recommended reading

There are so many great books out there but this list contains only the ones we’ve actually read and found illuminating. The links below are to amazon where you can purchase the books and, in the process, support the mission of contemplate this…: fostering contemplative practices in everyday life. I encourage you to patronize your local bookstore if you are lucky to live in a town with one that carries them. If you live in Baltimore, we have the wonderful breathe books in Hampden where most, if not all, of these books can by purchased or ordered. If you make a trip in, please mention to Susan that we sent you!

Western Brain meets Eastern Mind
Zen and the Brain: Toward an Understanding of Meditation and Consciousness by James Austin
Just what the title says. A big fat book that we’ll be reading for a long time.
Open to Desire: The Truth About What the Buddha Taught by Mark Epstein
A fast and entertaining read convering the tantric buddhist teachings on living in a human body.
Psychology and Neuroscience
Emotional Intellegence by Daniel Goleman
Full of fascinating anecdotes about the brain, learning, behavior, and how we can better understand ourselves and our gifts.
on seeking/finding purpose and meaning in life
Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl.
A powerful book illuminating the importance of seeking and living your life’s mission.
Tools for peaceful relationships
The Road Less Traveled by M. Scott Peck
Consider this classic a manual for being a human being - individually and in relationship. They should make this book required reading before granting marriage licenses.
Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life by Byron Katie
One of the simplest and most useful tools we’ve ever found for de-conditioning the control freaks among us.
Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life by Marshall Rosenberg
Nonviolent Communication is Marshall Rosenberg’s gift to the world, and what a fantastic gift it is. No nonsense tools for understanding and communicating your own needs as well as understanding the needs of your boss, your kids, or the guy pointing a gun at you.
Buddhist Philosophy written for Westerners
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle
This book’s message is stripped down and simple, almost to the point of being maddening. A really good presentation of the art of just being.
After the Ectasy the Laundry by Jack Kornfield
For anyone seeking guidance on integrated a contemplative practice with real life issues of work and family.
A Gradual Awakening by Stephen Levine
Recommended for anyone considering embarking on a meditation practice.