Best Books for Spiritual Awakening: 10 Simple Picks

When something starts to shift inside you, it is natural to look for words that explain it. A good book can feel like a calm friend who has been there before. We picked these ten because they are well loved, honest and fairly easy to read. None of them is a rule book. Take what helps and leave the rest.

If you are new to all of this, start here. These three books use plain words and short chapters.

• The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle: This 1997 book is about coming back to the present moment. Tolle explains that much of our stress comes from a busy mind that lives in the past or the future. Much of it is written as questions and answers, so you can read a few pages at a time. Read our review of The Power of Now.
• The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer: Singer writes about the voice in your head that never seems to stop talking. He shows how you can watch that voice instead of believing everything it says. It is a good pick if your mind feels loud and you want some space from it.
• The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh: This short book by a Vietnamese Zen monk teaches mindfulness through everyday tasks, like washing dishes or walking. It is gentle and practical. It suits anyone who wants to try meditation but feels unsure where to begin.

An awakening is not always peaceful. Old things can fall away before new ones are ready, and that can hurt. Some people call this the dark night of the soul. These two books are soft and steady company on heavy days.

• When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön: Pema Chödrön is an American Buddhist nun. In this 1997 book she writes about staying with fear, grief and loss instead of running from them. It is a good book for a breakup, a loss or any time life feels shaky.
• The Book of Awakening by Mark Nepo: This book has one short reading for each day of the year, and each one ends with a small practice. Nepo wrote it after living through cancer, and you can feel that in his kindness. It is ideal if you only have a few quiet minutes a day. Read our review of The Book of Awakening.

Once the first books feel familiar, these two ask a little more of you. They are still kind, but they go further into the ego and into daily practice.

• A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle: Tolle's 2005 book looks closely at the ego, the part of us that always wants more, needs to be right and feels easily hurt. He shows how seeing it clearly can change the way you live and love. It is longer and slower than The Power of Now, so it helps to read that one first.
• Be Here Now by Ram Dass: This 1971 classic tells how a Harvard professor went to India and came back as Ram Dass. The middle part is full of hand-drawn pages you can open anywhere. Some parts feel dated, but the heart of it, living in this moment, still speaks to many readers. Read our review of Be Here Now.

Some people learn best through a story. You follow a character, and the lesson sinks in without anyone telling you what to think.

• Siddhartha by Hermann Hesse: This short 1922 novel follows a young man in ancient India who leaves home to search for the truth. He tries many ways of living before he learns from a quiet river. It is a lovely read if you feel like a seeker who has not found the answer yet.
• The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho: First published in 1988, this simple fable follows a shepherd boy who chases a dream all the way to Egypt. It is about listening to your heart and not giving up. It is one of the easiest spiritual books to start with. Read our review of The Alchemist.
• Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda: Published in 1946, this is Yogananda's own life story, from his childhood in India to teaching yoga and meditation in America. It is full of stories about saints and teachers he met. It is long, and some stories are hard to believe, so read it with an open but thinking mind.

Want more ideas? Browse all our spiritual book reviews.

It is easy to rush through a spiritual book, feel good for a day and then forget it. These small habits help the ideas stay with you.

1. 1Read slowlyRead a few pages, then stop. Close the book and let what you read settle for a while.
2. 2Take one idea at a timePick one idea you liked and try it for a week. For example, notice your breath each time you wash your hands.
3. 3Keep a journalWrite down lines that move you, in your own words, and what they bring up for you. Over time you will see how your thinking has changed.
4. 4Stick with one bookReading five books at once can make your head spin. Finish one, or put it down on purpose, before you start the next.
5. 5Test it against your lifeNo author has all the answers. If an idea does not feel true or kind in real life, you are free to leave it.

If you are not sure where you are right now, our short spiritual awakening test can help you think it through. Then choose the book that matches how you feel today.