Recommendations based on Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Livingby Pema Chödrön

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times

    by Pema Chödrön
    A guide to finding peace and strength in times of chaos and uncertainty, using Buddhist teachings and personal anecdotes.

    Pema Chödrön's perennially best-selling classic on overcoming life's difficulties cuts to the heart of spirituality and personal growth—now in a newly designed 20th-anniversary edition with a new ... (Barnes & Noble)

  2. The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times

    by Pema Chödrön
    A guide to overcoming fear and embracing life, through spiritual practice and self-reflection.

    Lifelong guidance for learning to change the way we relate to the scary and difficult moments of our lives, showing us how we can use all of our difficulties and fears as a way to soften our hearts ... (Barnes & Noble)

  3. The Heart of the Buddha's Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation

    by Thich Nhat Hanh
    Thich Nhat Hanh offers an introduction to Buddhism, exploring its core teachings and practices for achieving inner peace and happiness.

    “If there is a candidate for ‘Living Buddha’ on earth today, it is Thich Nhat Hanh.” ... (Goodreads)

  4. The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying

    by Sogyal Rinpoche
    Guide to attaining inner peace in life and death, drawing from Buddhist wisdom.

    “A magnificent achievement. In its power to touch the heart, to awaken consciousness, [ The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying ] is an inestimable gift.” — San Francisco Chronicle A newly revised and ... (Goodreads)

  5. Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha

    by Tara Brach
    A guide to accepting and embracing life's difficulties, using mindfulness and compassion to find inner peace and happiness.

    For many of us, feelings of deficiency are right around the corner. It doesn’t take much–just hearing of someone else’s accomplishments, being criticized, getting into an argument, making a mistake ... (Goodreads)

  6. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind: Informal Talks on Zen Meditation and Practice

    by Shunryu Suzuki
    A guide to Zen meditation and philosophy, exploring the power of mindfulness and introspection.

    “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” So begins this most beloved of all American Zen books. Seldom has such a small handful of words provided a ... (Goodreads)

  7. Awakening the Buddha Within: Eight Steps to Enlightenment

    by Surya Das
    Guide to understanding and embracing the Buddhist path to enlightenment.

    Lama Surya Das, the most highly trained American lama in the Tibetan tradition, presents the definitive book on Western Buddhism for the modern-day spiritual seeker. The radical and compelling ... (Goodreads)

  8. Loving What Is: Four Questions That Can Change Your Life

    by Byron Katie
    An exploration of the power of thought and how it shapes our lives.

    Out of nowhere, like a breeze in a marketplace crowded with advice, comes Byron Katie and “The Work.” In the midst of a normal life, Katie became increasingly depressed, and over a ten-year period ... (Goodreads)

  9. Mindfulness in Plain English

    by Henepola Gunaratana
    Comprehensive guide to the Buddhist practice of mindfulness, for achieving mental clarity and peace.

    Author Bhante Gunaratana, a renowned meditation master, takes us step by step through the myths, realities, and benefits of meditation and the practice of mindfulness. This expanded edition includes ... (Goodreads)

  10. The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation

    by Thich Nhat Hanh
    A practical guide to meditation and mindfulness, exploring their power to bring peace and joy.

    In this beautiful and lucid guide, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh offers gentle anecdotes and practical exercise as a means of learning the skills of mindfulness–being awake and fully aware. From washing ... (Goodreads)

  11. Tao Te Ching

    by Lao Tzu
    A collection of wise sayings and reflections on the nature of existence.

    A lucid translation of the well-known Taoist classic by a leading scholar-now in a Shambhala Pocket Library edition. Written more than two thousand years ago, the Tao Teh Ching , or -The Classic of ... (Goodreads)

  12. The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales

    by Oliver Sacks
    A collection of case studies, illustrating extraordinary neurological phenomena.

    If a man has lost a leg or an eye, he knows he has lost a leg or an eye; but if he has lost a self—himself—he cannot know it, because he is no longer there to know it. Dr. Oliver Sacks recounts the ... (Goodreads)

  13. A People's History of the United States

    by Howard Zinn
    An examination of American history from a perspective of marginalized people.

    In the book, Zinn presented a different side of history from the more traditional "fundamental nationalist glorification of country". Zinn portrays a side of American history that can largely be seen ... (Goodreads)

  14. The Moosewood Cookbook: Recipes from Moosewood Restaurant, Ithaca, New York

    by Mollie Katzen
    Vegetarian cookbook featuring healthy and delicious recipes from the Moosewood Restaurant in Ithaca, NY.

    Among the most influential cookbooks of our time, the Moosewood Cookbook is such a powerful symbol that the publishers were tempted not to tamper with it. But times have changed, and knowledge about ... (Goodreads)

  15. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence - From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

    by Judith Lewis Herman
    An in-depth exploration of trauma and its effects on individuals and society, and strategies for recovery.

    When Trauma and Recovery was first published in 1992, it was hailed as a groundbreaking work. In the intervening years, Herman’s volume has changed the way we think about and treat traumatic events ... (Goodreads)

  16. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

    by Eckhart Tolle
    A spiritual guide to finding peace and purpose in life, by transcending the ego.

    The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, "The Power of Now" With his bestselling spiritual guide "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of ... (Goodreads)

  17. Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life

    by Jon Kabat-Zinn
    Guide to mindfulness meditation, exploring the power of presence and becoming aware of the present moment.

    In this book, the author maps out a simple path for cultivating mindfulness in one's own life. It speaks both to those coming to meditation for the first time and to longtime practitioners, anyone ... (Goodreads)

  18. Practicing the Power of Now: Essential Teachings, Meditations, and Exercises from the Power of Now

    by Eckhart Tolle
    Exploring the teachings of Eckhart Tolle on living in the present moment, and how to apply them in daily life.

    New York Times, bestselling author Eckhart Tolle — A key to happiness is living in the now, Practice, The Power of Now,:, If you, like many others, have benefited from the transformative experience ... (Barnes & Noble)

  19. The Tao of Pooh

    by Benjamin Hoff
    A whimsical exploration of Taoism through the beloved characters of Winnie the Pooh.

    The Wisdom of Pooh. Is there such thing as a Western Taoist? Benjamin Hoff says there is, and this Taoist's favorite food is honey. Through brilliant and witty dialogue with the beloved Pooh-bear and ... (Goodreads)

  20. The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients

    by Irvin D. Yalom
    A guide to the principles of psychotherapy, exploring the relationship between therapist and patient.

    Acclaimed author and renowned psychiatrist Irvin D. Yalom distills thirty-five years of psychotherapy wisdom into one brilliant volume. The culmination of master psychiatrist Dr. Irvin D. Yalom’s ... (Barnes & Noble)

  21. The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom

    by Miguel Ruiz
    A guide to transforming one's life by adopting four simple agreements.

    In The Four Agreements , don Miguel Ruiz reveals the source of self-limiting beliefs that rob us of joy and create needless suffering. Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, the Four Agreements offer a ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles

    by Bruce H. Lipton
    Examines how the power of belief can affect our lives and environment.

    The Biology of Belief is a groundbreaking work in the field of New Biology. Author Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and that of other ... (Goodreads)

  23. Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness

    by Jon Kabat-Zinn
    Comprehensive guide to using mindfulness meditation to manage stress, pain, and illness.

    2005 15th anniversary edition reprint Kabat-Zinn, founder of the Stress Reduction Clinic at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, is perhaps the best-known proponent of using meditation to ... (Goodreads)

  24. Proof of Heaven: A Neurosurgeon's Journey into the Afterlife

    by Eben Alexander
    A neurosurgeon's account of his near-death experience and his spiritual journey towards understanding the afterlife.

    Thousands of people have had near-death experiences, but scientists have argued that they are impossible. Dr. Eben Alexander was one of those scientists. A highly trained neurosurgeon, Alexander knew ... (Goodreads)

  25. The Art of Happiness

    by Dalai Lama XIV
    A spiritual guide to finding lasting joy and contentment.

    An updated edition of a beloved classic—the original book on happiness, with new material from His Holiness the Dalai Lama and Dr. Howard Cutler,Nearly every time you see him, he's laughing, or at ... (Barnes & Noble)

  26. Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life

    by Marshall B. Rosenberg
    A guide to understanding communication, fostering healthy relationships and resolving conflicts.

    Do you hunger for skills to improve the quality of your relationships, to deepen your sense of personal empowerment or to simply communicate more effectively? Unfortunately, for centuries our culture ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Dhammapada

    by Anonymous
    A collection of Buddhist teachings and wisdom, focusing on the path to enlightenment.

    The Dhammapada (Pāli; Prakrit: धम्मपद Dhammapada; Sanskrit: धर्मपद Dharmapada) is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist ... (Goodreads)

  28. The Artist's Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity

    by Julia Cameron
    Exploring the power of the creative spirit and unlocking the potential of the inner artist.

    The Artist’s Way is the seminal book on the subject of creativity. An international bestseller, millions of readers have found it to be an invaluable guide to living the artist’s life. Still as vital ... (Goodreads)

  29. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

    by Bill Bryson
    A humorous account of a man's attempt to hike the Appalachian Trail, reflecting on the beauty and history of the American wilderness.

    The book starts with Bryson explaining his curiosity about the Appalachian Trail near his house. He and his old friend Stephen Katz start hiking the trail from Georgia in the South , and stumble in ... (Wikipedia)

  30. Nickel and Dimed: On

    by Barbara Ehrenreich
    A journalist's exploration of poverty in the U.S., exposing the struggles of low-wage workers.

    Millions of Americans work full-time, year-round, for poverty-level wages. In 1998, Barbara Ehrenreich decided to join them. She was inspired in part by the rhetoric surrounding welfare reform, which ... (Goodreads)