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 Carl Rogers'
book, On Personal Power.
This is a truly inspiring and important
book that will show you how to cultivate inner
strength through the power of sharing.
Anyone concerned to get their
relationship with their partner, their friends,
their family, their society, their world - and
most importantly with themselves - into
harmonious accord, should read this book as a
starting point. It was Rogers who, with
Abraham Maslow (and to be fair one or two
others), helped to pioneer the humanistic
movement in psychotherapy. His standpoint
stems from a belief in the innate goodness of
life, the positive uniqueness and creative
power of each person - and the tendency, nay ability, to
actualise our true potential when conditions
are right.
Find out more... read
Who's Carl Rogers? article.
Memories, Dreams and Reflections.
This is a semi-autobiography by another
Carl, the psychologist/philosopher, Carl Jung.
Jung viewed life through spiritual
lenses. Although a close companion of
Sigmund Freud, he nevertheless was polarised
against his old buddy in his world view.
Consider that whereas Freud saw each
psyche ultimately as an iceberg floating on the
sea of the unconscious, Jung saw the psyche as
being like an island jutting out of that same
sea, but with the difference that under the
waters each island joined up with other islands
- this was his Collective Unconscious.
The implications are enormous - read on,
particularly if you are stuck in your spiritual
life!
Ponder on This. This is one
book from a series of writings by the
spiritualist, Alice Bailey and the
spiritual Tibetan master, Djwal Khul.
As indicated on the cover, it is a
collection of 'scattered' writings, compiled by
a 'student' and brought together 'as a basis
for the instruction of disciples in training
for initiation'. Should you have serious
questions about spirituality and ethics then
you should dip into this esoteric book.
It has one hundred and eighty six short
chapters on topics ranging from the Christ to
consciousness to death (sequence of events) to
sex to war. Be prepared for controversial
views. You would be well recommended to
also read Death: The Great Adventure in
this series.
 The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,
by Stephen R Covey. As it says on the
back cover of this book, it 'presents an
holistic, integrated, principle-centred
approach for solving personal and professional
problems...Covey reveals a step-by-step pathway
for living with fairness, integrity, honesty
and human dignity - principles that give us the
security to adapt to change, and the wisdom and
power to take advantage of the opportunities
that change creates'. What a gem this book is!
 The Bible -
especially the New
Testament. Leave aside if you will,
the razzmatazz and regalia of orthodox
Christianity, take a look at the life and times
of Jesus. Even with all the adaptations
and likely misrepresentations you can still
find a light shining through this work that will
make you think on. Jesus is a tough act for
anyone to follow but, I think you will agree,
he does point the way for all to be sons and
daughters of God - not just the few!
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The DhammaPada.
This book
consists of verses said to be uttered by the
Buddha on some 305 occasions for the benefit of
human beings. These sayings were selected
and compiled into one book as being worthy of
special note on account of their beauty and
relevance for moulding the lives of future
generations of Buddhists. They are divided into
26 chapters and the stanzas are arranged
according to subject matter. Don't take
another step until you have read through this
book.
All that we are is the result of what we
have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it
is made up of our thoughts. If a man
speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness
follows him, like a shadow that never leaves
him.
 The I
Ching (pronounced ye jing).
This is the very ancient Chinese book of
Change, a true life companion that will not
only help you to grasp important ethics to
living but will provide answers, profound
answers to your life questions. Whether
you use yarrow stalks or coins to divine, treat
the oracular aspects of this book with great
respect. The R L Wing version is
really beautifully written and easy to use.
 The Koran.
The holy book of
Islam, recorded by the prophet Muhammad
beginning in the year 610 AD. For Muslims
this is the word of Allah. The Koran may
have had rough press in Western eyes over a number of
years, but rest assured this is a book encouraging us to
follow the path of peace towards God.
If you are coming from a non-Muslim
background, you might find the N J
Dawood translation of real benefit.
Think And Grow Rich, by Napoleon
Hill. If you want to get rich then
you couldn't choose a better place to start
finding out how to achieve it. You might
be surprised too just how much this links to
your inner life and the power of your
imagination. Other great books to
contemplate reading in context are: The
Path of Least Resistance, by Robert Fritz, and
The Key, by Joe Vitale. Both Fritz and Vitale broaden out this approach to using visualisation towards any life goal, not just money. Vitale also gives a lot of very useful insight (and methods) into clearing the mind blocks on our path to creating/receiving what we want.
 Zen Flesh, Zen Bones, by Nyogen Senzakie
& Paul Reps. This is a
best-selling collection of enlightenment
stories, anecdotes, and koans of Zen
literature. This wonderful book actually
includes four books: 101 Zen Stories -
anecdotes and enlightenment stories of the
great masters; The Gateless Gate - forty-eight
Zen koans to awaken the mind to enlightenment;
The 10 Bulls - depicting the ten stages of
awareness (shades of Catch Bull at 4 by Cat
Stevens); Centering - offering a
four-thousand-year-old Sanskrit text that may
well be one of the roots of Zen thought.
If you want to get the existentialist Zen
view of life and death then here is your bible
starter. While you are at it, also take a
read of The Book on the Taboo Against
Knowing Who You Are, by Alan Watts.
Find it, it will speak volumes.
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Well of course
there are many more than ten books that you would be
recommended to read during your lifetime, but the ones
listed here (and there are a little over 10 but who's counting) are
essential reading - gateways - for anyone
endeavouring to understand life and death, find
their path through life, particularly their
spiritual path, find happiness and peace, and also
make the most of their ideas and
desires.