Book List: Daily Spiritual Contemplation Books

This is my last book list as part of my ‘give a book’ holiday effort (and as much as I love to read, I am ready to take a break!) Check the Books Page for more book lists and book reviews.

Before I dive into this last list, a few other recommendations I’d like to mention. The first is The Faith Club: Three Women Search for Understanding. I finally got around to reading this book (as part of a Religious Debate forum on Cafemom, check it out if you are into such things), and think it is a fascinating read for almost anyone, regardless of whether you are religious. In it, three women, one Muslim, one Jewish and one Christian engage in a two-year debate and discussion on their respective religions, and write about their experience. It is about a lot more than religion, touching on politics, social stereotyping, parenting and many other themes.

The other thing I’d like to mention is a ‘Mothering and Spirituality’ booklist that I recently found on a blog called RiversGrace. Scroll down the right sidebar on her blog for the list. A booklist such as this is another thing I have been working on, but I have not yet read enough books to do a full list (I do read EVERY book I put on my lists.) Several of the books on RiversGrace’s list I have read and loved, and the titles of the others sound promising, so check out this list if you have been hankering for a book on spirituality and motherhood.

OK, now for Daily Spiritual Contemplation books. These are books that are designed to be read just a few pages at a time, and in some cases are even dated that way. I was recently sent a few great ones for review by a publisher, and that reminded me how many I have that I love, and how dear they are to me. Having a book like this at your bedside, in your purse, or, yes, on the back of your toilet (I do all three) is a great way to assure you touch base with your spiritual side daily, however briefly.

If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to try and be more mindful, more present, more spiritual (whatever that means) or something along those lines, consider getting one of these books to help you out. Just DON’T turn it into a source of guilt, as I just won’t be part of that:-) If you miss a day, or a few, just slide back into it – no anxiety please. As usual, I have tried to offer a mix of non-denominational spiritual books, along with those tied to particular religions or traditions.

Wide Open: On Living with Passion and Purpose, Dawna Markova – This luscious book is a mixture of musings, quotes, questions and photographs designed to help you contemplate how you can do exactly what the subtitle says – live with more passion and purpose. This book is not coming from the perspective of a particular spiritual tradition or set of practices, but in my mind the themes around which the book is organized are intrinsically spiritual. Some samples: ‘Losing Yourself to Find Yourself’, ‘Embracing the Mystery’, ‘Sheltering Fear’, and ‘What Have You Been Given With Which to Give?’ The nature photography is especially stunning, so if you enjoy a mixture of text and images, this book is for you.

Quiet Mind: One-Minute Retreats from a Busy World, David Kundtz – This book offers over 150 two-page musings on aspects of our busy, hyper-stimulated modern life, and ideas for ’stopping’ in the midst of it. In ‘Telephones, Beepers and Clocks’, the author suggests designating a particular sound you hear daily – such as the microwave beep when something is done – as a trigger for a mindful moment through a single deep breath. In ‘A Hard Question’, the author muses on the materialism of our world, the pressure to accumulate more and more, and suggests looking for ways throughout that day to say to yourself  “that’s enough”. This is a great way to focus on just one simple mindful theme each day, in a way that is bound to transform your perceptions over time.

The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have, Mark Nepo – Written by a poet and teacher, this book is organized by date, with 1-2 page offerings for each day of the year. Beautifully written, each entry begins with a quote from another poet, saint (practically every spiritual tradition is represented), or other literary work, followed by the author’s musings and a set of questions to contemplate that day. Some random samples: “August 1: The Pain of Becoming – We do ourselves a great disservice by judging where we are in comparison to some final destination.” “April 10: At Home in Our Skin – The spiritual life is about becoming more at home in your own skin.”

Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life, Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat – This is a collection of hundreds (650 according to the back cover) excerpts from contemporary books and movies, organized according to spiritual themes such as ‘Things’, ‘Nature’, ‘Creativity’, ‘Service’, ‘Relationships’ and ‘A Day in the Spiritual Life’. Each section is designed to help us find the sacred in every moment and experience we have. Just opening the book randomly (which I often do), I find a poem from Mary Oliver, a quote from Thich Nhat Han, and an excerpt from a book on quilting. All of the book titles are listed right with the excerpt, so this is a great way to find new books that you might not otherwise have found, in addition to providing daily food for thought.

365 Tao: Daily Meditations, Ming-dao Deng – This book offers 365 gems of wisdom from Taoism. Each page is themed, and begins with a short quote or poem, followed by the author’s contemplation, often in the form of a parable. Day 1 – ‘Beginnings’ starts with “This is the moment of embarking, All auspicious signs are in place.” Day 59 – ‘Source’ begins “Wellspring of energy, Rises in the Body’s Core. Tap it and be Sustained, Channel it and it will Speak.” Both the content and form stay true to the essence of Taoism, without New Age clutter. If you are looking for authentic Taoism, give this a try.

Dhammapada: The Sayings of the Buddha (Pocket Classic), Thomas Byrom – This pocket-sized version of the Buddha’s core teachings and sayings was in my purse for almost ten years when I lived in Manhattan. I read it on the subway, in line at the post office, waiting for the bus, or even stuck in traffic (one spends a lot of time on transportation in NYC.) It isn’t just that this book is small, it’s that this particular translation is excellent – accessible but true to the original meaning – and without cluttering notes or author thoughts. A random sample – “Believe, meditate, see. Be harmless, be blameless. Awake to the law, and from all sorrow free yourself.”

Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki – Another Buddhist offering, this classic is not strictly speaking a daily contemplation book, but a set of Zen parables and aphorisms that cut to the heart of Zen. Since most are less than a page, they are perfectly absorbed on a one-per-day basis. If you are interested in absorbing Zen, give this a try. The trick is not to force understanding – just let each story or saying sink in over time.

The MacArthur Daily Bible: Read the Bible in One Year, John MacArthur- I went back and forth on including this, because I have reservations, but I decided to do so because I think there is alot of educational (and spiritual) value in getting through the Bible at least once in your life, regardless of your religious beliefs (or lack thereof.) I have not yet found  a truly ecumenical or interfaith daily bible, but this one worked fairly well for me. Mostly I like the organization, with each day offering a reading from the Old Testament, New Testament and Psalms. The author throws in his own commentary, which you may or may not like, but in any case can easily skip.

The Little Book of Hindu Deities, Sanjay Patel – This book also isn’t really a daily contemplation book, but it isn’t a children’s book either, and I included it on my Children’s World Religions book list. I just like it a lot, and so does everyone I have shown it too, and I wanted to include something from Hinduism. The author is an animator from Pixar Studios, and has drawn anime-style pictures of all the major Hindu deities, along with cheeky descriptions of their legends and attributes.

A Year with Rumi: Daily Readings, Coleman Barks – Rumi, a Sufi mystic, is one of my favorite poets, and this collection offers up a poem a day, accessibly and beautifully translated. A sample from June 26th, ‘The Self We Share’ begins “Look fish, you are already in the ocean. Just swimming there makes you friends with glory.” Or, from February 5th, ‘Throat-Song’, “Let your throat-song be clear and strong enough to make an emporer fall full-length, suppliant, at the door.”

For more book lists and reviews, head to the Book Page.

Book List: Introducing Young Children to World Religions

This book list is a counterpart to my last post, Spiritual Books for Young Children. Read that post for more info on how these lists came about. Both lists are part of my ‘give a book month’ effort – check the posts on the right for some great adult spiritual gift book options.

This list is of books for introducing children ages 3-9 to religions other than their own. Many of these books are also good for teaching children about their own religions, but that was not the main criteria for the list. I have focused here on selecting two books for each of the five major world religions, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. There are a few honorable mentions related to other traditions, or geared for older kids, thrown in at the end.

This list is of course entirely subjective! There are a lot of children’s books out there for some of these religions, so I really tried to focus on those that entertained my own daughter the most. Feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments section.

Buddhism
Becoming Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha, by Whitney Stewart – This is an introduction to the main themes of Buddhism through a telling of the Buddha’s life story. One of the few Buddhist offerings geared for children this young, the interesting artwork and fascinating story held my daughter’s interest.

Peaceful Piggy Meditation, by Kerry Lee Maclean – One of my favorites, this book presents meditation as a tool kids can use to help them deal with the difficult everyday situations they most often confront – getting teased by their siblings, falling down at school, or served a dinner they can’t stand.

Hinduism
Lighting a Lamp: A Diwali Story, by Jonny Zucker – Geared for the younger end of my target age range, this book introduces the Hindu festival of Diwali by walking through one family’s celebration of the day. It is part of the Festival Time series, a collection of books introducing holidays from all the major religions.

The Little Book of Hindu Deities: From the Goddess of Wealth to the Sacred Cow, by Sanjay Patel – This is actually not a children’s book, but came highly recommended, and my daughter loves it. The author is an animator with Pixar Studios, and has drawn hip, colorful drawings of all the major Hindu deities, along with brief descriptions. An entertaining way for anyone of any age to learn about the Hindu pantheon.

Islam
Ramadan, by Suhaib Hamid Ghazi – This book follows a young boy named Hakeem through the major rituals of Ramadan, including fasting, praying and visits to the mosque. Although a bit heavy on text for my four-year old daughter, her slightly older friend loved it, and it won out over others about Ramadan because of its exquisite illustrations.

Salaam: A Muslim American Boy’s Story, by Tricia Brown – A profile of a real-life American Muslim boy and his family, depicted through simple text and photographs. This book introduces the five pillars of Islam, and cultural aspects of Islam such as hijab (women’s headscarves) in an accessible way, as well as broaching the difficult topic of religious intolerance. My daughter was especially fascinated by the photographs, and flipped through the book again and again.

Judaism
What Makes Someone a Jew? by Lauren Seidman – With rhyming text and color photographs, this book introduces children to the diversity of Jews around the world. Focused on the basic shared tenets of loving and kindness, this book focuses more on a sense of inclusiveness than religious theology, but presents a powerful multi-cultural image of modern Judaism.

Beni’s Family Treasury for the Jewish Holidays, by Jane Breskin Zalben – For a more informative yet entertaining introduction to Judaism’s tenets, try this collection of five stories about bear Beni and his family’s trials and tribulations while celebrating various Jewish holidays. These tales combine educational information and good storytelling in a way rare for children’s religious books, and left my young listener clamoring for more.

Christianity
As it turns out, finding books to introduce Christianity from a non-Christian perspective was the biggest challenge I faced in compiling this list. In the end, I let the entertainment  factor take precedence and selected picturesque books that introduce the two most well-known Christian religious holidays, Christmas and Easter. Check the Honorable Mentions list below for some other Christianity ideas.

Humphrey’s First Christmas, by Carol Heyer – This adorable version of the nativity story is told from the perspective of Humphrey, a grumpy camel witnessing the event. As Humphrey begins to appreciate the value of what he is involved in, he puts his own complaints aside and learns the true meaning of Christmas – selfless giving and love. Humphrey was a hit, with me and my daughter.

The Easter Story, by Brian Wildsmith – The story of Easter is not an easy one to relay to children, with betrayal, suffering and death all prominently featured. This beautifully illustrated version does it justice, focusing on the deeper meaning of each event without glossing over the details too much. Like in the prior book, an animal features prominently, this time the donkey Jesus rides into Jerusalem.

Honorable Mentions
These were books I liked, but that were either geared for slightly older children, or dealt with religions other than the ones covered above.

One World, Many Religions: The Ways We Worship, by Mary Pope Osborne – Survey of all the world’s religions from children’s perspectives, geared for 9-12 year olds.

Religion (DK Eyewitness Series), by Myrtle Langley – Another survey book for 9-12 year olds, from the well-known education series DK Eyewitness.

Meet Jesus: The Life and Lessons of a Beloved Teacher, by Lynn Tuttle Gurney – Accessible and universalist telling of Jesus’ life story, appropriate for liberal Christians and non-Christians.

Aisha’s Moonlit Walk, by Anika Stafford – Introduction to pagan holidays and celebrations throughout the year.

Zen Shorts, by Jon Muth – Introduction to Zen principles by a giant panda, targeted to children 9-12, but the pictures pulled my four-year old in as well.

The Elephant Prince: The Story of Ganesh, by Amy Novesky – Beautifully illustrated tale of Ganesh, Hindu deity.

Meditation Within ALL the World’s Religions: Info and Resources

Since I recently did a post on meditation from a medical perspective, and one on the many different types of meditation, I thought I would round out the series with a post on spiritual and religious meditation. Many people associate meditation with Far Eastern religions like Buddhism and Hinduism, and don’t realize that there are also many forms of Judeo-Christian meditation, as well as meditations from other faiths. Below is an overview of meditation as it is generally viewed within each major religion, and links to resources with more info. By including these links I am NOT endorsing the teachers or authors associated with these sites (most of whom I don’t know) – just the information on the sites.

• In Buddhism, observing and stilling the mind are the key to recognizing the transience of all thoughts and emotions, in order to connect with eternal, non-personal awareness. Two good resources for learning more about Buddhist meditation are Buddhanet and WildMind.

• In Hinduism, meditating is the core practice for merging the mind with the energies operating beneath the physical world, through which the mind can ultimately merge with the source of these energies itself. Meditation is considered part of yoga practice – yoga means ‘union’ and meditation is considered the primary method for merging our awareness with the divine. Two good resources for learning more about yoga and Hindu meditation are the Sanatan Society and What is Yoga?

• In Kabbalah, often called Jewish mysticism, a form of meditation called ‘hitbonenut’, which involves contemplating a concept or light itself, is used to attain true, meta-intellectual knowledge. A good resource for learning about basic Kabbalastic meditation is LearnKabbalah. A good site for learning more about incorporating meditation into mainstream Jewish traditions is The Awakened Heart Project.

• Eastern Orthodox Christianity incorporates the ‘hesychasm’, or Jesus prayer, performed in a meditative, chanting fashion, in order to connect with the heart of faith. For some more info, go to The Jesus Prayer or Hesychasm.

• Roman Catholicism includes contemplative practices such as the rosary for lay people, and many silent contemplative practices for monastic initiates. St. Theresa of Avila was one of several Catholic mystics who wrote on the benefits of mental prayer. Here’s an interview with a former Trappist monk on the benefits of meditation for Christians, or you can learn more about Jesuit meditation as represented in the teachings of Ignatius Loyola.

• In Quaker meetings participants sit in silence, waiting for the ‘inner light’ to inspire someone to speak. Learn more about Quaker Silence or check out an essay by Mary Coelho, a modern Quaker and writer.

• The Sufis within Islam incorporate both energy center and devotional meditation to merge with the ‘beloved divine’ responsible for life itself. Sufism has many branches and corresponding meditation techniques, but most are centered on love meditations. Try this Sufi meditation of the heart, or check out this video meditation based on the famous Sufi poet Rumi.

• Taoism is the ancient Chinese mystic tradition and philosophy focused on balance and the interacting forces of yin/yang, passive/aggressive, masculine/feminine, and creating/receiving. Tai Chi is often considered a form of moving Taoist meditation. Sitting Taoist meditation focuses on similar themes of balance and flow.

• The Bahai faith, a relatively new religious tradition, founded in 19-century Persia, emphasizes the spiritual unity of all humankind and the common themes of all world religions. Learn more about the Bahai faith, or check out this information on meditation within the Bahai faith.

If you are interested in learning more about a particular spiritual tradition, check out this book list: Introduction to the World’s Spiritual Traditions. Or, for more books on meditation within different traditions, go to this booklist at my teaching site.

Book List: Introduction to the World’s Spiritual Traditions

Since I try and pull from all the world’s spiritual traditions in my own teaching, over the years I have compiled a book list of my favorite introductory and classic texts within each of the major traditions. This list is of course entirely subjective! I welcome other suggestions or feedback on these books in the comments section.

Tibetan Buddhism
Introductory:

• Awakening the Buddha Within: Tibetan Wisdom for the Western World, Lama Surya Das
• A Journey in Ladakh: Encounters with Buddhism, Andrew Harvey
• The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying, Sogyal Rinpoche

Classics:

• Buddhist Masters of Enchantment, Keith Dowman & Robert Beer
• Tibet’s Great Yogi Milarepa, W.Y. Evans-Wentz
• The Tibetan Book of the Dead, W.Y. Evans-Wentz

Zen Buddhism
Introductory:

• Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind, Shunryu Suzuki

Classics:

• Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki
• The Bodhidharma Anthology, Jeffrey Broughton

Hinduism
Introductory:

• Autobiography of a Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda
• Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna : Abridged Edition, Swami Nikhilananda
• The Eternal Companion, Swami Prabhavananda

Classics:

• The Song of God: Bhagavad-Gita, Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood
• How to Know God, Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood

Vedanta
Introductory:

• Just Like You, Gangaji

Classics:

• Shankara’s Crest Jewel of Discrimination, Swami Prabhavananda & Christopher Isherwood
• The Spiritual Teachings of Ramana Maharshi, Ramanah Maharshi

Taoism
Introductory:

• Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life – Living the Wisdom of the Tao, Wayne Dyer

Classics:

• Tao Te Ching, Lao Tzu
• I Ching or Book of Changes, C.F. Baynes, R. Wilhelm

Christianity (the emphasis here is on the practice of Christianity as a spiritual path, not religious theology)
Introductory:

• Return to Love, Marrianne Williamson
• Conversations with God, Neale Donald Walsch

Classics:

• The Gnostic Gospels, Elaine Pagels
• Beyond Belief, Elaine Pagels

Kabbalah
Introductory:

• Simple Kabbalah, Kim Zetter
• The Practical Kabbalah Guidebook, C. J. M. Hopking

Classics:

• Zohar: The Book of Enlightenment, Daniel Chanan Matt

Sufism
Introductory:

• Essential Sufism, Huston Smith, Robert Frager, and James Fadiman

Classics:

• Feeling the Shoulder of the Lion: Poetry and Teaching Stories of Rumi, Jelaluddin Rumi

For more book lists and book reviews, go to the Book category.

5 Religions, 5 Women Mystics: Mirabai – Hindu Devotee and Poet

This post is one of a five-part series on women mystics, one from each of the five major world religions: Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. Click here for the full series.

Mirabai was a 16th century Indian Hindu mystic and teacher famous for her devotional poems and songs. From a young age, Mirabai demonstrated profound religious fervor, particularly for the Hindu deity Krishna. She worshipped his image daily, and often claimed to have visions of him. Born into a religious upper caste family, her devotion was initially encouraged by her parents, but they eventually came to view it as excessive, and as a hindrance to her household responsibilities.

As was customary, she married at a young age to a man selected by her family. However, she soon ended up in conflict with her in-laws over her spiritual longings and refusal to worship their own family deity. According to legend, she spent hours every evening worshiping Krishna through religious prayer and song, often entering into ecstatic trances. Her husband and in-laws became increasingly angry with her, and threatened to throw her out of the house.

When Mirabai’s husband died at a young age, his family ordered her to commit suicide, as was legally their right at the time. But Mirabai refused, saying Lord Krishna had ordered her otherwise. After much suffering in the household, she eventually escaped and moved to the holy city of Vrindavan to live the life of a penniless devotee, studying with local saints, a fate unheard of for a woman of her caste.

Although at first she was scorned by many for her intense practices and trances, over time visitors began to see her as a living embodiment of pure and selfless religious devotion. Word of her began to spread, and she developed a following of her own. She composed hundreds of poems and songs in devotion to Krishna, many of which are still well-known within India today. Her poems express a profound love of God through the personage of Krishna, and espouse the path of religious devotion as the highest and most joyful spiritual path.

For more biographical info on Mirabai, try this site. To read some of her poems, go to Poet Seers.

The other posts in this series are on Margery Kempe (Christian), Hannah Rachel Verbemacher (Jewish), Sukhasiddhi (Buddhist), and Rabia Basri (Islamic). For books on more women mystics, check out the Women’s Spiritual Book List or the Women Mystics page.