Hello my friends, and welcome back to Collectively Quantum! I have been getting so many requests for good book recommendations, so today I thought I would compile all my favorites into one list. The list is separated into different genres, but truthfully anyone can benefit from any one of these books.
That being said, there are a ton of spiritual/self-development books out there. This list simply includes the ones that had the most profound impact on me- The books that changed my life! I hope you find one that resonates with you. If you’re ready, let’s get started!
Consciousness Books
This section contains all the books that will make you change your mind- literally. These are the books that facilitated my biggest leaps in consciousness, opened me to new perspectives, and catapulted my inner dialogue to a place of light, love, and awareness.
The Power of Now- Eckhart Tolle
“Thinking is only a small aspect of consciousness. Thought cannot exist without consciousness, but consciousness does not need thought.” -Eckhart Tolle
This book is truly a mind shifter- Eckhart opens you up to your inner being in a way that shows you the insanity of the mind and allows you to quiet the ego. I think everyone has heard of this book, so instead of a summary, I will just make a suggestion: Listen to this as an audiobook. I own this book as a physical copy and on Audible. For me, the message was so much more powerful when I could listen to Eckhart’s voice reading his own words. I am a firm believer that energy can be transmitted through words, and listening to this book on my commute every day tangibly shifted my energy in the morning. I actually ended up having about a week long Satori experience after reading, or listening, to this book. If you haven’t read it yet, I highly recommend it!
You can buy it here: The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment: Tolle, Eckhart: 9781577314806: Amazon.com: Books
The Surrender Experiment- Michael Singer
“That was the essence of my experiment with life: if it’s down to a matter of preference—life wins.” -Michael Singer
This book is a testimony to the power of living in flow and surrendering to the power of the Universe. Michael Singer originally went into the woods to meditate, and ended up running a multi-billion dollar company without planning or trying. Reading this book cut through any resistance I had to surrendering to the flow of life. I cannot recommend this book enough, particularly if you struggle with overthinking, overplanning, or a fear of losing control.
This book has a sequel, The Untethered Soul. I am only half way through it, but it serves as a practical guide on how to surrender. If you are looking for a how-to guide on living in flow with the Universe, check out that book as well.
Buy The Surrender Experiment Here: Amazon.com: The Surrender Experiment: My Journey into Life’s Perfection (Audible Audio Edition): Michael A. Singer, Michael A. Singer, Random House Audio: Audible Audiobooks
Journey of Souls- Michael Newton
“We know life is transitory. We are more detached because without human bodies we are unencumbered by the immediacy of human emotion.” -Michael Newton
This book single handedly transformed my beliefs around reincarnation and past lives. Michael Newton is a hypnotherapist who accidentally regressed someone into a past life during their session. After the experience, he spent years regressing hundreds, if not thousands, of people into past lives and documenting their stories about the transition from death to re-birth. The remarkable similarities between their stories, down to colors, sounds, and sights, is truly incredible. I recommend this book for anyone on the spiritual journey, whether you believe in reincarnation or not- the narrative within his research is beautifully written.
Peace is Every Step- Thich Nhat Hanh
“Every breath we take, every step we take, can be filled with peace, joy, and serenity. The question is whether or not we are in touch with it. We need only to be awake, alive in the present moment.” -Thich Nhat Hanh
This beautiful book contains a profound amount of wisdom. Thich Nhat Hanh is a Buddhist monk, writer, and peace activist. Through this book, he teaches that peace is not only available during meditation. You can feel peace in every moment of your life, and Peace Is Every Step uses real life examples, such as washing the dishes, to bring peace into your every day.
You can buy it here: Amazon.com: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Audible Audio Edition): Thich Nhat Hanh, Edoardo Ballerini, Blackstone Audio, Inc.: Audible Audiobooks
The Power of Positive Thinking- Dr. Norman Vincent Peale
“When you expect the best, you release a magnetic force in your mind which by a law of attraction tends to bring the best to you.” -Norman Vincent Peale
Although this book was written by an American minister with no background in the Law of Attraction, the premises in this book will ring a bell for those who do. The Power of Positive Thinking is just what it sounds like- the life changing power of thinking positively. This book was a truly inspiring read about the power of your mind and how positive thinking can change your life.
You can buy it here: The Power of Positive Thinking: Peale, Dr. Norman Vincent: 9780743234801: Amazon.com: Books
Books On Energy
These books are all about energy, energetic anatomy, the vibrational nature of who we are and the words we speak, and how to play with the energy that is all around us. Let’s dive in!
Anatomy of the Spirit- Caroline Myss
“We do indeed weave our spirit to the events and relationships of our lives. Life is as simple as that…What drains your spirit drains your body. What fuels your spirit fuels your body.” -Caroline Myss
This book singlehandedly transformed my perspective of the chakras. In Anatomy of the Spirit, Caroline Myss describes the metaphorical meanings of the Christian Sacrament, the Tree of Life in Kabbalah, and the Seven Chakras of Hinduism. By exploring the similarities behind these sacred acts, Caroline uses her own medical psychic abilities to show us the anatomy of the Spirit, and how aligning ourselves with the seven stages of power allows us to live long, healthy, and vibrant lives.
You can buy it here: Anatomy of the Spirit: The Seven Stages of Power and Healing: Myss, Caroline: 9780609800140: Amazon.com: Books
E-Squared- Pam Grout
“But here’s what physicists tell us. Things, in the quantum world, do not happen in steps. They happen immediately.” -Pam Grout
This book is so, so much fun. It came into my life at the beginning of my journey, when I was just starting to explore energy, the Law of Attraction, and manifestation. Through nine simple experiments, Pam proves to you that energy is all around you, available for you to play with. If you like to play with the Universe and witness the power of intention, this book is for you!
Check it out here: E-Squared: Nine Do-It-Yourself Energy Experiments That Prove Your Thoughts Create Your Reality: Grout, Pam: 9781401938901: Amazon.com: Books
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself- Joe Dispenza
“We cannot create a new future by holding on to the emotions of the past.” -Joe Dispenza
Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself is a unique way of linking your habits and your happiness with neuroscience and quantum physics. Joe Dispenza is a world-renowned neuroscientist who has brought years of research on consciousness, quantum physics, neural connections, and emotions together in a book that teaches you how to release your mental chatter. This book breaks down these complex topics into bite-size and understandable steps that will teach you exactly how to let go of limiting beliefs, release past emotions, and break the habit of being yourself.
The Subtle Body- Cyndi Dale
“To achieve excellence, we must also consider and work with what is not apparent, with what cannot be seen. We must journey into the complex world of subtle energies.” -Cyndi Dale
If you are an energy nerd like me, this book is perfect for you. More of a textbook, The Subtle Body covers every aspect of the human body through the lens of energy. This book talks about everything from Shumann Resonances to the Chakras, electromagnetic fields, and so much more. The author also has a coloring book and practice manual to help you study and digest the wealth of information within the original book.
Check it out here: The Subtle Body: An Encyclopedia of Your Energetic Anatomy: Dale, Cyndi: 8601200647099: Amazon.com: Books
The Power of Positive Energy- Tanaaz Chubb
“Even though you are not your thoughts, it is the thoughts that you hold on to or give the most attention to that shape how you view your life and the world around you.” -Tanaaz Chubb
Of all the books on this list, this is the one I have re-read the most. The book itself is beautifully designed, and is an inspirational and comprehensive guide on raising your vibe and keeping your energy high. This is the first book I read when I started on my journey, and whenever I am feeling low it is the first one I turn to. The combination of beautiful images and colors with the inspirational narrative makes it the perfect choice when you need to raise your vibe. I would recommend buying a physical copy of this book, as opposed to a Kindle or Audible version.
The Hidden Messages of Water- Masaru Emoto
“Love and gratitude- this crystal is as perfect as can be. This indicates that love and gratitude are fundamental to the phenomenon of life in all of nature.” -Masaru Emoto
I’ve actually written an entire post about this book, which you can read here. In it, Dr. Masaru Emoto conclusively proves that your thoughts, words, and intentions carry energy. Through years of research, Emoto discovered that molecules of water are affected by thoughts, words, and feelings, as can be seen in his dramatic photographs of water crystals. If you ever doubt the power of your words, read this book, and your vocabulary will dramatically change.
Read it here: The Hidden Messages in Water: Emoto, Masaru: 9780743289801: Amazon.com: Books
Books on Reiki
These two books are the books I recommend to every Reiki practitioner, from beginners to Masters.
Essential Reiki- Diane Stein
Essential Reiki caused an uproar when it first came out. This book contains every teaching, symbol, and tradition of Reiki practice- including how to perform attunements. No matter where you are in your Reiki journey, this book is an excellent handbook with a wealth of information.
You can read it here: Amazon.com: Essential Reiki: A Complete Guide to an Ancient Healing Art (0787721933755): Stein, Diane: Books
The Inner Heart of Reiki- Frans Stiene
This book takes a deep dive into the history of Reiki and dissects the true meaning of each symbol. By looking at Reiki as a path to Enlightenment, Frans Stiene portrays each symbol as a different step on the journey, and reveals the Reiki practice in a new light. I personally experienced a profound change in my own practice after reading this book, and think it has a place on every practitioner’s shelf.
You can read it here: The Inner Heart of Reiki: Rediscovering Your True Self: Stiene, Frans: 9781785350559: Amazon.com: Books
Books on Trauma
Growing up, like so many other people, I experienced intense emotional and physical traumas. The beginning of my journey, before becoming a spiritual seeker, was devoted to healing and releasing that past trauma. The books recommended below are the two that helped the most along the way.
Getting Past your Past- Francine Shapiro
“Changing the memories that form the way we see ourselves also changes the way we view others. Therefore, our relationships, job performance, what we are willing to do or are able to resist, all move in a positive direction.” -Francine Shapiro
Written by the founder of EMDR therapy, this book explains how our memories form the past can become stuck in our brain, and offers techniques to help you release them. By using bilateral stimulation of the brain hemispheres, Shapiro discovered that you could stimulate the reprocessing of a memory. This turns a stuck, traumatic event into a simple memory without the emotional charge. I went through EMDR therapy with a therapist, who recommended this book to me. Getting Past Your Past gives you the tools you need to begin releasing your past and stepping into your present.
The Body Keeps the Score- Bessel van der Kolk, M.D.
If you have experience with trauma, emotional difficulties, or mental health struggles, you have most likely heard of this book. Bessel van der Kolk details exactly how emotional, physical, and mental traumas can get suck in the body. By explaining how the body keeps the score, Kolk explains how our traumas affect the development of brain, mind, and body awareness. This book is dense, and can be difficult to read at times if you have past traumatic experiences, but the information it contains is truly eye opening. This was the first book I read on my path to healing trauma, and it also ignited my interest in how the body stores emotions.
You can read it here: The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma: van der Kolk M.D., Bessel: 9780143127741: Amazon.com: Books
Narrative Books
Up to now, the books on this list have all fallen into the categories of self-development and how-to. Now, I want to shift our attention to a different genre. Although these books (except the last one) are fictional, the messages they contain are some of the most poignant I have found. If you are looking for an enjoyable read that still has a deeper meaning, these books are for you.
The Prophet- Khalil Gibran
“The timeless in you is aware of life’s timelessness. And knows that yesterday is but today’s memory and tomorrow is today’s dream.” -Khalil Gibran
I was recently gifted this book by a friend, and have since highlighted or underlined almost every page. The book follows the prophet Al Mustafa as he prepares to leave his village. On the way, he is stopped by the people and asked to speak to several different topics including love, children, work, laws, freedom, teaching, and more. Written as prose poetry, this book is a truly beautiful read.
Find it here: The Prophet: With Original 1923 Illustrations by the Author: Gibran, Kahlil: 9781947844933: Amazon.com: Books
Island- Aldous Huxley
“We cannot reason ourselves out of our basic irrationality. All we can do is learn the art of being irrational in a reasonable way.” -Aldous Huxley
If there is a book on this list that I think everyone should read, it’s this one. The book follows Will Farnaby, a cynical journalist who finds himself on the fictional island of Pala. Written as a Eutopian counterpart to Brave New World, this book marks the start of Aldous Huxley’s foray into spirituality. I truly cannot recommend this book enough.
Find it here: Island: Huxley, Aldous: 9780061561795: Amazon.com: Books
Eat Pray Love- Elizabeth Gilbert
“There’s a crack (or cracks) in everyone…that’s how the light of God gets in.” -Elizabeth Gilbert
I know, I know….. but it had to make it on the list. I’ve read this book twice through, and have gotten something beautiful out of it each time. Although it is a light and sometimes scoffed at book, it played a big role in my own journey and showed me what is possible when you let go of everything you thought you knew. (Not going to lie- it is one of my favorite books to date.)
That’s all for now, beautiful people! I hope you found a book or two in this post that resonated with you. Each one has played its own role in my journey, and I hope that you will find comfort, wisdom, or joy in them as well.
Until next week beautiful people, let’s walk this journey together.
Love and light,
Izzy
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