Books I Love

Books that Really Changed Me (although the others did too!)

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. A beautiful book that creeps into your soul, just like the guru who wrote it! A spiritual classic everyone should read.
Conversations with God (Book 1) by Neal Donald Walsch. Whether you believe its channeled God or not, this can really change your life in the best ways possible. Many sequels, workbooks, industries etc followed ...
Illusions - The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach. A single afternoon to read this, and the way you see everything shifts. Or it did back in the 80s. Email me if this is still true (or not!)
The Way of Wyrd- Tales of an Anglo-Saxon Sorcerer by Brian Bates. I learned to understand the real meaning of magic, nature and power. A hidden gem! (and recently reprinted)
Joy's Way by William Brugh Joy. The book that brought healing and psychic development down to earth
If You Meet the Buddha on the Road, Kill Him by Sheldon Kopp. At a young age I read this and learned how to find my own truth. Definitely life-changing!
The Teachings of Don Juan - A Yaqui Way of Knowledge by Carlos Castaneda. Taught me all about the path with the heart, my true philosophy of life. Teaches a few more things too!

Understanding Self and Soul

Bhagavad Gita. translated by Eknath Easwaran. It doesn't get more complete, succinct or profound -the only book on the soul and the meaning of life you ever need to read. There are many translations out there. This is my favourite short and beautiful one, and the next link is for deeper study ...
God Talks with Arjuna. Parmamahansa Yogananda's astonishing translation and interpretation of the Gita. More than everything you ever needed to know about .. everything that matters.
Initiation by Elizabeth Haich. A vividly real experience of reincarnation and the Egyptian mysteries
Seth Speaks - The Eternal Validity of the Soul by Seth, channeled by Jane Roberts. The only 'channeled' book I've ever read which goes beyond new-age mush into the nature of reality and soul and which can only have been written by someone in another dimension - no saccharine, no judgement - the real thing. In fact, the only 'channeled entity' that I ever believed actually was one!
The Nature of Personal Reality - Specific, Practical Techniques for Solving Everyday Problems and Enriching the Life You Know (A Seth Book) Teaches you the real nature of self and reality, and how to use this knowledge. There are hundreds of other Seth Books after "Seth Speaks", but this is the one I benefitted from the most.
Journeys Out of the Body by Robert Monroe. The only honest book I've ever read on astral travel, and I've read loads - clearly be people who've never done it. This is the real thing. These and his other two books (below) had an enormous impact on my understanding of non physical reality.
Far Journeys by Robert Monroe Monroe. Explores further and challenges everything you believe about everything. A total mind trip.
Ultimate Journey by Robert Monroe. Explores the world of Death and helping people who have died. As usual, Mr Monroe takes your head right off!
Conscious Dreaming - A Spiritual Path for Everyday Life by Robert Moss. The best and most practical dream book I know.
We Are One Another by Arthur Guirdham. One of the most astonishing and convincing books about reincarnation I've ever read. Followed by the equally fascinating Cathars and Reincarnation

Healing, Body and Soul, Self-Improvement

The Shaman's Body - A New Shamanism for Transforming Health, Relationships, and Community by Arthur Mindell. Dr Mindell needs no introduction, and is great on health and personal responsibility, in a western/Amerindian crossover point of view
Hands of Light - A Guide to Healing Through the Human Energy Field by Barbara Ann Brennan. The best healing manual ever, thorough, practical and real, the most serious and meaningful analysis of the human energy field
Staying Healthy With Nutrition - The Complete Guide to Diet and Nutritional Medicine by Elson Haas. The most amazing book on nutrition you'll ever read, and also gives great details on every nutrient and additive, every vitamin - as well as recipes, diets etc. The only resource you really need.
Dr Andrew Weil is my one health guru. You'll find a link to his website on my links page. These are his best:
Natural Health, Natural Medicine - A Comprehensive Manual for Wellness and Self-Care
Concentration: a Guide to Mental Mastery by Mouni Sadhu. Requires commitment, but could be your best training for every other self-improvement you ever make.

Kabbalah & The Western Mystery Tradition

Tree of Life, a Study in Magic by Israel Regardie. The best book on Western Magic I know
Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune. The best book on Hermetic Kabbalah I know
Psychic Self-Defense by Dion Fortune and the best book on this topic I know!
Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi Controversial, yes, but fascinating and thorough. Hard to find - not even at Amazon!
The Secret Teachings of All Ages- An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic & Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy by Manly Hall A good deal about just about everything, and beautifully illustrated. Well worth it!
The Occult by Colin Wilson. Complete, enthralling, and Wilson develops the history of occultism into a meaningful and fascinating theory.Theory extended and completed in Beyond the Occult.
The Anatomy of Fate - Astrology and Kabbalah by Z'ev Ben Shimon Halevi (Warren Kenton). A tad dry, but essential to understand the relationship between astrology, kabbalah and ourselves.

Tarot, I Ching & Divination

The I Ching - Or, Book of Changes translated by Richard Wilhelm/Cary Baynes the classic, the only. The Multimedia I Ching
Philosophy of the I Ching by Carol Anthony If you ever wanted to really understand the Ching, here's how, in less than 200 pages. A transformative experience
I-Ching and Transpersonal Psychology by Marysol Gonzalez Sterling the book that let me really grasp and contextualise the Ching
Tao of Chaos - Merging East and West by Katya Walter a fascinating exposition of the relationship between I Ching, chaos, DNA and Tao. Mind-blowing!
The Tarot - The Origin, Meaning and Uses of the Cards by Alfred Douglas Simple, straight-forward and unpretentious, gives a great foundation

Astrology

Christian Astrology by William Lilly, joyously back in print newly rendered into modern spelling by David Roell, Astrology Classics edition. If you're serious about astrology, this is the bible. be sure to get all 3 books (in two volumes).
Parkers' Astrology; The Essential Guide to Using Astrology in Your Daily Life, American ed. by Derek and Julia Parker. The other extreme. A wonderful, coffee-table style but all-encompassing view of a host of astrological techniques. Just an introduction, but a damn fine one! Unfortunately, the modern editions (this century) have developed some bizarre eccentricities and the book can no longer stand alone without some guidance from a teacher or astrologer
Alan Oken's Complete Astrology by Alan Oken The best beginners book I know
Synthesis & Counseling in Astrology - The Professional Manual by Noel Tyl Truly the professional practitioner's manual, not for beginners! Best book on psychological astrology out there.
The Moment of Astrology by Geoffrey Cornelius. Very controversial, mind-expanding, and should be compulsory for all modern astrologers. To the glory of all astrology, it has been republished in a revised and expanded edition in this 2004 Wessex Edition and is better than ever.
Linda Goodman's Love Signs by Linda Goodman. Don't be surprised to see Ms Goodman here, however much you may think of this as 'popular' and 'cookbook', this book is an education in how powerful sun sign astrology really is. You'll gasp when she describes your relationship, watch.
Astrological Keywords by Manly Hall. The basics on just about everything, defined in astrological terms
Astrology, Psychology, and the Four Elements - An Energy Approach to Astrology and Its Use in the Counseling Arts by Stephen Arroyo. One of the books that makes better sense out of astrology than most, another compulsory one for my students
The Arabic Parts in Astrology - The Lost Key to Prediction by Robert Zoller. Often hard to find, but is available at Amazon . Too much medieval astrology is overlooked, and this fascinating work of Zoller's deserves a place on every serious astrologer's bookshelf.

Vedic Astrology

Light on Life by Robert Svoboda and Hart de Fouw. The most comprehensive and deep book on Vedic Astrology written in English. Beautifully written, a bible for aspiring Vedic astrologers.
Astrology of the Seers by David Frawley. Great introduction and overview, a good place to start studying Vedic.
Essentials of Vedic Astrology by Komilla Sutton. Another great beginner's book.
The Art and Practise of Ancient Hindu Astrology by James Braha. Like sitting at the feet of a master (albeit a flawed one...!). Highly recommended for intermediate to advanced students of Jyotish.
Elements of Vedic Astrology by Dr K S Charak. Very traditional but presented in a clear, scientific way.

Vedic Culture

Life Wouldn't Be the Same Without Fiction Like This

Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie
Winnie-The-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner by A A Milne
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Loads of editions are available - starting under R10, there are many annotated or special editions varying enormously in price.
The Magus by John Fowles. Also unforgettable is his French Lieutenant's Woman
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Read it in one unbroken weekend, you'll remember that weekend forever the way you remember a great holiday.

Alternative Truth

I'm not one for conspiracy theories, but here are some amazing books about stuff we all ought to know. Be skeptical but have an open mind...
Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent et al. Will change your understanding of Christianity, the Templars and more. Talk about mind-blowing! And was written and posted on this list long before the Da Vinci Code, which is not on this list!
The Hidden History of the Human Race. An important, scholarly book which poses a serious challenge to Darwin's theory of evolution. Tough going, but demands attention to important facts which suggest an alternative pre-history for humankind.
The Dead Sea Scrolls Deception by Michael Baigent et al. Just wait to see how your temperature rises when you realise how you've been duped! The truth will out, and here it comes, everything the Church didn't want you to know...
The Truth Behind the Bible Code by Jeffrey Satinover. More honest and down-to-earth than the endless money-making hype of the ridiculous Michael Drosnin book (which came out first)
Fingerprints of the Gods by Graham Hancock. May be the book which finally solves many of the mysteries of the Pyramids, completely changes everything you ever believed about history, and contains an ominous warning about the near future. Continues in The Message of the Sphinx - A Quest for the Hidden Legacy of Mankind, also essential reading.