What does it mean to be spiritually awakened and enlightened?
And how exactly do you go about becoming spiritually awakened and enlightened?
People often relate spirituality to religion, but these are actually two different things. While religion is an institutional belief in a particular deity, spirituality is a experience that goes far beyond our categorical existence.
What does this mean, exactly?
In short, you can be spiritually awakened and enlightened without adhering to a specific religion. Religions are organizations that have standard sets of beliefs and practices, while spirituality is a sense connectedness with the divine—of inner peace and purpose.
Read the Best Books on Spiritual Awakening & Enlightenment
So where do you begin in your search for spirituality?
In this post, we have gathered the best spiritual books that can help you achieve awakening and enlightenment. This is a mix of classics and New Age books from some of the most prominent figures in the history of spiritual growth and development.
Let’s check them out!
1. The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment is more than just a compilation of modern philosophical and spiritual beliefs. It was written by Eckhart Tolle, one of the most influential figures in spirituality and personal growth. In addition to being a New York Times bestselling author, Tolle is also a prominent spiritual teacher.
The book aims to guide individuals in their journeys toward spiritual bliss and happiness. It seeks to help people find their truest and deepest selves, and leads them toward the “discovery of truth and light.”
This book is also designed to help you realize the importance of “now”—the present moment, instead of the past and what has been done, or the future and what’s about to happen.
According to expert reviews, the book is a mixture of several spiritual traditions. One reviewer even described it as “Buddhism with a mix of mysticism and a few references to Jesus Christ, a sort of New Age re-working of Zen.”
This book has already sold over two million copies worldwide, according to Amazon (while other sources claim it has sold over three million copies). It has also been translated into 30 foreign languages, all of which have garnered praise across cultures and continents.
2. The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success by Deepak Chopra
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
Equally popular and influential as the first book on our list, The 7 Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams written by Deepak Chopra is all about making your dreams come true—from a spiritual perspective.
Chopra is an Indian-American author of spiritual books and an advocate of alternative medicine. He is one of the most prominent figures of the New Age movement.
As stated in the title, this book is based on natural laws governing all of creation. It focuses on seven laws and/or philosophical concepts, namely the “Law of Pure Potentiality,” “Law of Giving,” “Law of Karma,” Law of Least Effort,” “Law of Intention and Desire,” “Law of Detachment,” and “Law of Dharma.”
Chopra emphasizes that we need to apply these laws in our lives if we want to reach our dreams and accomplish our deepest desires.
This book also debunks myths related to “success,” such as the idea that it is the result of “hard work, exacting plans, and driving ambition.” Rather, success is the product of our basic understanding of human nature and how we must adhere to its laws and rulings.
There are a lot of positive reviews about this book. People say that it is really helpful and informative. If you are a believer in natural laws and how they affect our daily lives, we recommend checking this book out.
3. The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself is a book by Michael Singer, one of the most notable figures in the field of medical software and management.
He is the creator of Medical Manager, a pioneer in the medical software industry that helps practitioners turn their medical records into digital accounts.
Singer is also a meditation practitioner, and the founder of the Temple of the Universe, a yoga and meditation center for people who want to find inner peace, regardless of their beliefs and religions.
Hence, in most of his books, you will find a lot of information about how meditation and finding inner peace can significantly impact your life, particularly from a spiritual perspective.
The Untethered Soul is no different. This book taps into the ways and traditions of meditation and mindfulness, and how our consciousness develops through time to help us focus on the present moment.
Moreover, it teaches us how to let go of the memories and thoughts of the past that restrict us from being happy and content.
You can find a lot of satisfied consumers and book readers of this book on Amazon. They mostly praise the way Singer writes, and how his lectures and musings are insightful and helpful.
If you are looking for a spiritual book that touches on the subject on inner peace and consciousness, this is a great fit.
4. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The Alchemist: A Fable About Following Your Dream is a novel written by Paulo Coelho that was first published in 1988. It was originally written in Portuguese, but it became widely popular and has been translated into several languages.
Coelho wrote this book in a span of only two weeks. He said that it was completed so quickly because he already had it “written in his soul.”
This book follows the story of a young shepherd boy from Andalusia who takes a journey to Egypt to find the treasure he has seen in his dreams.
The book’s main theme is about pursuing your dreams and finding your destiny, but many experts believe that it is about more than that. Most critics, including The New York Times, believe it to be something of a self-help book.
The Alchemist has sold over two million copies, and is considered a modern classic. Readers say that it is engaging and worth reading more than once.
5. The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The Road Less Traveled: A New Psychology of Love, Traditional Values, and Spiritual Growth is a classic when it comes to books on spirituality and self-realization.
It was written by M. Scott Peck, a bestselling author with a background in psychiatry and spiritual growth. Peck is best known for this book, as it is the one that established his reputation in the self-help movement.
The book is divided into four parts: the notion of discipline, the nature of love, the concept of religion, and the power of grace.
Generally speaking, it aims to help people find happiness and spiritual satisfaction by discovering the nature of love and relationships and how they significantly affect our lives.
It teaches us how to distinguish dependency from love, how to become more sensitive parents, how to find our true selves, and a whole lot more.
Peck knows how hard it is to undergo the painful process of changing your views and perspectives, particularly when it comes to a higher level of understanding and realization.
In this book, he very gently guides his readers towards positive change and spiritual development. Although it can be difficult and maybe a bit stressful, he helps the reader to explore and discover the endless possibilities of life, love, and happiness.
With over seven million copies sold all over the United States and Canada, this book made history in the field of self-help and spirituality. It has been translated into 23 languages and sold all over the world.
6. The Art of Happiness by the Dalai Lama and Howard Cutler
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living is a book collaboration between Dr. Howard Cutler and Tenzin Gyatso (the 14th Dalai Lama). Cutler is an author, speaker, psychiatrist, and leading expert in the field of science in relation to human happiness.
The Dalai Lama is the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people, and is well-known for his tireless efforts in the fight for world peace and human rights.
The Dalai Lama believes that people’s movements and decisions are centered around the pursuit of happiness. In this book, Dr. Cutler and the Dalai Lama combine science and philosophy to explore the human mind.
They discuss the search for ultimate happiness and life satisfaction through both a scientific and metaphysical viewpoint. The book explores how happiness can be attained through the “systematic training of our hearts and minds.”
7. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
The etymology of the word “Siddhartha” comes from two Sanskrit words: “siddha,” which means “achieved,” and “artha,” which means “what was searched for.” Combined together, the name means “he who has found the meaning of existence” or “he who has attained his goals.”
Siddhartha is the story of a man who achieves his goal and discovers the meaning of his existence. Written by Herman Hesse in 1922, this book is a novel about the spiritual journey of a man named Siddhartha during the time of Gautama Buddha. It focuses on the fact that self-realization is obtained not through intellectual practices, but through experience and eventual detachment.
Siddhartha may be an old publication, but it is still considered one of the most influential spiritual books today. It remains popular for those seeking to find their true selves, attain enlightenment, and understand the meaning of life.
8. Peace Is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hanh
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
Thich Nhat Hanh believes that there is only one way to achieve ultimate happiness, and that is to achieve peace in everything you do. To achieve that peace, you have to practice mindfulness every step of the way.
Nhat Hanh is a Vietnamese monk and a renowned Zen master. He is best known for his work as a peace activist, teacher, and community leader.
As a Zen master, his mission is to spread awareness of the benefits of practicing mindfulness to attain immediate joy, peace, and happiness. In this book, he teaches us to be aware of ourselves and our surroundings through conscious breathing and proper meditative exercises.
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life guides you through your mindfulness journey as a way of achieving spiritual satisfaction. It can aid you in finding peace in everything you do, everything you say, and everything you feel.
9. Becoming Supernatural by Joe Dispenza
Check Price on Amazon | Check out the Audiobook
Becoming Supernatural: How Common People Are Doing the Uncommon was written by Joe Dispenza, an international lecturer, researcher, and educator whose passion lies in helping people realize that they are destined for greatness, and that they have limitless capabilities.
He writes to help people better understand the way our minds and bodies works, and how our behavior is a result of the connection between the two.
In this book, Dispenza aims to explore and explain “how common people are doing the uncommon to transform themselves and their lives.” He tries to connect modern, profound, scientific research with ancient, philosophical wisdom to show how the results can help people in their spiritual lives.
More specifically, this book explores the wonders behind how we can rewire our brains to achieve more meaningful lives. It teaches us how to balance our psychological, physiological, and biological aspects in order to achieve a healthier, happier state of mind.
Final Thoughts on Spiritual Books
Spiritual awakening and enlightenment is not something you force into existence. It can take a while before you finally hear that voice inside of you, declaring undying peace and ultimate happiness.
But with the help of these spiritual books, we hope that you will start to understand what it means to be enlightened, and how would it might feel to attain spiritual satisfaction in your life.
And if you're looking for more resources, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 11 Best Meditation Books for Beginners
- 10 Types of Spirituality & Spiritual Practices
- 7 Ways to Overcome Spiritual Fatigue
