Mind, Body & Spirit

Drawing on a wealth of research and studies, Walker presents a compelling case that the power of sleep and dreams, properly utilized, can enhance the everyday lives of individuals and even society at large. Reap the benefits of consistent, quality sleep. Reading this book changed my approach to sleep and produced remarkably positive results! - Trey

This intersectional book about period-having people needs to be read by everyone. It removes the stigma of menstruation which has plagued us all, whether you have a period or not. There are essays from a transgender man, a homeless person, a disabled person as well as 9 other voices. It changed my life. No longer will I hide my tampons! Let's have conversations. Let's make it normal. - Karena

Legendary behaviorist Robert Sapolsky outlines so much of what we assume to be immutable behaviour as nothing more than a confluence of stimuli and their cascading responses. From genes to food to culture, Sapolsky starts small and continues to expound upon himself to illuminate the brain, the body, and the world in which we are all actors. - Ian

If you're socially anxious, this book is for you. It follows tried-and-true cognitive behavioral therapy techniques to offer concrete steps towards managing anxiety. Hendriksen is a gentle, witty mentor, and her stories of challenges and triumphs inspire. For a book about anxiety, the book was a breeze to read, and I've already been seeing results in my own life going through the exercises. - Natalie

Following a kaleidoscopic thread of psychedelics, shamanism, psychotherapy, Santa Cruz hippies, cultural revolution, and German New Age-ers, Pollan crafts the narrative on psychedelics in the contemporary moment. Extensively researched, and at points laugh-out-loud funny, How to Change Your Mind: What the New Science of Psychedelics Teaches Us About Consciousness, Dying, Addiction, Depression, and Transcendence is already in line for nonfiction book of the year. Quarter tab of acid not included with purchase. - Gabe

Meet Michael Pollan at our off-site book talk & signing event on June 5th. Check here for ticket availability.

Joan Halifax is a scholar, anthropologist, activist, and Buddhist teacher. She has works with neuroscientists, psychologists, politicians, caregivers, teachers, and activists and has named five psychological territories she calls Edge States—altruism, empathy, integrity, respect, and engagement—that epitomize strength of character and can also be the root of suffering. Halifax notes that if we can teeter on the edge of each state and observe our behaviors and impulses from there, we can travel the range of the human experience and do so with openness and courage. - S.M.C.

This is not a “how to” introduction to Zen Buddhism; however, if you’re curious and want to hear about someone’s life experiences as they seek balance and enlightenment, Bow First, Ask Questions Later is well worth reading. I found it to be a fascinating rumination on life, faith, and the practice of caring for oneself. Greenwood’s writing is fun and engrossing, and she impressed me with her ability to look humorously on even the most bizarre situations she finds herself in. - Jax

When Zen practitioner and author Natalie Goldberg (Writing Down the Bones) was diagnosed with a dangerous blood cancer, she was suddenly thrown into the world of hospitals, medical lingo, and life-threatening urgency. Months into her own treatment, her partner was also handed a cancer diagnosis. With her Buddhist practice and steadfast spiritual gaze, Goldberg speaks to the importance of recognizing that it is the dance between the dark and the light, the hard and the easy, that makes life full and worthy of living. - S.M.C.

Heschel remains one of the most insightful and progressive spiritual thinkers. This collection, edited by his daughter, excerpts speeches and writings on social justice, prayer and inner life, faith and science, and the spiritual center of tradition in modernity. I recommend Heschel to anyone interested in living mindfully and affecting positive change in their communities. - Clara

This is the book that keeps resurfacing in my mind and in my conversations. I can’t stop talking about it! My personal understanding of “belonging” and my cultural understanding of “belonging” have been given a new language and a new mission. I think this shift in thinking has unlimited potential and such hope for better conversations with friends and foes, alike. - Jenny