Books and Reference Resources

In this section we recommend a number of authors whose words definitely enrich the spiritual journey. You will see that some are of the Eastern tradition and others of the Western tradition.

"Man is the capacity for God"

Spiritual Journey: Remember that we always define "spirituality" as the process of turning within to our Source. Our first discovery along the journey is the realization of God, the "All - That -Is" as the basis of our being. Visualize a vast ocean of intelligence, love, power and creativity - and on this ocean are individual waves of existence. These waves are us as unique individuals. The process of spirituality is to bring us into "communion" with our Source, the Ocean, the Source of all Being. The results of this "Divine Communion" is a life lived in full harmony with the "Laws of Nature" (God's Will) with an enduring sense of contentment, love and satisfaction knowing that we are reaching our full potential.

"There is only One"

The mystical journey moves from the two - God and I - to the One

Mystical Path-the Divine Feminine: The mystic is a full participant in the drama of creation working to make a living, having a family and doing the job of expressing his unique individual nature. However, the mystic is one who witnesses all of this from a deep inner space of Silence and sees clearly that "all of this" - everyone, everything, every circumstance of life is God living Its Life through Its own creation. The wave merges with the Ocean, and as the Ocean, and sees all the waves as its very Self.

The Wave: Using our analogy of the ocean and the wave, there are three steps to our complete journey. The first is the "metaphysical," which is making sure that the wave is whole and complete. In other words, to make this journey to the end, there are certain foundations that should be in place. For instance, the ability to function productively in the world, knowing how to use our mind and having a strong sense of self and our individuality. In today's parlance it is known as "working on and understanding our self." Sometimes this is tricky because people think that perfecting the personality is the end result. In fact, what is more important is to become Whole (united with God), not "perfect" (living up to some expectation as to how we should act or think). But getting the personality in some general functioning order is the first step.

Jesus of Nazareth most aptly taught this step when He told us to treat others as we would be treated ourselves and to love God first. In doing so, we will naturally experience that love for God infusing us (loving our selves by allowing God to love us). Then this love emanates from us to all those we touch.

Relationship of the Wave and Ocean: This is a most necessary step in our evolution. Here we begin the process of turning inward to the Source. This is what has been known through the ages as "spirituality" – the process of the "seen" uniting with the "unseen." Or, the human wave on the Ocean experiences a connection with its Source. This connection eradicates the sense of separateness (ego) and unites us with the vast ocean of love, peace, wisdom, and joy that is our nature (God Communion). Here we move beyond "self help" for the wave. Here the consciousness of the Divine Ocean permeates the wave of individuality, giving us the life that we are meant to live. Jesus of Nazareth taught this truth when He told us that the "Kingdom of Heaven" is within. And as we experience this relationship with God (the Kingdom of Heaven), everything that we have been looking for outside of ourselves (love, peace, wisdom and joy) is found inside as our very nature.

The Ocean as the Wave: Words are impossible here. They can only act as pointers to something much bigger that transcends the mind's ability to comprehend. Here the individual, firmly rooted in Divine Communion, begins to experience Ultimate Reality. That is, seeing reality from the view of the Ocean. The individual experiences his being as the Ocean Itself-- upon which the waves of creation come, dance to the disposition of their unique nature, and fall back into the Ocean. This is a state of supreme contentedness and fullness. This is the completion of the Journey of the Soul. The One becomes the many, the many differentiate, and then merge back into the One. This is a very loving, nurturing and self accepting path. It is often referred to as the Path of the Divine Feminine.

Jesus of Nazareth taught this mystical teaching when he shocked and angered the priests and religionists of His time when he decried the separation of God and man and spoke the great mystical truth: I (all of us) and the Father (God) are one!

The following books, authors, and materials teach from one or several of the above perspectives. Also, some books are wonderful as an introduction and others are more specific at certain phases of the journey.

Each resource has a brief commentary, an excerpt, a link to order and a web site reference (where possible) that you can go to for more of the author's writings.

This is the outline of the resources. The write up and associated web sites follow.

I. Category One: The Journey Begins

(Western)	(Universal)	(Eastern)
Sermon on the Mount	Journey of the Soul	Autobiography of a Yogi
	Mystical Chapters

II. Going Deeper

Mountain of Silence

Science of Being and Art of Living

Women of Power and Grace

III. Getting Into Specific Traditions and Teachers

Part One: Mystical and Spiritual Christianity

• The Way of a Pilgrim
• The Gospel of Thomas
• The Mystical Doctrine of St. John of the Cross
• Book of Mystical Chapters

Part Two: Universal Wisdom

• Mystery of the Mind
• Consciousness Speaks
• A Duet of One

Part Three: Wisdom of the East

• Life and Teachings of Anandamayi Ma
• Matra Vani and Sad Vani
• Bhagavada Gita - As It Is
• Bhagavad Gita - Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

Part Four: Mystical Wisdom in Poetry

• Living in the Heart of the Divine
• Love Poems from God
• Travelling the Path of Love

Part Five: Introducing Spirituality to Others

• The Unmistakable Touch of Grace

The first books we recommend are, Autobiography of a Yogi, Journey of the Soul, Mystical Chapters and Sermon on the Mount. These are excellent introductions to the spiritual and mystical paths. By introduction, we do not mean "simple" or "beginner." Introduction means general survey and overview. One category is Eastern, the second is "universal" and the third is Christian.

Autobiography of a Yogi by  Yogananda
www.yogananda-srf.org

This is a true spiritual classic. This great God-Realized yogi came to America in 1920, bringing a message of the central unity and harmony between the teachings of Christianity and the traditions of the East. He showed us an essential oneness between East and West. In this book he brings us through the metaphysical and spiritual journeys as he experienced them in his own life. What seems to be unique about this work is that many people report that they have a sense of "him, his presence and his consciousness" as they read his words. Some of Yogananda's clearest and most available mystical teachings have been captured on a CD of his lecture - a talk entitled "Awake in the Cosmic Dream" which can be purchased from Self Realization Fellowship at the above web site.

"The Divine Order arranges our future more wisely than any insurance company. The world is full of uneasy believers in an outward security. Their bitter thoughts are like scars on their foreheads. The One who gave us air and milk from our first breath knows how to provide day by day for His Devotees."

Journey of the Soul by  Jerry Thomas
www.stillpointlibrary.com

Here the author describes the spiritual journey in terms of the "seven states of consciousness." This is a blend of Eastern and Western spirituality touching on the mystical. The book is a mixture of the masculine "definitions" of God, creation, individuality, love, etc., as well as sweet feminine "mystical poetry" that captures the essence of communion and union with the One. Its primary purpose is to give clarity to the "tower of Babel" type confusion existing today in which the meanings of such fundamental elements of spirituality are either lost or misunderstood. The author clarifies in modern language the visions, principles and hope as expounded by the timeless God Realized Masters, sages and saints. The extension of this book is the home study Mystical Chapters Course which has just recently been introduced.

The Mystical Life

God is simple; everything else is complex.

"The life of a mystic is simplicity itself. To a mystic this life is not centered on a grandiose sense of needing to "do" something external. It focuses not on what we do, but who we become. It is measured not in outer accomplishment, but by the depth of our Self-Realization. Its effects on the human race and material nature are profound. This life concerns itself with changing consciousness, not beliefs and conditions. Conditions are the products of consciousness. When you change the root cause of conditions (consciousness), then right conditions emerge spontaneously."

"The Mystical Path is about living life outside the boundaries or dream of duality. It does not concern itself so much with creating a personal reality as much as realizing Ultimate Reality. The purpose of the mystical path is that we express our true nature, which is a merging of the individual self into the Source of Self Itself - Divine Union." "This is not a path of the old age, nor is it the path of the new age. It is as ageless as its message: "Nothing short of the direct experience of God will ever satisfy our need for wholeness, fulfillment and completion."

 

Mystical Chapters Course by Jerry Thomas

Mystical Chapters Course: This "study" of the Spiritual Life is designed for those whose busy lives do not afford them the opportunity to take time off to study the Divine Feminine (Mystical Spirituality) in a monastic setting. In fact, the Contemplative Life and practices described in the Chapters are designed to help busy householders find and understand their true selves in the core of their Being.

This is a comprehensive home study series that addresses all of the major areas of mystical spirituality and living a contemplative life. The first chapter available now is: "The Journey Begins" which contains the core principles of the six major spiritual traditions, as well as a commentary on the teachings of the great Christian mystic, John of the Cross. Each "Chapter" is structured to emphasize certain points by detailed summaries and asking questions embedded in the text for quiet contemplation and further personal study at your leisure. This is not a correspondence course, but a journey you take privately and at your own pace.

 

Sermon On The Mount by  Swami Prabhavananda
www.vedanta.org/vssc/prabhavananda.html

It is absolutely amazing that an Eastern monk so brilliantly captured the essence of Christianity's most complete teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus taught not with words alone, but from His own state of consciousness and Swami (P) captures it in a way not heard from modern theologians and theology. This is an excellent read bringing a new understanding and light to one of Jesus of Nazareth's most sacred "sermons" about the nature of living a life based on the way He lived His Life! Or, to put it another way, how to find inner peace and serenity by living in harmony with God's will and the Universal Laws of Nature.

The second set of three, Women of Power and Grace, Science of Being and Art of Living, and The Mountain of Silence are a little deeper and more specific in their teachings. As Autobiography of a Yogi tends to be a little more (but by no means entirely) Eastern in its orientation, so is Timothy Conway's Women of Power and Grace. As Jerry Thomas' Journey of the Soul tends to be more universal in approach, so is Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Science of Being and Art of Living. And, to maintain the symmetry, as Sermon on the Mount goes to deeply spiritual and mystical levels of Jesus' teachings, so does The Mountain of Silence.

 

Women of Power and Grace by  Timothy Conway
www.enlightened-spirituality.org/Wake_Up_Press.html

This is one of the best books written on the lives and teachings of women mystics and saints of the 20th century. The nine saints illuminated here represent the essence of all the major traditions. For instance, for years we have been searching for the best resource for Ammachi's teachings [Amma is a living saint who teaches and tours the world www.amma.org]. We believe that what Timothy Conway did in thirty or so pages is the best written and compiled so far. The same can be said for the teachings of Anandamayi Ma www.anandamayi.org, a contemporary of Paramahansa Yogananda and spiritual "friend" to the great saint, and Anasuya Devi,a true, true mystic and phenomenal teacher www.motherofall.org. This is another must-read book. The teachings of these great saints awaken the soul and sweeten the heart.

"The primary spiritual practice is to turn inward by quietly thinking a Name of God." - Anandamayi Ma

 

 
Science of Being and Art of Living by  Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
mumpress.com/p_a05.html

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi left his body in early 2008. The world is a far better place for what he gave his life to - his teachings of Transcendental Meditation and the Vedic principles that underlie all spirituality. We recommend this book as a text for the definitive understanding of the metaphor of the "wave and the Ocean." We tell students that the first two sections say just about everything there is to say about the elements, technology and meaning of true "enlightenment" and living a full life with a foundation of unchanging happiness and bliss. Read these sections over and over and then move on. The more they are read the more they reveal their beauty and meaning. We encourage readers to read with a highlighter, a pencil and a pen - take notes and underline. We do have one caveat! Over the years Maharishi has gotten very involved in politics and the first section of the book is a "sour turn off for many people." We urge you to look past the politics to the core teachings. Jerry Thomas has often said that he experiences Maharishi as the clearest and most practical teacher of our time. His message is not new, but the way he describes the principles and the journey is both exquisite and uplifting.

"In order to be able to use one's full potential, the first step will be to infuse stability into the ever changing phases of relative life."

 

 
The Mountain of Silence by Kyriakos Markides

Here, ancient Christianity is preserved, practiced and taught by Eastern Orthodox monks of Mt. Athos. The monks remind us of the importance of prayer, invoking the Sacred Name in the ancient tradition of the Jesus Prayer, and illuminating us about the more hidden aspects of the Christian contemplative journey. This is a wonderful primer and "reminder" of some of the many teachings and principles that have been lost to modern Christianity.

"When a human being eradicates personal desires (overshadowing personal desires, not the natural desires to eat, sleep and think), and reaches a state of liberation from egotistical (overshadowing) passions, they become a 'vessel of the Holy Spirit.' Then whatever that person wishes is given because it is what God actually wishes. The consciousness of the Saint is fully attuned with the Spirit of God."

"When we empty our self of the 'me,' all that's left is God."

 

 
Way of the Pilgrim by  Helen Bacovcin

This is a tale of a pilgrim who wanders Russia practicing the "Jesus Prayer." He has many personal encounters with the profound transformative effects of this sacred practice. This book inspires and enlightens the path of continuous prayer and of using the Sacred Name to transform ourselves from human separateness to Divine Communion. We advise that you look past the old and traditional cultural language that sometimes goes with ancient orthodox articulation of Truth and capture the spirit of Love Itself taking possession of the heart.

"These and similar consolations led me to conclude that the fruits of the Prayer of the Heart can be experienced in three ways: in the spirit, in the emotions, and in revelations.

In the spirit, one can experience the sweetness of the love of God, inner peace, purity of thought, awareness of God's Presence, and ecstasy.

In the emotions, a pleasant warmth of the heart, a feeling of delight throughout one's being, joyful bubbling in the heart, lightness and courage, joy of life, and indifference to sickness and sorrow.

And in revelation, one receives the enlightenment of the mind, understanding of Holy Scripture, knowledge of speech of all creatures, renunciation of vanities, awareness of the sweetness of the interior life, and confidence in the nearness of God and His Love for us."

 

 
The Gospel of Thomas by Leloup
www.jeanyvesleloup.com

This is one of the authoritative teachings of mystical Christianity. This is definitely an advanced teaching. A good understanding of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's Science of Being and Art of Living as well as Mystical Chapters will give the framework to allow the simple yet profound teachings of spiritual Oneness to explode in your consciousness as "Yes, yes, that is what He means." Leloup helps interpret Jesus' teachings about the unity of the uncreated Father, the Mother of All Creation, and the Son which unites the two. Thomas took Christianity beyond behavior and beliefs to a state of consciousness where there is only One Consciousness manifesting as all these seemingly separate parts. He explains in parables and in short paragraphs that the mission of the Christ was to unite the unmanifest basis of creation (the Ocean) with the waves of seemingly separate existence (the wave). Besides the works of St. John of the Cross and St. Theresa of Avila which are very difficult to read, this is the definitive work on mystical Christianity unearthed as a true Gnostic Gospel. Leloup has written other books about the Gnostic Gospels but this by far overshadows anything we have come across and is a primary text for the teachings presented at StillPoint Retreats.

Logion 15

"Yeshua said:

When you see someone who was NOT born from a womb, then prostrate yourselves and give worship, for this is your Father."

Interpretation

This Logion invites us to discover the Unborn within us: that which was not born of woman, flesh, reason, or emotion. It directs our attention to our true origin, unborn and uncreated. There is our true Father. When we discover it we can only prostrate ourselves and worship it, for we are before the Divine abyss of uncreated Being and Love.

 

 
The Mystical Doctrine of St. John of the Cross by R. Steuart, S.J.

St. John of the Cross is one of the few Christian mystics who attempted to put into words what the mind cannot fathom. Fr. Steuart did an excellent job helping us to understand the mystical journey as St. John described it. He held strictly to the teachings while making the understanding available to all who take the time to contemplate what only the heart can comprehend.

"God is known by Silence, not by reason. By intuition, not by imagination."

 

 
Book Of Mystical Chapters by  John McGuckin
www.spiritualityandpractice.com/books/books.php?id=4445

Saints in the early Christian church conceived the path to God exactly as we see in the East. It is threefold: the periods of Purification, Illumination and Union. This book is made up of three sections in which certain quotes and teachings represent the understanding and experiences at each of these three stages. It is quite enlightening to watch as understanding evolves in each state. It further proves that "Truth is experienced differently in different states of consciousness."

What is this awesome mystery
that is taking place within me?
I can find no words to express it;
my poor hand is unable to capture it
in describing the praise and glory that belong
to the One who is above all praise,
and who transcends every word...
My intellect sees what has happened,
But it cannot explain it.
It can see, and wishes to explain,
but can find no word that will suffice;
for what it sees is invisible and entirely formless,
simple, completely uncompounded,
unbounded in its awesome greatness
What I have seen is the totality recapitulated as One,
received not in essence but by participation.
Just as if you lit a flame from a flame,
It is the Whole Flame you receive. - Symeon

 
Mystery of the Mind by  Swami Muktananda
www.siddhayoga/guru.muktanada-baba.html

Swami Muktananda introduces the technique of watching or witnessing the thoughts of the mind as a means to attain mental stability and peace. Muktananda is a prolific writer and teacher. He is a teacher of the ancient tradition of Kashmir Shavism which starts with the truth that is at the end of the mystical search: "There is only One Consciousness."

"Shavism refers to three innate impurities that cause our understanding to become contracted. The first of these makes us feel imperfect, the second makes us feel we are different from others, and the third makes us feel that we are the doer of our good and bad actions."

The truth is that there is only One, doing all things, perfectly."

 

 
Consciousness Speaks by  Ramesh Balsekar
www.rameshbalsekar.com

Balsakar takes the teachings of "non-dualism" and attempts through question and answer to bring life to the meaning of individual and universal existence. We suggest that the first 89 pages will give you an excellent overview of this genre of teachings. (Dry as a bone, but a very rich look into another way of understanding Reality.)

"The body-mind mechanism you consider yourself to be, when conceived was stamped with certain characteristics: physical, mental, moral, temperamental…so that Consciousness or Totality or God could produce through that body-mind mechanism certain acts during its lifetime, the period between birth and death. And that is what is taking place."

 

 
A Duet of One by Balsekar
www.rameshbalsekar.com T

his is a translation of the Ashtavakra Gita which is the "bible" of non-dualism. We recommend that this be the last in the series of books that you read and make sure that you have a good understanding of "Consciousness Speaks." The author explains the profound and mind-dispensing teachings that bring one from the separateness of identity with the individual wave to identification with the unbounded ocean of existence. Just the first chapter can forever change your perspective on you, me and all things. Again, this is the type of book that we suggest you read with a highlighter, a pencil and a pen - take notes, go one paragraph at a time and when something seems incomprehensible, just go to the next thing. All understandings will reveal themselves in time.

"All there is is Consciousness on which spontaneously appears this universe."

 

 
Life and Teachings of Anandamayi Ma by  Dr. Alexander Lipski
www.anandamayi.org

For us this book starts with Chapter Two. Ma's teachings are truly universal. Although she lived in a Hindu culture, she is an avatar of cosmic dimensions. Her teachings apply to all people at all times. She is profound in her compassion and depth of experience. She is an incarnation of Divinity Itself.

"God is within everyone, but man goes out in search of Him. This is what constitutes God's Play and God's creation."

 

Also of Anandamayi Ma:

Matri Vani Compiled by Sister Uma
Matra Vani (Volumes 1 & 2)

Sad Vani Compiled by Sister Uma

 

These small volumes are a series of quotes that summarize her vast teachings of compassion and the journey to God Realization.

"Lord, everything that happens and comes to me, comes to me from You for the highest good. Pray for the power of endurance. Nothing happens that is not an expression of God's Grace; verily, all is His Grace.

Anchored in patience, enduring everything, continuously repeat the Sacred Name within and live joyously!"

 

 
Bhagavad Gita - As It Is by Swami Prabhupada
www.prabhupada.krishna.org

The Gita is the text book of Eastern spirituality. It is a timeless classic that enriches life even if only one verse is ever read. There are several excellent translations of the Gita. Paramahansa Yogananda has one version that expounds upon Kriya Yoga and is oriented to yogic technique. This translation, Bhagavad Gita - As It Is, is very soft and devotional, and focuses on using the Name of God (here, Lord Krishna) as the vehicle of purification, illumination and union with our True Self.

"He (the soul) that dwells in the body can never be slain. Therefore you need not grieve for any living being."

 

 
Bhagavad Gitaby Maharishi Mahesh Yogi

This is a surprise! Here we only have 6 chapters translated but the understanding surpasses traditional thinking and perspective. It seems to be less a handbook of right thought and activity, and more as a wonderful expression of consciousness as it becomes fullness in our daily lives.

"This Yoga is the path to Bliss. When the mind moves towards Bliss, it experiences increasing charm at every step; as when one proceeds towards the light, the intensity increases continuously. When the mind experiences increasing happiness, then it does not wander; it remains focused in one direction, unwavering and resolute. Such is the state of the mind moving in the direction of Bliss, and when it arrives at the direct experience of Bliss, it loses all contact with the outside and is contented in this state of transcendental bliss consciousness. When the mind comes out of this state into the field of action again, it remains contented and therefore maintains its resolute state to a greater or lesser degree. Through practice this state becomes established. This is what the Lord means when He says that "In this Yoga…the resolute intellect is one pointed."

Living in the Heart of the Divine by Craig LaVilla Bullock
 
www.assisi-institute.org/?q=gift_shop
call to order book 585-473-8731

Poetry often says in word pictures what volumes of text fail to ever communicate. Poetry transcends the mind and speaks through a sense of the spiritual heart, the nous, the core of our being. Craig Bullock uniquely intertwines both the devotional, spiritual, and practical mystical elements of the soul's journey. Excerpts of both are sampled below. (It is so very easy to get hooked on sacred poetry!)

One Flame

If Your words are not my words,
I shall not speak.
If Your Will is not my will,
I shall not act.
If your breath is not my breath,
I shall not breathe.
And, if Your life is not my life,
I shall not live.

O My Lord,
Let there be one Flame that burns, only one.
Let it be the all consuming Flame of
Your absolute Presence.

Whisper

Whisper God's sweet, holy, liberating Name.
Whisper it with every ounce of your strength, will and power.
Whisper it until God becomes your very Self.

 

 
Love Poems From God by  Daniel Ladinsky
www.poetseers.org/spiritual_and_devotional_poets/contemp/lad

Here are samplings of the works of some of the greatest mystical teachers of East and West:

• Rabia
• St. Francis of Assisi
• Rumi
• Meister Eckhart
• St. Thomas Aquinas
• Hafiz
• St. Catherine of Siena
• Kabir
• Mira
• St. Theresa of Avila
• St. John of the Cross
• Tukaram

In All Things - St. Francis of Assisi

It was easy to love God in all that
was beautiful.

The lessons of deeper knowledge, though, instructed me
to embrace God in all
things.

 

 
Traveling the Path of Love by  Llewellyn Vaughan Lee
www.personaltransformation.com/vaughan.html

Here is a compilation of sacred wisdom as written in poetry by the great Sufi Masters. Each poem is, in itself, a contemplation of God and Ultimate Reality.

"God is Silence and is most easily reached in Silence."

"All this talk and turmoil and noise and movement
Is outside the veil;
Inside the veil is Silence and calm and peace."

 

 
The Unmistakable Touch of Grace by  Cheryl Richardson
www.cherylrichardson.com

This is a hidden treasure in our line of work. Often people come to retreats and at the end they say: "How on earth could I ever begin to introduce these ideas to the people around me?" Well, Cheryl Richardson wrote a masterpiece of introduction. The first half of the book is a "journey of grace." The second half gets deeply personal and lovingly "spiritual" (from chapter 6 on). Cheryl has a number of dimensions: she is a world class "expert" on taking care of the self - the wave: teaching us how to build our individuality and train it so that it can function with grace and fullness. And unless this wave is functional, the journey cannot begin!

She is also a lover of God and a deeply spiritual woman. Her book is a self-revelatory journey that can benefit anyone who is even vaguely curious about the type of spirituality that leads to Divine Communion; the type of spirituality that StillPoint teaches to all who can receive it.

"Twenty years ago I made a decision to wake up and alter the direction of my life. This set in motion a series of events that proved to me there are no coincidences. Every event we experience and every person we meet has been put in our path for a reason. When we awaken to this fundamental truth, we begin to understand that a benevolent force of energy is available to guide and direct our lives. I call this energy the unmistakable touch of grace.

This book tells the story of how grace has transformed my life as well as the lives of others. While some stories may seem unbelievable, all of them are true. As you follow the journey, you'll start to see the influence of grace in your life, too. And, once you've finished, the way you view your life (and the people in it) will be changed forever."

Although, this is not an all inclusive list of books and resources, this is a list that we have developed over the years which has proven time again to be a source of clear and solid guidance for those who seek a spiritual path whose destination is Divine Communion and Union with God.

 

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