Of course, this is an impossible task – to list and annotate all the books in these areas of interest that are useful, interesting, and helpful. Obviously this will be an ongoing project, so I will start with a few entries and build from here. Enjoy! Learn! Awaken!

Featured Titles

 
Most Buddhist guides emphasize "waking up" but rarely include the inevitably complex and necessary need to "grow up." Norman Fischer not only opens this territory for reflection, he offers a gracious and wise guide to these two intertwined strands of maturity. This is a beautiful bridge of the psychological and spiritual and is written in such a way that the author models what he is speaking about - a grounded and embodied path to becoming a whole human being.
Wellwood does a great job of looking at how psychological work and meditative practice work together to support personal transformation. Part three, “The Awakening Power of Relationships” is worth the price of the whole book. So few contemplative traditions directly address this complex topic so directly and effectively.
There are many books which offer meditation instruction and others which attempt to map out the spiritual path.  Stephen Bodian does a great job of cutting through a lot of misconceptions and getting straight to the heart of the matter in his suggestion that we "wake up now!"  Trained in the Zen tradition and then connected to the non-dual teachings of other contemporary teachers such as Adyashanti, Stephen is clear and dead-on.

These two new books are each written by a contemporary teacher, trained in the United States, each with successful careers and rather ordinary family lives.  This makes them quite interesting as they are two great examples of those of us who are working to translate and transmit the dharma into a modern form, based fully and deeply on the practices passed down from our Asian traditions. John Makransky is a Professor at Boston College and is a Lama trained in the Tibetan Dzogchen tradition by Lama Surya Das.  Barry Magid is a Psychoanalyst in practice in New York City and is a dharma heir of Joko Beck. Awakening through Love is a heart-based, practice- based guide to compassion and loving kindness. With my interest in Loving Presence as practiced in the Hakomi Method and the cultivation of Self Energy in the Internal Family Systems Method, this book struck a very resonant chord. It is both practical and accessible. Ending the Pursuit of Happiness is a great example of discerning what modern psychology has to offer the dharma and what essential features the dharma offers contemporary psychotherapy.  Since this on one of my prime interests, I found this book clarifying and immediately useful, not only as a teacher and therapist, but as a Zen student. It helps undercut one of the fundamental barriers to full awakening.

Psychotherapy

Kurtz, Ron. Body-Centered Psychotherapy: The Hakomi Method: The Integrated Use of Mindfulness, Nonviolence and the Body Life Rhythm: Mendocino: 1990. - The Hakomi Method has been called “applied Buddhism.” It is a method of working in mindfulness to discover the habits of consciousness and how one actually organizes their awareness. It is a non-violent method of exploration which honors the mind-body unity of the individual, the organicity of living systems, and the greater unity of the larger field in which the individual lives. The Hakomi method is not only a method of psychotherapy, it suggests a way of living in wakeful, loving presence.

Schwartz, Richard. Internal Family Systems Therapy The Guilford Press: New York, 1995. - The founder of Soto Zen, Eihei Dogen suggests, ”To study the Buddha way is the study the self.” Dick Schwartz has developed a wonderful and powerful method of doing just this – studying the Self and all the internal parts we live with and which seem to live us! Having been trained as a family therapist, he applied a systems view to working intrapsychically and gives us a practical and effective way of working to open the healing and creative energy of our True Self. This volume is the original “textbook” written to present the model.

Note: I continue to be impressed with the ways in which the Hakomi and IFS models work together. The IFS model immediately allows a person to begin working in a respectful yet direct way with the Parts of them that are in pain or require some sort of help. The Hakomi method offers a set of principles and techniques to work in a state of mindfulness with these Parts and free the healing energy of the Self that can be used for the benefit of the whole system. If you want a non-violent way to work deeply, expressing your Bodhisattva vow to benefit all beings – both inside and outside - this combination is quite remarkable.

Schwartz, Richard. Introduction to the Internal Family Systems Model. Center for Self Leadership: Oak Park, Illinois, 2001. - This book is the most user friendly book for working with your conditioning that you can find. It is not a textbook and is not written specifically for therapists or the academic community. This is for clients and interested individuals who what to know how the IFS model was developed and how it can be helpful – and believe me, it is very helpful. It is direct and practical and it is available from the Center for Self Leadership [www.selfleadership.org].

Johanson, Greg and Kurtz, Ron. Grace Unfolding : Psychotherapy in the Spirit of Tao-te ching Bell Tower: New York. 1991. - This lovely little book follows the technical description of the Hakomi Method and uses key elements of the Tao-te Ching to illuminate the process of change and the relationship in which such change takes place. This is a poetic description of the work of therapy.

You may have read Dan Siegel's books, The Developing Mind and Parenting from the Inside Out, both of which appear on my list of books, and which offer a beautiful view of how the mind and the brain create each other. This book goes a step further in describing how mindfulness - the essential quality we cultivate in meditation - is associated with very key aspects of attunement and well-being in every-day life. It is fascinating to read the daily meditation journals of a contemporary brain researcher as he makes his way through his first meditation retreats. What he discovers in his own mind and heart mirror what he discovers in the laboratory, and this story of discovery is not only interesting it is revealing about our practice and its enormous potential.
If you have an interest in neuroplasticity, a big word for what you really want - a new and flexible mind - this book traces the work of the best brain scientists and the most traditional Tibetan practitioners as they attempt to understand the limits of the "plasticity" of the brain. Their results may startle you and the implications for both meditation and psychotherapy are profound.

This is the most recent installment in Mark Epstein's very useful series of books on the intersection of psychotherapy and Buddhist practice. In it he directly and skillfully confronts the complex and sticky issue of desire in both everyday life and spiritual practice. Avoiding both indulgence and repression, he explores the fire of human desire using not only his experiences as a psychotherapist but also the Buddha's foundational teachings on the Four Noble Truths. He helps the reader see how these threads help inform our understanding of and intimacy with longing, attachment, and the desire for a rich and juicy life.

Epstein, Mark. Thoughts Without a Thinker: Psychotherapy from a Buddhist Perspective Basic Books: NewYork, 1995.; then, Going to Pieces without Falling Apart: A Buddhist Perspective on Wholeness (Lessons from Meditation and Psychotherapy): Broadway Books: New York, 1998; and then, Going On Being : Buddhism and the Way of Change (A Positive Psychology for the West). Broadway Books: New York, 2001. - Although these three books are not technically “psychotherapy” texts, they are about the integration of psychotherapy and meditation practice. The author is a serious student of Vipassana and a Psychiatrist and psychotherapist. He does a very good job of translating what we really work with in both meditation and thereapy.

Consciousness and Personal Transformation

Lewis,Thomas, and others. A General Theory of Love. Vintage Books. New York. 2001. Please read this book! Do not be dismayed by the scientific nature of the topic of the philosophic sound of the title. This is the most skillfully written technical book I have ever read. How can neurobiology and psychology read like poetry, or at least beautiful prose? Take a look and see. You will also be touched by the insights that will arise as you read. You will also be impressed by the ways in which the authors unfold the central importance of relationships, brain development, and yes – love – as the core feature of personal transformation and health. This one is a must.

Brazier, David. The Feeling Buddha. St, Martin’s. 2001. In David Brazier I have found a friend, although we have never met. As Buddhist teachers and psychotherapists we share some key interests, training, and experience. In this book and his previous volume Zen Therapy, the author offers a practical and surprisingly relevant presentation of the Buddha's teachings. His approach may be unorthodox to the traditionalist, but I believe the general reader will find it fresh and inspirational. His emphasis is in how the teachings of the Buddha are useful in the modern world, full of emotion and existential challenge. Early on he states, "The message of the Buddha, as you will find in these pages, is not that of escape, but of how to live a noble and satisfying life, in which affliction and trouble are as essential as the grit is to the pearl." He goes on to ask, "What should the seeker of enlightenment do? Fearlessly look into the seat of the trouble. Where is the grief strongest, the doubt most disturbing, the turmoil most opaque, the ignorance most dark - that is the place where enlightenment will break through." If you are interested in these questions and their noble response, I think you will also find a friend in David Brazier.

This is a landmark book in laying out the central role played by interpersonal relationships in healthy development. It was written for a sophisticated lay audience, so although it is not a scientist's book, it can be heavy going at times. The book on parenting with Mary Hartzell contains the same essential information, written in the context of practical child development and everyday parenting.
This is an excellent book if you want to understand how personal issues – our conditioning we carry from our early life experiences – influence our ability to be good and effective parents. Even the definition of "good and effective parenting" is defined scientifically, not morally. The topics of focus include how we attach and attune to each other, how incredibly powerful these two qualities are in influencing the development of a child's brain, how brain development presages a person's ability to relate and communicate effectively as an adult, and how the challenges of being a parent can be used as a focus for practice for the parent. This is the first book on parenting that is not someone's particular theory about "how to do it right." This is a book full of research and everyday examples, both of which clearly tell us what kinds of relationships support healthy neuropsychological development, and how we can either support or hinder that miraculous unfolding that is at the core of child development. The authors help us see that relationships are biology; that communication is physiology. In the process, we learn a lot more about what it means to be human.

 

Wilber, Ken, Engler, Jack and Brown, Daniel. Transformations of Consciousness : Conventional and Contemplative Perspectives on Development Shambala: Boston, 1986. - The first sentence of the Preface is a good synopsis: “This book consists of various, closely related attempts to articulate a ‘full-spectrum’ model of human growth and development, a model that includes the stages of development typically investigated by conventional psychology and psychiatry, as well as the stages of development apparently evidenced in the world’s great meditative and contemplative traditions.” This is a sort of classic, with chapters by several authors, including Jack Engler [“You have to be somebody before you can be nobody.”] and Mark Epstein [Thoughts Without a Thinker]. This is more research based and theoretical rather than practice based.

Wilber, Ken. O.K. I’m not going to list them all, but the whole body of work is the best map of personal transformation currently developed. For those who love a story and a less theoretical point of entry, start with Grace and Grit, the story of his relationship with his wife Treya and her death from breast cancer. You may also want to sample One Taste and read his journal entries from a completely different time in his life. For an overview of his full-spectrum model, Sex, Ecology, Spirituality is the classic tome and the first in the Kosmos Triliogy (as yet, incomplete). However, if you are intimidated by this rather daunting book, try the every-person’s version, A Brief History of Everything One of my personal favorites, after getting the idea of his work and direction, is The Eye of Spirit. In this book he looks with a clear eye at the reality of challenge of spiritual transformation and the chapter entitled “Always Already – The Brilliant Clarity of Ever-Present Awareness” is amazing. Integral Psychology introduces his look at just that – an integral psychology – and introduces the Spiral Dynamics model to his work. For more about spiral dynamics, you can read Boomeritis, if you can stand it. It is the absolute worst novel I have ever been unable to put down. The “lectures” are wonderful. The characterizations and dialogue are terrible. Stick to non-fiction Ken! You are brilliant.

Buddhist Teachings and Teachers

Kornfield, Jack. A Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life. Bantam: New York, 1993. - There is no other book that I recommend more to people who have no experience with meditation or Buddhism. Jack does a great job of very clearly and kindly laying out a path of practice that is possible for the beginner and yet powerful for the experienced meditator.


Beck, Joko. Everyday Zen: Love & Work Harper: San Francisco, 1989; and Nothing Special: Living Zen: Harper: San Francisco, 1993. - Read them and read them again. Put them by your bedside, or maybe under your pillow. Here is the voice of a clear and mature woman. A real treasure of a teacher.


Suzuki, Shunryu. Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind Weatherhill: New York, 1970. - The great classic from a true contemporary master. I can read this one over and over (and I do) and get something new each time. Subtle and profound. A new release of more talks, Not Always So: Practicing the True Spirit of Zen [HarperCollins: San Francisco, 2002] is delightful and even more accessible. Ed Brown has done a marvelous job.
This little book packs quite a punch. Can you accept that everything is impermanent, that there is no purely pleasurable feeling, that all phenomena are illusory, and that your mind will never hold enlightenment as a concept? If not, then this tough teacher suggests you are not a Buddhist. Whether or not this identification is important to you, the teachings are straightforward and designed to punch holes in the myriad ways we delude ourselves about practice. In doing so, he also opens up the vast freedom possible by surrendering to the Truth.
As we work to find a true expression of Zen beyond monastery walls, and maybe without the exact forms of China or Japan, we might find the experiences of these teachers helpful. Their practice is based on the community zen (ts'ao-pen ch'an) practiced in 10th and 11th century China. It bears reading as we work to find our way here in Texas.

This is one of Adya's earliest books and is quite powerful and to the point. It is primarily based on his talks in satsang and responses to questions by students.
This is a great compilation of essays and talks that expands the non-dual teachings first reflected in The Impact of Awakening.
This small, elegant book is divided into two parts, basically - meditation instruction and a guide for self inquiry - the two fundamental practices for the great practice of Self Inquiry. This is spelled out clearly by an American teacher in language that is accessible, honest, and encouraging. The book comes with an audio CD with guided meditations.
If you are interested in what it is like to hear Adyashanti lead a retreat, this audiobook series is a good start. There are more like this on his website at www.adyashanti.org.
This is a classic little book on the teachings of a great Indian Vedanta master.
This is another classic non-dual, Vedanta master in conversation with his students in satsang.

This is a beautifully produced and well written guide to Buddhist meditation, covering the foundations of meditative practice found in the Vipassana, Zen, and Tibetan traditions. Martine Batchelor spent many years in Korea as a nun and then returned to England where she has practiced and worked in service of the dharma for many years. Her husband, Stephen Batchelor, is a well known teacher and author known to many western Buddhists. He is also the photographer who took the lovely photographs which accompany her text. This is the book I use to teach introductory meditation to all practitioners.
In my mind, this has become a classic of interpretation of the dharma for the West. Batchelor's brilliant and simple - therefore elegant - stripping away of all Asian cultural artifacts from the Buddha's central teachings is useful and accessible to anyone interested in truly understanding what the Buddha was attempting to communicate. He describes Buddhism as "deep agnositicism," the profound practice of "not knowing," which opens the practitioner to the very real possibility of the relief of suffering. He systematically moves through the core teachings of the Buddha in ways that reveal their brilliance and practicality for today's world.
This new and exciting book is chocked full of challenging essays by many excellent contemporary teachers of all Buddhist traditions. You will, most likely, meet yourself on most every page, either illuminated by the insights and understanding of the teachers, or wincing at the painful truths that they reflect about our desire to consume.
This is a scholarly book which takes as its focus the poem we call the Hsin Hsin Ming written by Zen's third ancestor in the 6th century. It is a beautiful book, full of history, skillfully crafted, to help the reader see the confluence of Buddhist and Taoist thought in early China that led to the formation of Chan (or Zen). The author also helps us place all of this in the context of Chinese Mahayana Buddhism. Mu Soeng is a great scholar, a wise man, and a generous teacher. This is a powerful book which reflects his great depth.

 

If you enjoy being inspired and instructed in the dharma but you prefer it in story fashion, this is a great book. This series of teachings on loving kindness are drawn from Sharon Salzberg's many years of practicing and teaching both in Asia and the United States. The stories are not only inspiring and encouraging, but powerful in their pointing to what is essential if you are interested in cultivating a life of loving kindness. This book is a great companion along the way.
In her response to this book, Bayda's teacher, Joko Beck, says,"If you want to wake up, not just talk about it, this clear, inspiring book provides the practical guidance we all need." I like this reflection because it points to not only the clarity but the practicality of the teachings in the book. This is not about studying Zen. The title makes it clear: this is about becoming what Zen points to. The subtitle, "Bringing Meditation to Life," suggests that we find freedom in our practice with everyday life, not esoteric or exotic meditation practices. This is useful and real. The Epilogue, "What is Our life About" is worth the whole book.

This short book is incredibly clear and incredibly powerful. Its clarity and power come from the depth of the teacher, Dzigar Kongtrul, but also from the practical way in which he presents the dharma. His voice is fresh and penetrating. In the Introduction he states that "Self-reflection is the common thread that runs through all traditions and lineages of Buddhist practice. It protects our practice from becoming just another enterprise by breathing life into the teachings and making them a living experience." This book breathed life into my practice as the author demonstrates the dharma as a living reality. It's possible to wake up and it's up to you.
 

“Embarking on the spiritual journey is like getting into a small boat and setting out on the ocean to search for unknown lands. With wholehearted practice comes inspiration, but sooner or later we will also encounter fear…Like all explorers, we are drawn to discover what's waiting out there without knowing yet if we have the courage to face it.”

The preceding quote is the opening of Pema Chodron's book When Things Fall Apart. This wonderfully intimate book treats the struggles and transitions in life as opportunities for spiritual growth. Although the book has been around for several years, it has emerged as a wise and heart-felt guide in navigating the difficult territory of change and loss. Pema Chodron offers us wonderful teachings based on years of dedicated practice in all of her books, and although this was not her first book, it is a great place to start. Her other books are noted below:

The Wisdom of No Escape: And the Path of Loving Kindness
Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living
The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion 

…more to come!