Recommended Books to read

---

 

The Tao of Physics by Fritjof Carpa First published in 1975, The Tao of Physics rode the wave of fascination in exotic East Asian philosophies. Decades later, it still stands up to scrutiny, explicating not only Eastern philosophies but also how modern physics forces us into conceptions that have remarkable parallels. Covering over 3,000 years of widely divergent traditions across Asia, Capra can't help but blur lines in his generalizations. But the big picture is enough to see the value in them of experiential knowledge, the limits of objectivity, the absence of foundational matter, the interrelation of all things and events, and the fact that process is primary, not things. Capra finds the same notions in modern physics. Those approaching Eastern thought from a background of Western science will find reliable introductions here to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism and learn how commonalities among these systems of thought can offer a sort of philosophical underpinning for modern science. And those approaching modern physics from a background in Eastern mysticism will find precise yet comprehensible descriptions of a Western science that may reinvigorate a hope in the positive potential of scientific knowledge. Whatever your background, The Tao of Physics is a brilliant essay on the meeting of East and West, and on the invaluable possibilities that such a union promises.

States of Consciousness by Charles Tart

States of Consciousness, a classic by world authority Charles T. Tart, is a basic understanding of how the mind is a dynamic, culturally biased, semi-arbitrary construction and system. A systematic exploration of how and why altered states can come about and their possibilities. As a student of his remarked, "For the first weeks of class I didn't understand what those diagrams were about, but I've realized the book is all about the way my own mind works!" Useful in understanding some of the important ways your mind works before you start altering it.

The Varieties of Religious Experience by William James 
"I am neither a theologian, nor a scholar learned in the history of religions, nor an anthropologist. Psychology is the only branch of learning in which I am particularly versed. To the psychologist the religious propensities of man must be at least as interesting as any other of the facts pertaining to his mental constitution. It would seem, therefore, as a psychologist, the natural thing for me would be to invite you to a descriptive survey of those religious propensities."

Toward a Psychology of Being, 3rd Edition by Abraham Maslow
If we wish to help humans to become more fully human, we must realize not only that they try to realize themselves, but that they are also reluctant or afraid or unable to do so. Only by fully appreciating this dialectic between sickness and health can we help to tip the balance in favor of health." Abraham Maslow's theories of self-actualization and the hierarchy of human needs are the cornerstone of modern humanistic psychology, and no book so well epitomizes those ideas as his classic Toward a Psychology of Being.
A profound book, an exciting book, its influence continues to spread, more than a quarter century after its author's death, beyond psychology and throughout the humanities, social theory, and business management theory.

The Atman Project by Ken Wilber Wilber chronicles individual psychospiritual development

Up from Eden by Ken Wilber Wilber traces humanity's cultural and spiritual evolution.

The Masks of God by Joseph Campbell This particular book comprises the inner story of modern culture, spanning our entire philosophical, spiritual and artistic history since the Dark Ages, and treating modern man's unique position as the creator of his own mythology

The Meditative Mind: Varieties of Meditative Experience  by Daniel P. Golemann
This book is extremely helpful for all meditators who are interested in seeing where they are on the path. For without a map, it is extremely easy for any meditator to become lost and not make any real progress

Phenomenology of Mind by G.W.F.Hegel 

The Perennial Philosophy by Aldous Huxley
"Both an anthology and an interpretation of the supreme mystics, East and West. . . . A magnificent achievement."--Rufus M. Jones "In his absorption and other-worldliness, he soars clear out of sight."--The New Yorker

The Doors of Perception and Heaven and Hell by Aldous Huxley
As only he can, Aldous Huxley explores the mind's remote frontiers and the unmapped areas of human consciousness. These two astounding essays are among the most profound studies of the effects of mind-expanding drugs written in this century

Aion by C.G.Jung Aion is one of Jung's greatest works and is one of the first three that anyone who is new to Jung should start with. The first part deals with Christianity, and the significance of the death of Christ. This is treated as a legitimate, factual historical event, yet it is also explained as a collective psychic phenomenon in the general sense. The middle part of the book deals with ancient alchemy, and the symbolic parallels between alchemy and modern conceptions of psychology. This might sound dull, but trust me - you will be surprised to see the uncanny symbolic parallels between ancient magical practices and the most modern, up to date theories of the psyche

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad-Gita is the main source-book on yoga and a concise summary of India's Vedic wisdom. Yet remarkably, the setting for this best-known classic of spiritual literature is an ancient Indian battlefield. See also the Bhagavad Gita Commentary

 

	The "God" Part Of The Brain by Matthew Alpert The thesis here is that spiritual and religious experience is essentially something the brain *does*, not something that comes from 'God'/'external being'. The author argues that spirituality and religious impulses have emerged in the evolving brain by default amongst evolving social organisms- in this particular book relatively recently in hominid evolution. Key processes include the growing hominid awareness of death, which, when coupled with an innate anxiety function necessary for survival, ultimately led to spirituality, religious and mystical experience.
	Lives in the Shadow with J. Krishnamurti
	Anthroposophy in Everyday Life by Rudolf Steiner These are four of Rudolf Steiner’s best-loved lectures. In-cluded are: “Practical Training in Thought,” “Overcoming Nervousness,”  “Facing Karma,” and “The Four Temperaments.”  With its many practical exercises, mantras, and meditations, this book is a fundamental introduction for anyone entering the path of inner development.

 

Find more books about spirituality, philosophy
and the eastern way of life.....

 

Or Search for your Books here: