self discovery

~ Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche — by Bill Plotkin ~

Review from Drew: Soulcraft is perhaps my favorite book I’ve ever read, and certainly the most impactful. It served as a sort of jet fuel for me during my first year of spiritual seeking - I remember slowing myself down to make it last longer, and always seemed to open to just the right page to receive the wisdom I needed at that moment. Bill Plotkin is a true living elder, and I highly recommend his books and his programs at the Animas Valley Institute to anyone seeking a nature-based path to healing their wounds and discovering their purpose.

~ Old Path, White Clouds — by Thich Nhat Hanh ~

Review from Drew: This book feels like getting a hug the entire time you’re reading it, which is for a while, because it’s quite long. It’s Tich’s straightforward, low-frills telling of the story of the Buddha in narrative form - how he came to enlightenment and built his sangha, the people he touched along the way, and the main tenets of the teachings of Buddhism. It’s soft and slow and such a joy to come home to in our face-paced world.

~ Emptiness Dancing — by Adyashanti ~

Review from Drew: Adyashanti is another one of those living spiritual elders, who I believe to be a true enlightened being. This book is a collection of his dharma talks that he has given at retreat sessions throughout the years. It’s one of those books that you more feel than comprehend - sometimes at the end of a chapter I’m not quite sure what I read but I feel this glowing in my heart and this closeness to Spirit that always signifies Truth when I feel it.

~ The Alchemist — by Paulo Coelho ~

Review from Drew: I might catch some hate for this one but I loved The Alchemist, especially for the time in which I read it, right near the beginning of my spiritual journey. Sometimes, so much more can be said it short, simple fiction than in any nonfiction format.

~ Siddhartha — by Hermann Hesse ~

Review from Drew: Very similar review as the one I provided for the Alchemist. It’s simple and straightforward, written in an engaging narrative style, and you’ll feel goosebumps all along the way. I also love the fact that Herman Hesse had to pause his writing of this book between Part II and Part III and live alone on a mountain for several years in order to feel enlightenment, before he felt like he could write about it.