books for spiritual enlightenment and everyday presence
August 7th, 2020
Hi friends and happy August! Today I came by to share what I’ve been reading over the month of July. I dove quite deep into the side of spirituality this month through these books and I really feel a huge difference by the end of the month. I talked about this a bit in my last what i’m reading but I truly believe that what most of these books come down to is that you can choose your reality based on your mindset. I’ll go into more detail when I go through the individual books but this concept has really engrained itself in me this month. I’ve learned to center my thoughts in a way I never have before and I’m seeing new ways to calm myself down when I am in a tough situation. This is what I’ve been reading lately for some depth into spiritual enlightenment:
After hearing so many things about this book from different sources, it was one of those books that I knew a lot about before starting and it didn’t disappoint. Through very practical advice, Clear explains simple strategies for implementing good habits and breaking bad habits. It is organized very thoughtfully with summaries at the end of each section and chapter so it’s easy to go back and reference. He breaks down the idea of creating positive habits into four simple steps that are easy to follow and very practical. With lots more resources online as well, this book is an all around great guide to get you kick started into a healthy routine and promote growth.
I talked a bit more about this book in this post.
This is another book I had heard mentioned a lot but I hadn’t heard much of what it was about. Similar to The Untethered Soul that I talk about here, this book goes through the process and magic of spiritual enlightenment, what it means, and how to find this power within yourself. By far, this is the book the resonated with me the most this month. Through a simple question and answer format, Tolle brings to light the power that we each have within the present moment and how this can allow us to let go of our suffering that we create through psychological time. It brings your attention to the present, in which there are no problems and everything is as it should be. This is a really powerful book.
This was the last book I read this month, mostly after hearing lots about it in conjunction with The Power of Now. After reading it, I understand why it was such a popular book because it really offers that idea of being able to change your whole reality through your own thoughts. Through the power of attraction, it explains how we are full of power to decide our own reality.
Looking at this book a bit more objectively, I think it’s important to note that this mindset seems to come from a place of privilege. They talk a lot in the book about attracting wealth but I believe that has a lot to do with the circumstances you were born into. Overall though, it has the underlying message that you have the power to see your reality in a positive and bright light and that is how you have the power to have everything you desire (cause for the most part, you probably already have it).
Towards the end of this month, I’m very sensitive to how many of these popular self development books have been written by people of privilege within North America. Many of the books that I have read about furthering your spirituality and understanding of yourself have come from white people of privilege. So it’s interesting to look at how this advice and the ability to put it into action comes from a place of privilege also. It is my personal goal for the rest of the year to continue through this path of spirituality through a more global perspective and understanding. Each culture has different ways of understanding spirituality and I am aiming to search for this broader understanding through more diverse readings. If you have any recommendations for introspective books written by authors of diverse backgrounds, I would love to hear them below. I hope you are all doing well and taking care of each other.
Take care till next time,
Hanna
Dearest Hanna, might I suggest “Not Always So” by Shunryu Suzuki. He was a poor buddhist monk who came to San Francisco in 1959 with nothing but an old robe and a shiny shaved head and essentially brought Zen to America. He taught people the concept of mindfulness and truly living in the moment. I think you would enjoy it. Love, auntie Carol.
Thank you! That sounds amazing I’ll definitely keep an eye out for it! <3