Like many people who consciously decided to leave the constrictive religion to which they were randomly born (and raised), I see retrospectively that the decision was an essential act of self-preservation and self-actualization. I abandoned the transactional relationship with a Judging God, including its barter of mindless obedience in exchange for a heavenly eternity after death. In doing so, I discovered my true soul. Through “godless” practices and continual seeking, I have discovered a profound, meaningful spirituality. The books on this list are among so many that have expanded my thinking and helped me become, I hope, a better human along the way. It is my pleasure to recommend them to you.
I receivedThe Book of Awakening in 2015 after my husband, Jamie, died of ALS. It collected dust on my bookshelf for far too long. Once I finally cracked it, I made up for lost time by returning time and again to this beautiful, inspiring collection of deeply personal essays — one for each day of the year. Among other things, Nepo is a poet, a teacher, and a cancer survivor. He brings his considerable literary skill to telling moving, high-impact stories about what really matters in life, along with sprinklings of wisdom from a variety of ancient traditions. God isn’t referenced as the Big White Guy in the Sky who’s pulling the strings, but rather as a beautiful, ineffable presence that connects the divine light in each individual.
A new edition of the #1 NYT’s bestseller by Mark Nepo, who has been called “one of the finest spiritual guides of our time” and “a consummate storyteller.”
Philosopher-poet and cancer survivor Mark Nepo opens a new season of freedom and joy—an escape from deadening, asleep-at-the wheel sameness—that is both profound and clarifying.
His spiritual daybook is a summons to reclaim aliveness, liberate the self, take each day one at a time, and savor the beauty offered by life's unfolding. Reading his poetic prose is like being given second sight, exposing the reader to life's multiple dimensions, each one drawn…
I firmly believe we each have a unique story to tell, to record in order to help others and to record a history. I love the ordinary person who lives an extraordinary life. So many people don’t realize how wonderful they are. It is also cathartic to write your story, in doing so you forgive others as you forgive yourself for decisions poorly made.
This fascinating memoir, written in journal style of all the highly unusual, paranormal incidents that have happened to the author from the time he was a youngster. It is a chronicle of the many supernatural events experienced by one ordinary man, a former deputy sheriff. Time after time, a divine power intervenes to heal and save him, leaving him a stunned witness to his own salvation. This unusual story reaffirms my faith in the unseen and the 6th sense not everyone has.
I adore all things ghostly, from TV shows to books to movies. I immerse myself. For me, I think it began as a young girl with poems from my grandmother’s favorite book and films or programs we’d watch together. The what-if factor and the vast unknown is addicting. It chronically makes us think or sit at the edge of our seats. I’ve even visited haunted locations before and had a couple of experiences. Romance ties into that for me. We all strive for it and hope to find it. It can be as elusive as fog. By combining the two genres, readers like me get the best of all worlds.
This book didn’t necessarily have a grinding spooky element so much as mysterious unknown indicators, but it’s haunting just the same. And romantic. I believe in second sight or psychic ability, that there are those out there with the true gift. Frankly, I’ve had a few “premonition” dreams myself that led me to an avid interest in the subject. The topic was well-written, relatable, and gave me many story ideas. The setting is an old ancestral home in the Louisiana Bayou, so it hit all the history and boo feels, plus it has a suspense angle. Sharon is an amazing soul with an open mind, who I met at a couple events, and I loved chatting with her.
A woman’s second sight leads her to a missing girl, and the mystery man of her dreams in this romantic thriller from the New York Times–bestselling author.
Like her mother and grandmother, Laurel Scanlon has the gift of second sight. Though by day she is unfulfilled in life and romance, she welcomes the nightly dreams that show her the image of her true love . . .
When her grandmother dies, Laurel is drawn back to Mimosa Grove—her ancestral home in the heart of Louisiana bayou country. When the community asks Laurel to help in the search for a missing…
I am a witch, professional psychic, occult teacher, and multi-award-winning author of the international bestselling book Psychic Witch: A Metaphysical Guide To Meditation, Magick, and Manifestation. I have been fascinated with the topics of magick and psychic ability since a young age and have been researching both topics and how they intersect since about eight years old. I've had the honor of studying under some of the most prominent witchcraft teachers, elders, and witchcraft traditions. I’m constantly asked by readers which other books I recommend after reading mine, so here are the top picks I feel are essential for every psychic witch’s library that have been highly influential on my work.
Part researcher, part mad scientist, and complete magickal genius, Ivo consistently provides information and techniques that push boundaries in terms of innovation within witchcraft, occultism, and psychic development. Ivo is another one of those witches with a highly unique approach to energy work. The Keys to Perception will deeply enrich your psychic skills and magickal skills. Blending elements from many different esoteric techniques such as Wicca, Ceremonial Magick, and Eastern Traditions along with his own insight and wisdom from years of practice and experience, Ivo presents time-tested, practical methods for the psychic witch. Ivo's work is groundbreaking and pioneering in many ways, and this is a must-have on every psychic witch's bookshelf. Every time I read Ivo's books, I'm incredibly inspired and influenced by them. This book, in particular, is probably his most influential upon my work.
Many different systems and traditions of magic, divination, spirituality, and esoteric religion exist, but at their core, they share the need for practitioners to safely and successfully experience the reality that lies beyond the physical senses. Keys to Perception: A Practical Guide to Psychic Development is a collection of proven and tested methods, rituals, and systems that will help you deepen and clarify your capacity to sense and understand the rich worlds beyond the veils of the ordinary. The material in this book derives from decades of work by the author and his students. Dominguez offers the reader practical techniques…
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.
When I realized I had psychic/medium abilities (thanks to my Aunt Belle Brown), I started delving into these gifts deeply, as well as doing paranormal investigations.
After years of training under others, developing myself, and writing about the paranormal, I became confident enough to teach others. By then I had founded a crew (Supernatural Researchers of Texas) and they asked me to teach them.
You are Psychic! was our first "textbook." Sanders is an MIT-trained scientist with a wonderful program for expanding psychic abilities. I found this book invaluable for one of my first books for myself, and the SRT crew agreed it taught them a lot.
Use a scientifically proven method to harness your inborn psychic abilities and achieve breakthroughs in everyday life!
Everyone has occasional psychic experiences, but few people realize that it is possible to access ESP on command. Using his extensive study of biomedical chemistry and brain science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Pete A. Sanders, Jr., has developed a method to show how we can tap into our psychic abilities at will to expand our knowledge and gain control of our destiny.
By sharing the techniques that he and his instructors have taught to more than half a million people, You…
As an author and activist, I use fiction as a way of exploring social issues which mean a lot to me. As a woman of color, that means writing protagonists who encounter sexism, racism, class, and geographic inequality—but who combat those injustices in inventive and heroic ways. For me, the story is always about being human: trying to understand why a character acts a certain way in a certain situation. After all, aren’t we all trying to pursue our own desires against a backdrop of societal expectations? A good story—whether fiction or non-fiction—brings these conflicts to emotional, vivid life, and roots them in a reality we can all relate to.
I loved this atmospheric debut, often described as a collection of interlinked short stories. Set on an isolated group of islands off the coast of Virginia, the stories span more than two centuries of the same family’s history: from the 19th century and far ahead into a post-apocalyptic, post-pandemic future. There are intimations that a supernatural ‘second sight’ runs in the family and the book’s Southern Gothic vibe is nothing short of intriguing. But for all the hints of magic realism, the focus on female characters contending with obstacles of class and gender at different points in history is rooted in an understandable reality. Beautifully written descriptions of the natural environment, poignant characters, and local color all demonstrate Taylor’s imagination to be visionary and impressive.
An ambitious, Baileys prize-nominated debut set in an unforgettable place, introducing a powerful new voice in fiction
The Shore: a group of small islands in the Chesapeake Bay, just off the coast of Virginia. The Shore is clumps of evergreens, wild ponies, oyster-shell roads, tumble-down houses, unwanted pregnancies, murder, and dark magic in the marshes. Sanctuary to some but nightmare to others, it's a place that generations of families both wealthy and destitute have inhabited, fled, and returned to for hundreds of years. From a half-Shawnee Indian's bold choice to escape an abusive home only to find herself with a…
I have a two-sided relationship with horses, which have been part of my life forever. True, I didn’t own a horse until I turned 40—the year I realized my parents really weren’t going to buy me that pony—but I went to plenty of horse-centered camps and continued lessons through college. I love riding, but I honestly believe I love simply being among horses more. I feel a magnetic pull from these magnificent animals every time I pass a paddock or pasture. Secretly, I believe that horses are far more in tune with life’s rhythms than we mere mortals will ever know. I feel honored to have known the ones who have been under my care.
Henry Blake is a very likeable, witty writer from Wales who has produced three classic books on understanding the horse temperament. I discovered them when I was a first-time horse owner and devoured this and his other two titles, Thinking with Horses and Horse Sense. Blake’s books are peppered with self-deprecating anecdotes on how he fumbled his way from the age of four to understanding the animal that would become the center of his working life. His books are worthy precursors to the many “horse whisperer” books that have emerged since Robert Redford played the role. There is strong, practical, usable advice in what Blake says—because he’s done it all, and is letting us in on his secret, which is really quite simple—learn to think like a horse, honor his approach to life, and always keep a treat of two in your corduroy jacket.
The first book of its kind, Talking with Horses has become an indispensable source of information for all riders and horse owners.
Learn to communicate with your horse in his own language-using telepathy and extrasensory perception-and you will learn to work together with your horse, moving and thinking as one animal. By understanding how your horse uses sounds and his body to communicate, you will be able to build a vital rapport with your horse based on understanding and respect.
A fantastic insight into the equine mind, Talking with Horses draws on Henry Blake's natural affinity with horses, based on…
I became interested in the relationship between the mind and the brain around the age of 8. It was at this age that I decided to become a neuroscientist. Years later, I completed a bachelor's degree in psychology and then a doctorate in neuroscience. I’ve spent part of my research career in neuroscience at the University of Montreal. I have also been affiliated with the University of Arizona (Tucson). My groundbreaking work on the neurobiology of emotional self-regulation, consciousness, and spiritual experiences has received extensive international media coverage and numerous awards. I am one of the main proponents of a postmaterialist paradigm for the new science of mind/consciousness.
For a very long time, Dr. Larry Dossey has been fascinated by the outer reaches of human consciousness.
In this inspiring and important book, he examines a wide range of phenomena (e.g. epiphanies and creative breakthroughs, remote healing, premonitions of danger, near-death experiences, reincarnation, communication with the dead). These phenomena are presented through anecdotal stories, as well as in connection with captivating scientific research.
Taken together, they suggest that all individual minds are part of an infinite, collective dimension of consciousness Dossey calls the One Mind. This view represents a major shift in our understanding of mind and consciousness.
In the 20th century, we were introduced to several subdivisions of the mind: the conscious, unconscious, subconscious, preconscious, and so on. But what we didn't know was that there was another level of consciousness, an all-encompassing, infinite dimension of shared intelligence: the One Mind. This universal consciousness connects all of us through space and time. Emerging studies have shown that the One Mind isn't just an idea; it's a reality. In this book, Larry Dossey shares compelling experiences and research that support the One Mind concept, such as: Shared thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations with a distant individual Communication between…
I am an award-winning author and journalist, specialising in social history and gardening. I have an M.A. in Modern History from Cambridge University and a Diploma of Horticulture from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. I have written for many British newspapers and magazines, most notablyThe Spectator, The Observer, The Independent, The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Telegraph, and The Garden.
Much Scottish historical fiction is set at the time of the 1745 uprising against the Hanoverian King George II by supporters of Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie. This is not surprising since it was a deeply traumatic time, which has left scars to this day. The first I read as a young teenager was written by an Englishwoman, D.K. Broster, in the 1920’s: The Flight of the Heron, the first of a trilogy (the others were The Gleam in the North and The Dark Mile).
This book made me into a Jacobite, despite my own forbears being mostly Lowlanders, who would probably have fought for King George. It tells the exciting, tense, and tragic epic of the ’45 through the stories of Ewen Cameron of Ardroy, a kinsman of Cameron of Lochiel, and a discontented army officer called Keith Windham; their paths cross several times…
Set during the 1745 Jacobite uprising under Bonnie Prince Charlie, D. K. Broster’s The Flight of the Heron is the first of the Jacobite Trilogy.
At the centre of the story are the intersecting fortunes of two men, who at first glance seem almost complete opposites: Ewen Cameron, a young Highland laird in the service of the Prince, is dashing, sincere, and idealistic, while Major Keith Windham, a professional soldier in the opposing English army, is cynical, world-weary, and profoundly lonely. When a second-sighted Highlander tells Ewen that the flight of a heron will lead to five meetings with an…
I grew up curious about the world and perplexed that people saw the same problems I did but didn’t feel the same urgency. With a science teacher for a father, I became a lover of the natural world. Science fiction gave me hope and the ability to picture solutions. It puts readers in a mindset to consider “what could be.” I continue to study and read science while writing and publishing sci-fi novels through my publishing house, Epitome Press. It’s my way of exploring possible futures and inviting the world to see them with me. I hope this list of unexpectedly thought-provoking sci-fi gets you thinking, dreaming, and taking action.
This book had me thinking on my feet and working to unravel the mysteries ahead of the plot while feeding my cravings for deeper philosophical concepts. Frank Herbert is great at writing complex stories that make me think, as evidenced by his Dune series. But unlike the Dune series, The Godmakers has quick pacing and witty banter.
I laughed while reading this, even while contemplating the deeper ideas he was weaving in, themes of belief in self, the nature of personal power, and stamina for longevity. Would I stand the test of immortality or the responsibility of godhood?
On the edge of a war-weary and devastated galaxy, charismatic Lewis Orne makes planetfall on Hamal.
His assignment: to detect any signs of latent aggression in this planet’s population.
To his astonishment, he finds that his own latent extrasensory powers have suddenly blossomed, and he is invited to join the company of “gods” on this planet.
And people place certain expectations on their gods….
