★Books That Have Helped

I know there is a thread called “What are you reading now”, but I thought it would be nice to start a thread where we can share the books that have moved us forward in life.

I am a firm believer in reading and try to get a book or two read a week. There is a lot of good (as well as not-so-good) books out there. I’m curious as to what people have read that really had an impact on their lives.

Here is my list of books that have had very positive influences in my life:

The Purpose of Your Life – Carol Adrienne
The Secret – Rhonda Byrne
The Wise Child – Sonia Choqette
The Book of Secrets – Deepak Chopra
The Power of Intention – Wayne Dyer
Inspiration – Wayne Dyer
How to Think Like Leonardo Davinci – Michael Gelb
Meditations to Heal Your Life – Louise Hays
Feal the Fear (and do it anyway) – Susan Jeffers
The Field – Lynne McTaggart
Sacred Choices – Christel Nani
Divine Intuition – Lynn A Robinson
The Four Agreements – Don Miquel Ruiz
The Power of Now – Eckhart Tolle
A New Earth – Eckhart Tolle
The Light Workers Way – Doreen Virtue

Conversations with God 1,2 and 3 – Neal Walsch
Cosmic Ordering – Baerbel Mohr
The Alchemist – Paulo Coelho
Veronica decides to die – Paulo Coelho
The prophesies of Celectin – (cann´t remember the author)
Some short stories by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The reluctant fundamentalist – Mohsin Hamid (enjoyed it alot recently)

(logging off now.)

I also have quite a library. To me, books are like flowers in a garden;hard to have too many->unless there’s no room for growth(:

Though, yeah, obviously had to get rid of some along the way.

I won’t repeat any that have been mentioned:
Physical Healing-Type
Self-Healing;My Life and Vision by Meir Schneider
Spiritual Exercises
Psycho-Cybernetics Maxwell Maltz
The World’s Healthiest Foods by George Mateljan
Home Safe Home by Debra Lynn Dadd
Safe Shoppers Bible David Steinman & Samuel Epstein
Brian Tracy Motivation
Flight Plan
Focal Point
Maximum Achievement
Laws of Business Success
Time Power
Goals!

Though my top audio in this category (naming only a ‘few’) by Brian that are abridged and to the point in re:to effectiveness:
Eat a Frog
Accelerating Learning
Psychology of Achievement
Goals
Thinking Big

In response to meditatingmama’s post:
MM,GREAT idea for a thread!

You can heal your life – Louise Hay

This book stands out for me because I read it and used it at a time when I REALLY needed it!

MM great idea, I’m reading everyone’s list and making mental notes!

A book I really liked was “Letting Go”, by Guy Finley
I hear he has a revised version, called “Letting Go A Little At a Time”, but I haven’t read that one yet.

Anyway, Letting Go was a great read. Not too long, and enlightening book. It has been around a long time, and still available. His books are very affordable too. Guy has a web site, with free resources, free audio down loads and newsletters and from what I’ve seen, great deals on his stuff that has a price attached. I’ll post it soon

This is a great post! Good call MM!

Life 101
Do It!
Wealth 101…All three are by John-Roger and Peter McWilliams

How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Stop Worrying and Start Living
The Quick and Easy Way to Effective Speaking……All by Dale Carnegie

Creative Visualization…..Shakti Gawain

Illusions
Jonathan Livingston Seagull…..both by Richard Bach

The Richest Man in Babylon…..George S. Clason

The Greatest Salesman in the World…..Og Mandino

Great Idea MM! This is the element!

The books I have read and would love to share with everyone are …

Rosemary Altea
You Own The Power
Proud Spirit
Give The Gift Of Healing
The Eagle And The Rose

Louise L. Hay
You Can Heal Your Life
The Power Is Within You

Melody Beattie
Codependent No More

Magda Palmer
The Healing Power Of Crystals

John Gray
Men Are From Mars, Woman Are From Venus
Practical Miracles For Mars And Venus

Dale Carnegie
How To Win Friends And Influence People

Iris Barrow
You Can Communicate

Dr David J Schwartz
The Magic Of Thinking Big

Dr Phillip C. McGraw
Relationship Rescue
Life Strategies – Stop Making Excuses!

Stephanie Dowrick
Intimacy And Solitude

Patricia Evans
The Verbally Abusive Relationship And How To Recoqnize It

Susan Jeffers
Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway

Andrew Matthews
Being Happy
Making Friends
Follow Your Heart
Being A Happy Teenager

Allen Carr
Eazyweigh To Lose Weight
Easy Way To Stop Smoking

What a great, great thread. I read all the time and am greatful to have this list to draw from!

Here is another book I forgot to add to my previous post.

Kate Birch
Positive Parenting : From Toddlers To Teenagers : A Resource Book For New Zealand Families

Great thread! Its great to recognise that others read the same stuff as me – the power of association!!!
Noone has mentioned any of the Anthony Robbins stuff – more motivationally geared – a real kick up the ass!

Love Shakti Gawain, Norman Vincent Peale, for more spiritual focus, Louise Hay of course and all the books related to ‘The secret’ – although some are not as good as others. They are all jumping on the Rhonda Byrne band-waggon, but the Jack Canfield one is good.

Oh! not forgetting the forgotten gems of The Bible…..sometimes has all the answers.

In response to anoushka_f’s post:

Thanks for the reminder, I loved Jack Canfield’s “The Success Principles”.

Anthony Robbins, do you have any titles? I’m getting low on books again and need to hit the library again.

In response to themadcookieman’s post:

Jeff, I liked Life 101. That was a nice, quick easy read. I forgot about Creative Visualization. I liked it so much, I bought the study guide that went with it.

I actually also liked The Celestine Prophecy. Even though it was fiction, it had some good ideas to bring into “reality”.

In response to themadcookieman’s post:
I know I owned Creative Visualization by Shakti Gawain, though who knows where it is. Though I wanted it now, after you had mentioned it. And guess what, I got it cheap at the used book store today. I love that place. They even take old books back for credit.

There is a magic 2nd hand bookstore near me. It has stacks of books piled from floor to ceiling. Anyway it is magic because you go in either with a specific book in mind, can’t find it because there are just so many books, but later the book will just appear in an obvious place – or I go in and find something I didn’t know I was looking for – again because the book just appears seemingly in the wrong spot.

I found The Alchemist this way. It was what I needed to read at the time but didn’t know it. It appeared as I was walking out the door and I remembered hearing about it once. I love Paulo Coelho because of the beautiful fairytale-like writing and words of wisdom throughout.

I was wondering about what book you might give as a gift to a negative depressed person who needs help but is determined to stay depressed – of course you don’t want to offend them. Needs to be subtle and not with a title that says “Stop being depressed you moron” or such thing. Sorry I don’t mean anything bad by this.

In response to Vivi is focused and Meditating mama:

Anthony Robbins is a motivational speaker. Great for a good kick up the behind if you are in a rutt! Good for depression as it gets you thinking in the mode of ‘Wow! I am the master of my own thoughts and feelings and I can change my life!’. He has done a series of books and audibles. ‘Get the edge’ and ‘Personal Power’ are two of his most famous works. If you google search him there are lots of inspirational, free reads and quotes online.

Vivi, I think its great that you are helping a friend in need. I have suffered from depression, so I know how patronising people can seem to be when you are right in the thick of it. I’m sure your approach will be to tread carefully…subtle as you said. Good on you!
Blessings to you both. ;o)

In response to anoushka_f’s post:
I agree with you about Anthony Robbins audios. And I also like one of Wayne’s Dyers ->Finding Your Sacred Self

The past days I kept thinking I had forgotten to mention
Richard Bach – Bridge Across Forever and One

I learned alot form Anthony Robbins – Awaken The Giant Within

In response to aftab’s post:
Yes, that’s an excellent reference type book for moving forward, don’t you think?

Hi MM,
I also read the Celesting Prophecy years ago, but at the time it seemed a little out there to me for some reason. I still have it though, maybe I should give it another read.

And you guys that mentioned Anthony Robbins, I have one of his audio tapes and it is really very good. I don’t have any of his books though, I susped they would definitely be worth reading. I read a quote earlier, it was something about how some people go through books and sometimes the book goes through the person.

And Aftab, It’s interesting to me that you mentioned Bridge Across Forever, a verse from one of my songs came to me because of the title of that book. I’ve also read One, but my fave is Illusions. I also wrote a song called Hey, Jonathan which was inspired by Jonathan Livingston Seagull.

In response to themadcookieman’s post:
Illusions was my bible for the longest time. Sometimes when I am confused, I just open a book at a random place and ust read, thats what I call my bible.
Now I use Conversations with God for that.

Aftab and any of you that like Paul Coelho’s The Alchemist – try Ben Okri’s ‘Astonishing the Gods’ – Superb read and makes you view the world in a magical way. Okri is such a poet. The book is true philosophical escapism…. You’ll love it! Its a short read but man, so powerful!

P.S Aftab. I think Conversations with God sounds like my kinda book – and the way you describe your experiences with it sound very much how I try to find answers to confusion so I will give it a go. Thanks !! Anoushka

In response to anoushka_f’s post:
Will get it. Thanks.
My list of have to order at amazons is getting bigger and bigger…. well, shipment will be cheaper then :-)

So pleased aftab! Let me know what you think! I think you will love it.
Blessings to you. Anoushka

I reserved The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle at my library months ago, I was on a waiting list of about 45, it finally came in yesterday. Right when I’ve got big assignments due! But I sneaked a peak at the first few pages.

I talked the other day about my sadness of my dearest friend who returned to an abusive relationship. Writing about that on this site must have stirred something in me. I went looking for books on ways a friend can help in this situation. For years I have felt helpless about this situation and I don’t know why I haven’t explored more avenues to try and understand and maybe do something more that just say “I’m there for you, come live at my place etc etc”.

Anyway (I ramble on don’t I?) right now I’m half way through Family and Friends’ Guide to Domestic Violence
I already feel a change in my thinking and that finally I may be able to really assist, it’s a start anyway.

and I also have to read next Helping her get free

And now I say thanks to my wonderful library that always has everything I need, even I if have to wait a while or don’t know I need it.

In response to Vivi used to be focused but now she’s ????‘s post:
I love how you are educating yourself about domestic violence to help your friend. It takes a special person, and a special friend to go the distance with such a complex, confusing and frightening circumstance.

Accolades are not what you’re about; though, I still would like to say I know our community here would agree how very special you are.

It is wonderful getting to know someone who really demonstrates friendship as you do.

More books that have helped:

I like books by David Viscott.
The one that comes to mind right now is Risking

I also like books by Hugh Prather
How To Live In THe World And Still Be Happy

and another
by him called
The Little Book of Letting Go

Thanks for all the great advice for future reading!
One book I just read that I loved was “The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity” by Catherine Ponder
I have been following a lot of her advice and it has been working.

I am reading a book called Letting Go Of Anger – The Eleven Most Common Anger Styles and What To Do About Them by Ronald T. Potter-Efron and Patricia S. Potter-Efron.

I started it yesterday and I cant put it down, I am excited I am learning the different styles and how to handle them better. It is so easy for me say my affirmation “I deal with anger easily” and except it to work for me. I know now I was avoiding working on my anger, working on what was ‘really’ going on inside me. This book I highly recommend to everyone. Anger is inside us all the time. Anger is a normal part of who we are, it is neither good or bad, it just is.

Just knowing the steps is really going to help me with my affirmation in becoming a deeper level headed person. :-)

One I read awhile back, that really was helpful was by Judith Viorst entitled “Necessary Losses: The Loves, Dependencies and Impossible Expectations That All of Us Have to Give Up in Order to Grow”
Copyright 1986
ISBN 0-449-13206-4
Dr Spock wrote a review for the back cover:
“This perceptive book should absorb and enrich anyone who admits to being human” /I liked that(:

I am reading a cute little book at the moment and wanted to share with you all, know you properly already know about spoting meditations, I found this little book hiding in the library, exactly what I am looking for. Its called The 5-Minute Meditator By Eric Harrison. It is about quick ways to relax your body and mind while you walk, eat, work, exercise, wait, travel, breathe…using spot meditations.

I am reading this from the back of the book – The 5-minute Meditator is the perfect book for people who ‘have no time to mediate’ it explains how simple and adaptable meditations actually is, will improve your health, give you more energy and clarify your thinking, will help you ‘be more present’ more sensual and enjoy life more, will help you develope your own repertoire of ‘spot meditations’ to suit your lifestyle, shows that short meditations are just as effective as long ones!

So cool!

In response to Pure Essence’s post:
Sounds like a great book!!! I’m going to look for it(:

In response to laurie- does first things first~‘s post:

Laurie, Judith Viorst… is she the same author as the one who rights the awesome children’s books such as Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day and My Mommy Says?

I didn’t know she wrote adult books!! She is my favorite author to read to my children because her books just sound like Mommy material!! My kids just love her too. Now, I have to check this out a little more!!

Some books that really help reaffirm what I know in my heart to be true:

God is Not Great (Christopher Hitchens)
The End of Faith (Sam Harris)
The God Delusion (Richard Dawkins)
The Blind Watchmaker (Richard Dawkins)

I know this is probably not this group’s cup of tea, but it reaffirms the belief in oneself and not in superstitious speculation, which things like the Law of Attraction are not only indemonstrable and make no sense when you observe the wider world beyond first person anecdotes, but they set up a pattern of false and overly optimistic expectations. It’s just not healthy.

Calvin and Hobbes. C’mon, you know that will make you feel better.

In response to Retromingent’s post:

-While I agree some have utilized the law of attraction in ways that are non-nonsensical, I don’t believe the concept mixed with larger understanding of oneself and life’s possibilities are without merit, to say the least.

-Also nonsensical is when: those who use affirmations use them as magic words. Without the acts one must incorporate in their life, along with the love one must have in their heart to attract the best of the best, life is a black hole.

-And I’d agree to believe all you have to do in life is say positive ideas and the world is at your feet surely would be unhealthy.

-And as we all know experience often cannot be put into “good” words.
… And believing in something Greater Than Yourself (God, a Higher Power, The Universe etc) is often the type of experience that is so personal, that if one could find words of an experiential-nature (in my view)they’d (the experiences and the results) would be “beyond” awesome.

Believing in oneself is surely powerful, though to believe we do it ‘all’ and control the synchronicity of it all, and to believe the miraculous possibilities in this world (past, present and future) are random exceptions for us all, seems to miss something as well.

This is just my view. And I’m glad you’re here at bmindful to share yours.

In response to whit’s post:

Whit, that is so funny. My son just left for his freshman year of college and I was cleaning up his room to transfer “ownership” to the child next in line when I came across a box of Calvin and Hobbes books. I must confess, I spent four hours reading his collection and just laughing myself to tears. (ok, some of the tears were because my baby is now a man and has left my nest)

I totally relate to them!! Thanks for bringing that up!!

Ageless Body Timeless Mind
Deepak Chopra M.D.

In response to meditatingmama’s post:
I never knew she wrote childrens’ books..(:

How to simplify your life. After you read this your life will seem more certain and you’ll be stress free.

Wow you guys have been reading a lot. I too like to read at least an hr a day. My all time favourite is ‘Buddha in your mirror’ by Daisaku Ikeda. I dont know if this is available in the open market, but it will definitely be available with your country’s Soka Gakkai office. Some other books of this organisation are also very good.

A book that has influenced me tremendously is – The power is within you by Louise Hay.

All the books by Dr Brian L Weiss have been extremely inspirational.

Robin Sharma’s books- The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari & Who will cry when you die too were very insightful.

In response to laurie- worksout-daily&w/everything she’s got~ ~‘s post:

I have Ageless Body Timeless Mind, but I haven’t read it yet. I’m glad you are recommending it. I have so many books to get through I have a hard time deciding which one to start next.

In response to themadcookieman’s post:
Would you like to read it together and then discuss it?

For that matter, would you and others like to join in with that book(Ageless Body Timeless Mind)?

Thank you dear about the very helpful thread.

I’m already writing a list of some of the books you all are suggesting..

May I add a few of my read too,

“A Thousand Names for Joy” by Byron Katie.. It’s alllllll about positive thinking I loved it so much.It’s all inspired by Chinese philosophy “dao de jing”

“Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Gilbert.. It inspired me to get involved in mylife and start making brave choices of change.

“Stolen Lives: Twenty Years in a Desert Jail” By Malika oufkir ( I read it in Arabic though.. It was originally in Frensh and is translated to English as well”.
It’s just amazing how positive thinking helped her survive the unthinkable.

And I just remember reading “who moved my cheese” at a veryy young age. It did help a lot.. way before I learned about the power of mind.

I did purchase “a new earth” but I didn’t feel the change right away so I stopped reading it. I guess It’s too philosophical for me. I would need a workshop to fully grasp it. I know it’s a great book though :(

In response to Aisha’s post:

Hello Aisha, my husband is from Morocco, so Stolen Lives was a very interesting read for many reasons. She was a very strong woman.

I have been meaning to read “Eat, Pray, Love” because I see it everywhere. However, I still have five books that are sitting here begging for me to finish!! :)

Does anyone else do that nonsense? Read several nonfiction books at once? I really must stop it because I really probably lose too much. I think it would work to read fiction and nonfiction because they are totally unrelated, but reading two nonfiction books can be maddening!!

Hey Mary.. Thanks for noticing me, dear.

I think it’s okay to read several nonfiction books at once. if there were fiction ones then that would be another story. You know with the plot and all.. That’s my opinion.

I think you’re smart and you’re brain can easily do that.. Relax alreadyyy :-)

If you don’t like it then don’t do it again haha easy girl :-)

In response to Aisha’s post:

Aisha, you put a sparkle in my eye this morning!! What a sweetheart you are!! …and so lucky to live in such a beautiful area of the world!!

We love books here at Bmindful. I stumbled across a great site bookcrossing.com where you read a book, register it on the site, tag it with an ID then release it into the wild, for someone else to pick up and enjoy, and hopefully pass on the same. What a beautiful idea. It feels nicer to share than to keep them on the shelves gathering dust. Imagine if a book you release actually CHANGES SOMEONE ELSE’S LIFE?

Ooooooh!! This is AWESOME!!! I was just stacking a bunch of loved, but no room for books in piles to get rid of… What a great way to do it!! Thanks, Viv – This is perfect timing for me!!

i have a lovely little book full of ispiration
Its called
When I Loved Myself Enough
and was written by Kim McMillen ,who died unexpectedly a few months after writing it .She did not know she was going to die and was healthy Her brave daughter published it and it is a beautifull little book .
I just opened it at random and here’s whats writen
“When i loved myself enough – i learned to stop what i’m doing ,even if for a moment,and comfort the part of me that is sacred “,
love flowergirl

My first spiritual type book was Seat Of The Soul by Gary Zukav ,my mum bought me it after i watched him on Oprah years ago ,its now looking very used and loved as its been read a lot .Through her show i heard of somany inspirational folks ,Louise Hay ,Iyanla Vanzant,John Gray ,Caroline Myss ,Dr Christian Northrup ,Sarah Ban Breathnac ,many more i can’t remember love flowergirl

In response to flowergirl’s post:
I love that statement about loving the part of you that is sacred..
At first I misread it, and I thought it said loving the part of you that is scared..I like that too..Because I’m a firm believer in loving all parts of you and comforting yourself as a parent comforting their child..with everything they’ve got(:

I like this thread. It has given me a nice list of books to start reading. I need to read instead of watching the tube in the evenings.

for eggheads references

hi ,has anyone read a book called The Artists Way by Juia Cameron ,would love tobuy it but funds needed for other things .Feel very drawn to this book anyone else get that feeling .I love Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnac and my copy is falling apart -its well read ,love flowergirl

thanks d b ,im going to the library after dinner and will go around thecharity shops to look for it also .I like your idea of going to the store ,i often arrange to meet the kids in waterstones when we are in town as its peacefull,has seats and you can have a lovely half hour there reading .I’m going to have a lovely afternoon ,thanks love flowergirl

hi db ,thanks for your post i can’t resist book shops ,bringing home a book is like inviting a new freind into your home I love brand new ones as i think of the authors pleaseure that someone is buying their book – but also love books that have already been held,read and loved ,its as though a bit of each reader goes into the book .
We looked around our town and the only place was waterstones so i wasnt going to buy it ,my daughter offered to treat me and we decided to go half each so we both paid £7.50p and i came home with it .I have kept seeing it mentioned in other books and felt a pull towards it ,i think the universe sends us hints and this is one of them .Last week i was looking for a magazine about crochet – its one of those you buy weekly over a year or so and costs £3 eachweek ,it wasnt in stock but there was a book of knitting/crochet patterns reduced from £4.99 to £ 2.99 and its full of hippy /new age type ,bags/headbands/cushions/throws all the things i love and would like to wear and make for our home .I am thrilled with it as it only cost the same as one week of the other one and it has just the type of patterns for the things i love .
Ilove the music from the Lord Of The Rings and the hobits homes are so sweet .love flowergirl

I’m enjoying How Successful People Think by John C Maxwell

This is a small, night stand type book that is a must have

11 keys to successful thinking:

1. Cultivate Big-Picture Thinking
2. Engage in Focused Thinking
3. Harness Creative Thinking
4. Employ Realistic Thinking
5. Utilize Strategic Thinking
6. Explore Possibility Thinking
7. Learn from Reflective Thinking
8. Question Popular Thinking
9. Benefit from Shared Thinking
10. Practice Unselfish Thinking
11. Rely on Bottom-Line Thinking

Simple Abundance by Sarah Ban Breathnac is a lovely book about gratitude ,simplicity and has a page for each day of the year ,its a very gentle book .