The most recommended books on the subconscious

Who picked these books? Meet our 27 experts.

27 authors created a book list connected to subconscious, and here are their favorite subconscious books.
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Book cover of Lucid Dreaming Made Easy: A Beginner's Guide to Waking Up in Your Dreams

Theresa Cheung Author Of The Dream Dictionary from A to Z

From my list on dream decoding.

Why am I passionate about this?

I was born into a family of psychics and spiritualists, where dream decoding was the order of the day. I did my Bachelor's degree in Theology and English at King's College, Cambridge University, and since graduating have devoted my life to spreading the word about the healing and transformative power of dream work. I share my passion for mainstreaming dream decoding as a potent personal and spiritual growth tool through my numerous dream and spiritual awakening books, podcasts, media appearances, my Sunday Times bestselling author status, and my collaboration with scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists researching dreams and the science of consciousness; I have earned the title Queen of Dreams.

Theresa's book list on dream decoding

Theresa Cheung Why did Theresa love this book?

Lucid dreaming is the holy grail of dreamwork. It is the art of becoming conscious within your dreams. Charlie Morley is one of the world's leading experts in lucid dreaming and has trained with both Eastern and Western experts in this surreal art. 

This book is the perfect introductory guide and explains in an easy-to-read style how lucid dreaming can be a gateway into your subconscious, and learning how to use this virtual reality dream state can help you live a more fulfilling life, understand toxic behaviour, heal anxiety, overcome fear, and explore infinite creativity. 

By Charlie Morley,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Lucid Dreaming Made Easy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Change your waking life through waking up in your sleep.

Please note: This book was previously published under the title Lucid Dreaming (Hay House Basics series).

Lucid dreaming is the art of becoming conscious within your dreams. Charlie Morley has been lucid dreaming since he was a teenager and has trained with both Eastern and Western experts in this profound practice. In this introductory guide, Charlie explains how lucid dreaming is a powerful gateway into the subconscious mind and how it can help you transform, improve and heal all areas of your life. Learn how you can use the virtual…


Book cover of The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious

Antonio Zadra Author Of When Brains Dream: Exploring the Science and Mystery of Sleep

From my list on the science of dreams.

Why am I passionate about this?

Although I had many intriguing dreams during my childhood, including fantastic flying dreams, the idea of becoming a sleep scientist never crossed my mind. All that changed during my first year in college. It was then that I experienced an exceptionally long and vivid lucid dream that changed my life; it was because of this dream that I decided to become a dream researcher. Today, I’m a professor of psychology at the University of Montreal, director of the department’s Dream Research Laboratory, and have published over 100 scientific articles and book chapters on sleep and dreams. I don’t have as many flying dreams as I once did, but I do have a really cool job while awake. 

Antonio's book list on the science of dreams

Antonio Zadra Why did Antonio love this book?

Jung proposed many fascinating ideas about the inner workings of the mind. His concept of the archetypes and of the collective unconscious are two of his best-known contributions, and both are intimately tied to his conceptualization of dreams. The idea that dreams not only emanate from our personal unconscious, but also from our collective unconscious (a deep stratum of the unconscious common to all humankind) and contain universal patterns, images, and dispositions, has helped countless people develop a deeper understanding of their dreams.

What’s more, this book exposes Jung’s view of dreaming as a wholesome, natural process that can give rise to creative—even transcendent—experiences featuring personal challenges, unmapped potentials, and elements of one’s personality. Not always the easiest of reads, but highly rewarding. 

By C.G. Jung, Gerhard Adler (translator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Essays which state the fundamentals of Jung's psychological system: "On the Psychology of the Unconscious" and "The Relations Between the Ego and the Unconscious," with their original versions in an appendix.


Book cover of Occultation and Other Stories

Tamel Wino Author Of Ékleipsis: the Abyss

From my list on story collections that gnaw at your subconscious.

Why am I passionate about this?

Tamel Wino is a Canadian fiction writer from resplendent British Columbia whose works focus largely on the degeneration of sanity and morality. He studied Health Sciences and Psychology, which only furthered his interest in human nature. With inspirations including Shirley Jackson, Cormac McCarthy, Clive Barker, Margaret Atwood, and Edgar Allan Poe; Tamel’s expositions are strongly grounded in traditions of dark fiction. Yet, with his bold narrative voice and incisive plot construction, Wino is paving a new movement within the space.

Tamel's book list on story collections that gnaw at your subconscious

Tamel Wino Why did Tamel love this book?

Barron is undeniably a genius and proficient. Pick whichever book of his and it’ll blow you away. With a superior command of language and an impressive understanding of what frightens us, the author pulls no punches and peels back the layers to reveal the vileness that prowls in the dark.

By Laird Barron,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Occultation and Other Stories as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Winner of the Shirley Jackson Award, nine stories of cosmic horror from the heir apparent to Lovecraft's throne.

Laird Barron has emerged as one of the strongest voices in modern horror and dark fantasy fiction, building on the eldritch tradition pioneered by writers such as H. P. Lovecraft, Peter Straub, and Thomas Ligotti. His stories have garnered critical acclaim and have been reprinted in numerous year's best anthologies and nominated for multiple awards, including the Crawford, International Horror Guild, Shirley Jackson, Theodore Sturgeon, and World Fantasy awards. His debut collection, The Imago Sequence and Other Stories, was the inaugural winner…


Book cover of Jung on Active Imagination

Shaun McNiff Author Of Art Heals: How Creativity Cures the Soul

From my list on art healing.

Why am I passionate about this?

By chance, just over 50 years ago, I became an art therapist in a state hospital on the Northshore of Boston where I have always lived. With support from Rudolf Arnheim at Harvard University and others, I committed myself to furthering personal and community well-being through art. In my mid-twenties I established a graduate program at Lesley University which spawned an international community of expressive arts therapy. I have worked worldwide in advancing art healing and art-based research. Now University Professor Emeritus, and for the first time without a full-time position, I am trying to embrace the unpredictable ways of creation, and as I wrote, Trust the Process.

Shaun's book list on art healing

Shaun McNiff Why did Shaun love this book?

C. G. Jung anticipated everything we do today, and more, with his practice of active imagination over 100 years ago. I have used this book as a primary reading in my courses. I also consider it to be among the best books dealing with the creative process, especially the emphasis on how the individual ego, or person of the artist, is a participant in a larger intelligence of creative imagination. We relax a grip on the controls to enable the expression to manifest itself, as Jung personally demonstrates in The Red Book, Liber Novus, just recently available to the public.

By C.G. Jung, Joan Chodorow (editor),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Jung on Active Imagination as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

All the creative art psychotherapies (art, dance, music, drama, poetry) can trace their roots to C. G. Jung's early work on active imagination. Joan Chodorow here offers a collection of Jung's writings on active imagination, gathered together for the first time. Jung developed this concept between the years 1913 and 1916, following his break with Freud. During this time, he was disoriented and experienced intense inner turmoil --he suffered from lethargy and fears, and his moods threatened to overwhelm him. Jung searched for a method to heal himself from within, and finally decided to engage with the impulses and images…


Book cover of When You Can, You Will

Jeff Davidson Author Of Simpler Living: A Back to Basics Guide to Cleaning, Furnishing, Storing, Decluttering, Streamlining, Organizing, and More

From my list on making your life simpler and healthier.

Why am I passionate about this?

I hold the registered trademark as "The Work-Life Balance Expert®," and work with organizations that seek to enhance their productivity by improving the effectiveness of their people. I've spoken to Fortune 50 companies such as IBM, Cardinal Health Group, Lockheed, American Express, the IRS, Wells Fargo, and Westinghouse. My books have been published in 19 languages and have been featured in 68 of the top 75 American newspapers, as well as Time Magazine and the Wall Street Journal. At heart, I'm a simpler living advocate. I believe in giving back to his community and am an active volunteer for Art Space in downtown Raleigh, the North Carolina Museum of Arts, and numerous other civic, social, and charitable groups.

Jeff's book list on making your life simpler and healthier

Jeff Davidson Why did Jeff love this book?

The subtitle to this insightful book is Why you Can't Always do What You Want to do.. and What to Do About It. The author says that in our instant soup society you're encouraged to do more, be more, have more, and achieve more. Technology enables us to accomplish more faster. No matter how quickly society moves, however, human beings still have to be ready before they can make certain changes. And really, you can't hurry change. You might have to try on the change several times before you're accustomed to the way it feels. Amazingly, even if you don't know you're ready to change, your subconscious will know.

Changes made the easy way are effortless. You often find yourself thinking, saying, and doing things that would have been unthinkable even the day before. Changes made the hard way can be difficult, unpleasant, and even frightening. You might feel as…

By Lynne Bernfield,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked When You Can, You Will as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

In today's society of instant gratification, success is supposed to be achieved by people who can immediately turn their lives around . . . without a second thought. Therapist Lynne Bernfield advocates a slower approach to change and assures that change can be the most rewarding part of life when it comes at the right time.


Book cover of Black Boy, Black Boy

Artika Tyner Author Of Justice Makes a Difference: The Story of Miss Freedom Fighter, Esquire

From my list on children celebrating diversity.

Why am I passionate about this?

The library has always been my favorite place to visit. As a child, I would travel the world through books. I learned about different cultures and studied other languages. Through these experiences, I gained a deep appreciation for cultures around the world. I also learned an important lesson that inclusion is the thread that weaves together a rich multicultural tapestry. Fast forward to today, I share these lessons through my work as an author, leadership scholar, and law professor. My booklist reflects a celebration of diverse cultures, introduces learning tools for becoming an inclusive leader, and provides an invitation to join me in taking intentional action for justice and equity.  

Artika's book list on children celebrating diversity

Artika Tyner Why did Artika love this book?

It introduced children from all backgrounds to the possibility of what they can become.

It challenges the limitation of stereotypes and biases. It is a reminder that you can be not just who you want to be, but also fulfill the destiny of who you ought to be. 

By Crown Shepherd, Mychal Baston (illustrator),

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Black Boy, Black Boy as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it. This book is for kids age 7, 8, 9, and 10.

What is this book about?

Black Boy, Black Boy, what do you see?

I see a bright future ahead of me!

A melodic mantra with a powerful message: Black boys can be a doctor, a judge, the president . . . anything they want to be!

Each page depicts a boy looking into the future, seeing his grown-up self, and admiring the greatness reflected back at him. This book is created to teach Black boys there are no barriers--if you can dream it, you can be it!

This book is for Black boys so they see themselves as the heroes of the story.

This book…


Book cover of Before You Know It: The Unconscious Reasons We Do What We Do

Robert A. Prentice Author Of Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions

From my list on ethics explaining why good people do bad things.

Why am I passionate about this?

It might be a stretch to call me an expert in ethics, but I have taught ethics for more than 30 years and I’ve read deeply in the field of behavioral ethics. I'm proud of the work I’ve done with the Ethics Unwrapped video project, though most of the credit goes to filmmakers Cara Biasucci (co-author of Behavioral Ethics in Practice: Why We Sometimes Make the Wrong Decisions) and Lazaro Hernandez (producer of Ethics Unwrapped). My passion for this topic is driven largely by the fact that I want my two daughters to live in a world where most people are trying to do the right thing most of the time. 

Robert's book list on ethics explaining why good people do bad things

Robert A. Prentice Why did Robert love this book?

Yale professor John Bargh is a wonderful writer and a great storyteller.

We all know that our minds operate at both a conscious and an unconscious level, but not until I read this book did I realize how much happens at the unconscious level and that this helps explain everything from how getting a flu shot affects our attitudes toward immigration to how having power can induce us to try to unfairly advantage people we perceive to be like us at the expense of “out-group” members. 

By John Bargh,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked Before You Know It as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'John Bargh's Before You Know It moves our understanding of the mysteries of human behaviour one giant step forward. A brilliant and convincing book.' - Malcolm Gladwell, author of Blink and David and Goliath

How much of what we say, feel and do is under our conscious control? How much is not? And most crucial of all: if we understood how our unconscious worked - if we knew why we do what we do - could we finally, fundamentally, know ourselves?

From checking a dating app to holding a cup of coffee or choosing who to vote for, our unconscious…


Book cover of Dynamics of the Unconscious

Noel Eastwood Author Of Psychological Astrology And The Twelve Houses

From my list on for learning psychological astrology.

Why am I passionate about this?

I've had a deep passion for the esoteric world since childhood. I read books on everything to do with ghosts, magic, and astral travel, and began drawing up astrology charts from books I had borrowed from the library as a teenager. I studied astrology back in the mid-1980s when the new age was in full swing. Ten years later I went back to university and studied to become a psychologist. I am a firm believer that an understanding of personality through depth psychotherapy, and the hidden wisdom found in alternative schools of knowledge, can enhance one’s personal and spiritual growth in the difficult times we face today.

Noel's book list on for learning psychological astrology

Noel Eastwood Why did Noel love this book?

Liz Greene and Howard Sasportas are brilliant at uncovering the very nuts and bolts that form our personalities. Your unconscious urges, drives, and instincts are clearly shown in the astrology chart through the planets, their signs, and house placement. Understanding these foundational aspects of the chart gives you an enormous advantage when doing readings for your clients, your friends, family, and particularly for yourself.

By Liz Greene, Howard Sasportas,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

Combining the symbolism of astrology with that of psychology, the authors show you how to understand depression, the quest for the sublime, the astrology and psychology of aggression, and alchemical symbolism for tracking life changes. Charts. Reading list.


Book cover of The Hidden Brain: How Our Unconscious Minds Elect Presidents, Control Markets, Wage Wars, and Save Our Lives

Jenny Grant Rankin Author Of Increasing the Impact of Your Research: A Practical Guide to Sharing Your Findings and Widening Your Reach

From my list on getting people to accept facts.

Why am I passionate about this?

Though my two doctorates and experience landed me in the arenas of education and data-sharing, I soon realized that merely sharing information was not the way to get people to embrace fact. My books and speaking (I’ve lectured at Cambridge, Columbia, Oxford, Comic-Con, etc.) now focus on how to persuade people to absorb, remember, care about, and act on new information. I teach everyone from scientists to parents about how to share information in ways that get around people’s mental blockades. I’m also a Mensan and Fulbright Specialist who writes for Psychology Today and was honored by the White House.

Jenny's book list on getting people to accept facts

Jenny Grant Rankin Why did Jenny love this book?

I first fell in love with Vedantam’s way of weaving storytelling with research via his podcast Hidden Brain. When I found out he had written a book I was thrilled, and his written account of our unconscious minds did not disappoint. Vedantam doesn’t shy away from anything (terrorism, capital punishment, race, gender, politics…) in tackling why our reasons for thinking things are not what we believe them to be. He helps us understand the power (for good or for bad) of our “hidden brains” in a way you will never forget.

By Shankar Vedantam,

Why should I read it?

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

What is this book about?

The hidden brain is the voice in our ear when we make the most important decisions in our lives—but we’re never aware of it. The hidden brain decides whom we fall in love with and whom we hate. It tells us to vote for the white candidate and convict the dark-skinned defendant, to hire the thin woman but pay her less than the man doing the same job. It can direct us to safety when disaster strikes and move us to extraordinary acts of altruism. But it can also be manipulated to turn an ordinary person into a suicide terrorist…


Book cover of Strangers to Ourselves: Discovering the Adaptive Unconscious

Valerie Tiberius Author Of What Do You Want Out of Life? A Philosophical Guide to Figuring Out What Matters

From my list on understanding what's really important.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I entered my fifties, I was very surprised to discover that I didn’t have my life all figured out. This was especially surprising since the nature of a good human life has been my research topic for decades. What I have learned, from philosophy and from my collaborations with psychologists, is that it’s always going to be a process. We have to figure out what matters and how to get it, we have to navigate value conflicts, and we have to accept that the answers will change as our circumstances change. The books I’ve recommended aren’t guides to life, but I think they’re great for understanding the process. 

Valerie's book list on understanding what's really important

Valerie Tiberius Why did Valerie love this book?

To achieve the things that matter to us, we have to know what they are.

We tend to think we know ourselves really well – certainly better than anyone else knows us. But in this book, psychologist Timothy Wilson presents fascinating evidence that we don’t know ourselves as well as we think we do.

In particular, we tend to rationalize our choices after the fact in ways that don’t actually reflect our deeper, emotional state.

This book opened my mind to the idea that we need to “look under the hood” to figure out what matters to us most. 

By Timothy D. Wilson,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Strangers to Ourselves as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Know thyself," a precept as old as Socrates, is still good advice. But is introspection the best path to self-knowledge? What are we trying to discover, anyway? In an eye-opening tour of the unconscious, as contemporary psychological science has redefined it, Timothy D. Wilson introduces us to a hidden mental world of judgments, feelings, and motives that introspection may never show us.

This is not your psychoanalyst's unconscious. The adaptive unconscious that empirical psychology has revealed, and that Wilson describes, is much more than a repository of primitive drives and conflict-ridden memories. It is a set of pervasive, sophisticated mental…