, healing, and regeneration. All insight, vision, creativity, and revelation arise from darkness. It is through learning to stay present and meet the dark with curiosity rather than judgment that we connect to an unwavering light within. Welcoming darkness with curiosity, rather than fear or judgment, enables us to access…


Book cover of Change Your Mind: A practical guide to Buddhist meditation

Maitreyabandhu Author Of Thicker than Blood (Friendship on the Buddhist Path)

From my list on Buddhism, meditation, and philosophy.

Why am I passionate about this?

Maitreyabandhu started attending classes at the London Buddhist Centre (LBC) in 1986. He was ordained into the Triratna Buddhist Order in 1990 and given the name Maitreyabandhu. Since then he has lived and worked at the LBC, teaching Buddhism and meditation, and leading retreats. He has written three books on Buddhism, Thicker than Blood: Friendship on the Buddhist Path, Life with Full Attention: A Practical Course in Mindfulness, and The Journey and the Guide: A Practical Guide in Enlightenment. Maitreyabandhu is also a prize-winning poet having written three poetry collections with Bloodaxe Books. Maitreyabandhu founded PoetryEast in 2010 where he interviews well-known artists and writers, including Antony Gormley, Wendy Cope, and Colm Tóibín. He is the co-founder, with Dr. Paramabandhu Groves, of Breathing Space, the LBC’s health and wellbeing project.

Maitreyabandhu's book list on Buddhism, meditation, and philosophy

Maitreyabandhu Why did Maitreyabandhu love this book?

More and more people are drawn to meditation but it’s easy to be confounded by all those books and online teachings. This book is a great way to start. A simple guide to Buddhist meditation – to what it means, and how to do it – it’s practical, clear, helpful, and short.

By Paramananda,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Change Your Mind as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Provides traditional practices for the readers to learn how to exchange stress and anxiety for calm and clarity of mind, and transform anger and fear into kindness and self confidence. The author guides on meditation with anecdotes and tips, from his experience of teaching meditation of more than 15 years.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in meditation, spiritualism, and theology?

Meditation 289 books
Spiritualism 40 books
Theology 44 books