Listmania!
Broad spirituality for thinking people
By an Amazon.com customer
Everyday Zen: Love & WorkEveryday Zen: Love & Work by Charlotte Joko Beck
Buy used from: $0.01
The book that started it all, for me. I first saw Joko on a friend's bookshelf and she's the one who opened this avowed atheist to the possibility of a spiritual life.
Nothing Special: Living ZenNothing Special: Living Zen by Charlotte Joko Beck
Buy used from: $1.15
More Joko. Zen Buddhism in a western context. She reminds me of a zen version of my mom. Unfortunately she's only written two books.
The Re-enchantment of Everyday LifeThe Re-enchantment of Everyday Life by Thomas Moore
Buy new: $11.69 / Used from: $0.01
I avoided Thomas Moore for years because I confused him with the _Chicken Soup for the Soul_ guy. Very different! Moore is a former monk, a classically trained musician, and a therapist, so his perspective is very broad indeed.
We're All Doing Time: A Guide to Getting FreeWe're All Doing Time: A Guide to Getting Free by Bo Lozoff
Buy new: $15.00 / Used from: $4.69
The best spiritual teacher you've probably never heard of. Bo started the Prison Ashram Project, noting the similarities between monasteries and prisons. You don't have to be serving time to benefit from his straight talk. His correspondence with prisoners is compassionate, but he pulls no punches and sees thru B.S. in an instant.
A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual LifeA Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life by Jack Kornfield
Buy new: $12.24 / Used from: $1.74
Kornfield was another westerner guiding me through eastern spirituality early in my search. I was grateful to find him.
Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into StillnessYoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness by Erich Schiffmann
Buy new: $12.96 / Used from: $5.00
Bodily inspiration. Still my favorite of all the books I read on yoga.
The Road Less Traveled, 25th Anniversary Edition : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual GrowthThe Road Less Traveled, 25th Anniversary Edition : A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values and Spiritual Growth by M. Scott Peck
Buy new: $10.88 / Used from: $3.35
This classic still contains perhaps the most satisfying definition of love: "The will to extend one's self for the purpose of nurturing one's own or another's spiritual growth."
Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with BlessingsPronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How the Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You with Blessings by Rob Brezsny
Buy new: $12.92 / Used from: $3.03
Goofy, but with regular flashes of wisdom. For when I need to lighten up!
The Plain ReaderThe Plain Reader by Scott Savage
Buy new: $16.24 / Used from: $0.54
A selection of essays from Plain magazine. Excellent food for thought as the writers critique many aspects of modern living, from technology to compulsory schooling. Touches of humor, too, as with the essay from a man buying his first horse-drawn buggy.
Epicurean SimplicityEpicurean Simplicity by Stephanie Mills
Buy new: $29.00 / Used from: $4.80
Engaging, meditative essays from this respected writer known for her work in bioregionalism.
The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature (Plus)The Earth Path: Grounding Your Spirit in the Rhythms of Nature (Plus) by Starhawk
Buy new: $11.69 / Used from: $3.88
For years I avoided reading Starhawk because I was turned off by her New-Agey nom de plume. My mistake; she is a solid writer/activist with much to offer.
A Book of Pagan PrayerA Book of Pagan Prayer by Ceisiwr Serith
Buy new: $13.57 / Used from: $8.99
I wanted to learn more about prayer, and started here rather than with a Christian source.
The Energy of Prayer: How to Deepen Your Spiritual PracticeThe Energy of Prayer: How to Deepen Your Spiritual Practice by Thich Nhat Hanh
Buy new: $10.36 / Used from: $6.50
Another thoughtful treatment of prayer in a broad spiritual context.
Your Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial IndependenceYour Money or Your Life: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Achieving Financial Independence by Joe Dominguez
Buy used from: $0.01
Not a spiritual book per se, but this classic is still the essential guide to "living your values" with respect to money. Nothing else in the literature of money & personal finance comes close.
At Home in the World: A Rule of Life for the Rest of Us (Christian Classics)At Home in the World: A Rule of Life for the Rest of Us (Christian Classics) by Margaret Guenther
Buy new: $14.53 / Used from: $9.39
Margaret Guenther is a no-nonsense Episcopalian spiritual director who happens to be local to DC (at Saint Columba's). She's funny, wise, and down-to-earth, like a sharp grandma or maybe an older sister. I've read three of her books, and love them all.
The Faith and Practice of the QuakersThe Faith and Practice of the Quakers by Rufus Jones
Buy new: $15.00 / Used from: $9.24
All my seeking eventually led me to the Quakers. I'm still looking for the "best" Quaker title for this list; this book written by Quaker mystic Rufus Jones in 1927 is a good start.