Hey y’all!
I created this blog because I wanted to curate a space to share my creativity and my ability to share my creativity with you would not be possible without my mindfulness practice. I was raised in the Episcopal church (a liberal step down from the Catholic Church) and mindfulness was always taught as a component of our relationship with God. When we went on retreats there was always meditation time to be with nature in stillness and be present with your surroundings. Now a days, there is sort of a divide between spirituality and religion where people engage in spiritual practice (yoga, mindful movement, meditation, breath work) without being religious or people are religious, but do not have a spirituality practice. These books are my favorite regardless of religion or spirituality. They are mostly non-denominational, except for Rob Bell’s book about God, but you can pretty much read all of these with any perception and take away some amazing ways to be more mindful in your everyday life.
The Law of Attraction by Ester & Jerry Hicks
The Law of Attraction is probably the book that changed my life the most. I was first introduced to the Law of Attraction when I started working for lululemon. I also listen to Jess Lively’s podcast The Lively Show where she talks a lot about how the Law of Attraction affects our lives. I love the empowerment and the creation of our consciousness and how we can re-shape it to enhance our lives. I definitely recommend this as an audiobook. I personally use audible- you get a free 30 day trial and your first book is free! I have the silver membership and pay $15 every other month and get credits to get any book I want!
Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
This is the most recent mindfulness book I’ve read which I’m sure you’ve seen me share if you watch my instagram stories. Although I have been in the work of a mindfulness practice for about 2 years now, this book truly elevated my practice. I think of it as a beginner’s guide and it definitely demystifies a lot of preconceived notions about the practice of mindfulness. If practicing meditation or being more present in your life are things that you want to create more of, this is the book for you. The book is easy to read, the chapters are 3 pages long and broken down into different topics and he even gives tips and challenges instead of just talking about the definition of mindfulness, which is something that a lot of the other books don’t do. This is probably my number 1 recommendation, even if none of the other books sound appealing to you, this one is worth getting!
The Untethered Soul by Michael Singer
I heard about this book from Jess Lively and I’m starting Yoga Teacher Training in the fall, and this book is a required read for us. There is a reason, because this book will change your life. I would definitely say that if you don’t have somewhat of a mindful practice already or do not practice yoga, this book may be a little “out there” and you may not resonate with the content. I ate this book up! If you feel like your mind (your ego) is overpowering your spiritual mind or your higher self and you want to understand it better and you want tools to get it to shut up then this book is for you. It is completely empowering and will truly change the way you think. I would also recommend the audio book for this one!
What We Talk About When We Talk About God by Rob Bell
Rob Bell is one of the most amazing humans on this planet! He is so awesome and I love everything he stands for. I originally heard about him when Jess Lively interviewed him on her podcast, but he has also been on Oprah’s Soul Sessions and he has his own podcast as well. Rob Bell is a Christian leader and talks about the things in modern society that people want to avoid talking about God. In this book specifically, he talks about the science behind God and our belief in him which was SO cool! I grew stale in my faith in God when I first started on my mindfulness journey because of the way people in culture talk about God and how primitive, illogical, and at odds with the frontier of science religion can be these days. Rob Bell truly shifted my stale view of God to a futuristic and vibrant God that is with us and for us. If you have felt “stale” with your faith or have been turned off by the modern culture’s take on religion, give this book a read. It is incredible.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson
I’m sure you’ve heard about this book and whether you know it or not, it’s actually a book about mindfulness. My manager at lululemon actually had my read this as an exercise for me to gain more confidence in my leadership and it made me such a better human. It’s really not a book about not giving a f*ck, it’s a book about empowering you to cultivate your best life. It will bring to your awareness the ways in which you are giving up your control of your life and how to overcome others ideas about you and your own ideas about yourself. It’s really a quick read and it’s truly worth it!
If I could pick a book for every single person on earth to read, it would be this book. Eckhart Tolle is one of the most incredible, enlightened humans on this planet and this is by far his best book. A lot of people will recommend The Power of Now, which is also an awesome book, but I believe this book is the starting point to how to identify the “egoic” mind and detach from it. If everyone in the entire world read the contents of this book and practiced opening up to a new conscious, there would be peace on earth. I love how he ties in spirituality and God into overall everyday consciousness.
I hope there is something here that will add value to your life and your mindfulness journey. With all of these books, take what resonates with you and leave what doesn’t. Where ever you are in your mindfulness journey, know that you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.
XO,
Salem Brieske
