16 of the best spiritual books – that have changed my life

I regularly get asked what spirituality books I’d recommend, so I’ve been wanting to compile my Top Spiritual Books List comprehensive list for ages.

There is a real mix here of business, money, courage and creativity, but with a common thread; spirituality.

Books have a special power to create major shifts in our mindset, consciousness and what we believe; especially spiritual books that ask us to look deeply within. So I hope there is book here to support and inspire you.

I’ve also shared some inspirational quotes from each book, to give you a sneak peek of what you can expect, incase you decide to hit ‘buy’.

Let’s jump in!

 

The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho

This was the first book I ever read that quite literally ‘spoke to my soul’. I smiled the whole way through it and kick started me on my spiritual path.

The Alchemist is the magical story of a shepherd boy who yearns to travel in search worldly treasures. From his home in Spain he travels to the markets of Tangiers and across the Egyptian desert, where he meets an alchemist (someone who turns lead into gold).

I won’t say much more, because I really want you to read this. It’s a short book and can be read in a day or two.

Inspirational quotes from The Alchemist:

“And, when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

“The simple things are also the most extraordinary things, and only the wise can see them.”

“Remember that wherever your heart is, there you will find your treasure.”

“No matter what he does, every person on earth plays a central role in the history of the world. And normally he doesn’t know it.”

 

The War of Art – Steven Pressfield

‘Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles’

Once I started this book by Steven Pressfield, I couldn’t put it down and finished it in a day. The core theme running through the book is ‘Resistance’.

When Resistance shows up in life, its the souls GPS telling you…YES go THAT WAY! It was a game changer of how I personally deal with resistance to big projects. If something feels out of my comfort zone, I know its a big fat yes for my soul.

My favourite line from the book… “Rule of thumb: The more important a call or action is to our soul’s evolution, the more the resistance we will feel toward pursuing it.”

So if you’ve ever wanted to start a project, write a book, create a course, pivot careers, start a new study, go on a trip, speak your truth and that inner voice is nudging you forwaed, but the mind is saying no, then don’t hesitate to pick up this book!

 

Inspirational quotes from The War of Art

“Are you paralyzed with fear? That’s a good sign. Fear is good. Like self-doubt, fear is an indicator. Fear tells us what we have to do. Remember one rule of thumb: the more scared we are of a work or calling, the more sure we can be that we have to do it.”

“We must do our work for its own sake, not for fortune or attention or applause.”

“It’s better to be in the arena, getting stomped by the bull, than to be up in the stands or out in the parking lot.”

“Resistance is always lying and always full of shit.”

“Of any activity you do, ask yourself: If I were the last person on earth, would I still do it?”

 

The Untethered Soul – Michael A Singer

Michael Singer takes on a big task in this book, asking the reader to explore the question… ‘Who am I?’

Singer encourages the reader to a life lived in the present moment & shares methods of meditation to allow for shifts in relationships with your emotions, your past and your future.

A beautifully written book. I listen to the audio version and loved it.

Inspirational quotes from The Untethered Soul:

“There is nothing more important to true growth than realising that you are not the voice of the mind – you are the one who hears it.”

“Only you can take inner freedom away from yourself, or give it to yourself. Nobody else can.”

“The truth is that most of life will unfold in accordance with forces far outside your control, regardless of what your mind says about it”

 

The Power of Now – Ekhart Tolle

This book came into my life in a very strange way. In Malaysia, I was out walking one night under the bright lights of Kuala Lumpur. A young man, who was out running, approached me and stopped running.

We chatted for a few minutes and he told me to read this book, then he ran off. It felt like an angel encounter.

The Power of Now is a powerful account of Ekhart Tolles awakening, living on a park bench and what happened next. Ekhart highlights the importance of living in the present moment and transcending thoughts of the past or future. This is a must read!

Inspirational quotes A New Earth

“Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have. Make the NOW the primary focus of your life.”

“I have lived with several Zen masters — all of them cats.”

“It is not uncommon for people to spend their whole life waiting to start living.”

“As soon as you honor the present moment, all unhappiness and struggle dissolve, and life begins to flow with joy and ease. When you act out the present-moment awareness, whatever you do becomes imbued with a sense of quality, care, and love – even the most simple action.”

 

A Return to Love – Marianne Williamson

A Return to Love is based Marianne’s experiences as a teacher and lecturer on ‘A Course in Miracles’.

In this book, she explains how it’s possible to bring universal spiritual principles into your everyday life always coming back to love. Whether you have challenges in the area of relationships, career, health or emotions, Marianne shows you how love is the answer, the key to inner peace, fulfilment and a wholesome spiritual life.

Inspirational quotes a return to love:

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?”

“Do what you love. Do what makes your heart sing. And NEVER do it for the money, Go to work to spread joy.”

“When infants aren’t held, they can become sick, even die. It’s universally accepted that children need love, but at what age are people supposed to stop needing it? We never do. We need love in order to live happily, as much as we need oxygen in order to live at all.”

“To ask for another relationship, or another job, is not particularly helpful if we’re going to show up in the new situation exactly as we showed up in the last one.”

 

The Surrender Experiment – Michael A Singer

I recently heard about a Business Mastermind trip, where the guest list included the top Business leaders of the world. And when asked….’what was everyone on that trip reading?’

The answer: The Surrender Experiment

I grabbed my debit card and bought this book within seconds.

In his beautifully written personal memoir, Michael Singer tells the story of how in his twenties, he left university to dedicate his life to Yoga and Meditation. He made the ultimate (and scary) promise to himself, to let go of planning & force and to simply ‘Surrender’ to the flow of life. Whatever came his way, he would see as a sign from the universe and gracefully say YES.

So how did this simple man wanting to life a simple life end up being the CEO of a billion dollar US company?

Seriously…pick up your copy to find out!

Inspirational quotes from The Surrender Experiment:

“My formula for success was very simple: Do whatever is put in front of you with all your heart and soul without regard for personal results. Do the work as though it were given to you by the universe itself – because it was.”

“I am so grateful that surrender had taught me to willingly participate in life’s dance with a quiet mind and an open heart.”

“No matter who we are, life is going to put us through the changes we need to go through. The question is: Are we willing to use this force for our transformation? I saw that even very intense situations don’t have to leave psychological scars, if we are willing to process our changes at a deeper level.”

 

Divine Law of Compensation – Marianne Williamson

I had my hand resting on my heart a lot as I read this book. It was so juicy for me, business and spirituality all wrapped up perfectly and tied with a pretty bow.

Marianne Williamson does an incredible job of exploring spiritual principles that will support us overcoming financial stress and unleashing the divine power of abundance. Williamson reminds us that with the faith in a power outside of us (universe/god/divine), we’ll never need to fear for our future. We will always be compensated.

Inspirational quotes from The Law of Divine Compensation:

“Spiritual growth involves giving up the stories of your past so the universe can write a new one.”

“To whatever extent your mind is aligned with love, you will receive divine compensation for any lack in your material existence. From spiritual substance will come material manifestation. This is not just a theory; it is a fact. It is a law by which the universe operates. I call it the Law of Divine Compensation.”

“A miracle is a shift in perception from fear to love—from a belief in what is not real, to faith in that which is. That shift in perception changes everything.”

“Your calling is what you would do whether you were paid to do it or not. Your calling is what you have to do in order to be happy.”

 

Becoming Supernatural: How Common People are Doing the Uncommon – Dr Joe Dispenza

In Becoming Supernatural, Dispenza teaches exactly how you can transcend the limitations of your past–including health challenges and, quite literally, create a new body, a new mind, and a new life.

He backs up everything with scientific studies and real life stories, which makes the content thrilling and inspirational.

If you want to delve into Quantum Physics – Dr Joe is your man!

Inspirational quotes from Becoming Supernatural:

“The only way we can change our lives is to change our energy — to change the electromagnetic field we are constantly broadcasting. In other words, to change our state of being, we have to change how we think and how we feel.”

“If you can’t get beyond your stresses, your problems, and your pain, you can’t create a new future where those things don’t exist.”

“If you focus on the known, you get the known. If you focus on the unknown, you create a possibility.”

“When you chose to prove to yourself how powerful you really are, you have no idea who you will be helping in the future.”

 

Everything is Figureoutable – Marie Forleo

Oh Marie, how I love you.

I was introduced to MarieTV (on YouTube) a few years ago and binge watched for evenings on end. I am a student of Maries, through both her Copy Cure and B School programmes and love everything she shares with the world. So when her book came out I was the first to preorder the audio and hardback 🙂

This is an absolute feel good book of personal development, business and mindset. Marie also shares practical tools and exercise to move past roadblocks and create a life you love.

My dreams (manifestations) came true when I met Marie in Sydney. Check out my IGTV to hear what business questions I asked her. Trust me, the answers she gave were golden!

Inspirational quotes from Everything is Figureoutable:

“You wouldn’t have the dream if you didn’t already have what it takes to make it happen.”

“Ultimately, the measure of our lives is not determined by what we achieve for ourselves; it’s determined by what we share, give, and contribute to others.”

“A fall is never final unless you stay on the ground.”

“Everything in the material world is first created on the level of thought.”

“The most powerful words in the universe are the words you say to yourself.”

“Nine times out of ten, our fear is directive. It’s a signpost, pointing us in the exact direction our soul wants to go.”

Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

This book is not for the faint hearted.

In fact, this book was required reading for my Yoga Teacher Training and I really struggled with it. So…it sat on my bookshelf for 5 years gathering dust. This year I picked it up again and my heart and mind expanded as I read the words. It was the right time and the right place to receive the wisdom within it.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali is a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga; the path of concentration and meditation. This book includes advice on mastering the mind and achieving physical mental and emotional harmony.

If you want to delve into the philosophy behind the physical yoga practise, this one is for you.

Inspirational quotes from The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

“Truth is the same always. Whoever ponders it will get the same answer. Buddha got it. Patanjali got it. Jesus got it. Mohammed got it. The answer is the same, but the method of working it out may vary this way or that.

“If you do not pour water on your plant, what will happen? It will slowly wither and die. Our habits will also slowly wither and die away if we do not give them an opportunity to manifest. You need not fight to stop a habit. Just don’t give it an opportunity to repeat itself.

“At various points in our lives, or on a quest, and for reasons that often remain obscure, we are driven to make decisions which prove with hindsight to be loaded with meaning

“If you can control the rising of the mind into ripples, you will experience Yoga.”

 

Heart Talk – Cleo Wade

This is my go-to book of poetic wisdom to share in a yoga class.

Cleo’s words are powerful, gentle and touch the soul. This is the perfect coffee table/ bedside table book when you need a pep talk and warm fuzzy feels.

Highly recommend for yourself, or as a gift for one of your girl friends.

Inspirational words from Heart Talk

“Being weird is when you love yourself enough to liberate yourself from the burden of trying to be normal. It is also when you are smart enough to know that there is no such thing as normal.”

“You deserve your dreams–who else could they possibly belong to more than you?

“Do not ignore your intuition. There is an infinite intelligence within you; let it be your guiding light.

Just a friendly reminder: nothing about you is a mistake. You are a gift and you are here for a reason. You deserve to take up space in this world, and we need you here.”

Big Magic – Elizabeth Gilbert

If you’ve read Eat, Pray, Love and enjoyed it, you are going to love this next offering from Elizabeth Gilbert!

The book explores what it means to live a bold, creative life and offers tips to break through the fears that are holding you back.

Gilbert says that any idea/burst of inspiration is a whisper from the universe. If we don’t listen, then that same whisper will be offered to someone else who can run with the task.

A must read for writers, artists and creatives.

Inspirational quotes from Big Magic

“The universe buries strange jewels deep within us all, and then stands back to see if we can find them.”

“You can measure your worth by your dedication to your path, not by your successes or failures.”

“But inspiration is still sitting there right beside me, and it is trying. Inspiration is trying to send me messages in every form it can—through dreams, through portents, through clues, through coincidences, through déjà vu, through kismet, through surprising waves of attraction and reaction, through the chills that run up my arms, through the hair that stands up on the back of my neck, through the pleasure of something new and surprising, through stubborn ideas that keep me awake all night long . . . whatever works. Inspiration is always trying to work with me.”

“Create whatever causes a revolution in your heart.”

“Do you have the courage? Do you have the courage to bring forth this work? The treasures that are hidden inside you are hoping you will say yes.”

 

You can Heal your Life – Louise Hay

I read this book in an Ashram in India and it transformed the way I look at the body & mind.

Louise was diagnosed with ‘incurable cervical cancer’ and refused medical treatment. So she embarked on a journey to heal herself from the inside out, through an intense regime of forgiveness, therapy, nutrition, reflexology, occasional colonic enemas and daily affirmations. And a few months later, the cancer was completely gone. The doctors could not understand what had happened.

Louise wrote this book with such grace and her words vibrate off the pages, which has lead to over 50 million copies being sold!

If you are in a slump with your physical or mental health, get this book.

It might just heal your life.

Inspirational quotes from Big Magic

“I am in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.”

“You have the power to heal your life, and you need to know that. We think so often that we are helpless, but we’re not. We always have the power of our minds…Claim and consciously use your power.”

“Every thought we think is creating our future. ”

“Love is the great miracle cure. Loving ourselves works miracles in our lives.”

“I have noticed that the Universe loves Gratitude. The more Grateful you are, the more goodies you get”

 

A New Earth – Ekhart Tolle

This is Ekhart Tolles second book.

Before diving into this, you really must read The Power of Now (read about it above), as you’ll need to understand these initial principles before diving deeper into Ekharts words…

Inspirational quotes A New Earth

“The primary cause of unhappiness is never the situation but your thoughts about it.”

“Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

“Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this is the experience you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment.”

“Sometimes letting things go is an act of far greater power than defending or hanging on.”

“Life is the dancer and you are the dance.”

The Art of Happiness – Dalai Lama

A hug in a book. The Dalia Lama gives advice on how to confront negative emotions, stresses, and everyday obstacles of life, to find the source of inner peace.

A easy and simple read 🙂

Inspirational quotes from The Art of Happiness

“Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them, humanity cannot survive.”

“If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”

“A disciplined mind leads to happiness, and an undisciplined mind leads to suffering.”

Many Lives, Many Masters – Dr Brain Weiss

Dr Brian Weiss trained as a traditional psychotherapist and was a spiritual skeptic. So when one of his patients began recalling past-life traumas he felt confused. His skepticism was quickly put aside when this patient began to channel messages from the “space between lives” about Dr. Weiss’ personal life.

Using past-life therapy, he was able to cure this patient and embark on a new, spiritual and high impact career.

No inspirational quotes here….just check out the book if you are interested in past lives!

 

Tell me….

I would love to know…

1. Have you read any of these books?

2. What book is next on your wishlist?

3. Is there anything I am missing that you’d recommend?

Let me know, in the comments below.