Judge a Book by What You Uncover (from The Red Book) Contrary to what you might think, the most popular way to explore a given spiritual belief these days isn't via a class or a workshop or by attending a church sermon or even by scouring the all-powerful Internet. It's books. Good, old-fashioned ink 'n paper 'n glue. In fact, in the next few years, the spirituality category of the publishing biz is set to surpass general fiction in sales, hitting the $2 billion mark, and growing fast. Translation: you've got an incredible array of sources right at your fingertips. Like I said, there's a thousand great books out there; my choices are just the tip of the divine iceberg. There's no rush, no need to go buy 147 new spirituality books and start pounding them down like M&Ms. It's a fairly arbitrary selection; your mileage may, of course, vary.
Start with some spiritual hot chocolateAllegories and parables, metaphors and conspiracy, sex and god, just to get you all cozy and warmed up The Way of The Peaceful Warrior. Dan Millman Siddartha. Herman Hesse Chasing Rumi. Roger Housden The Tao of Pooh. Benjamin Hoff Celestine Prophecy. James Redfield Jitterbug Perfume and Skinny Legs And All. Tom Robbins. Because it’s Tom Robbins. Because he makes the universe swoon with his magically delicious metaphors, wacked-out storylines, and fiercely horny divinely human female heroines. Another Roadside Attraction rocks too. As does Even Cowgirls Get The Blues The Da Vinci Code. Dan Brown. It’s just fun. Tantalizing. That’s all I’m saying… Spirituality For Dummies. Sharon Janis Surprisingly informed, lucid info that’s definitely not just for "dummies" His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and The Amber Spyglass. Phillip Pullman. This trilogy paints an incredibly moving story of one amazingly courageous young woman, her valiant eclectic friends, magical dust, physics, wars with heaven, a shriveled up god, harpies, daemons, and a polar Bear who I’m in love with. Seriously, you can’t miss this trilogy.
Ecstatic poetry. Yes baby yes. Always a good way to start your dayRumi – The Red Book's main man. Look for anything translated by Coleman Barks. This man has done more to help released Rumi’s lusciousness to the Western masses than anyone, and all we can say is thank you, thank you, thank you. If The Essential Rumi seems a little overwhelming, try Open Secret or Unseen Rain first, as they offer Rumi’s simpler quatrains. The Book of Love and We are Three should follow. Be sure to read them aloud, too. With wine. Naked. In a bath. And etc. The Gift: Poems of Hafiz and Love Poems from God: both translated by Daniel Ladinsky. Hafiz will make you slap your head and giggle like a drunk monkey, and the love poems from a bunch of red mystics will give your spirit all the reminders it needs to wiggle free.
The Great Religions (in happily condensed, more edible, less authoritarian form). Try one, try 'em all The Essential Kabbalah: The Heart of Jewish Mysticism. Daniel C. Matt
Myth, Dreams and the Unconscious: Campbell and Jung (who are playing poker in heaven right now as you read this) The Power of Myth: Joseph Campbell. Wonderful explanation of the universal power of myth, perhaps the finest book of its kind. You will never think about Star Wars or that classic Nike commercial the same way again. The celebrated PBS DVD featuring a dialogue between Campbell and PBS demigod journalist Bill Moyers is even better. Campbell, a one of the great teachers of myth of this century, produced a ton of books; they are all great, though many are fairly dense and academic. Start here and venture on. Man And His Symbols. Carl Jung. Signs and symbols within your dreams, all spelled out for ya Memories, Dreams, and Reflections. Carl Jung A memoir, sort of. Definitely a behind-the-scenes glimpse of this great, mystically inclined psychiatrist with an alchemical Gnostic twist. Jung’s students can help you dream your Self awake The Pregnant Virgin. Marion Woodman. A Jungian analyst who focuses more on the confusion of being, well, us. Female. Young. Sort of messed in the head. Good stuff. She: Understanding Feminine Psychology. Robert A Johnson. Because it’s good to understand how you’re a She and not a He. Also by Robert Johnson: Owning Your Shadow: Understanding The Dark Side of Your Psyche. Helps to see that no matter how dark your shit is, it’s nothing new, nor nothing to get too freaked about. And one more: Inner Work: Using Dreams And Creative Imagination for Personal Growth and Integration. How to learn from dreams when you’re wide awake. Women Who Run With The Wolves. Clarissa Pinkoles Estes. This is a big book. A bestseller, famous for its re-ignition of the feminine archetype. Don’t get overwhelmed by the size; it’s chock full of breathtaking stories, folklore, fairy tales and dream symbols from all over this planet that still manage speak intimately, to the heart of your unique life. Goddesses in Every Woman. Jean Shinoda Bolen. This book was so inspiring and helpful, by the end of it I was all, “Oh my god, I am SO Aphrodite/Artemis with a pinch of Hera.” Diagnose all your friends with a classic goddess archetype and learn how to bring out the best goddess energy in you.
Sitting still and maybe not totally shutting upMeditation For Dummies. Stephan Bodian and Dean Ornish. Yeah, I hate those titles too. Although we know you’re no dummy, this book is an unexpectedly excellent reference for a whole slew of different types of meditation. Yoga to Zen, visualizations to energy work, movement to mantras to dream work and beyond. It even discusses the science of this most ancient of mental calming practices. This is your brain on meditation. Highly recommended. Meditation For Beginners. Jack Kornfield (Audio CD). An excellent step-by- step guided practice that stems from Insight meditation, which is similar to Zen. Kornfeld's calming voice helps you learn how to work through several different emotions as well as practice important emotional acts like forgiveness, love, peace. Ya know, the big stuff -- but in small and simple ways. Getting in The Gap: Making Conscious Contact with God Through Meditation. Wayne Dyer. This is a book and audio CD that centers around japa, meditation that focuses at first on sacred words, and then the space between the words. Healing Mantras: Using Sound Affirmations for Personal Power, Creativity, and Healing. Thomas Ashley-Farrand. A slim little book that explains the power of using sound to meditate, be it listening to outside noise, or chanting ancient words and prayers. His specialty is Hindu and Buddhist mantras. The Myth of Freedom.. Chogyam Trungpa. Meditation is not escapism or practiced just to calm your mind or impress your neighbors. It just is what it is and through practicing it, you should just be who you is. are. You know? Powerful insights about meditation, from a Tibetan Buddhist perspective Creative Visualization Meditations. Shakti Gawain. Audio CD. Sometimes practicing visualization techniques -- you know, imagining things -- can help bring us to a state of peace quicker than trying not to think of anything. Healing Prayers. Ron Roth. Audio CD. Here the mystic and healer guides you through meditative prayer. All you gotta do is sit back and chill out. As I've mentioned before, although this guy leans towards mystical Christianity and Jesus, he does not expect you to, and his teachings and methods for prayer/meditation embrace all paths. Jewish Meditation: A Practical Guide. Aryeh Kaplan. Learn how to meditate from a Rabbi and learn how meditation has always been interwoven within Judaism. Wicca: A Guide For The Solitary Practitioner. Scott Cunningham. This book is a great introduction to Wicca and it has a helpful section that teaches a few Wiccan meditation practices. Category all by its very own special self Pronoia is the Antidote to Paranoia. How The Whole World Is Conspiring to Shower You With Blessings. Rob Brezny. Fabulous, crazy, funky wowness. A sumptious collection of juicy spiritual facts, stories, ideas, exercises to keep your soul singing celestial show tunes in the cosmic bathroom. A joy, truly, to read. Especially after you've been getting a wee bit too serious about your self and this thing we call spirituality.
Set Your Intention, Dammit! A New Beginning 1: A Handbook for Joyous Survival. And, A New Beginning 2: A Personal Handbook to Enhance Your Life, Liberty, And Pursuit of Happiness. Jerry Hicks and Ester Hicks. OK, these are the classics in New Age intention-setting. And the material is, well, channeled. Which means that the lessons and messages were “given” to Ester Hicks by a group of beings from another dimension called, collectively, Abraham, and she merely wrote them down as they spoke through her. Now before you roll your eyes, just try reading some of it on Amazon.com and see if it speaks to you. If it seems like a little much, try another version of the same information: Lynn Grabhorn’s wonderful, down-to-Earth book, Excuse Me Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings. Or, The Power of Intention by Wayne Dyer. also an excellent (albeit intentionally repetitive) source for intention setting.
Speaking of getting creative…Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. Julia Cameron The Creative Life: Learn It and Use It for Life. Twyla Tharp Journaling From The Heart. Eldonna Bouton Creativity and Spirituality. Ram Dass. (Audio cassette). You can find it on Amazon, but the real question is, can you find a cassette player? Any fun, collagey book by the author known as Sark. She likes crayons. She encourages you to play yourself free. She makes me laugh.
So you say you want to create an altar Remember, no pizza boxes…unless your prayers like cheese Altars: Bringing Sacred Shrines Into Your Everyday Life. Denise Linn
Classic goodies of the modern spiritual realm Time-tested and bestselling, cult classics and new-age hits. Some are more dense and challenging than others, but again, just go with what connects with you The Power of Now. Eckhart Tolle All about how freaking important it is to stay in the present moment. Tolle does his best to explain this universal truth to us confused, distracted mortals. It's forceful, it's tightly packed, it can be bit of a challenging read, but oh so very worth it. Power Versus Force. David Hawkins. The beginning of this book sort of turned me off because it was all about how "enlightened" the author claims he is, which is great and all, but sometimes sounds a bit elitist and intimidating. In fact, the whole "measuring things for their enlightenment 'quota'" put me off at first, but the point behind it, that everything is energy and vibrates at different levels and you yes you can learn to measure it yourself, well, this is something we should all become more aware of in our lives. The Tao of Physics. One of the first mainstream books that dared to mix physics with metaphysics and mysticisim, or at least show us their similarities. A huge bestseller for its time (the '70s), now revised and updated. If you love a little deep science with your mysticism, this one's for you. Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism. Chogyam Trungpa. Points out matter-of-factly where we often screw up when being all “spiritual”. Common distortions and distractions we all can make while traipsing down the path. The Simple Feeling of Being. Ken Wilbur. A collection of some of this brilliant and prolific philosopher's most moving pieces. This guy is so smart it makes your eyebrows dance. Luckily, he is also so plugged in that your heart will boogie as well. A Path With Heart. Jack Kornfield. A hugely popular book that was incredibly helpful for me, simply because it clarifies so many aspects of how to remain true to yourself as you journey forth. It has a Buddhist slant, reads a little slow and quiet, but speaks to the essence of any spiritual path. The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times. Pema Chodron. Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. Jon Kabat-Zinn. Stay Present. Stay Here. Hey, come back….. The Art of Happiness: A Handbook For Living. The Dalai Lama. How to be truly Happy, not fake squinty happy, from the most joyful human I have ever met. Thinking Like The Universe: The Sufi Path of Awakening. Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan. Because thinking like the divine helps you know your self as the divine. Another one of my faves. Conversations with God, Parts 1,2,and 3, And, What God Wants, all by Neale Donald Walsh. Wonderful, lucid books. Honest. Freeing. Funny. Profound. Not faith based or religious per se. Spiritual. Poignant. You know, just Neale and God sitting down for a little friendly banter, a banter we should all start participating in. Return To Love. Marianne Williamson. This material stems from the epic book A Course in Miracles.(a really, really dense yet profound read). In Return To Love, Williamson parses this complicated material and makes it much more modern and funny and applicable to your life. The Teachings of San Juan: A Yaqui Way of Knowledge. Carlos Castaneda. Jungles, spiritual tests, multi-dimensional visions, wise shamanic teachings from one of the world’s most fascinating shamans. What’s not to like? The Way of The Shaman. Michael Harner. This guy is a scholar and a shaman and is considered by many to be the Mac Daddy of all things shamanistic. How To Know God. Deepak Chopra. Chopra explains seven levels of God. He mixes science with metaphysics with spirituality and he’s Deepak for peet’s sake, so you know he’s got the goods. The Invitation, The Dance, The Call. Oriah Mountain Dreamer. Check out that name. Have you read her poem “The Invitation”? It filled email inboxes years ago with everyone and their sister printing it out to use for their future wedding vows. All of her books stem from her gorgeous poems mixed with her personal reflections and inspiring, home-grown wisdom. Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life. Byron Katie. All about peeling your onion, and then some. Discusses the importance of questioning the authority of your own beliefs. Katie supposedly got enlightened by watching a bug crawl across the floor. Gives us all hope. Unless you’re insectophobic Be Here Now. Ram Dass. Classic goodie from the sixties with some serious psychedelic flare. Ram Dass is a very powerful and wise spiritual teacher who was tripping on acid in the sixties, took off to India and hung around a profound spiritual master for some time and then came home to set himself and others free. You Can Heal Your Life. Louise Hay. Yes, you can. Physical, emotional, spiritual, and mental health can all be helped and healed by, well, you. You have more power than you might realize. Read this and you'll never look at a pimple or a headache or a cold as just a pimple or a headache or a a cold. There are hundreds of books about spiritual healing out there, but this is a great introduction. Your Body Believes Every Word You Say: The Language of the Body-Mind Connection. Barbra Hoberman Levine. Watch what you're saying to yourself, because your body is taking notes. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide To Personal Freedom. (A Toltec Wisom Book) Don Miguel Ruiz. Wisdom and cosmography from the Toltec written simply, eloquently, and in such a way that you can agree to agree to living your whole life better. The Seat of The Soul. Gary Zukav. Not the most entertaining read, but informative as hell and a great book to start waking up to your metaphysical universe. Simple Abundance: A Daybook of Comfort and Joy. Sarah Ban Breathnach. Say "thank you." Make the world better. Simple. Easy. Profound. She suggests keeping a gratitude journal where you write down 5 things you are grateful for everyday – hey, Oprah does it. The Healing Power of Prayer: A Modern Mystics Guide To Spiritual Power. Ron Roth and Peter Occhiogrosso. Ron Roth is a very powerful well-respected modern-day healer and mystic from my former 'hood, Chicago. Though he leans towards Jesus in his own life, he certainly doesn't push the J-man on anyone else. He’s all about connecting you to You. To God. To the universe. To Krishna. To Goddess. Through prayer. Do You need A Guru? Understanding the Student-Teacher Relationship in an Era of False Prophets. Marianna Caplan. An intriguing book that discusses the importance and dangers of hooking up with a guru or spiritual teacher. Caplan does, in fact, have a guru herself. She's a professor, and she eloquently argues for having a teacher on your path. In fact, she goes so far as to claim that no one can really "make it," spiritually speaking, without surrendering to a teacher. Now, anything that says “only” makes me say “baloney,” but then again I could be saying that 'cause I’m all egoish and individualistically western and have not surrendered to a teacher. In any case, this book is a provocative and extremely helpful read and I highly suggest it to anyone considering working with a spiritual teacher.
She-She Power! Right On! Kick Ass! Go Team Go! And etc Wicca and Mary and goddesses and the divine feminine. Bring it on Spiral Dance: A Rebirth of The Ancient Religion of the Goddess. Starhawk. Pagan/Wiccan wisdom from one of the most beloved witches of all. Mother Earth needs us ladies. Now. Drawing Down The Moon: Witches, Druids, Goddess Worshippers, and Other Pagans in America Today. Margot Adler. Great research into modern pagan life. Witch Alone: Thirteen Moons to Master Natural Magic. Marian Green. Like Scott Cunningham’s Wicca, a great introduction to Wicca. Very earth friendly, goddess lovely, and empowering. These books help you experience the power of Wicca on your own. Hindu Goddesses: Visions of the Divine Feminine in the Hindu Religious Tradition. David Kinsley. A wonderful taste of the goddess in India. Encountering the Goddess: A Translation of The Devi-Mahatmya and A Study of it’s Interpretation. Thomas B. Coburn. This ancient myth from India is about the Goddess kicking some major demon ass! Kali: The Feminine Force. Ajit Mookerjee. Some amazing, sometimes downright freaky images of this intense goddess in this one. The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myth and Secrets and The Woman’s Dictionary of Signs and Symbols. Barbara G. Walker. Finally, a feminist encyclopedia and dictionary! So when you have a crazy dream or step on a snail, you will know what it might mean for your sexy female self, instead of his. Plus, these books have some funky trivia that will wow your friends at dinner parties. The Gospel of Mary Magdalene: Jean-Yves Leloup. Told from Mary’s point of view. Supposedly. The male apostles really couldn’t deal with the fact that Mary was BFF with J.C. Read all about it. Cryptically. Tantra: Cult of the Feminine. Andre Van Lysebeth. Sort of dense and subjective, but also deeply informative portrayal of Tantra. Note: The following five books stemmed from a time period (70’s to early 80’s) when a great many archaeological studies were being conducted on the divine feminine in ancient cultures. Digging up ancient goddess icons and artifacts had two effects on the women who found and studied them: they became both incredibly excited, and also extremely angry at the patriarchal forces that apparently swept into these ancient cultures later on and stomped all over what these women believed were peaceful, goddess-loving, pro-female societies. Today, a good deal of this scholarship has been disproved (the cultures might not have been as utopian as some had hoped), but the exciting and positive energy and power that ignited these amazing female authors and researchers is something we should all welcome into our lives. After all, the truth of needing a resurgence of the divine feminine energy is truth. The Myth of the Goddess: Evolution of An Image. Jules Cashford and Anne Baring. The Woman Awake: Feminine Wisdom For Spiritual Life. Regina Sara Ryan. An electric glimpse at 24 powerful and unique female spiritual teachers from several different traditions and paths. The divine feminine shows up in a variety of forms. Take note. Look around your corners. Longing For Darkness and The Bond Between Women: A Journey to Fierce Compassion. China Galland. Beautifully written honest books that combine Galland's passionate research of the divine feminine (the Buddhist Tara, the Hindu Kali, the Catholic Black Madonna) mixed with her personal stories and insightful, heart-felt reflections. A Woman’s Journey To God: Finding The Feminine Path. Joan Borysenko. Wonderful and empowering read about one woman’s search for and embrace of her distinct path among a sea of more masculine-based spiritual ideas, teachers, traditions. Enduring Grace: Living Portraits of Seven Women Mystics. Carol Lee Flinders. An up-close and stirring view of female Christian mystics. Some of them seriously rocked the house. Some of them just prayed for its support. But they still kicked some spiritual ass. At The Root of This Longing: Reconciling a Spiritual Hunger and a Feminist Thirst. Carol L. Flinders. Feminism for the spirit. Eastern and Western wisdom is woven into the author's illuminating personal story. What’s at the root of your longing?
Let’s Funk It Up A Bit, K?Weirder, more esoteric, more provocative, but no less inspiring works for the fringe mystic in you
Numerology and The Divine Triangle. Faith Javane and Dusty Bunker. Figure out the meaning behind your name, birth date, and his name and birth date. Did you know the universe speaks in numbers? Animal Speak, and Nature Speaks: Signs, Omens, Messages in Nature. Both by Ted Andrews. These books give meaning behind all the animals and plants growing through your world. Nature is talking, are you listening? The Hidden Messages in Water. Masaru Emoto. The water guy from the movie What the (Bleep) Do We Know? Emoto now has a bunch of books out, and they all discuss the same thing: How our thoughts, intentions, words, prayers affect the shape and intricate formation of water crystals (and, by extension, the human body, which is made up of 78 percent water), and he has the stunning, ultra-macro photographs to prove it. Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul. Jane Roberts. More channeled material from a spirit being called Seth. Heavy stuff. Sort of complicated, but deeply profound. I guarantee this book is on most spiritual teacher’s bookshelves, whether they believe in channeling or not. The Sense of Being Stared At: And Other Unexplained Power of Human Mind. Rupert Sheldrake. Written by an open-minded yet discerning scientist who studies the paranormal. Sheldrake helps explain why your dog knows she's going to the vet way before she should know. Also, psychic parrots. And how you can sometimes sense who's calling before you pick up the phone, and other cool stuff like that. Why God Won’t Go Away: Brain Science and The Biology of Belief. Andrew Newberg. Scientists study how we are, quite literally, wired for God. Yes, even you. Even if you call God, You. The Psychic Pathway: A Workbook for Reawakening The Voice of Your Soul, and, Trust Your Vibes: Secret Tools For Sixth Sensory Living. Sonia Choquette’s. In a realistic, funny, and grounded way Sonia teaches you how to develop your psychic abilities, raise your antennae, and trust your senses. All of 'em. Second Sight and Positive Energy: 10 Extraordinary Prescriptions For Transforming Fatique, Stress and Fear into Vibrance, Strength and Love. Dr. Judith Orloff. A psychic psychiatrist who is another great teacher of energy work, psychic information, and connecting to your inner healer. Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of A Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and the Past-Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives. Dr. Brian L. Weiss. This is the book I read in 6th grade that made my priest faint. Documents reincarnation, spirit guides, the afterlife, and other dimensional goodies. What The (Bleep) Do We Know? The cult hit, still playing in indie theaters around the nation. Rent the DVD. Watch it. Watch it three times. Admire Marlee Matlin’s surreal performance, and never look at reality -- or basketballs, or weddings -- the same way again. Hilarious animations. Metaphysics and quantum physics and funny genius philosophers. Check out the books based on the movie as well. The Matrix. DVD. As cliché as it's become, it’s still a great one to dissect, metaphyically speaking. And it doesn't hurt that Neo is, of course, hot. Plus, those black latex outfits and uber cool shades bring out the sexy fierce goth angel in us all.
Skewing A Wee bit YoungerSpilling Open. Sabrina Ward Harrison created this masterpiece when she was just a tiny young thing (like, about 16) and now has several artistically awesome super-creative feminine angst and joy books based on her personal journals. You will never journal the same after perusing Harrison's books. What Would Buffy Do: The Vampire Slayer As Spiritual Guide. Jane Riess. It’s Buffy. She’s campy and quirky and fights like a fiend. Slaying demons and vampires is just part of her job. As is wearing cute outfits. As is spiting out profound and hilarious bits of wisdom. And figuring out her place in the world. Joss Whedon, I love you. Go rent some the shows on DVD and sigh. Becoming A Goddess Of Inner Poise: Spirituality For The Bridget Jones In All Of Us. Donna Freitas. Love Bridget Jones? Hate Bridget Jones? This is still a fun, informative, empowering book. And the author has great shoes. Dharma Punx. Noah Levine. A young man’s story of punk rock, drugs, and rage and how Buddhism helped him transform his rebellion through a healthier medium. He still punks out. He still rages. But now he does it while being conscious. And nonviolent. Cool. Blue Jean Buddha: Voices of Young Buddhists. Edited by Sumi D. Loundon. Wonderful collection of personal anecdotes and experiences from young peeps just like you who share how aspects of Buddhism have greatly enriched and transformed their life. Not typical. Not smarmy. Not preachy. Just real. Killing The Buddha: A Heretics Bible. Edited by Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlet. Generation Us writers and thinkers waxing and moaning and celebrating and questioning and being all super smart about spirituality. And Haven Kimmel’s chapter, “Revelation,” is quite possibly one of the coolest pieces of its kind I’ve ever read. Ever. Daily Afflictions: The Agony of Being Connected To Everything In the Universe. Andrew Boyd. Wise, twisted, sardonic, and so very needed. Paradox is how you learn to live bigger. When things suck and get darker than dark, stay conscious. Please. Or you might miss an amazing opportunity. Sexy Witch. LaSara Firefox. Sexuality and spirituality and badass witchy wisdom for the modern young alternative gal who’s all about empowering her self, becoming more sexually truthful and bold, performing some downright beautiful rituals, and creating a life that’s more her own. Witches have some seriously great sex. Seriously.
And speaking of sex…. Because connecting to your sexual energy in a real and honest and juicy way is one of the most divine things you can do Transcendent Sex: When Lovemaking Opens The Veil. Jenny Wade. Yes, you too can touch the divine via sex without practicing at all. Just check out all her case studies. This book proves that sex is an often overlooked but no less important and viable tool for rubbing noses with the universe. The Soul of Sex: Cultivating Life As An Act of Love. Thomas Moore. All about infusing sexual energy into all of life, not just during the act itself. The sexual energy Moore explores is less Cosmo and more Red. It’s the authentic spirit of sexuality, not the media’s caricature. For Yourself: The Fulfillment of Female Sexuality. Lonnie Barbach. Great sex info based on clinical research and women’s groups. Orgasm info, emotional issues, relationship communication, the importance of masturbation, Very helpful for us all. Healing Love Through the Tao: Cultivating Female Sexual Energy. Mantak and Maneena Chia. Intriguing info about sexual energy and orgasms. This book is quite serious about sex as a spiritual practice. Not a lot of room for vibrators. Good thing you won't take it quite that seriously. Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving. Charles and Caroline Muir. This couple was one of the first to westernize tantric sex and hold successful workshops in Maui. A little cheesy, definitely touchy-feely, but the point, to deepen your connection to your self, your partner, the divine, is all good. And hey, waking up your G-spot is always a fun thing to do on lazy Sunday mornings. The Art of Sexual Ecstasy. Margot Anand. Another popular sacred sex teacher along similar lines of the Muirs, but a little less cheesy. Any books by educator and sexpert Violet Blue. Honest and funny and very, very dirty, she is very pro-woman, pro-healthy, pro-real, honest sex. Raw and upfront and she seriously cares. Highly recommended.
And now, on to the Net of course you know that many of the authors listed above have wonderful websites of their own, right? What follows is a few more to add to your spiritual Booksmarks. Bootyparlor.com: Wonderfully girly and friendly and super-sassy site that celebs frequent. Try the Bathtime Kit. Goodvibrations.com: The original ultra-friendly, easygoing, sex-positive, female- owned and run sex shop. Super educational yet still fun and groundbreaking. Babeland.com: A little more daring than goodvibes, but no less friendly and helpful. Also female owned and operated. Tinynibbles.com: Sex educator and author Violet Blue’s personal site. Info on all her books is here, too Killingthebuddha.com: Smart and meaningful website dedicated to our spiritually jaded generation Freewillastrology.com: Rob Brezny’s fantasic site that is oh so much more than just astrology. Join his newsletter for the most profoundly hilarious and informative astrology columns, like, ever. (He also wrote Pronoia, listed above) Spiralmuse.com: Women. Art. Social activism. Spirituality. Healing. Good stuff. Imagesofdivinity.org: Wonderful resource for pictures and information about the divine feminine Pluralism.org: Another amazing resource for checking out all sorts of religions and alternative practices in your area or all across this country. Academicinfo.net: Site that leads you to all sorts of other sites about all sorts of spiritual and religious stuff. Beliefnet.com: The classic catch-all website for all types of religions and spirituality. If they don't have it here, it might not exist Gnosis.org: Tremendous site with great articles and other info about Gnosticism. Lipstickmystic.com: Funky, girly site with a lot of cool n' playful spiritual and energetic info (and some strangely funny cat pictures I still haven’t quite figured out). Created by a sassy, intelligent woman who's a writer, a psychic and an astrologer all wrapped up in one. AUDIO: If you want to hear any of the above spiritual teachers talk their walk, check out these fabulous audio companies. DVDs and CDs, cassettes and MP3 downloads |
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