October 24, 2025 • 33 mins
Some days the world hums so loud it rattles the bones. We’re feeling it too, and rather than push past it, we chose to slow down and share the books that have steadied our hearts and sharpened our presence. This is a reading list for anyone craving clarity, gentleness, and a way to move through big feelings without hardening.
We begin with the power of simple presence and mindful breathing, drawing on Thich Nhat Hanh’s You Are Here to return to the only moment that changes anything: now. From there, we look at purpose through Ainslie MacLeod’s The Instruction—soul ages, missions, and patterns that make sense of fears and gifts you may have carried for years. We talk about trust and flow with Michael Singer’s The Surrender Experiment, where saying yes to what life brings becomes a radical, practical path. We pause with Pema Chödrön’s Taking the Leap to catch ourselves in the instant of reactivity and learn freedom in uncertainty. And we redefine love with Anthony de Mello’s The Way to Love, moving from attachment and control to awareness and inner wholeness.
Throughout, we connect the dots: mindfulness as a daily skill, surrender as an antidote to control, purpose as alignment rather than pressure, and love as the natural fruit of awareness. If you’ve been navigating anxiety, division, or a sense of energetic overload, these pages offer tools you can use today—short practices, reframes, and stories that bring you back to peace. Pick one book, try one exercise, and notice how your inner weather softens and steadies the people around you.
If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a calmer day, and leave a review to help others find these conversations. What are you reading that’s helping right now? We’d love to hear.
Find all the books we discussed below :)
You Are Here by Thich Nhat Hanh
The Instruction by Ainslie MacLeod
The Surrender Experiement by Michael A. Singer
Taking the Leap by Pema Chodron
The Way to Love by Anthony de Mello
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:04):
Hello, my loves.
Welcome to another episode ofJourney to the Soul.
I hope you are all having abeautiful day.
There is so much energy going onin the world right now.
I feel like we're all feelingthat.
And I just want to check in andsee how you're doing.
(00:26):
How have the last few weeks beenfor you?
The last few months, really.
This year has been veryenergetically heightened.
So I'm so curious to know howeveryone is holding up.
It's definitely has been alittle bit more of a year that
(00:47):
is making us face everythingthat's in front of us.
And that's okay.
These are the moments in ourlife where we're meant to grow
and expand.
Today I wanted to share with yousome books that I feel would be
super helpful if you are walkinga path of expansion when it
(01:12):
comes to your spirituality oryour deeper desire and
understanding to want tounderstand like the deeper
truths in life.
Whether that's you yourself,your path, or the world around
you, and kind of energeticallyhow you can move through what's
(01:33):
going on right now.
I have some books that I want toshare with you.
And I love to read.
Reading is one of my favoritethings.
It is one of my true loves.
So sharing books is one of mylove languages.
And I have a short, just a fewbooks to share with you today
(01:57):
because I feel like right now wecan all agree that there is a
lot going on in everyone's life.
We're being given so manyopportunities, so many what many
of us might call challenges thanwe might have ever experienced
(02:17):
at a previous point in our life.
And that's okay.
Those challenges, theseexperiences that have been put
in front of you at this momentare there for reason.
And you're being called to riseup against them, to not let your
experiences inhibit you frommoving forward and you being
(02:41):
your fullest self in this life,to move beyond any fears or
limitations you might have tochoose the light, because the
light always exists if we chooseto find it, which it's really
not that hard to find.
It's just a conscious choicethat we need to make.
(03:02):
So, how do we learn to be moreat peace with everything that is
going on in the world?
How do we feel more groundedwhen the world feels so
ungrounded right now?
How do we root ourselves in lovewhen fears and everything that
comes from fear feels so muchlouder than love itself?
(03:26):
And this collective experiencethat we're going through,
because you're not alone.
This is something that we're allbeing asked to do in different
ways in our life right now.
But this is almost like aninitiation of some sort.
You could almost think of itlike that.
(03:47):
But this is all prompting us forus to really step into what's
meant for us.
So this is a moment in time forus to expand, to really, really
create the version of us, thevessel for us to continue on to
the next evolution of our life.
(04:07):
And I did already talk aboutthis in another podcast.
I just specifically talked aboutthe energy that we've all been
feeling the last couple ofmonths and why we're feeling it.
So I'm gonna link that episodedown below if you want to listen
to it.
I just touch on what thisexperience is.
(04:30):
So if you're having a hard timewith being here and this storm
feeling so heavy right now, Iencourage you to listen to that
episode.
But also, of course, listen tothis and you can take in some of
the book recommendations thatmight help you on your path
(04:53):
right now.
Because I really do feel likebooks are on our spiritual path.
Books are really there to serveas teachers, guides, or
companions.
And I feel like when we knowthat something needs to change
in our life, a lot of the timeswe don't know where to start.
(05:14):
And I feel like a book is a veryeasy way to open that door.
And I love books, like I'vementioned.
I believe words have suchincredible power to shift your
perspective, to help you heal,to inspire you.
I mean, they are one of theeasiest things that we can go
(05:38):
to.
The other thing that some ofthese books might highlight is
the need for us to open ourheart to love more.
And this ties so much into theenergy that we're all feeling
right now.
Because when I talk about love,this is love for ourselves.
(05:59):
First and foremost, we need tobe at peace with who we are.
That is fundamental toeverything.
And a lot of what so many of usare experiencing right now may
be wars within ourselves.
So love towards ourselves, lovetowards others, and to the world
(06:20):
around you, people you don'teven know.
And this is something that is sonecessary right now in our world
because there is so muchdivision between so many of us.
And even if it doesn't makesense, love truly heals the
world.
And loving ourselves issomething that radiates outward,
(06:44):
it radiates from within us andis healing to all those around
you in your life.
And this is so imperative,especially right now when the
world feels so heavy, becausepeople are gonna feel into that
energy that you are carrying asyou walk through life.
And it's gonna help us allcontinue to grow and evolve
(07:08):
together, but in a way thatwhere we're all holding hands
and walking the path together,regardless of what differences
we may have.
So opening our hearts to love isalso one of the best things that
we can do for ourselves.
The first book recommendationthat I have for you, it's called
(07:28):
You Are Here by Teach Not Han.
It's a super quick read.
It wouldn't take you that longat all.
And I love short little booksthat pack a punch.
But this book, like the titlesays, is about you being fully
present in each moment of yourdaily life.
(07:50):
And it talks about how happinessis not found in striving for the
future or dwelling in the past,but it's about being right here,
right now, in the moment thatyou are in with awareness and
compassion, which are keyprinciples that are talked
(08:11):
about.
They're principles that are partof Buddhist teaching.
And this book is based off ofBuddhist teachings.
Teach Not Han is actually a ZenBuddhist monk.
So that's where you know thebacking for so much of the
knowledge comes from.
(08:32):
But he has written so manybooks, they're all very like
short but very powerful reads,and they really pack a punch.
I feel like there are so manythings that we just need at any
moment in life, whether it'slearning how to cultivate
(08:52):
presence or how to feel at peacewith our life and the world
around us, and how to realizehow we are all connected to one
another.
So this book in particularhighlights mindful breathing.
So, like very simple breathingexercises that you can do
(09:13):
whenever or wherever you are,and it also shows us how painful
emotions like fear, anger, oranxiety can be transformed
through mindfulness instead ofus suppressing them or choosing
not to face them, and how peacecan be found in very simple
(09:41):
moments in your everyday life.
I want to make a whole otherepisode on this, but you know,
on different meditationpractices and things like that.
But why do people meditate?
Why do people do visualizationor breath work?
They want to feel a deep senseof peace, most of the time, a
(10:02):
lot of the time.
That's one of the reasons.
But the reason that we want thatis so that we can move through
our day from this state of deeppeace, understanding love.
It's this frequency.
And when we align to that everysingle day, how we move through
life, how we react to thingschanges.
(10:26):
So sitting in meditation ordoing breath work are all
wonderful things.
And I think that most of us canfind a version of those
practices that align with us andcan help us in our daily lives.
But the real kicker is youactually being able to do that
(10:49):
and cultivate that in your life.
Ultimately, that should be thepoint of what we are doing when
we are doing any kind ofmindfulness practice.
It's not about you sitting andmeditating and then moving about
your day as you did before youeven meditated.
It's about you in everydaymoments being mindful and so
(11:14):
rooted in peace.
And that's the real act ofmindfulness, of being connected
to your being.
And I feel like some of usforget that and we just go
through the motions of trying todo the ritual, meditating and
doing it every single day, orvisualizing and doing it every
single day.
(11:34):
But it's really about doing itin everyday moments that counts.
So he highlights that in thisbook.
And the last thing that hereally touches on is everything
regarding compassion and love.
And true love, according to him,is rooted in presence and
(11:54):
understanding, which Icompletely agree with too.
It comes back to you being inthis frequency.
And when you are in a frequencyof peace or love, then that
allows you to open your heart toother people, to yourself.
And it creates thisunderstanding, this peace
(12:14):
between other people in yourlife.
And I feel like that's somethingthat with this energy that we're
all feeling right now, we areall craving some kind of
grounding when we feel soungrounded.
So it's really a great littleguide if you want to try to find
more mindful moments in yourlife or to just find more inner
(12:39):
peace amid everything that'sgoing on, and to just open you
up to the idea that even wheneverything feels as it does, you
can live with joy and compassionand presence and peace.
Which I mean, my goodness, don'twe all want that right now in
(13:00):
our lives?
So it really gives you the toolsto do that.
The next book that I have foryou is The Instruction by Ansley
McLeod.
McLeod.
I hope I'm saying his last nameright.
I have actually talked about oneof his other books in a
(13:22):
different list that I did maybea year ago.
One of my favorite books is byhim.
It's called The Old SoulsGuidebook.
The one that I wanted to mentiontoday is also one of my
favorites.
It's called The Instruction.
And Ansley is actually apsychic, and his focus on is
(13:47):
past life stuff.
So with his guides, he hascreated essentially a framework
for us to understand our soul'sjourney on this earth and
through different lifetimes.
So that's how he's made hisworks.
But I feel like they are superhelpful.
(14:10):
It's such insightfulinformation.
If you want to gain a deeperunderstanding of what your soul
chose to do in this life, if youbelieve in past lives and
reincarnation and all of thatjazz, then I think you would
really enjoy this book because alot of what we are craving right
(14:31):
now is to understand ourselves,our soul at a deeper level.
So his framework is reallyhelping us understand our soul's
journey throughout differentlifetimes.
And he talks about how our soulchooses a plan before we come
(14:52):
into this life.
And things like the age of oursoul, the type of soul that we
have, which again are thingsthat are part of his framework.
We all have different missions,fears, and themes that are all a
mix of that, that are createthat essence of our soul.
(15:13):
And again, these are all things,all this information is
information that he channeledfrom his spirit guides.
And the goal is to help youalign your life that you're
leading right now with the lifethat is intended for you, your
deeper soul path.
So, with soul ages, he talksabout, you know, how souls
(15:37):
progress from being a young soulto an old soul and what that
means, and what each stage,which there's 10 different
stages according to him, meanswhat are your strengths and
weaknesses according to thatsoul age, and what uh you're
really meant to focus on.
(15:57):
And there, of course, the soultypes that describe more of our
soul's natural tendencies, whatwe're drawn to, and our soul
mission, which is theoverarching purpose that we're
meant to fulfill in this life.
And what I also love as well isthat he talks about how past
(16:18):
life influences can show up inour life.
This can be fears, blocks, oreven gifts that we come into
this life with.
And it's super insightful ifyou're trying to get an
understanding of your soul andmaybe why you may have certain
fears.
Maybe there are fears that youcame into this life with
(16:40):
already.
So if you are curious aboutthat, this would be a wonderful
book for you.
And it really gives you aframework and a roadmap for how
to heal past life fears that maybe holding you back and how to
align daily with your soul'shighest intention, because it
(17:04):
just creates a deeper sense ofpeace and meaning and flow,
which again is what we're allcraving right now.
So many of us are being calledto live more in alignment fully,
to be our authentic selves, youknow, and knowing what if you
are confused about maybe whatthat might look like for you,
(17:27):
this would be a great book.
If you don't know where tostart, or if it feels very
cloudy, this would be awonderful book to start with.
The next book I have for you isThe Surrender Experiment by
Michael Singer.
I have mentioned this book inanother episode.
(17:47):
It was one of my favorite reads,I think in 2024 or 2023.
But I absolutely love this bookand I feel like it is also so
helpful with everything that isgoing on.
The surrender experiment isabout Michael's experience with
(18:10):
him applying this idea of fullysurrendering in his life.
So it's written like a memoir,and it really captures his
entire process with that, whathis life brings, how his life
expands.
So he has this spiritualawakening when he's pretty
(18:32):
young, and he startsincorporating spiritual
practices into his life, likemeditation and yoga, because he
realizes that we all have thismental chatter that is
incessant, it's continuous, it'salways happening, right?
(18:52):
So he told himself that he hemade a vow essentially to accept
whatever life presented withhim, and that's what this book
captures.
It's him surrendering toeverything that life brings him,
regardless of what he thoughtabout it, whether it was
(19:14):
something that he thought heshould or shouldn't do.
It just took him to veryunexpected places.
He started building houses inthe woods and slowly became a
spiritual teacher, and he alsogained so much success in the
(19:34):
industry that he worked in.
And this is without any planningor anything.
It just he continued to take thestep in front of him and
surrendered to whatever theuniverse was placing in front of
him, and that's how he movedthrough his life, and it's very
eye-opening to read this becauseat the end of the book, you
(19:56):
know, he's reached this point inhis life and he's found such a
deep sense of peace and trust bydoing this, by knowing that
ultimately he doesn't need tohave it all figured out, and
there's something greater thanus that is pulling all the
strings, and how this hasbrought him to this incredible
(20:18):
place in life.
And it's ultimately that life ishappening exactly as it should
be, and that us trying to fightwhat's happening or resisting
what's happening doesn'tactually allow us to find the
goodness that can alsosimultaneously happen in that
(20:40):
moment.
Like freedom, love, growth,expansion, it can all happen if
we choose to surrender.
And I think that that'ssomething that so many of us can
definitely lean into more rightnow.
It's knowing that we don't needto know everything that's
(21:02):
happening or where our path istaking us or where the world is
going, because ultimatelythere's only so much that we can
know.
But it is really for you totrust deeply, for you to know
that you are always being takencare of, that there is always
someone watching out for you andwanting you to go where you're
(21:26):
meant to go.
And everything is happening indivine timing, it's all
unfolding as it should, even ifit doesn't go according to our
plan.
So if you feel like that'ssomething that you've been
struggling with, this book wouldbe gold for you.
I absolutely love it.
(21:47):
It is amazing.
His other book, The UntetheredSoul, is also amazing.
I've also shared talked a littlebit about that in another
podcast episode.
The next book I have for you isTaking the Leap by Pema Chowren.
(22:07):
And Pemma Chowren is actually aBuddhist nun.
She's a teacher, she's anauthor, she's also written so
many books regarding so manydifferent things when it comes
to Buddhism.
She talks about mindfulness,compassion, and embracing
(22:29):
uncertainty and working throughemotional pain.
And this book in particular isabout us recognizing and
stepping out of our habitualreactions.
Triggers, you know, things thatmake us feel some type of way.
(22:50):
Because this is how we are ableto actually transform those
moments and take the leap, asshe calls it, into freedom and
presence.
So she talks about differentthings, but essentially us being
able to identify our triggersand what they might be, and then
(23:14):
learning to pause instead offollowing the urge that a lot of
the times we feel to reactimmediately when we are
triggered by something.
And she talks about doing thisin different ways, whether it's
taking a pause or breathing orjust creating space, because
(23:34):
this allows you to create a newreaction that is different from
your usual triggered reaction.
And she also discussed how somuch of life is uncertain and
how so much of our sufferingcomes from us resisting that
(23:57):
fact.
So it's essentially the book,it's called Taking the Leap, and
it's about us being able to takethe leap into what she calls
groundlessness, and it's usknowing that we just simply need
to soften our need for controland discover freedom in
(24:20):
uncertainty.
So it's taking the leap intothat.
And when we do that, when westop clinging to old things, we
open ourselves up to compassionfor ourselves and for others.
Because when we are able to seeour own struggles, like the
(24:41):
things that we fight internally,that helps us see that in others
as well.
And this is how we're able tocreate a bridge and create a
safe space for everyone.
And she also just highlightsdifferent practices that you can
go through to live in this way.
(25:05):
So again, it's very similar,it's similar but different, also
rooted in Buddhist approaches onworking with your fears,
triggers, and habits.
And it's all about us being ableto cultivate awareness,
presence, and compassion insteadof us reacting.
(25:29):
So another incredible book toread, also very short read if
you're not into big chunkybooks, especially when it comes
to Buddhist concepts, they canbe a little bit harder to
digest.
So if you've been wanting tounderstand different Buddhist
(25:49):
concepts or learn a little bitmore about Buddhism, this book
and Teach Not Han's book wouldbe good because they are just
short and concise.
And if you have ever triedreading a book on Buddhism, they
can be quite big and there's alot, a lot of information to
process and read.
(26:11):
So this would be something thatis very friendly if you are new
to the concepts.
The last book I have for you iscalled The Way to Love.
It's the last meditations ofAnthony DeMello.
And this was actually publishedafter he died, and it's such a
(26:33):
short book.
It just happened to turn outthat so many of these books were
short.
But this is actually acollection of some of his
essays, his reflections on hiscore teachings of love,
awareness, and freedom.
Anthony DeMello was actually anIndian Jesuit priest, a
(26:57):
psychotherapist, a spiritualteacher.
So he talks about a lot of thesethings in his works.
He wrote about Easterntraditions and also
Christianity.
So his work is very easy toread.
It's like almost storytelling aswell.
(27:18):
And a lot of people reallyresonated with it.
So this book in particular isabout discovering true love and
how love is not attachment,dependency, or possession, but
should come from a state ofawareness and freedom.
And he says that so much of whatwe call love in our world is
(27:43):
actually rooted in fearconditioning and self-interest.
So he talks about how awarenessis the first step for us to be
able to cultivate a deep andtrue love.
And this is to truly loveourselves, we must see
(28:04):
ourselves, others, and our lifeas they are, not as we wish them
to be.
And how freedom, control, anddependencies are the enemy of
love.
And real love arises when we nolonger need others to validate
who we are.
It comes from a sense ofwholeness.
(28:27):
And he also touches on how somuch suffering comes from false
beliefs and expectations that wehave about happiness or
different life circumstances.
And that love can be found inthe present moment.
It's not found in the past orthe future, which a lot of us
can project, and it's lived herein this moment.
(28:51):
And it's a very short book withlike 31 meditations that he's
written.
So you can almost read one aday.
You could read it in a whole dayif you wanted to, but you could
read one and meditate on it.
It would be perfect for that.
But I feel like with how theworld is right now, this is
(29:12):
something that we all need toopen ourselves up to.
Loving ourselves, loving others.
We all just need that space.
So this book gives a lot ofinsight on how to create a love
that is rooted in freedom, inyou know, awareness, and for us
(29:34):
to be able to challenge likeconventional norms when it comes
to attachment and happiness.
So this is a short read, butit's a very powerful little
read.
If you feel like maybe one ofthe things that you're
struggling with is opening yourheart up to yourself or to other
(29:55):
people in your life, maybe youwere hurt deeply by someone
else.
Else recently, and you don'tknow how to trust other people
or how to ever allow yourself todo that again.
But this shows the thread of howit all connected, how it begins
with us.
In order for us to be able tolove others, we need to love
(30:21):
ourselves first.
And this is honestly somethingthat we just need in the world.
It is so healing, and there isso much fear, so much strong
negative emotions going on rightnow.
This is what we need to pour outof us.
This is what the world needs forus to heal and be able to move
(30:45):
through the world in lightness,you know.
And I'm sure you saw a themewith all of these books.
It's really about cultivating away to coming back to the now
for you being in the presentmoment.
And I feel like that's soimportant because in the present
(31:06):
moment is where the power lies.
And I feel like a lot of thetimes when we go through
challenging moments in our life,we keep going through the same
challenge.
We keep repeating the samecycle, we keep repeating the
same fear and reacting in thesame way, or you know, keep
doing the same thing.
But in order for change tooccur, we need to make new
(31:29):
choices.
And that comes with us beinghere.
That comes with us being wherewe are and choosing something
else.
I've said that before because ifyou want to make a change in the
world, this is how to do it.
It's about you making a changein yourself that radiates out to
(31:49):
the world.
And I want you to remember thatwe are all walking this path
together.
Sometimes it feels like a lonelyroad, but it's not.
We're all doing this right nowat the same time.
I'm here talking about this withyou, and I am not immune.
(32:10):
No one is immune.
And I'm sitting here talkingabout it because I feel like
more now than ever, we need tobe there for one another, help
each other out as we go throughthese times that can feel a bit
more challenging.
And sometimes all it takes forus is to read a line in a book
(32:32):
or read a story or just readsomething that completely shifts
our perspectives about the waywe see the world, ourselves, you
know, it creates a whole newreality.
So I would love for you to pickup one of these books if they
sounded interesting to you or ifone of them piqued your interest
(32:54):
and see how that speaks to yourheart and know that our path is
always unfolding.
And if you are reading somethingelse, something different right
now that maybe is helping youmove through everything that
you're experiencing in yourlife.
I would love to know what booksyou're reading or what's helping
(33:15):
you do that right now.
And you can send me a message onInstagram as well.
I would love to know.
But we're all walking this pathtogether.
Remember that.
I am sending you all a huge hugand so much love until next
time.
Hello, my loves.
Welcome to another episode ofJourney to the Soul.
I hope you are all having abeautiful day.
There is so much energy going onin the world right now.
I feel like we're all feelingthat.
And I just want to check in andsee how you're doing.
(00:26):
How have the last few weeks beenfor you?
The last few months, really.
This year has been veryenergetically heightened.
So I'm so curious to know howeveryone is holding up.
It's definitely has been alittle bit more of a year that
(00:47):
is making us face everythingthat's in front of us.
And that's okay.
These are the moments in ourlife where we're meant to grow
and expand.
Today I wanted to share with yousome books that I feel would be
super helpful if you are walkinga path of expansion when it
(01:12):
comes to your spirituality oryour deeper desire and
understanding to want tounderstand like the deeper
truths in life.
Whether that's you yourself,your path, or the world around
you, and kind of energeticallyhow you can move through what's
(01:33):
going on right now.
I have some books that I want toshare with you.
And I love to read.
Reading is one of my favoritethings.
It is one of my true loves.
So sharing books is one of mylove languages.
And I have a short, just a fewbooks to share with you today
(01:57):
because I feel like right now wecan all agree that there is a
lot going on in everyone's life.
We're being given so manyopportunities, so many what many
of us might call challenges thanwe might have ever experienced
(02:17):
at a previous point in our life.
And that's okay.
Those challenges, theseexperiences that have been put
in front of you at this momentare there for reason.
And you're being called to riseup against them, to not let your
experiences inhibit you frommoving forward and you being
(02:41):
your fullest self in this life,to move beyond any fears or
limitations you might have tochoose the light, because the
light always exists if we chooseto find it, which it's really
not that hard to find.
It's just a conscious choicethat we need to make.
(03:02):
So, how do we learn to be moreat peace with everything that is
going on in the world?
How do we feel more groundedwhen the world feels so
ungrounded right now?
How do we root ourselves in lovewhen fears and everything that
comes from fear feels so muchlouder than love itself?
(03:26):
And this collective experiencethat we're going through,
because you're not alone.
This is something that we're allbeing asked to do in different
ways in our life right now.
But this is almost like aninitiation of some sort.
You could almost think of itlike that.
(03:47):
But this is all prompting us forus to really step into what's
meant for us.
So this is a moment in time forus to expand, to really, really
create the version of us, thevessel for us to continue on to
the next evolution of our life.
(04:07):
And I did already talk aboutthis in another podcast.
I just specifically talked aboutthe energy that we've all been
feeling the last couple ofmonths and why we're feeling it.
So I'm gonna link that episodedown below if you want to listen
to it.
I just touch on what thisexperience is.
(04:30):
So if you're having a hard timewith being here and this storm
feeling so heavy right now, Iencourage you to listen to that
episode.
But also, of course, listen tothis and you can take in some of
the book recommendations thatmight help you on your path
(04:53):
right now.
Because I really do feel likebooks are on our spiritual path.
Books are really there to serveas teachers, guides, or
companions.
And I feel like when we knowthat something needs to change
in our life, a lot of the timeswe don't know where to start.
(05:14):
And I feel like a book is a veryeasy way to open that door.
And I love books, like I'vementioned.
I believe words have suchincredible power to shift your
perspective, to help you heal,to inspire you.
I mean, they are one of theeasiest things that we can go
(05:38):
to.
The other thing that some ofthese books might highlight is
the need for us to open ourheart to love more.
And this ties so much into theenergy that we're all feeling
right now.
Because when I talk about love,this is love for ourselves.
(05:59):
First and foremost, we need tobe at peace with who we are.
That is fundamental toeverything.
And a lot of what so many of usare experiencing right now may
be wars within ourselves.
So love towards ourselves, lovetowards others, and to the world
(06:20):
around you, people you don'teven know.
And this is something that is sonecessary right now in our world
because there is so muchdivision between so many of us.
And even if it doesn't makesense, love truly heals the
world.
And loving ourselves issomething that radiates outward,
(06:44):
it radiates from within us andis healing to all those around
you in your life.
And this is so imperative,especially right now when the
world feels so heavy, becausepeople are gonna feel into that
energy that you are carrying asyou walk through life.
And it's gonna help us allcontinue to grow and evolve
(07:08):
together, but in a way thatwhere we're all holding hands
and walking the path together,regardless of what differences
we may have.
So opening our hearts to love isalso one of the best things that
we can do for ourselves.
The first book recommendationthat I have for you, it's called
(07:28):
You Are Here by Teach Not Han.
It's a super quick read.
It wouldn't take you that longat all.
And I love short little booksthat pack a punch.
But this book, like the titlesays, is about you being fully
present in each moment of yourdaily life.
(07:50):
And it talks about how happinessis not found in striving for the
future or dwelling in the past,but it's about being right here,
right now, in the moment thatyou are in with awareness and
compassion, which are keyprinciples that are talked
(08:11):
about.
They're principles that are partof Buddhist teaching.
And this book is based off ofBuddhist teachings.
Teach Not Han is actually a ZenBuddhist monk.
So that's where you know thebacking for so much of the
knowledge comes from.
(08:32):
But he has written so manybooks, they're all very like
short but very powerful reads,and they really pack a punch.
I feel like there are so manythings that we just need at any
moment in life, whether it'slearning how to cultivate
(08:52):
presence or how to feel at peacewith our life and the world
around us, and how to realizehow we are all connected to one
another.
So this book in particularhighlights mindful breathing.
So, like very simple breathingexercises that you can do
(09:13):
whenever or wherever you are,and it also shows us how painful
emotions like fear, anger, oranxiety can be transformed
through mindfulness instead ofus suppressing them or choosing
not to face them, and how peacecan be found in very simple
(09:41):
moments in your everyday life.
I want to make a whole otherepisode on this, but you know,
on different meditationpractices and things like that.
But why do people meditate?
Why do people do visualizationor breath work?
They want to feel a deep senseof peace, most of the time, a
(10:02):
lot of the time.
That's one of the reasons.
But the reason that we want thatis so that we can move through
our day from this state of deeppeace, understanding love.
It's this frequency.
And when we align to that everysingle day, how we move through
life, how we react to thingschanges.
(10:26):
So sitting in meditation ordoing breath work are all
wonderful things.
And I think that most of us canfind a version of those
practices that align with us andcan help us in our daily lives.
But the real kicker is youactually being able to do that
(10:49):
and cultivate that in your life.
Ultimately, that should be thepoint of what we are doing when
we are doing any kind ofmindfulness practice.
It's not about you sitting andmeditating and then moving about
your day as you did before youeven meditated.
It's about you in everydaymoments being mindful and so
(11:14):
rooted in peace.
And that's the real act ofmindfulness, of being connected
to your being.
And I feel like some of usforget that and we just go
through the motions of trying todo the ritual, meditating and
doing it every single day, orvisualizing and doing it every
single day.
(11:34):
But it's really about doing itin everyday moments that counts.
So he highlights that in thisbook.
And the last thing that hereally touches on is everything
regarding compassion and love.
And true love, according to him,is rooted in presence and
(11:54):
understanding, which Icompletely agree with too.
It comes back to you being inthis frequency.
And when you are in a frequencyof peace or love, then that
allows you to open your heart toother people, to yourself.
And it creates thisunderstanding, this peace
(12:14):
between other people in yourlife.
And I feel like that's somethingthat with this energy that we're
all feeling right now, we areall craving some kind of
grounding when we feel soungrounded.
So it's really a great littleguide if you want to try to find
more mindful moments in yourlife or to just find more inner
(12:39):
peace amid everything that'sgoing on, and to just open you
up to the idea that even wheneverything feels as it does, you
can live with joy and compassionand presence and peace.
Which I mean, my goodness, don'twe all want that right now in
(13:00):
our lives?
So it really gives you the toolsto do that.
The next book that I have foryou is The Instruction by Ansley
McLeod.
McLeod.
I hope I'm saying his last nameright.
I have actually talked about oneof his other books in a
(13:22):
different list that I did maybea year ago.
One of my favorite books is byhim.
It's called The Old SoulsGuidebook.
The one that I wanted to mentiontoday is also one of my
favorites.
It's called The Instruction.
And Ansley is actually apsychic, and his focus on is
(13:47):
past life stuff.
So with his guides, he hascreated essentially a framework
for us to understand our soul'sjourney on this earth and
through different lifetimes.
So that's how he's made hisworks.
But I feel like they are superhelpful.
(14:10):
It's such insightfulinformation.
If you want to gain a deeperunderstanding of what your soul
chose to do in this life, if youbelieve in past lives and
reincarnation and all of thatjazz, then I think you would
really enjoy this book because alot of what we are craving right
(14:31):
now is to understand ourselves,our soul at a deeper level.
So his framework is reallyhelping us understand our soul's
journey throughout differentlifetimes.
And he talks about how our soulchooses a plan before we come
(14:52):
into this life.
And things like the age of oursoul, the type of soul that we
have, which again are thingsthat are part of his framework.
We all have different missions,fears, and themes that are all a
mix of that, that are createthat essence of our soul.
(15:13):
And again, these are all things,all this information is
information that he channeledfrom his spirit guides.
And the goal is to help youalign your life that you're
leading right now with the lifethat is intended for you, your
deeper soul path.
So, with soul ages, he talksabout, you know, how souls
(15:37):
progress from being a young soulto an old soul and what that
means, and what each stage,which there's 10 different
stages according to him, meanswhat are your strengths and
weaknesses according to thatsoul age, and what uh you're
really meant to focus on.
(15:57):
And there, of course, the soultypes that describe more of our
soul's natural tendencies, whatwe're drawn to, and our soul
mission, which is theoverarching purpose that we're
meant to fulfill in this life.
And what I also love as well isthat he talks about how past
(16:18):
life influences can show up inour life.
This can be fears, blocks, oreven gifts that we come into
this life with.
And it's super insightful ifyou're trying to get an
understanding of your soul andmaybe why you may have certain
fears.
Maybe there are fears that youcame into this life with
(16:40):
already.
So if you are curious aboutthat, this would be a wonderful
book for you.
And it really gives you aframework and a roadmap for how
to heal past life fears that maybe holding you back and how to
align daily with your soul'shighest intention, because it
(17:04):
just creates a deeper sense ofpeace and meaning and flow,
which again is what we're allcraving right now.
So many of us are being calledto live more in alignment fully,
to be our authentic selves, youknow, and knowing what if you
are confused about maybe whatthat might look like for you,
(17:27):
this would be a great book.
If you don't know where tostart, or if it feels very
cloudy, this would be awonderful book to start with.
The next book I have for you isThe Surrender Experiment by
Michael Singer.
I have mentioned this book inanother episode.
(17:47):
It was one of my favorite reads,I think in 2024 or 2023.
But I absolutely love this bookand I feel like it is also so
helpful with everything that isgoing on.
The surrender experiment isabout Michael's experience with
(18:10):
him applying this idea of fullysurrendering in his life.
So it's written like a memoir,and it really captures his
entire process with that, whathis life brings, how his life
expands.
So he has this spiritualawakening when he's pretty
(18:32):
young, and he startsincorporating spiritual
practices into his life, likemeditation and yoga, because he
realizes that we all have thismental chatter that is
incessant, it's continuous, it'salways happening, right?
(18:52):
So he told himself that he hemade a vow essentially to accept
whatever life presented withhim, and that's what this book
captures.
It's him surrendering toeverything that life brings him,
regardless of what he thoughtabout it, whether it was
(19:14):
something that he thought heshould or shouldn't do.
It just took him to veryunexpected places.
He started building houses inthe woods and slowly became a
spiritual teacher, and he alsogained so much success in the
(19:34):
industry that he worked in.
And this is without any planningor anything.
It just he continued to take thestep in front of him and
surrendered to whatever theuniverse was placing in front of
him, and that's how he movedthrough his life, and it's very
eye-opening to read this becauseat the end of the book, you
(19:56):
know, he's reached this point inhis life and he's found such a
deep sense of peace and trust bydoing this, by knowing that
ultimately he doesn't need tohave it all figured out, and
there's something greater thanus that is pulling all the
strings, and how this hasbrought him to this incredible
(20:18):
place in life.
And it's ultimately that life ishappening exactly as it should
be, and that us trying to fightwhat's happening or resisting
what's happening doesn'tactually allow us to find the
goodness that can alsosimultaneously happen in that
(20:40):
moment.
Like freedom, love, growth,expansion, it can all happen if
we choose to surrender.
And I think that that'ssomething that so many of us can
definitely lean into more rightnow.
It's knowing that we don't needto know everything that's
(21:02):
happening or where our path istaking us or where the world is
going, because ultimatelythere's only so much that we can
know.
But it is really for you totrust deeply, for you to know
that you are always being takencare of, that there is always
someone watching out for you andwanting you to go where you're
(21:26):
meant to go.
And everything is happening indivine timing, it's all
unfolding as it should, even ifit doesn't go according to our
plan.
So if you feel like that'ssomething that you've been
struggling with, this book wouldbe gold for you.
I absolutely love it.
(21:47):
It is amazing.
His other book, The UntetheredSoul, is also amazing.
I've also shared talked a littlebit about that in another
podcast episode.
The next book I have for you isTaking the Leap by Pema Chowren.
(22:07):
And Pemma Chowren is actually aBuddhist nun.
She's a teacher, she's anauthor, she's also written so
many books regarding so manydifferent things when it comes
to Buddhism.
She talks about mindfulness,compassion, and embracing
(22:29):
uncertainty and working throughemotional pain.
And this book in particular isabout us recognizing and
stepping out of our habitualreactions.
Triggers, you know, things thatmake us feel some type of way.
(22:50):
Because this is how we are ableto actually transform those
moments and take the leap, asshe calls it, into freedom and
presence.
So she talks about differentthings, but essentially us being
able to identify our triggersand what they might be, and then
(23:14):
learning to pause instead offollowing the urge that a lot of
the times we feel to reactimmediately when we are
triggered by something.
And she talks about doing thisin different ways, whether it's
taking a pause or breathing orjust creating space, because
(23:34):
this allows you to create a newreaction that is different from
your usual triggered reaction.
And she also discussed how somuch of life is uncertain and
how so much of our sufferingcomes from us resisting that
(23:57):
fact.
So it's essentially the book,it's called Taking the Leap, and
it's about us being able to takethe leap into what she calls
groundlessness, and it's usknowing that we just simply need
to soften our need for controland discover freedom in
(24:20):
uncertainty.
So it's taking the leap intothat.
And when we do that, when westop clinging to old things, we
open ourselves up to compassionfor ourselves and for others.
Because when we are able to seeour own struggles, like the
(24:41):
things that we fight internally,that helps us see that in others
as well.
And this is how we're able tocreate a bridge and create a
safe space for everyone.
And she also just highlightsdifferent practices that you can
go through to live in this way.
(25:05):
So again, it's very similar,it's similar but different, also
rooted in Buddhist approaches onworking with your fears,
triggers, and habits.
And it's all about us being ableto cultivate awareness,
presence, and compassion insteadof us reacting.
(25:29):
So another incredible book toread, also very short read if
you're not into big chunkybooks, especially when it comes
to Buddhist concepts, they canbe a little bit harder to
digest.
So if you've been wanting tounderstand different Buddhist
(25:49):
concepts or learn a little bitmore about Buddhism, this book
and Teach Not Han's book wouldbe good because they are just
short and concise.
And if you have ever triedreading a book on Buddhism, they
can be quite big and there's alot, a lot of information to
process and read.
(26:11):
So this would be something thatis very friendly if you are new
to the concepts.
The last book I have for you iscalled The Way to Love.
It's the last meditations ofAnthony DeMello.
And this was actually publishedafter he died, and it's such a
(26:33):
short book.
It just happened to turn outthat so many of these books were
short.
But this is actually acollection of some of his
essays, his reflections on hiscore teachings of love,
awareness, and freedom.
Anthony DeMello was actually anIndian Jesuit priest, a
(26:57):
psychotherapist, a spiritualteacher.
So he talks about a lot of thesethings in his works.
He wrote about Easterntraditions and also
Christianity.
So his work is very easy toread.
It's like almost storytelling aswell.
(27:18):
And a lot of people reallyresonated with it.
So this book in particular isabout discovering true love and
how love is not attachment,dependency, or possession, but
should come from a state ofawareness and freedom.
And he says that so much of whatwe call love in our world is
(27:43):
actually rooted in fearconditioning and self-interest.
So he talks about how awarenessis the first step for us to be
able to cultivate a deep andtrue love.
And this is to truly loveourselves, we must see
(28:04):
ourselves, others, and our lifeas they are, not as we wish them
to be.
And how freedom, control, anddependencies are the enemy of
love.
And real love arises when we nolonger need others to validate
who we are.
It comes from a sense ofwholeness.
(28:27):
And he also touches on how somuch suffering comes from false
beliefs and expectations that wehave about happiness or
different life circumstances.
And that love can be found inthe present moment.
It's not found in the past orthe future, which a lot of us
can project, and it's lived herein this moment.
(28:51):
And it's a very short book withlike 31 meditations that he's
written.
So you can almost read one aday.
You could read it in a whole dayif you wanted to, but you could
read one and meditate on it.
It would be perfect for that.
But I feel like with how theworld is right now, this is
(29:12):
something that we all need toopen ourselves up to.
Loving ourselves, loving others.
We all just need that space.
So this book gives a lot ofinsight on how to create a love
that is rooted in freedom, inyou know, awareness, and for us
(29:34):
to be able to challenge likeconventional norms when it comes
to attachment and happiness.
So this is a short read, butit's a very powerful little
read.
If you feel like maybe one ofthe things that you're
struggling with is opening yourheart up to yourself or to other
(29:55):
people in your life, maybe youwere hurt deeply by someone
else.
Else recently, and you don'tknow how to trust other people
or how to ever allow yourself todo that again.
But this shows the thread of howit all connected, how it begins
with us.
In order for us to be able tolove others, we need to love
(30:21):
ourselves first.
And this is honestly somethingthat we just need in the world.
It is so healing, and there isso much fear, so much strong
negative emotions going on rightnow.
This is what we need to pour outof us.
This is what the world needs forus to heal and be able to move
(30:45):
through the world in lightness,you know.
And I'm sure you saw a themewith all of these books.
It's really about cultivating away to coming back to the now
for you being in the presentmoment.
And I feel like that's soimportant because in the present
(31:06):
moment is where the power lies.
And I feel like a lot of thetimes when we go through
challenging moments in our life,we keep going through the same
challenge.
We keep repeating the samecycle, we keep repeating the
same fear and reacting in thesame way, or you know, keep
doing the same thing.
But in order for change tooccur, we need to make new
(31:29):
choices.
And that comes with us beinghere.
That comes with us being wherewe are and choosing something
else.
I've said that before because ifyou want to make a change in the
world, this is how to do it.
It's about you making a changein yourself that radiates out to
(31:49):
the world.
And I want you to remember thatwe are all walking this path
together.
Sometimes it feels like a lonelyroad, but it's not.
We're all doing this right nowat the same time.
I'm here talking about this withyou, and I am not immune.
(32:10):
No one is immune.
And I'm sitting here talkingabout it because I feel like
more now than ever, we need tobe there for one another, help
each other out as we go throughthese times that can feel a bit
more challenging.
And sometimes all it takes forus is to read a line in a book
(32:32):
or read a story or just readsomething that completely shifts
our perspectives about the waywe see the world, ourselves, you
know, it creates a whole newreality.
So I would love for you to pickup one of these books if they
sounded interesting to you or ifone of them piqued your interest
(32:54):
and see how that speaks to yourheart and know that our path is
always unfolding.
And if you are reading somethingelse, something different right
now that maybe is helping youmove through everything that
you're experiencing in yourlife.
I would love to know what booksyou're reading or what's helping
(33:15):
you do that right now.
And you can send me a message onInstagram as well.
I would love to know.
But we're all walking this pathtogether.
Remember that.
I am sending you all a huge hugand so much love until next
time.
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