Spirituality * Culture * Self-Expression

Enlightened Non-Fiction and Spiritual Works

Meditation can help make your thinking clear and precise – but what do you think about?

The books on this list can give you ideas. With enough new ideas flowing around your nervous system, changes can occur in your mind. The changes open up new thought patterns and new possibilities for thought. Your mind EXPANDS enabling more new ideas to enter and be absorbed by your consciousness. When your mind, consciousness, awareness expands you have a greater likelihood of becoming enlightened.

Read these books, meditate, and embrace opportunities for shifts in your perception. Live with the imagery of enlightenment. Seek new ways of being.

The ideas in these books are often contradictory – one author conflicts with another. Holding alternative and not always complementary thoughts, views and opinions in your mind creates confusion, even chaos. Holding totally erroneous concepts in your mind generates even more chaos. And out of that chaos a possibility for pure thought and sensation can emerge. An enlightened person accepts all things in the universe – not just the things that might be pleasing at any given moment. An enlightened person accepts and also rejects all things in the universe since, for the most part, things in the universe are illusory.

It is unfortunate that so many books on this list have gone out of print – especially considering the innovation in publishing of print-on-demand material. We should, I suppose, be grateful that these books are merely being neglected and not banned or burned in bonfires – as were so many great works in the past.

Each title is linked to the best descriptions available and often they are to sites that offer online versions of the texts. In time, more books will be added to this list and hopefully some better commentary to help you decide which books to actively seek out and acquire.

Non-Fiction and Spiritual Works

 

 

Alli, Antero – Angel Tech: a Modern Shamans Guide to Reality Selection

Andrea, Raymond – The Mystic Path

One of the most knowledgeable and important mystics of the 20th century and there is virtually nothing about him online. Even his books appear to be out of print. At least the Amazon.com pages have some reviews of the works – even if you can’t buy them new.

Andrea, Raymond – The Technique of the Disciple

Andrea, Raymond – The Technique of the Master

Aquinas, Thomas – Summa Theologica

Baigent, Michael et al – Holy Blood, Holy Grail

Bailey, Alice A. – A Treatise on White Magic

it’s easier just to advise you to read all her books – but she has become controversial lately, some 60 years after her death – it’s a problem when real mystics write too much – the public can’t always handle it.

Bailey, Alice A. – Glamour: a World Problem

Bailey, Alice A. – Initiation, Human and Solar

Bernard, Raymond – anything you can find

Another great 20th century mystic whose works are out of print – at least in English. The link is to a biography with numerous articles and reviews attached (mostly in French).There are also some online pages available if you look hard enough. Messages From the Celestial Sanctum is particularly recommended if you can find it.

Blackschleger, Herb – Hide!

A weird favorite. Every page is a gem of bizarre insights. The book is, of course, long out of print – there might have been just one printing in 1959 – but it seems to be available in many used additions because no one wants to keep a copy of it around for long. The link is to a fair description of the book. There are other obscure references online if you want to search for the author. It’s a weird book and it makes you think weird things and sometimes that’s a good thing. If you find a copy, get it and read it. It will be fun.

Blavatsky, Helena – Isis Unveiled

Blavatsky, of course, founded the whole New Age tradition. Priceless font of mystical insights and information.

Blavatsky, Helena – The Secret Doctrine

Blyth, R.H. – Games Zen Masters Play

Boethius – The Consolation of Philosophy

A favorite.

Bolles, Richard N. – What Color is Your Parachute?

Branden, Victoria – Understanding Ghosts

A great book now forgotten – apparently even by the author. If you can find a copy it is the most concise, accurate, well written and least “woo woo” book on the subject.

Bucke, Richard – Cosmic Consciousness

Buddha – Dhammapada

The classic collection of the Buddha’s teachings. The translation by Eknath Easwaren is highly recommended.

Campbell, Joseph – The Hero with a Thousand Faces

Campbell, Joseph – The Masks of God

Campbell, Joseph – The Power of Myth

Canfield, Jack and Hansen, Mark Victor – Chicken Soup for the Soul

Capra, Fritjof – The Tao of Physics

Better than Michael Talbot’s book (see below). You need to get the mystery and leave behind the pseudo-science.

Chardin, Pierre Teilhard de – The Divine Milieu

Chardin, Pierre Teilhard de – The Future of Man

Chardin, Pierre Teilhard de – The Phenomenon of Man

Cleary, Thomas – Zen Antics

Confucius – Analects

Crowley, Aleister – Eight Lectures on Yoga

Crowley is misunderstood by most, but extremely important in the history of illumination. The link is to a site that offers most of his books on line.

Crowley, Aleister – Little Essays Toward Truth

Crowley, Aleister – The Book of Lies

Crowley, Aleister – The Book of the Law

De Ropp, Robert S. – The Master Game: Pathways to Higher Consciousness

Dennett, Daniel – Consciousness Explained

Dennett, Daniel – Darwin’s Dangerous Idea: Evolution and the Meanings of Life

Dennett, Daniel – Elbow Room

Descartes, Rene – Meditations on First Philosophy

Descartes, Rene – Passions of the Soul

Dion Fortune – Psychic Self-Defense

A favorite author. All her material is worth reading. Her books go in and out of print fairly often (maybe depending on the current “powers that be.”) When you find her books – get them. They are also usually available online as is the case with this link.

Dion Fortune – The Cosmic Doctrine

The link is to an intelligently written review.

Dion Fortune – The Mystical Qabalah

Dion Fortune – Through the Gates of Death

Elias, Jack – Finding True Magic

Emerson, Ralph Waldo – Essays: First Series

Emerson, Ralph Waldo – Essays: Second Series

Ferris, Timothy – Coming of Age in the Milky Way

Fort, Charles – Collected Works

Fossey, Dian – Gorillas in the Mist

Fox, Emmet – Power Through Constructive thinking

Franklin, Benjamin – Autobiography

Franklin, Benjamin – The Way to Wealth

Frazer, James – The Golden Bough

Freud, Sigmund – Civilization and Its Discontents

Freud, Sigmund – Moses and Monotheism

Freud, Sigmund – The Future of an Illusion

Freud, Sigmund – The Interpretation of Dreams

Freud, Sigmund – Totem and Taboo

Frye, Northrup – The Great Code

Goodall, Jane – In the Shadow of Man

Graves, Robert – The White Goddess

Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich – Phenomenology of Spirit

Hegel, Georg Wilhelm Friedrich – Science of Logic

Hill, Napoleon – The Law of Success

Hill, Napoleon – Think and Grow Rich

Hittleman, Richard – Guide to Yoga Meditation

One of the best books on meditation. May be difficult to find, but worth the effort.

Hume, David – A Treatise of Human Nature

Husserl, Edmund – Logical Investigations

Husserl, Edmund – On the Phenomenology of the Consciousness of Internal Time

James, Muriel – Born to Win

James, Tad – The Secret of Creating Your Future

Jaynes, Julian – The Origin of Consciousness in the Breakdown of the Bicameral Mind

Jung, Carl – Man and His Symbols

Jung, Carl – Memories, Dreams and Reflections

Jung, Carl – Modern Man in Search of a Soul

Jung, Carl – The Undiscovered Self

Kant, Immanuel – Critique of Pure Reason

La Vey, Anton Szandor – The Satanic Bible

Lao Tzu – Tao Te Ching

Leibniz, Gottfried – Discourse on Metaphysics

Leibniz, Gottfried – Making the Case for God

Leibniz, Gottfried – New Essays on Human Understanding

Lewis, H. Spencer – Anything you can find

A favorite author. A great mystic, founder of the Rosicrucian Order AMORC. His books are all worth reading especially The Secret Doctrines of Jesus,  Mansions of the Soul: the Cosmic Conception, and The Mystical Life of Jesus

Lewis, Ralph M – Anything you can find.

Like his father, H. Spencer Lewis, he was a great mystic and did much to promote Rosicrucian doctrines around the world. Since his death, there has been a void in genuine Rosicrucian teachings. Look for these books – The Conscious InterludeBehold the Sign, and The Sanctuary of the Self, among many others.

Lindsay, Hal – Selections

He wrote a lot of books including Satan is Alive and Well on Planet Earth,  The Late, Great Planet Earth, and The Liberation of Planet Earth  and was very influential in Christian evangelical circles. Read some of his books. They express a certain point of view that is useful to developing an illuminated mindset (although Hal Lindsey is probably off the mark in his own life). You don’t have to agree with him or accept him or even like him. But as with Anton LaVey, Osho, and others he just might open your mind to new possibilities.

Locke, John – Essay Concerning Human Understanding

Lucretius – De Rerum Natura (On the Nature of Things)

Machiavelli – The Prince

Maimonides – Guide for the Perplexed

Marcus Aurelius – Meditations

Martin, Malachi – Hostage to the Devil: the Possession and Exorcism of Five Living Americans

Michail, Michael A. – Practical Mysticism

Wink.

Nietzsche, Friedrich – Beyond Good and Evil

The book not the game.

Nietzsche, Friedrich – Human, All Too Human

Nietzsche, Friedrich – The Antichrist

Nietzsche, Friedrich – The Gay Science

Nietzsche, Friedrich – Thus Spoke Zarathustra

Nietzsche, Friedrich – Twilight of the Idols, Or How to Philosophize with a Hammer

Nietzsche is just not like other philosophers. His ambition was “to say in ten sentences what others say in a book—what everyone else does not say in a book.”

Noe, John R. – Peak Performance Principles for High Achievers

Osho – Autobiography of a Spiritually Incorrect Mystic

Osho – The Book of Secrets

Osho – The Mustard Seed

Pantajali – Yoga Sutras

Various translations of this must have book are available. The Edwin Bryant version has great commentaries but find a translation that suits you.

Paramahansa Yogananda – Autobiography of a Yogi

Paramahansa Yogananda – Journey to Self-Realization

Paramahansa Yogananda – Man’s Eternal Quest

Paramahansa Yogananda – The Divine Romance

Pauwels, Louis and Bergier, Jacques – Morning of the Magicians

Plato – The Republic

Plotinus – Enneads

Poole, Cecil – Anything you can find.

Another great mystic disappearing from memory. His many books seem to be out of print and there is not much about him online (except for this Youtube video of Poole giving a brief lecture). If you can find his books, get them – especially  Cares that Infest,  Cosmic Consciousness,  In Search of Reality, and  Mysticism: the Ultimate Experience

Rand, Ayn – Philosophy: Who Needs It

Rand, Ayn – The Romantic Manifesto

She claims to hate mysticism, which is funny since she is clearly a mystic herself.

Rand, Ayn – The Virtue of Selfishness

Repps, Paul – Zen Flesh, Zen Bones

Ringer, Robert J. – Winning Through Intimidation

Read this and his second book Looking out for Number One

Rousseau, Jean Jacques – Confessions

Sagan, Carl – Broca’s Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science

Sagan, Carl – Cosmos

Sagan, Carl – The Cosmic Connection: an Extraterrestrial Perspective

Sagan, Carl – The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Sagan, Carl – The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Schopenhauer, Arthur – The World as Will and Representation

Schwartz, David – The Magic of Thinking Big

Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Center – Yoga: Mind & Body

Spinoza, Baruch – Selections

See especially A Short Treatise on God, Man and His Well-Being and  Ethics

St. Augustine – Confessions

St. John of the Cross – Dark Night of the Soul

St. Teresa of Avila – Everything

A favorite. Her main books are Autobiography,  Interior Castle,  The Way to Perfection  all gems.

Swami Janakananda Saraswati – Yoga, Tantra & Meditation

At least it is still in print.

Talbot, Michael – Mysticism and the New Physics

An example of someone who gets it wrong but still makes you think – even if you just think of all the ways the writer is getting wrong. It’s fun.

Thoreau, Henry David – Civil Disobedience

Unknown – Avesta: Zoroastrian Sacred Texts

Unknown – Cloud of Unknowing

Unknown – I Ching

Very popular work and available in several versions.

Unknown – The Upanishads

Valentinus – The Gospel of Truth

Various – The Bible

You should already know about this one.

Venerable Narada Mahathera – The Buddha and his Teachings

Von Daniken, Erich – Chariots of the Gods?

Finally a book with a lot of reviews and a big web presence. The book is not well written, well researched or well conceived – it is silly! And I knew it was silly when I read it at the age of ten. But, c’mon, it’s so much fun to read and the book inspired a whole industry. And it has never been out of print! (which might be another knock against it). The book takes the reader on a tour of some of the strangest and most mysterious places on earth and at least it tries to make sense of the weirdness of our planet. In doing that, Von Daniken opened the minds of millions of people to possibilities they would never have dreamed of before. It is well worth a reading.

Vyasa – The Bhagavad Gita

This web site has it all.

Watts, Alan – Various

He wrote a lot but the two books that really should be read are Beyond Theology – the Art of Godmanship, and The Book – On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are

Wilber, Ken – No Boundary

A popular writer.

Wilson, Robert Anton – Prometheus Rising

Wilson pretty much defines the subject of Illumination for our time. A favorite all around.

Wilson, Robert Anton – Quantum Psychology

Wilson, Robert Anton – The Illuminati Papers

Zukov, Gary – The Dancing Wu Li Masters

The most fun of the “zen physics” type books.

2 Comments

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