Top spiritual books and religious books 2009

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 2 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #461 in Religion, #27,704 overall

The books on religion and spirituality my readers bought

I have a website, a blog and a lot of lenses on squidoo about religion and spirituality. The ten books (and a few bonus offerings) you are about to see are the ones my readers loved enough to buy. This year Buddhism and Jiddu Krishnamurti dominate the list.

So, get inspired, learn about the relationship between science and religion and learn about living your best life.

Inspiring and uplifting gift books for Christmas 


The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching 

Thich Nhat Hanh

What should we think when on the one hand Buddhism tells us that life is suffering and on the other we are told to enjoy life's every moment? Loved around the world for his simple, straightforward explanations of Buddhism, Thich Nhat Hanh has finally turned his hand to the very core of Buddhism and conundrums such as this. In the traditional way, Thich Nhat Hanh takes up the core teachings one by one--the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Twelve Links of Interdependent Co-Arising--but his approach is as fresh as a soft breeze through a plum orchard. For illustration, he dips into the vast stores of Buddhist literature right alongside contemporary anecdotes, pointing out subtleties that can get glossed over in other popular introductions. He also includes three short but key sutras, essential source teachings from which all Buddhism flows. Studying the basics of Buddhism under Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh is like learning basketball from Michael Jordan. --Brian Bruya
The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching

The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching

by: Thich Nhat Hanh

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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Buddhism Plain and Simple 

Steven Hagen

You might want to digest this book slowly, a few pages at a time. Although Zen teacher Steve Hagen has a knack for putting the philosophy of Buddhism in a "plain and simple" package, it may take a while to sink in. There is so much there. Seeing reality, realizing the wisdom of the self, breaking free of dualistic thinking--this is pretty heady stuff. Thankfully, Hagen passes it along in the form of examples from life, psychological tidbits, and stories from Buddhist teachers past and present. And when it clicks in, it can be life-transforming. Hagen explains this shift in outlook and how the fundamental way we look at the world affects everything we do. As an outline, Hagen follows the basic teachings of the Buddha, and we see that, rather than dogmatic truths, they are reminders for us as we reconsider the life we have taken for granted for so long. As it turns out, Buddhism is life, plain and simple. --Brian Bruya
Buddhism Plain and Simple

Buddhism Plain and Simple

by: Steve Hagen

Amazon Price: $7.88 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears 

Pema Chödrön

This gently encouraging book by popular teacher Chodron (When Things Fall Apart; The Places That Scare You) applies Buddhist wisdom to the problems of deeply ingrained reactions. An American Buddhist nun in the lineage of Tibetan master Chogyam Trungpa, she writes that we already have what we need to change and heal. Chodron focuses on the preverbal moment-called shenpa in Tibetan-in which individuals are hooked into harmful stories, emotions and actions within the flux of their experiences. Clear descriptions of how this process works are accompanied by simple techniques to begin to break the cycle. Her suggestions can be easily practiced by anyone at any time without meditation training, although she presents the benefits of sitting meditation. With anecdotes from her teachers and examples from her own and others' lives, Chodron demonstrates that people can stop their suffering and access their natural intelligence, warmth and openness. Throughout, she emphasizes the global implications of personal change. Among her strengths are compassion for the difficulty of human existence and her willingness to acknowledge her own failings. This short guide provides valuable tools for change in uncertain times. (Sept. 8)
Copyright: Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears

Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears

by: Pema Chodron

Amazon Price: $14.93 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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Also popular: the Pema Chodron 2010 Datebook: Awakening the Heart

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More Pema Chodron 

featured lens Best Pema Chodron Buddhism Books

Buddhism is becoming more popular every day. Pema Chodron's books have a lot to do with that: they offer practical advice on how to deal with the troubles and annoyances of daily life. On this page I've collected her best books, her most popular book...

featured lens Pema Chodron Calendars and Planners 2010

Pema Chodron (formerly known as Deirdre Blomfield-Brown) is an ordained Buddhist nun in the Tibetan Vajrayana tradition, and a teacher in the lineage of Chogyam Trungpa. Her strength as a Buddhist teacher is the ability to apply Buddhist teachings to...

Buddhism for Beginners 

Thubten Chodron

Chodron's plain English makes his beginner's guide nearly perfect for those new to Buddhism and those who simply want to learn more about one of the world's oldest, most misunderstood religions. In question-and-answer format, Chodron defines Buddhism's essence, which, in a nutshell, is to avoid harming others and help them as much as possible. He describes the goal of the Buddhist path and discusses the historical Buddha and his various manifestations. He answers some most-asked outsiders' questions concerning such matters as the best methods of meditation and how to define karma, and he clarifies Buddhist perspectives on modern issues, from euthanasia and abortion to the environment and animal rights. Clearly, succinctly, and without talking down to readers, Chodron strives throughout to bring people together and help them understand the tradition. To outsiders, Buddhism can seem cold and mysterious, but Chodron unravels some of its mysteries and helps dispel that perceived coldness. June Sawyers
Copyright: American Library Association. All rights reserved
Buddhism for Beginners

Buddhism for Beginners

by: Thubten Chodron

Amazon Price: $7.13 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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Also available on Kindle

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Think on These Things 

Jiddu Krishnamurti

"Perhaps we would have to go back to Gautama to find another teacher as convincingly austere, as rationally lucid and who, offering nothing but liberation from the self, yet can bring conviction to those who have so often been disappointed." -- "Dr. Gerald Heard""The material contained in this volume was originally presented in the form of talks to students, teachers and parents in India, but its keen penetration and lucid simplicity will be deeply meaningful to thoughtful people everywhere, of all ages, and in every walk of life. Krishnamurti examines with characteristic objectivity and insight the expressions of what we are pleased to call our culture, our education, religion, politics and tradition; and he throws much light on such basic emotions as ambition, greed and envy, the desire for security and the lust for power all of which he shows to be deteriorating factors in human society."-- "from the Editor's Note"-- "from the Editor's Note""Krishnamurti's observations and explorations of moderm man's estate are penetrating and profound, yet given with a disarming simplicity and directness. To listen to him or to read his thoughts is to face oneself and the world with an astonishing morning freshness."--" Anne Morrow Lindbergh"--" Anne Morrow Lindbergh"
Think on These Things

Think on These Things

by: Jiddu Krishnamurti

Amazon Price: $10.08 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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The Science of Yoga 

By Patanjali. Commentary by I.K. Taimni

It remains surprising that so few Westerners have translated or commented on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, which play a significant role in the transition from a more primitive Hinduism to a mature Vedantaism. Translations are not difficult (these sutras are one-line aphorisms) but capturing the essence and understanding the context is essential. Of existing translations with commentary, Taimni's has the virtue of scholarship, even objectivity. He understands the highest achievements of his author and of the Vedanta tradition. Still, it is a large, even ponderous book, written in big block paragraphs that run to wordiness and repetition. There is no historical or bibliographical apparatus, and the novice will be quickly put off. But Patanjali is important enough to pursue, and this is, with all its shortcomings, the best available version.
The Science of Yoga: The Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali in Sanskrit

The Science of Yoga: The Yoga-Sutras of Patanjali in Sanskrit

by: I. .K. Taimni

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Freedom from the Known 

Jiddu Krishnamurti

Krishnamurti shows how people can free themselves radically and immediately from the tyranny of the expected, no matter what their age--opening the door to transforming society and their relationships.
Freedom from the Known

Freedom from the Known

by: Jiddu Krishnamurti

Amazon Price: $10.07 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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More Jiddu Krishnamurti 

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Llewellyn's 2010 Daily Planetary Guide: Complete Astrology At-A-Glance 

I'm cheating a bit here. The 2009 version was a best seller this year. But since I'm editing this lens in September, I think you're probably more interested in the 2010 edition.

You'll find:
  • Weekly forecasts by Pam Ciampi

  • Ephemeris tables that include Chiron and four asteroids

  • Planet retrograde and direct station times

  • Moon sign, phase, and void-of-course periods

  • Planet and Moon ingress times

  • Planetary hours with complete instructions

  • Sunrise and sunset time tables

  • A planetary business guide

  • A stargazer's guide to planetary sightings and eclipses

  • The sign planets are in when they make an aspect

Llewellyn's 2010 Daily Planetary Guide: Complete Astrology At-A-Glance (Llewellyn's Daily Planetary Guide)

Llewellyn's 2010 Daily Planetary Guide: Complete Astrology At-A-Glance (Llewellyn's Daily Planetary Guide)

by: Llewellyn

Amazon Price: $6.48 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life 

Thich Nhat Hanh's writing is deceptive in its subtlety. He'll go on and on with stories about tree-hugging or metaphors involving raw potatoes; he'll tell you how to eat mindfully, even how to breathe and walk; he'll suggest looking closely at a flower and to see the sun as your heart. As the Zen teacher Richard Baker commented, however, Nhat Hanh is "a cross between a cloud, a snail, and piece of heavy machinery." Sooner or later, it begins to sink in that Nhat Hanh is conveying a depth of psychology and a world outlook that require nothing less than a complete paradigm shift. Through his cute stories and compassionate admonitions, he gradually builds up to his philosophy of interbeing, the notion that none of us is separately, but rather that we inter-are. The ramifications are explosive. How can we mindlessly and selfishly pursue our individual ends, when we are inextricably bound up with everyone and everything else? We see an enemy not as focus of anger but as a human with a complex history, who could be us if we had the same history. Suffice it to say, that after reading Peace Is Every Step, you'll never look at a plastic bag the same way again, and you may even develop a penchant for hugging trees. --Brian Bruya
Wisdom from Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Charming Petite Series)

Wisdom from Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life (Charming Petite Series)

by: Thich Nhat Hanh

Amazon Price: $5.95 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon 

Edited by Bhikku Bodhi

The works of the Buddha can feel vast, and it is sometimes difficult for even longtime students to know where to look, especially since the Buddha never explicitly defined the framework behind his teachings. Designed to provide just such a framework, In the Buddha's Words is an anthology of the Buddha's works that has been specifically compiled by a celebrated scholar and translator. For easy reference, the book is arrayed in ten thematic sections ranging from "The Human Condition" to "Mastering the Mind" to "The Planes of Realization." Each section comes with introductions, notes, and essays to help beginners and experts alike draw greater meaning from the Buddha's words. The book also features a general introduction by the author that fully lays out how and why he has arranged the Buddha's teachings in this volume. This thoughtful compilation is a valuable resource for both teachers and those who want to read the Buddha on their own.
In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

In the Buddha's Words: An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Canon (Teachings of the Buddha)

Amazon Price: $12.89 (as of 12/31/2009)Buy Now

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More books about buddhism 

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Spiritual and religious books on ebay 

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A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61) by Eckhart Tolle

A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose (Oprah's Book Club, Selection 61) by Eckhart Tolle

The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 more...0 points

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  • Reply
    Petra van Goor Petra van Goor Oct 8, 2009 @ 3:03 am
    Maybe a little simple for some, but what about Eckhart Tolle. 'A New Earth' made a few things clear to me that helped me understand other more complex books. (who is the dance and who is the dancer)
  • Reply
    Mark Mark Oct 2, 2009 @ 9:46 am
    Thanks Katinka! I'm going out to the book store now. :)
  • Reply
    alteredkat alteredkat May 15, 2009 @ 11:19 am
    Interesting selection...I may consider reading 1 or 2 of your selections.
    p.s. Thanks for my recent blessings - it's appreciated!
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