Recommended Reading List

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Welcome to Reading Heaven!

My own book "Life Beyond Belief" is at this link at Amazon, and also available from the order page on this website.

The Main List

The book descriptions below are meant to be helpful in your own explorations, but should only be taken as my own opinion. Please email me with others who should also be added to this list. And above all enjoy this feast! They are arranged alphabetically by last name.

Adyashanti is a home-grown California based teacher who has come up through the Zen Buddist tradition but awakened out of all traditions. All of his books are highly recommended. He's clear, and totally on target, and focused on the living of it. Adya's books at Amazon

A.H. Almaas, a prolific writer and inventor of "The Diamond Appproach" writes lucidly about issues of integration of personality and beingness. It is an approach that offers full and lengthy study programs and much to read. I have not been deepy involved, but others whom I very much respect, have been.  Diamond Approach books on Amazon

Arjuna Ardagh has several wonderful books, with the most recent being "The Translucent Revolution" as of this writing. (he has since continued being prolific) He was awakened by Papaji, and is a father and householder. He teaches with his wife Chameli in northern California. Arjuna's books on Amazon

Ramesh Balsekar is an older Indian man, who still opens his home to seekers. He has numerous books but and I hope to dip into them some time soon. His teachings are clear but evidently living it was a difficulty. There are stories, but I have not first-hand knowledge Ramesh's books on Amazon

Michael Brown, "The Presence Process". Michael had an extremely painful physical condition which caused him to do deep exploration into the possibility of core emotional distress being the cause. He has through his own explorations created a process that he is now offering freely to everyone everywhere through this book. It's well worth looking into. The Presence Process Micheal has now, in 2008 written a new book called "The Alchemy of the Heart" which I am finding quite difficult to read. Maybe its just me.

Beatrice Bruteau is a practicing Catholic who describes Catholocism as Vedanta in Western dress. I have read "the Grand Option" and "Radical Optimism". Her books are not easy reading but are well worth the effort. She is especially inspiring about describing the beauty of the contemplative life.  Beatrice's books on Amazon

Mariana Caplan has written an important book; a compilation of the wisdom of numerous teachers from several traditions. It is called "Halfway up the Mountain; The Error of Premature Claims to Enlightenment" but it covers much more ground than the title implies, about a subject that is hard to find balanced multifaceted perspectives on. Although it can be quite dark in some sections, it is highly recommended by me to anyone seriously dedicated to spiritual matters. "Halfway up the Mountain" on Amazon

David Carse is a builder by trade who lives in Northern Vermont. He has written a book called "Perfect Brilliant Stillness" and I am hearing that people are liking it. Check it out at Amazon

Katie Davis is a wonderful teacher that I have known for a long time. She has, in 2008, written a book called "Awake Living Joy: The Essence of Enlightenment". I'm sure its wonderful, though I admit I haven't read it yet. Eckhart Tolle is one of her teachers. Her husband, Sundance, also has a book out called "Free Spirit, A Guide to Enlightened Being". I don't know him but I want to check it out. Katie doesn't seem to be on Amazon but she has a lovely web site which sells both books at www.katiedavis.org

Anthony DeMello was a priest in the Catholic Church who has obviously woken up.  His book "Awareness" is a favorite of Adya's. Books by Anthony DeMello at Amazon

Bede Griffiths was a British born Benedictine monk who traveled to India at the age of fifty and lived there for almost 35 years. He eventually awoke into an understanding that embraces all religions. Books by Bede Griffiths at Amazon

Douglas Harding, born in 1909 has long taught the "headless way" and has died just this January (2007) leaving behind a wonderful body of work about this direct and simple way of seeing into reality. Books by Douglas Harding at Amazon

Jeff Foster has written "Life Without A Center", and I'm hearing that its wonderful.  Go find out more info at Amazon

Gangaji has written many excellent books, and also has many wonderful tapes and videotapes. She has someone who edits her talks and arranges them according to topic and these compilations I particularly recommend. In spite of the recent trouble she has been having thanks to her husband Eli's exploits, I still think her teachings have plenty of value for many people. Gangaji's books on Amazon

Steven Harrison has written several excellent books on these matters. I especially liked "Doing Nothing" but his most recent book is "What next after now" which is a most pertinent question, don't you think? Check out the selection at Steven's books at Amazon

David Hawkins, who awakened after a very successful psychotherapy practice has written some amazing material in a multi volume set. My favorite is "The Eye of the I". Can be quite "heady" but deals so straightfowardly and wonderfully with the hardest topics to get words around. Amazing stuff. One problem I have with it though is the way he calibrates everything numerically, and puts such ultimate faith in kinesiology as a way of measuring that calibration. Its still really interesting though, and not to be missed. David Hawkins' books on Amazon

Chuck Hillig. I first read Chuck's delightful littlel book called "The Way It Is" which in simple words, and not too many of them, and pictures, does a good job of encapsulating what is going on and making you smile. More recently I have had the pleasure to read his other books which he is re-releasing through Sentient Publications. One is "Enlightenment for Beginners" which is also an excellent read for people trying to get a sense of the non-dual and wanting to get it simple and straight. Chuck's other book "Looking for God" is wonderful in the same way, using a big hole through the center of the book in the cleverest way. "Seeds for the Soul" dives more deeply into the material for those who want more, displaying the wisdom that Chuck has gathered from his lifelong work with people by showing how these simple truths can be lived in the world. Chuck Hillig's books on Amazon

Catherine Ingram has a wonderful book called "Passionate Presence" which I thoroughly enjoyed. She holds satsang in the northwest US. She is another Papaji-awakened person and has a clear unpretentious and beautiful way of teaching. Catherine's books on Amazon

Stephen Jourdain, "Radical Awakening, Cutting through the Conditioned Mind" and eleven other books, Stephen is in his sixties now and living in France. Books by Stephen at Amazon

Byron Katie is an amazing person who has written numerous wonderful books, all highly recommended and particularly useful in those points in the process where you are exploring how your conditioning is affecting your behavior and relationships and want to explore what is real or true. Byron Katie's first question "is it true?" is so incredibly valuable to ask ourselves about what we think and say. Byron Katie's books on Amazon

Jerry Katz, who has built nonduality.com has put together a compilation of writing and it is just called "One: Essential Writings on Non-duality" I haven't read it yet but if you are interested in non-dual thought, this is a great place to start. Here it is on Amazon

Jan Kersschot, a Belgian Naturopath,has written several wonderful and easyily readable books on the awakening process. They have exercises in them which are amazingly effective in facilitating the reader in reversing attention from the world of subjects and objects to the seer itself. Jan was awakened through Tony Parsons. Jan's books on Amazon

Jean Klein is a wonderful teacher in the Advaita Tradition. I have personally read "Ease of Being" and it is beautiful!  I'm sure the rest of his books are also. Books by Jean Klein at Amazon

"The Perfection of Nothing", by Rick Lewis is a wonderful book about transformation. Rick seems to have studied under Lee Lozowick, someone I am not familiar with, but seems to have arrived in familiar ground and has described it with humor and grace.
  This book on Amazon

Wayne Liquorman, a student of Ramesh Balsekar, has books out which have had such good recommendations, but i haven't read them yet myself.  If you know them, let me know what you think and I'll say more here.  Wayne's books on Amazon

Jed McKenna has written an unusual book called "Spiritual Enlightenment, The Damnest Thing" and another called " Spiritually Incorrect Enlightenment. His rather irreverent approach is delightfully to the point, but perhaps lacking in warmth. Some people have looked for him and can't find him as being a real person, so say he doesn't exist. You decide for yourself if his books are valuable no matter if he really exists or not. Jed's books on Amazon  Now he has written one called "Spiritual Warfare" which is in my opinion the best of the three. I loved it!

Scott Morrison has two books that I have read and they are both very wonderful and both very simple and to the point. The one I have here is "Open and Innocent, the gentle passionate art of not knowing" but there are other really good ones too. Evidently Scott is not longer alive, but I don't know what the story is. Scott's books on Amazon

Nisargadatta was an uneducated Indian householder and cigarette seller from Bombay, who spent his later years "teaching" from his home. These talks have been captured in many books but the one that I have read and that I recommend HIGHLY is "I am That". It is truly a source of endless wisdom, description and bliss to allow these words in, and wonder too, as you are forced to ponder how an uneducated and illiterate man could speak so eloquently about his enlightened state, and what it means for mankind.  Nisargadatta's books on Amazon

Toni Packer is a wonderful woman dharma teacher out of the Buddhist tradition. She lives and has a center in Rochester NY. Books by Toni Packer at Amazon

Papaji was an Indian man who died not so long ago. He awakened several western seekers and instructed them to go home and hold Satsong, or teach in the west. Gangaji, Arjuna & Catherine Ingram are examples of these. Andrew Cohen was also, but had a falling out with Papaji. Papaji's books are radiantly full of his illumination, though there are a few stories about his life that are not good. "As it Is" and "Wake up and Roar I & II" and the ones that I have read. His cassette tapes "The quickest way to Enlightenment" capture his sense of humor and his personality the way the books cannot.Papaji's books on Amazon

Tony Parsons is a lovely older gentleman/Englishman who seems to have entered the enlightened state without a relationship with a teacher. His descriptions and clarity of mind are wonderful to spend time with. Refreshing. His first book is called "As it is" and he has continued with more wonderful volumes since. Tony's books on Amazon

Robert Powell is a wonderful inspired writer on Advaita philosophy, including the illuminating of the early christian texts. Books by Robert Powell at Amazon

Ramana Maharshi has had a mulitude of wonderful books written about him, many of them containing the words that he actually spoke in response to questions while he was alive. I was given his book "The spiritual teachings of Ramana Maharshi" when I was a teenager, and still have that one today. As a young person however, although I could feel the Truth in his words, his method of inquiry was not accessible to me until late in my 40's. My own assessment of that is that the message is so simple and unadorned, that it takes a certain spiritual maturity to be able tohear it. There are now many books about Ramana's teachings which are more accessible in my opinion. He is a wonderful clear voice for our highest possibility in this life.Books by or about Ramana on Amazon

Jed McKenna has written a trilogy of books about enlightenment, and they are all interesting.  Intriquingly Jed McKenna doesn't actually exist. People have really tried to find him and he can't be found. His third, and supposedly last book is really good if you ask me, although it is quite disturbing if butchering all of your sacred cows is not ok with you. I found the third book, Spiritual Warfare, both hard to put down, highly energizing, important and true, though lacking in warmth. Spiritual Warfare

Satyam Nadeen was a drug dealer who awoke under the ultimatily stressful conditions of prison. It is such a teaching to see how his seemingly negative experiences benefited his awakening. His book "Onions and Pearls", tells his story, but his second book " from Seekers to Finders" I liked even better. Nothing new recently, so not sure how he is doing. Satyam's books at Amazon

Robert Rabbin, author of three books, also serves professional organizations and corporate executives with a deep and mystical approach to helping people actualize their true nature. Books by Rob Rabbin at Amazon

Karl Renz Karl is from Germany and has written "The Myth of Enlightenment, Seeing through the Illusion of Separation". Karl is from the Advaita tradition. Books by Karl Renz at Amazon

Rita Marie Robinson has written "Ordinary Women, Extraordinary Wisdom", a wonderful book documenting twelve interviews she did with awakened women, several of them associated with Adya. It gave me a feeling of the extended family of awakening and delighted me to no end. I highly recommend it. Click Here

Bertram W. Salzman  "Being a Buddha on Broadway, Access the Power of Your Naturally Peaceful Mind". This man is an Academy Award winning director who tells his story here of a profound mystical transformation when he was 8, and meetings with J. Krishnamurti and others. Books by Bertram Saltzman at Amazon

Suzanne Segal was an American born woman who while catching a bus one day in Paris experienced the total and complete loss of the sense of there being an "I" in her. She went through great trials before hearing the perspective that this might actually be a beneficial state spirtitually, and much of the book is taken up by these trials, but I absolutely adored the book, as well as being devastated by it's ending. It is called "Collision with the Infinite".Collision with the Infinite at Amazon

Sunyata was a simple man born on a Danish farm who was born as a clear channel for divine energy. His story is fascinating. I have a book about him called "Sunyata, The life and Sayings of a Rare-born Mystic" by Betty Camhi and Elliott Isenberg.Sunyata's books at Amazon

Lama Surya Das is a teacher in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition who has many wonderful books worth reading. Books by Lama Surya Das at Amazon


Amber Terrell is a Gangaji awakened person who wrote a book about her experiences called "Surprised By Grace" which I loved, but which might turn you off if you have a problem with the whole "Guru" thing. Amber is humble and accessible and makes it all seem real and human.Surprised by Grace at Amazon

Eckhart Tolle Eckhart Tolle wrote the "Power of Now" and subsequetly several other books.  He awakened without the benefit of a teacher or any of the traditions, into a particularly deep state . This seems to be an advantage in his case, for it makes his words applicable to a wide variety of people from a wide variety of backgrounds. The Power of Now is a pure clear simple description of our human situation of thinking that we are the mental ideas of who we, when who we really are is "presence". Also describing "portals" to open up to living and speaking from "presence". Eckhart has three other books out now also: Practicing the Power of Now, Stillness Speaks and A New Earth. All are wonderful, but the heart of the teaching is best explored through the original PON book in my opinion. He has innumerable other materials available on his website. Both reading and being with Eckhart has had monumental impact on my own life.  Eckhart's books on Amazon.com

Joan Tollifson has written "Awake in the Heartland" and is wondful in her approachability and ordinaryness, something that really works for me. I loved the way you can really feel her as a person in her writing. Books by Joan at Amazon

Irina Tweedie is a recent teacher in the Sufi tradition, who though she is no longer alive, has left a wonderful set of writings, and also left some people behind who have awakened through her influence.
Books by Irina Tweedie on Amazon

Dennis Waite is a British man who writes about Advaita and has several books out that are well worth looking into. Check out his work at: Dennis' books on Amazon

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