Mind, Body & Spirit

I’ve been taking resistance flexibility classes and have enjoyed reading Bob Cooley’s book to learn how these stretches correlate to particular Chinese meridians and thus affect not only the health of the muscles but other aspects as well, like increased circulation, improved immunity, and muchmore. He describes the psychological effects of the stretches too. A fascinating read for a great modality that has been improving my flexibility and strength!—Rachael Shishido, yoga teacher  

As civilization approaches technological singularity, what role will God play? In this brilliant new treatise, Wilbur lays out how religions need to adjust to remain relevant. Using Buddhism as an example, he explains how faith and reason—that is, “waking up” and “growing up”—must coalesce in order for humanity to truly evolve. Reading this book opens up your third eye. - Jason

Hi, my name is Ivy and I am an awkward person. I have been all my life. There’s nothing inherently wrong with me, I’ve just always been a little weirdo whose foot finds her mouth quite frequently. This slim volume, written by an expert with a layperson’s voice, helped arm me with simple things to make social interactions a little bit easier and lot less stressful. - Ivy

Yoga teacher Jessamyn Stanley is a woman of color, a woman of size, and a woman who loves to swear. If you are one of the 250,000 people who follow her on social media, you already know how incredible she is—bold, beautiful, sensual, and hella flexible. Stanley has channeled all of this goodness and much more into Every Body Yoga, a how-to guide for beginners that shows that not only is yoga for every body type, but that what is important is how it makes you feel, not how you look in your yoga pants. - S.B.

Sharon Salzberg has been teaching lovingkindness (metta) meditation for decades. In short, easy-to-read chapters on how to be more loving, she manages to teach without preaching. She juxtaposes practical ways to manage everyday disturbances with parabolic short stories, making this the sort of book you can pick up at any time and open to any page for a quick bit of wisdom. Highly recommended for fans of The Book of Joy. - Jason

If you know stress is affecting your health then this book is for you. Romm tells you how to heal your stressed-out body using holistic nutrition, and addresses the factors behind why stress wreaks havoc on your system. Her advice is perfect and I love the little inspirational quotes that begin each chapter. - Sairsha

As someone who struggles with anxiety, I don't read a lot of books on it, mostly because they actually give me more anxiety! This book was different. Kat wasn't trying to "fix" me, but to let me know I wasn't alone. I appreciated her sharing her journey with us in a way that was relatable and authentic. - Karena

Contributing to the high levels of happiness among Danes is "hygge"-- often translated as coziness, but it is really much more than that- it's a cultural phenomenon that's catching on worldwide. Hygge is the "art of creating intimacy," the feeling you get when sipping cocoa or drinking mulled wine with friends. Get hygge with this book that is not only beautiful, but inspiring too. - Benay

A zany look at the dark and elusive world of psychopaths -- how to spot them, how we've tried to cure them, and how they've managed to infiltrate some of the most powerful positions in the world. Investigative journalist Jon Ronson adds the perfect amount of his trademark humor to an otherwise horrifying topic. By the end, you'll be giving everyone some serious side-eye. - Kelly

Want to learn how to meditate, but don’t care to learn a whole bunch of dogma? This is the ultimate secular guide to the science of meditation by neurologist and outspoken atheist Sam Harris. You will enjoy the skillful he presents a case for Buddhism, as a philosophy and a practice, but not as a religion to join. For one month, I read Waking Up at night before bed, and it calmed me to sleep every time. - Jason