There are thousands of spiritual books out there. How do you decide which ones to read? What spiritual book will be most beneficial to you right now, wherever you are on your spiraling journey of waking up?

If you’re looking for the most potent spiritual books, you’ve found them. I’ve been going through that process myself and selectively filled my bookshelves with spiritual titles that seemed like they would provide me with the most benefit. Of those, this list contains only the books that have been the most helpful during my own spiritual awakening.

In one year, I went from believing there is nothing after death to having a full-blown spiritual awakening in which I started experiencing telepathy, huge downloads from the universe, knowledge of my future, and massive belief shifts to reincarnation, unconditional love, and channeling, and began consciously practicing the ability to alter the emotional contents of my mind during meditation.

Each step of the way I turned to books to help me understand what was happening to me and learn how to get where I wanted to go faster. In the beginning I feared I was going crazy, but that passed quickly and I understood that I was gaining my mind, not losing it.

The books I chose progressed with me: I had to ease into the process with spiritual books geared more toward skeptics, and came out the other end reading spiritual books channeled from the other side. I tracked every book I read (many more than I’ve chosen to recommend here) and took a highlighter to all of them. Many were mind-blowing.

This list represents a full range of the best books for each step of your spiritual awakening: you can find something that meets you where you are in the process.

When you are just starting out, earthy, science-based, and materialistic books (rather than any book that mentions energy, vibration, frequency, or manifestation) might be easier to absorb. As you open up more to new ideas, it becomes easier to accept the new and radical and you can pick up books that you would have been completely closed off to before.

These books are made to be read slowly. Often as I was reading them I would stare into space for many minutes between paragraphs to digest the new information and understand how to apply it to my life. I would meditate on the content for hours afterwards. This is the correct pace for these books- you will not get anything out of them unless you think about what you’re learning and practice applying it every day until it becomes second nature. Only then are you ready to move on to the next book.

To use this list, assess where you are on your path and determine your comfort level with stretching your own beliefs. Choose a book from the section that best matches your current level of understanding. Keep in mind I have read every book on this list personally, and experienced incredible growth from applying the wisdom in all of them, so you absolutely can do the same.

(The books on this list are linked to an Amazon affiliate account)

Best Spiritual Books for the Anti-Spiritual

Choose a book from this section if you say/have thoughts like “there is no life after death,” “god doesn’t exist,” “I am an atheist but I wish I could believe in something bigger,” and “if I hear somebody say vibration or law of attraction or any of that new age BS one more time…”.

Lost Connections: Uncovering the Real Causes of Depression – and the Unexpected Solutions, Johann Hari

This is a book that I have read and re-read and recommend as a great primer for anyone beginning to look into the causes of their own sense of lack in relation to the lack of connection in society as a whole.

I remember thinking as I was reading Lost Connections that this should be required reading for all Americans. The title doesn’t feel like a good fit for the book- you definitely don’t need to have depression or even be interested in learning about depression in order to benefit from it. I have not experienced depression myself but thought Hari insightfully explained we’re missing and how to reestablish the connections we’ve lost with other people, the natural world, and meaningful work.

How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence, Michael Pollan

Psychedelic curiosity is a pretty good indication that someone is stepping onto the spiritual path, whether or not they’ve realized it yet themselves. Psychedelics can help open your mind to a spiritual way of thinking, in an instant, shifting your perspective to become more whole, loving, and see the interconnectedness of all things.

Pollan takes us on his own journey through the psychedelic experience, and mixes it with science and history. For someone who has never experimented with psychedelics but is interested, this is the one book I would recommend. It will do two things: get you fired up to have your own mystical psychedelic experience, and quell many of the unfounded fears that have been planted in your mind by the drug wars.

Goodbye, Things: The New Japanese Minimalism, Fumio Sasaki

Minimalism may not be what you think it is. It is not simply a means to clear out your material possessions (and we are definitely not referring to a decorating style), though this is an easy starting point. A journey into minimalism generally begins with looking over each of your possessions and getting rid of anything you do not actively use, prompting you to ask the question: what do you really need right now?

Beyond that, as Sasaki is able to describe well in this book about minimalism (which is why I chose Goodbye, Things to recommend over many others I’ve read), you can declutter your mental space. Once you’ve practiced with your material possessions, you can then declutter thoughts, emotions, situations, people- anything in your life that is keeping you in a holding pattern in a past story you have outgrown. In this way, you can make room for the important things.

Ultimately, though it is not stated this way in the book, adopting a minimalism mindset with your possessions is excellent training for some of the most essential parts of your spiritual path: letting go, accepting, forgiving, and non-attachment (all different names for the same thing).

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change, Stephen R. Covey

You’ve probably heard of this classic book on personal growth. It’s classic for a reason- it is full of timelessly helpful and actionable information.

There is no spiritual belief understanding whatsoever to read this book- it will not offend your conservative dad, it will not trigger your atheist friends, it will not push your “that’s some hippie nonsense” buttons. But it will force you to confront the fact that you are in charge of your own life and how you move through it, from your job to your lifestyle choices to your relationships.

Covey offers a framework for developing habits that lead to success and happiness, based on principles like integrity, empathy, and self-awareness. Putting Covey’s ideas into action will improve your life, and ease you into practicing more mindset-based “action” in the future.

Best Spiritual Books for the Skeptical but Open

Choose a book from this section if you say/have thoughts like “I like scientific evidence,” “this seems woo-woo but…,” “I’ve been feeling like strange coincidences are happening to me,” or “there must be more than this”.

These will ease you into the idea of changing your mindset, doing your shadow work, and becoming the person you want to be. Some of the ideas are presented in more material ways that are easier for skeptics to sink their teeth into.

So they may come packaged as books about money or be focused more on connectedness with nature, rather than diving right into your direct connection with the universe. But they will help you begin to practice developing the right mindset in areas of your life that you do care about.

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind, Joseph Murphy

The Power of Your Subconscious Mind is the first book on this list that fully embraces the idea that your thoughts and beliefs create your reality. It’s what the entire book is about, so you do have to be ready to be open to thinking about that kind of information.

If you’re not, you’ll end up one of the angry people who leaves the book a one-star review because you refuse to actually try anything outside of your mental construct. Let this begin to blow your mental construct open and see what happens!

Get Rich, Lucky Bitch: Release Your Money Blocks and Live a First Class Life, Denise Duffield-Thomas

A goofier choice, for sure, but it is a great introduction to realizing that your own limiting beliefs are keeping you from your own dreams. Duffield-Thomas has a very friendly, relatable voice (please overlook the grammatical errors in the book, it’s full of great content), and there is nothing “heavy” about the read. I also appreciated that this was from a woman’s perspective and found it so much more helpful than many of the dozens of dry, crunchy personal finance books I’d previously read by men.

Duffield-Thomas takes us through her own journey and shows us examples of how she changed her own money mindset and the results it brought her. It is extremely inspiring and motivational, in no small part because it is about something all of us want but so few of us seem to know how to get- abundant money! I admit to having read this one multiple times while I was actively working on changing my money mindset.

Soulcraft: Crossing into the Mysteries of Nature and Psyche, Bill Plotkin

Soulcraft is the book I read when I was preparing to take on my shadow work. The book reads beautifully, almost like poetry, though it isn’t. It has a sensual, earthy, indigenous feel that I believe is a great primer for spiritual and soul work, because many people try only to “see the light” and never confront any of the parts of themselves that they’ve labeled taboo.

Soulcraft is about the practice of vision quests: fasting alone in nature and meditating for days on end, though the content is extremely valuable even if you don’t plan on doing a vision quest. I did not do one myself, but I let what I learned from Soulcraft propel me into learning more about shadow work and beginning my own. You can not grow much spiritually until you are willing to do that difficult work of forgiving yourself and others for all the things you have been holding onto as pain.

The Holographic Universe, Michael Talbot

Reading the Holographic Universe will stretch you if you are still a bit skeptical, but it’s excellent.

Talbot bridges science and spirituality to help explain the interconnectedness of all things using the holographic model of reality. He explains the workings of specific phenomena like telepathy, physical healing, and more.

Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill

I am currently on my first re-read of Think and Grow Rich. It’s another excellent classic that feels really good to ponder. The entire book is enjoyable from start to finish, and I consider it a must-read for anyone interested in how the mind affects any part of reality, not just monetary wealth.

The principles in Think and Grow Rich apply to all parts of life, but the fact that it’s packaged as a book about money and it’s an “old” classic gives it some clout and lets it extend its reach toward people who are just dipping their toes into the spiritual.

Breaking The Habit of Being Yourself: How to Lose Your Mind and Create a New One, Joe Dispenza

Joe Dispenza is a great speaker (you can find videos on YouTube or attend his events) and a great writer, too. If I had to chose one book that most convincingly and eloquently (and straightforwardly) uses science to back the spiritual, it would be Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself.

Dispenza earned the little letters “Dr.” before his name, which doesn’t always mean much, but in this case it comes across that he is extremely knowledgeable and also creative in the application of that knowledge. He manages to push boundaries to explore completely new topics that science has so far been a little fearful of. It’s a great book for someone who “wants to believe” but who is wary without scientific studies to back everything up.

Best Spiritual Books for Believers

Choose a book from this section if you say/have thoughts like “I know I’m here for a reason,” “I know there is more but I don’t know how to get there,” or if you believe in reincarnation, channeling, and the consciousness of the Universe but still claim other people as your gurus and guides rather than seeing the power within yourself.

Life Between Life, Joel L. Whitton

Life Between Life was the book I chose when I was trying to understand my new believe in reincarnation. What a thrill! Whitton’s case studies are an example of reality being so much better than fiction.

I would say that Life Between Life is a good choice for people who are maybe stuck in a humdrum and want to get excited about their own spiritual path again. Unlike the other books on this list, there isn’t really any practical advice to take away, it’s just (third) eye-opening and fun to read. But then, having fun is one of the most important aspects of waking up.

This title is not currently in print, so check your library and used book sites like Thriftbooks.

Trust Your Vibes: Secret Tools for Six-Sensory Living, Sonia Choquette

Trust Your Vibes is guidebook for those who are ready to develop their intuition and sixth sense. It offers practical tools and exercises that will help you tap into your inner guidance and begin to trust the messages that you receive.

Choquette explains how to distinguish between true intuitive guidance and false signals, and how to use your intuition to improve all aspects of your life. It will help you develop a deeper connection with yourself, which is ultimately the source you want to trust above all else.

Best Spiritual Books for Future Masters

Choose a book from this section if you say/have thoughts like “I am here to grow my soul,” “my spiritual awakening is my top priority”, “I will never let fear stop me,” and “I know I am a god”.

If you choose from this list you should already be actively practicing looking into your heart during meditation, forgiving yourself and others all things (aka acceptance, letting go, non-attachment), and experiencing at the very least a desire to feel unconditional love for yourself and others.

You should also already understand or be ready to expand into the concepts of Oneness, limitlessness, multiverse, and other spiritual ideas that are way beyond the craziest psychedelic trip you could possibly imagine.

A Course in Miracles, Helen Schucman

A Course in Miracles (often abbreviated ACIM or just called “The Course”) is THE book. If your singular top priority in this lifetime is to grow your soul and experience ascension, this is THE book. To get into it, you’ll need to be able to first accept (or be willing to suspend believe) that the literal author of this book is Jesus Christ, speaking psychically through channel Helen Schucman. If you’re not there yet, give it a few days for the idea to sink in and see how it feels.

The book is divided into three parts: a text, a workbook for students, and a manual for teachers. The course presents a practical system of forgiveness that teaches us how to experience inner peace, and unconditional love, by shifting our perception of the world. The central idea of the book is that we are all part of a divine consciousness and that we can learn to reconnect with this higher power by releasing our fear-based beliefs and judgments.

As for whether it works, yes. If you are serious, put your doubt aside and Do. The. Work.

*This is a channeled book.

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles”, Marianne Williamson

ACIM is brilliant, but also very dense, and especially if the concepts are new to you, parts of it can seem very confusing.

In A Return to Love, Williamson provides a contemporary interpretation of the spiritual principles presented in A Course in Miracles. She explains the core teachings of ACIM in a way that is accessible and relatable to a modern audience. The style is warm and engaging, and Williamson shares personal stories to illustrate the principles of ACIM. Her interpretations will help you to deepen your understanding of the principles of ACIM and apply them to your daily life.

Jesus: My Autobiography, Tina Louise Spalding

You made it through ACIM and A Return to Love. Great. But how in god’s name are you supposed to do this? You aren’t Jesus Christ! You’re a regular lady or guy with a regular life, not a supernatural being predestined to save the world!

That’s a fine place to start. Read this when you are in that place, and you will come to understand that Jesus was also a normal guy with a normal life who simply prioritized his spiritual growth, no different than Buddha- and we (mostly) all agree that anyone can achieve Buddhahood. For the sake of understanding here, Buddhahood and Christhood are literally the same thing. A Christ is another word for a Buddha. This book is perfect for helping to bring you the understanding that we are all ultimately able to access that part of ourselves if we choose to.

*This is a channeled book.

Making Love to God: The Path to Divine Sex, Tina L Spalding

Honestly I recommend just working your way through all of Spaldings books (as I did) in the order they were written. They were channeled in that order specifically to help people ease into new ideas as their mind becomes ready to accept them.

The title is cringe-worthy, sure, I’ll give it to you. But don’t let that scare you off. Making Love to God is more about how to bring love and creativity into all parts of life and nothing at all to do with sex in some sort of creepy religious way.

*This is a channeled book.

Ramtha: The White Book, J.Z. Knight

Ramtha, an ascended master, works through channel J.Z. Knight to bring the highest level information about how to become our unlimited and unconditionally loving selves. I’ve read a few of his books and this is the one I would pick if I could only recommend one.

In order to be ready for Ramtha’s teachings, you should be fairly adept at opening your mind and releasing emotional blocks and judgement.

I’m not sure how to describe The White Book except to say it’s masterful. You need to read Ramtha if you are serious about your soul growth.

*This is a channeled book.

A Master’s Key for Manipulating Time, Ramtha

This is a shorter Ramtha book and for that reason, might be easier to pick up first to get a taste of the mind-blowing trip you’re about to embark on. Ramtha is going take you through some hefty ideas and make you do the work, and you may need to ease into it with A Master’s Key for Manipulating Time- if you could call learning to manipulate time “easing in.”

*This is a channeled book.

The Nature of Personal Reality, Jane Roberts

The Nature of Personal Reality is a classic transcribed text based on the channeled teachings of Seth, a spiritual entity who offers insights into the nature of reality and the human experience from the other side.

The book explores wild, mind-expanding concepts such as the unlimited power of beliefs, the nature of time and space, and interweaving possibilities in the multiverse. He challenges readers to expand their consciousness and to recognize the power that they have to create their own reality.

*This is a channeled book.

Seth Speaks: The Eternal Validity of the Soul, Jane Roberts

Seth Speaks is another classic Seth book, and equally as mind-expanding as all of his others. It almost defies a summary- you just have to read it.

The Seth books are a must for those who prioritize their soul growth.

*This is a channeled book.

A New Beginning I, Abraham-Hicks

A New Beginng is as mind-expanding as any book in this section, and further, provides practical tools and exercises that will help you align your thoughts and emotions with your desires and manifest your deepest aspirations.

It explores the power of visualization, the law of attraction, and perhaps most importantly, how to bring yourself back into realignment with the experiences you want to attract and the thoughts you wish to have.

*This is a channeled book.

Enjoy your spiritual journey. I hope these books aid you on your quest. Please recommend any favorites that are not on the list!