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Over the years many clients and people I have met in my travels have asked me what books, teachers and teachings have influenced me during my lifetime. I will offer here a list of publications and teachings from many different spiritual traditions that have been sources of inspiration for me. |
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ALAN WATTS. One of the most famous and endearing writers of the twentieth century of Eastern thought and meditation. He was born in England in 1915 and deid in 1973. In his teachings, Allan Watts uses words to take us beyond them. He instills in readers not only an understanding of meditation but an experience of it as well. Whether you are experienced in meditation or just beginning, I think you will find the works of Alan Watts as useful as I have. A new collection of his teachings with an introduction by his son Mark Watts has been released by New World Library. It is a gem. THE MYSTICAL NATURE DIARY OF OPAL WHITELEY edited by benjamin Hoff and published by Penguin books. Long before environmental consciousness became popular a young girl named Opal wrote one of the most astonishingly beautiful nature diaries ever written. When she began writing her diary she was a mere six years old! The diary was written with crayon on scraps of paper and later pieced together. Opal spoke with angels, fairies, animals, plants, trees and communicated with the wind and nature itself in some of the most beautiful prose ever written. Anyone who has an intimate love of nature, animals and the unseen worlds will not be able to put this book down. |
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CHILDHOOD FAVORITES CHILDHOOD FAVORITES still favorites today. "Beautiful Joe", "Black Beauty", "The Ugly Duckling", "Rudyard Kiplings The Jungle Book", "the Life of St. Francis of Assisi" and Paul Galico's "A Small Miracle". The Three Candles of Little Veronica and Among Animals by Manfred Kyber. |
THE SUFI TEACHINGS OF HAZRAT INAYAT KHAN. Hazrat brought one of the strongest and sweetest lineages from India to the West: the music and open heart of Sufism as it blends with Persian Poetry and Western intellect. His words are filled with love for nature and animals. His writings have been a source of great joy for me. My favorites are: The Inner Life, Mastery and The Mysticism of Sound and Music.
THE SUFI TEACHINGS OF PIR VILAYAT INAYAT KHAN son of Hazarat Inayat Khan and leader of the Sufi Order in the West. His most recent book is entitled, Awakening, a Sufi Experience and is published by Tarcher Putnam. Pir Vilayat is now in his eighties and his teachings just get better and better.
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF RAMANA MAHARSHI.
Ramana Maharshi was born in 1879. In his 17th year he attained
enlightenment through a remarkable experience as if undergoing
death of the physical body while remaining in full
consciousness. An ashram was formed around him and until his
death he taught all who came to him through the supremely simple
discipline of Self-Inquiry. He love and respect for animals was
well known by those who visited him. He showed the same
consideration to the animals whom destiny brought into contact
with him as to the people. He never referred to animals as
"it" but always as "he" or "she."
Many wonderful stories about animals are found in the pages of
his books. For more about the life of this remarkable being
read: Ramana Maharshi and the Path of Self-Knowledge by Arthur
Osborne.
THE LIFE AND WORK OF PARAMAHANSA YOGANANDA.
Born in India in 1893 Yogananda devoted his life to helping
people of all races and creeds to realize and express more fully
in their lives the beauty, nobility, and true divinity of the
human spirit. His works are published by the Self-Realization
Fellowship.
THE TEACHINGS AND WRITINGS OF THICH NHAT
HANH. Thich Nahat Hanh is a Vietnamese Buddhist monk,
poet and peacemaker who was nominated by Dr. Martin Luther King
Jr. for the Nobel Peace Prize. The author of many books,
including Touching Peace, Being Peace, Living Buddha Living
Christ and Jesus and Buddha as Brothers, he lives in France in
the monastic community known as Plum Village and lectures and
gives retreats regularly in North America. Thich Nhat Hahn
teaches a beautifully simple method of walking meditation and
mindfulness. A number of my clients have had their lives
transform through contact with Thich Nahat Hanh.
THE LIFE AND WORK OF DR. EDWARD BACH
the modern father of flower essences. To me Dr. Bach has been a
tremendous source of inspiration and joy. Beginning in my early
twenties I was greatly influenced by Dr. Bach's life and work
and am still t this day. I feel a sense of true kinship with him
and feel that the beauty of his presence over-lights the work of
Anaflora. I highly recommend his original writings, especially
Heal Thyself - An explanation of the real cause and cure of
disease. This one tiny volume is a masterpiece. Dr. Bach
dedicates this book to "all who suffer or who are in
distress."
THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF FATHER BEDE GRIFFITHS 1906-1993 an English Benedictine monk who fell in love with India and eventually founded an ashram there. During his extraordinary life he attained a spiritual wholeness enabling him to express in simple and direct terms the underlying unity of all religions. A lovely biography of Bede Griffiths by Shirley du Boulay is available from Doubleday.
THE LIFE AND WORK OF ANDREW HARVEY religious scholar, teacher and author of over thirty books. Born in South India he studied at Oxford College and became the youngest person ever awarded a scholarship to All Souls College. He has devoted the past twenty-five years of his life to studying the worlds various mystical traditions. His newest book "The Direct Path - Creating a Journey to the Divine Using the World's Mystical Traditions" is a superb guide to spiritual living and is punctuated with some of the most beautiful comments on the spiritual value of animals that I have ever come across.
For a book review and excerpt from "The Direct Path" see the article
BUDDHIST TEACHINGS of Tenzin
Gyatso, His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, the spiritual and temporal leader of the Tibetan people whose tireless efforts on behalf of human rights and world peace have brought him international recognition. I recommend the Dalai Lama's many wonderful books especially "The Art of Happiness - A Handbook for Living." Also of tremendous influence have been the life and teachings of H.H. Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, Namkhai Norbu Rinpoche, Choje Rinpoche, Ole Nydhal, The 16th Karmapa, and many others.