The best books to keep your body, mind, and spirit awake, alive, and free

I am in love with Women Who Run with the Wolves! I was given a copy of it a few years ago, and though I'd read parts of it in the past, this time it felt like every word was written for me! I have been transformed by reading this book, and I now use it as a source book for teaching my women’s groups. Every time I read a passage, I feel deeply connected to my soul and my wild nature and am reminded of what I know deep within: that I am powerful beyond belief when I listen to and trust my intuitive voice! The stories touch all parts of my life, and provide inspiration for my decisions, both small and large. I feel free because of this book!

I met Sonya Renee Taylor in 2017 at a training organized by my nonprofit, The Body Positive. We hugged when we met, and it was one of the warmest hugs I’ve ever received. During Sonya’s keynote address, I was mesmerized by her wisdom and by the incredibly poetic way she shared her ideas about why and how to love our bodies. Her book was published the following year, and it is just as powerful as she is in person. The Body Positive has been teaching people to think about self-love as a radical act since the 1990s, so it’s good to hear a powerful, radical, and poetic voice take up the charge. If you’re needing a boost of self-love and body-love, this book is for you.

I recommend this book to everyone I know, because it really is as the subtitle suggests—a way to be more fully alive by remembering that we are all going to die! Something that really helped me was the chapter on how to “find rest in the middle of things.” I don’t know about you, but my life is filled with a lot of responsibility, including being a caregiver for my 94-year-old mom. Then there’s everything happening in the world that adds to increased stress levels. Since reading this book, I’ve had more rest, from getaways to 10-minute walks to one simple but conscious breath. The stories shared are profound, and Frank’s gentle manner and wise teachings have been a true inspiration to me. 

What I love about Glennon’s writing (and her podcast) is that she gives people permission to be fallible human beings. Her honesty and vulnerability in sharing her own struggles make her message accessible to all, and validates how I’ve lived my own life—wearing my heart on my sleeve! My mission in life is to continue to peel off the layers of social conditioning so I can express my authentic self a bit more each day, and this book, even simply with the title, inspires me to stay on my path to freedom. I love that she’s not trying to “fix” anyone, but rather to inspire readers to find the courage needed to make the changes that allow us all to feel like we are enough, just as we are.

After being transformed by The Power of Now at a time when my whole world came unglued, I was delighted to go further into Eckhart’s work with this book. It’s done wonders to help me recognize and release ego when it shows up. I thought I’d “done” my ego work but realized how much my ego still controls my life. I come back to this book when I need tools to help me soften. I’m someone who likes being right (and believes I am most of the time!), but knowing this is just ego allows me to let others have their experiences without me correcting them! Every time I read this book, I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and experience more compassion for myself and others.