The Five Stages of the Soul (Harry Moody, Ph.D.): An enjoyable book full of anecdotes of seekers,

Reflections on the Art of Living: A Joseph Campbell Companion, (Edited by Diane K. Osbon) - This book is compiled from a series of lectures.

Diamond Heart Series (A.H. Almaas) - Almaas’ books in this series are from his lectures. He offers a great deal of help understanding who we are in our “Essence” and how to disidentify with our “Ego.” I especially like Indestructible Innocence, Number 4 in the series, and Elements of the Real in Man, Number 1 in the series.

Letters of a Scattered Brotherhood (Mary Strong) - A collection of anonymous letters by people on the spiritual path. The letters were written around the time of World War II.

Inner Christianity: A Guide to the Esoteric Tradition (Richard Smoley) - A very interesting basic guide to mystical or esoteric Christianity, which has a great deal in common with the esoteric aspects of all great religions.

Sri Aurobindo or the Adventure of Consciousness (Satprem) - Written by a devotee of Sri Aurobindo, a spiritual teacher and philosopher of the 20th Century, this book is an introduction to some of Sri Aurobindo’s work and ideas. I have found the question and answer format of Letters on Yoga, Volumes I, II, and III especially useful for understanding his philosophy and teachings.

A Guide for the Perplexed (E.F. Schumacher) - Answers a lot of “why” questions that science or reason alone can’t. This is a small book, and very enjoyable to read. I found that it helped me to think more clearly about some important issues.

Tao de Ching (Lao Tzu) - This classic book was said to be written on the spot by the ancient master, Lao Tzu. He was leaving town, and someone asked him to explain how to live properly. So he wrote down a few tips ... and 2500 years later, they’re still relevant. Like any timeless wisdom, he didn’t tell what happened, but what always happens. (There are many translations, some better than others. I like the Mitchell translation.)

Meditation for Dummies (Stephan Bodian) - I don’t like the “Dummies” in the title, but this is a very helpful book on meditation and includes some history, explanation of what you can get from meditating, and some great meditation exercises. I recommend this book often as a good starting-point to meditation.

Hare Brain, Tortoise Mind: How Intelligence Increases When You Think Less (Guy Claxton) - Claxton’s book which makes the case that the slower, intuitive mind is actually more effective than the fast “hare brain” logical mind we’re used to relying on for decision-making.

CAREER

Creating a Life Worth Living: A Practical course in career design for artists, innovators, and others aspiring to a creative life (Carol Lloyd) - This book captures the useful and interesting process Ms. Lloyd has developed over many years in her workshops to help the reader do just what the title promises.

Deming Management at Work (Mary Walton) - This book, and Deming’s work, is geared toward large manufacturing plants. However, any size business can benefit from Dr. Deming’s Total Quality Management principles. Not a trend, TQM is a great model for today’s businesses.


PARENTING

Your Baby & Child (Penelope Leach) - An expert on infants and children explains in a very straightforward way what your baby needs and why. The chapter on sleeping issues is especially helpful. I keep a copy of this book in my waiting room, and frequently recommend it to my clients.

SIMPLIFY/ORGANIZE/PRACTICAL ADVICE

Living the Simple Life (Elaine St. James) - My personal favorite of the books on simplifying your life to create more time and energy to devote to what is really important.

Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (David Allen) - Allen explains that only when our minds are clear and our thoughts are organized can we achieve effective productivity and unleash our creative potential.  His book is the only book on organization that seems to follow my advice about living in "flow" while offering helpful practical tips to do so.

Get Clark Smart: The Ultimate Guide to Getting Rich From America's Money-Saving Expert - I’m a huge fan of Clark Howard, consumer advocate, radio talk show host, author, and all-around great guy. Clark made enough money from selling a chain of travel agencies in 1987 to retire at age 31. Instead, he’s made it his mission to help consumers avoid getting ripped off and to keep more of what they earn. His website has great resources, tips, and links - www.clarkhoward.com. His other book is Clark’s Big Book of Bargains.