Here are 100 books that The Wisdom of the Council fans have personally recommended if you like The Wisdom of the Council. Shepherd is a community of 12,000+ authors and super readers sharing their favorite books with the world.

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Book cover of Letting Go

Bella St. Patrick Author Of Broken but Healing

From my list on quiet strength and emotional recovery for men.

Why am I passionate about this?

As the co-author of Broken But Healing, I know firsthand what it means to survive emotional, physical, and psychological trauma—and to slowly piece yourself back together. Books were a lifeline during my healing journey. They offered comfort, clarity, and the reminder that I wasn’t alone. These five books helped shape my own recovery and inspired me to share my story so others could find the strength to rebuild, too.

Bella's book list on quiet strength and emotional recovery for men

Bella St. Patrick Why Bella loves this book

A powerful guide for anyone struggling to release emotional pain, anger, heartbreak, or long-standing resentment. 

Hawkins explains how holding onto old emotions can affect your health, relationships, and sense of self.

For men who grew up believing emotions should be controlled or hidden, this book offers a practical method to process feelings rather than store them. The teachings are simple but profound, helping readers move from tension to peace. It is especially helpful during transitions—divorce, loss, career changes, or the slow rebuilding of a wounded heart.

By David R. Hawkins ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked Letting Go as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A powerful mechanism to help you surrender anything holding you back on your path to Enlightenment and find fulfilment, truth and spiritual growth.

Letting Go describes a simple and effective means by which to let go of the obstacles to Enlightenment and become free of negativity. During the many decades of the author's clinical psychiatric practice, the primary aim was to seek the most effective ways to relieve human suffering in all of its many forms.

The inner mechanism of surrender was found to be of great practical benefit and is described in this book. Dr Hawkins's previous books focused…


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Book cover of Aggressor

Aggressor by FX Holden,

It is April 1st, 2038. Day 60 of China's blockade of the rebel island of Taiwan.

The US government has agreed to provide Taiwan with a weapons system so advanced that it can disrupt the balance of power in the region. But what pilot would be crazy enough to run…

Book cover of The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism: Transform, Heal, and Remember with the Power of Plants and Ancestral Medicine

Yvette Montoya Author Of Brujeria: A Little Introduction

From my list on tap into your inner bruja.

Why am I passionate about this?

As a healer and a bruja who is also a journalist who has covered stories about anything from politics and entertainment to wellness and traditional healing modalities—I enjoy educating people about the different ways they can approach their own healing journey. I’m the founder of The Bratty Brujita Botánica, a metaphysical shop offering products and services that are dedicated to helping folks discover their own magic. I’ve been featured in Freeform, Refinery29, Cosmopolitan, and Allure, for my work. I’ve also written on the topic of brujeria, spiritual cleansing, and ancestral veneration for outlets like Refinery29 and Popsugar.

Yvette's book list on tap into your inner bruja

Yvette Montoya Why Yvette loves this book

I really enjoyed the way Karen Rose connected herbs, the body’s systems, and the Orisha pantheon. I was very interested in learning about herbalism through the lens of non-Western spirituality, and it sent me on an inward journey I’m still riding out today.

This book has been a great resource for me in terms of getting my feet wet, making at-home remedies, and learning the body systems. I also loved the beautiful anecdotes and ancestral wisdom. This is a textbook that makes herbal healing and plant magic accessible.

By Karen M. Rose ,

Why should I read it?

2 authors picked The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Discover how to utilize the magic of plants and diasporic ancestral practices in remedies and ritual.

What if plants could be used to guide the process of transformation? What if you knew which rituals and plants could be partnered to alleviate physical symptoms or heal emotional and spiritual imbalances? How can plants help you stand in your power, strengthen your intuition, and provide protection? In The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism, leading Black herbalist Karen Rose provides the answers you seek.

This guide to harnessing the power of plants is a practical tool for working through the symptoms of…


Book cover of The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere

Yara Zgheib Author Of No Land to Light On

From my list on to read while taking a flight.

Why am I passionate about this?

When I was a child, every year, for Christmas, I would wish for wings, pixie dust, a flying carpet… anything that would make me fly. I will never forget the first time I did: my grandfather and mother took me with them on a trip to Brussels when I was about four. That blue, those clouds, that lightness… I have never stopped chasing them since.

Yara's book list on to read while taking a flight

Yara Zgheib Why Yara loves this book

Really, any book or essay (or scrap of paper!) by Pico Iyer, the master of flight and finding that quiet, blue place above any clouds. The first three books in this list were to make you want to take flight. This is the how-to manual. Start it on the plane, as the engine roars to life, the wheels begin to turn… and go.

By Pico Iyer ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Art of Stillness as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Part of the TED series: The Art of Stillness

In this age of constant movement and connectedness, when so many of us are all over the place, perhaps staying in one place - and locating everything we need for peace and happiness there - is a more exciting prospect, and a greater necessity than ever before.

Through his extensive interviews with creative geniuses of our day, as well as historical records and his own life experience, acclaimed author Pico Iyer paints a picture of why so many have found such richness in stillness and how - from Marcel Proust to…


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Book cover of Trusting Her Duke

Trusting Her Duke by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke with rigid opinions, a Lady whose beliefs conflict with his, a long disputed parcel of land, a conniving neighbour, a desperate collaboration, a failure of trust, a love found despite it all.

Alexander Cavendish, Duke of Ravensworth, returned from war to find that his father and brother had…

Book cover of The Mind-Body Guide to the Twelve Steps

Kathy L. Kain Author Of Nurturing Resilience: Helping Clients Move Forward from Developmental Trauma

From my list on trauma for therapists to recommend.

Why am I passionate about this?

For 43 years, I have been a practitioner and educator, focusing on trauma recovery. Far too often, I’ve seen the treatment culture itself limit opportunities for clients to be in charge of their own healing. That ignited in me a commitment to empowering clients to have ownership of their healing journey. I am constantly looking for resources to help clients develop the skills they need to be an effective participant in and guide for their own healing. These books do that amazingly well, and I’ve seen the positive difference each of them can make in clients’ skillfulness and capacity for self-healing.

Kathy's book list on trauma for therapists to recommend

Kathy L. Kain Why Kathy loves this book

This is my go-to book now for clients who are looking for more trauma-informed and inclusive versions of Twelve Step programs. I have never read another book on the Twelve Steps that so thoroughly and gracefully weaves so many different knowledge areas and traditions together in such a seamless whole and that so thoroughly models inclusion and cross-cultural curiosity.  

And, oh my, the number of fabulous practices that are given as examples is like a treasure-trove of gems for both practitioners and clients alike. I love the kindness and generosity that is present in this book’s expansive invitation to embodied healing in the recovery journey. 

By Nina Pick ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Mind-Body Guide to the Twelve Steps as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

A trauma-sensitive companion to the Twelve Steps: body-based exercises for deepening your recovery, expanding your spiritual practice, preventing relapse, and understanding the root of your addiction.

For readers of In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts and Trauma and the 12 Steps

Considering addiction through a trauma-informed lens, The Mind-Body Guide to the Twelve Steps offers an accessible, lyrical, and practical guide to Twelve Step recovery that emphasizes self-compassion, relationship, embodied awareness, and ecological connection.

Whether you're suffering from an active addiction, seeking freedom from self-limiting behaviors, or hoping to establish or grow your spiritual practice, this innovative guide offers a…


Book cover of The Search for the Beloved: Journeys in Mythology & Sacred Psychology

Karen Martin Author Of The Bringer of Happiness

From my list on writing about death, religion, and spirituality.

Why am I passionate about this?

Our history is spoken through the voice of the conqueror – notably white male. My work seeks to balance our narratives through insight from women’s perspectives. I support my creative writing with extensive research in history, archeology, and myths, and include in situ interpretations of the relevant landscape. There are many truths to be told, not simply one ordained story and I wish to shine the light on stories that have been hidden and/or silenced. The themed series title, Women Unveiled, pertains to this.

Karen's book list on writing about death, religion, and spirituality

Karen Martin Why Karen loves this book

The Gospel of Mary is often interpreted as a Gnostic text. Gnosis is mystical and esoteric and refers to knowledge based on personal experience with the divine. It is an inward ‘knowing,’ and I was interested in interweaving a psychological approach. This book dived into spiritual aspects in an exploration of the soul’s journey and the spiritual heights attained from a psychological position and was instrumental in some components of Sara’s personal development. My character Sara is a messenger for Persephone, and I used this book to examine the deeper, mythical meanings of how our wounds can become the source of spiritual grace. 

By Jean Houston ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Search for the Beloved as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

The Search for the Beloved, one of the most important books written on the creative and inventive mind, explains the theories that helped form the foundation of the human potential movement. In what has been called “an intellectual and spiritual feast,” Jean Houston explores the nature of spiritual yearning and teaches readers how to facilitate a personal quest by focusing on the four aspects of Sacred Psychology—the Great Wound, the Mythic Journey of Transformation, the Discovery of the Larger Story, and the Union with the Beloved of the Soul.

W. B. Yeats wrote, “There is but one history and that…


Book cover of Hold that Thought: The Little Book of Healing and Empowerment

Tracy J Holroyd Author Of The Enchanted Mirror

From my list on spirituality, consciousness and nature of reality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a writer and lecturer who is irresistibly drawn to the spiritual and paranormal, but whose academic qualifications are in maths and science. So, I have struggled to find my niche in life: a belief in God and Spirit, a passion for the ‘paranormal,’ and an attraction to the scientific – subjects whose advocates attack one another without compunction. Then, I watched the film What the Bleep Do We Know? and found the communion of spirit and science that had eluded me for so long. Thus, I have a new passion: quantum physics, consciousness, and the creation of reality  which means, for me, the Universe is truly full of magic.

Tracy's book list on spirituality, consciousness and nature of reality

Tracy J Holroyd Why Tracy loves this book

Not everyone has the time, patience, or ability to read a complete book – so enter this enchanting volume! Mark Bajerski’s book is a treasury of uplifting quotes. Each day, you arbitrarily ‘choose’ a page, then read its spiritual message. Spirit guides your choice, so the message you receive is the most appropriate for you at that moment in time. Then, you simply Hold that Thought.

I have found that these uplifting spiritual truths reinforce my spirit no matter what circumstances I face, and so touched and delighted was I when a friend gifted a copy to me that I, in turn, gifted copies to my friends.

A gem of a book and a daily reminder that the Universe abounds with magic.

By Mark Bajerski , Paulo Goode (illustrator) ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Hold that Thought as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Are you open to receiving all the love that the Universe so freely intends for you? Do you limit yourself by a belief that you are powerless to change your life? Are you ready to rediscover your inner beauty and to share that beauty with the world?

Hold that Thought is an incredible collection of divine messages and truths that guides us to the greatest source of our inner light, healing and strength. Mark Bajerski, author and international spiritual healer, beautifully shares these ‘whispers’ from Spirit, whispers that are intended for each one of us. Mark spent years of his…


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Book cover of The Duke's Christmas Redemption

The Duke's Christmas Redemption by Arietta Richmond,

A Duke who has rejected love, a Lady who dreams of a love match, an arranged marriage, a house full of secrets, a most unneighborly neighbor, a plot to destroy reputations, an unexpected love that redeems it all.

Lady Charlotte Wyndham, given in an arranged marriage to a man she…

Book cover of Opening to Channel: How to Connect with Your Guide

Barbara Wainwright Author Of Awakening to Divine Purpose: A Guide Through the Six Stages of Spiritual Transformation

From my list on your journey to spiritual enlightenment.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a spiritual seeker, and I have been pursuing enlightenment for decades. In 1989, I learned to channel my spirit guides, and I have been on a spiritual quest ever since. These books I’ve recommended are books that helped me transform from a single-parent “life happens to me” victim to an empowered “life happens for me” spiritual being.

Barbara's book list on your journey to spiritual enlightenment

Barbara Wainwright Why Barbara loves this book

As part of my spiritual journey, I desperately wanted to connect with my spirit guides. I wanted to be guided as to my next best step.

Our next best step may lead to another “growth opportunity,” which mine did. The information in this book helped me to make that connection, to clearly receive messages from my spirit guides.

To this day, I am able to ask and receive guidance. I am grateful that I came across this book. 

By Sanaya Roman , Duane Packer ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Opening to Channel: How to Connect with Your Guide as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Note: The revised eBook edition has the addition of several color illustrations and has been updated, however the processes and information in both the printed and eBook editions are essentially the same.

Opening to Channel is a book with a startling message for the millions of curious Americans who are eager to learn more about this fascinating experience.

The authors, Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer, with their guides Orin and DaBen, have demonstrated that anyone can become a channel, connect at will with a spirit guide or their higher self, and achieve remarkable and life-changing results. This book takes the…


Book cover of Ordinary Mysticism

Thomas R. Cole Author Of Old Man Country

From my list on spirituality and finding hope in troubled times.

Why am I passionate about this?

As an academic humanist, I spent many years teaching medical students, helping resolve ethical problems in clinical care, and writing about individuals living with mental illness and those growing older. Recently, my own chronic illness, physical pain, and surgeries have somehow opened me to multiple mystical moments of beauty and feelings of oneness with all that exists. I have become a Spiritual Director and am constantly looking for perspectives, practices, and advice about cultivating spiritual growth in myself and others. I am inspired by an ancient Talmudic story:  “When each of us is born, an angel swoops down and whispers, ‘Grow.’ 

Thomas' book list on spirituality and finding hope in troubled times

Thomas R. Cole Why Thomas loves this book

I like this book because it articulates the importance of spiritual growth in our era and because it helps me do my work as a Spiritual Director or companion. Starr provides interfaith access to ideas and practices that can help us understand that we are all standing on holy ground. 

appreciate her appeal to the growing number of people (as much as 30% of Americans) who consider themselves “spiritual but not religious.”  And I love the direct, unvarnished way she calls on us to give up the perpetual “self-improvement project” and commit to a life of connecting with others and tending to “beloved community.” 

By Mirabai Starr ,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Ordinary Mysticism as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

“This gorgeous, transformative, welcoming book is for anyone who longs to feel more present, more alive, more joyful and aware of the holiness of daily life.”—Anne Lamott, author of Dusk, Night, Dawn and Help, Thanks, Wow

Welcome to the temple of your regular life.

So begins beloved spiritual guide Mirabai Starr’s stunning exploration of finding the extraordinary in the everyday. In Ordinary Mysticism, she helps readers discover their own inner mystic and let go of the limiting belief that spiritual life exists only in traditional places of worship. Mysticism, she explains, is a direct experience of the sacred—no church or…


Book cover of What the Bleep Do We Know!? Discovering the Endless Possibilities for Altering Your Everyday Reality

Tracy J Holroyd Author Of The Enchanted Mirror

From my list on spirituality, consciousness and nature of reality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I am a writer and lecturer who is irresistibly drawn to the spiritual and paranormal, but whose academic qualifications are in maths and science. So, I have struggled to find my niche in life: a belief in God and Spirit, a passion for the ‘paranormal,’ and an attraction to the scientific – subjects whose advocates attack one another without compunction. Then, I watched the film What the Bleep Do We Know? and found the communion of spirit and science that had eluded me for so long. Thus, I have a new passion: quantum physics, consciousness, and the creation of reality  which means, for me, the Universe is truly full of magic.

Tracy's book list on spirituality, consciousness and nature of reality

Tracy J Holroyd Why Tracy loves this book

This book accompanies the award-winning, cult film What the Bleep Do We Know? It discusses consciousness and perception of reality, taking us to a place where the lines between science and spirituality are blurred. It tells of paradigm-shattering, scientific breakthroughs, with input from scientists, medics, historians, philosophers, and spiritual leaders. It offers theories that explain paranormal phenomena; the stuff that many scientists are reluctant (or afraid) to discuss: telepathy, the eternal spirit, parallel universes, and the creation of reality. With insights from noted contributors, the book presents us with some thought-provoking (often uncomfortable) questions. For me, however, it simply confirms what I already know to be true: the Creator is not only a scientist; He is also a magician!

By William Arntz , Betsy Chasse , Mark Vicente

Why should I read it?

1 author picked What the Bleep Do We Know!? Discovering the Endless Possibilities for Altering Your Everyday Reality as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"Guides readers on a course from the scientific to the spiritual; from the universal to the truly personal."
-Publishers Weekly

What the Bleep Do We Know!? is a book of amazing science, and now the international bestselling book is available in paperback. With researchers and theoretical scientists leading the way, it takes the reader through the looking glass of quantum physics into a universe that is more bizarre and alive than ever imagined.
What is a thought made of? What is reality made of? And most important, how does a thought change the nature of reality? A higher power exists,…


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Book cover of Old Man Country

Old Man Country by Thomas R. Cole,

This book follows the journey of a writer in search of wisdom as he narrates encounters with 12 distinguished American men over 80, including Paul Volcker, the former head of the Federal Reserve, and Denton Cooley, the world’s most famous heart surgeon.

In these and other intimate conversations, the book…

Book cover of The Power of Intention: Learning to Co-Create Your World Your Way

Finnian Kelly Author Of Intentionality: A Groundbreaking Guide to Breath, Consciousness, and Radical Self-Transformation

From my list on living life with intentionality.

Why am I passionate about this?

I’m the founder of Intentionality Inc., a speaker and high-performance coach, and a master breathwork facilitator. I help world-changing leaders implement the Intentionality® methodology to find new levels of fulfillment and growth in their creative endeavors, relationships, and overall well-being. I have been dubbed "the Business Mystic'' because of my unique ability to awaken consciousness in business and inspire CEOs and leadership teams to have a more expansive human experience. I love books that emphasize ancient wisdom but also have practical applications for modern-day living and weave the universal aspects of spirituality into personal development. I hope these books are as thought-provoking to you as they were to me!

Finnian's book list on living life with intentionality

Finnian Kelly Why Finnian loves this book

This book was special to me because it redefined what intention meant compared to how we usually describe it. Expressing intention as energy and creation rather than success and work shows how beautiful and all-encompassing it can be.

I could tune into my inner belief systems and see how I could manifest and affirm more positive goals for myself and invest more authentically into my relationships with others. Intention is such a powerful word, and Dyer gives practical ways of conceptualizing and applying it daily.

By Wayne W. Dyer ,

Why should I read it?

3 authors picked The Power of Intention as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'Change the way you look at things and the things you look at will change.'
Wayne Dyer

For years Wayne Dyer has been researching the power of intention, the energy that surrounds all of us. He tells us how we can train ourselves to tune into this energy and step beyond our minds and egos. When we do this we become what Dyer calls 'Connectors' and make ourselves available to the energy of success.

Connectors are the people whom everyone sees as lucky, the people who get all the breaks. They don't say, 'With my luck, everything will go wrong,'…


Book cover of Letting Go
Book cover of The Art & Practice of Spiritual Herbalism: Transform, Heal, and Remember with the Power of Plants and Ancestral Medicine
Book cover of The Art of Stillness: Adventures in Going Nowhere

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