Forward Momentum - Your unique approach to your work and relationships.

What follows is a list of books I recommend to my clients. They cover spirituality, self-help and taking care of yourself. Please let me know how you enjoyed them and pass along any recommendations you may have.

The New American Spirituality: A Seeker’s Guide,
Elizabeth Lesser
I loved this book. It took the whole notion of “spirituality” and made it make sense to me. Written by one of the founders of the Omega Institute, this overview of psychology and spirituality will help you discover your own true path.

The Road Less Traveled,
M. Scott Peck
One of the first books, and perhaps still the most effective, to unite spiritual growth with psychological healing. I re-read this book about every two years and have given away more copies than I can count.

World Religions,
Huston Smith
Widely considered the best introduction to the world’s religions, this book is a must-read. It is detailed, absorbing, intelligent, human and luminous. The copy I have is heavily illustrated and it’s just as fun to look at the pictures as read the text. A terrific resource.

Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior,
Chogyam Trungpa
As a meditation guide, it is invaluable; as a guide for living, it is extraordinarily helpful. A Buddhist client that I deeply respect recommended it to me and I recommend it to you.

When Things Fall Apart,
Pema Chodron
It applies mindfulness philosophy and meditation to everyday difficulties, habitual patterns, and painful emotions.

How to Meditate,
Lawrence LeShan
This slim volume is a classic. It is simple and straightforward, written by a Westerner for Westerners who want to reap the rewards of meditation.

A Little Book on the Human Shadow,
Robert Bly
A lively, brilliant little book that uses mythology, pop culture, poetry and personal story to encourage the reader to reclaim the disowned parts of the self.

The Artist’s Way,
Julia Cameron
For anyone who wants to be more creative, this excellent little book is a participatory guide for releasing our most creative selves from fear of failure, guilt and other self-sabotaging beliefs about art and creativity.

Walking in This World,
Julia Cameron
Her follow up book that incorporates walking into your daily search for creativity in your life. These two books have given permission for countless artists to bring their gifts into the world.

Emotional Intelligence,
Daniel Goleman, PhD
A summary of scientific evidence drawn from brain an behavioral research that returns human emotions to their proper place in any theory of human nature. The book offers a new vision of what it means to be “smart,” one that includes self-awareness, zeal, altruism, social deftness, and compassion. It was a real eye-opener for me.

A Path with Heart,
Jack Kornfield
A warm and friendly book, this classic on the spiritual life shows in detail and with humor and kindness the way to practice the Buddha’s universal teaching here in the West. Filled with practical meditation techniques, psychological wisdom, and the author’s own experiences, its subject matter includes classical Buddhist theory, as well as ways of healing relationships, dealing with addiction, and simplifying daily life.

Spontaneous Healing,
Andrew Weil, M.D.
A sound guide to creating a personal discipline that enhances the body’s natural ability to heal and maintain health. Actually, anything by Andrew Weil will be enlightening. He has a way of understanding how nutrition impacts your life.

Goddesses in Every Woman: A New Psychology of Women,
Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D.
A Jungian psychologist, Bolen illustrates archetypal goddesses as examples of the underlying patterns in a woman’s life. Shows readers how to identify their ruling goddesses and how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become better “heroines” in their own life stories. This book helped me to “get” archetypes, to understand how they influence your behavior and the mythology of your life.

Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway,
Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.
A classic and helpful book for anyone who wants to get unstuck and live a happier, more exciting life. I understand more and more how fear influences and immobilizes a life. Very eye-opening.

LifeLaunch: A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life,
Frederic M. Hudson & Pamela D. McLean
Written by the founding President of the Fielding Institute, this manual helps you envisions your optimal choices in the years ahead, so you will succeed at being you in our turbulent world. A must read for anyone going through profound change.

I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was and It’s Only Too Late if You Don’t Start Now,
Barbara Sher
You have just got to meet Barbara Sher, whether in person or in her books. She has a wonderful way of making you feel you can accomplish anything. Her belief is that every person on the planet has a purpose and your job is to find out what that is and DO IT. You’re life will fall into place. Actually, anything she’s written will get you cranked. I just love her stuff.

Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Steps Toward Enhancing The Quality of Life,
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
After I read this, I understood why it was important for me to keep crochet in my life, to keep challenging myself with more and more difficult patterns. And to write more poetry. Csikszentmihalyi is a researcher studying states of “optimal experience.” His findings will introduce you to this amazing subject and help you discover the true richness in everyday life.


Recommended Books What follows is a list of books I recommend to my clients. They cover spirituality, self-help and taking care of yourself. Please let me know how you enjoyed them and pass along any recommendations you may have. The New American Spirituality: A Seeker’s Guide, Elizabeth Lesser I loved this book. It took the whole notion of “spirituality” and made it make sense to me. Written by one of the founders of the Omega Institute, this overview of psychology and spirituality will help you discover your own true path. The Road Less Traveled, M. Scott Peck One of the first books, and perhaps still the most effective, to unite spiritual growth with psychological healing. I re-read this book about every two years and have given away more copies than I can count. World Religions, Huston Smith Widely considered the best introduction to the world’s religions, this book is a must-read. It is detailed, absorbing, intelligent, human and luminous. The copy I have is heavily illustrated and it’s just as fun to look at the pictures as read the text. A terrific resource. Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior, Chogyam Trungpa As a meditation guide, it is invaluable; as a guide for living, it is extraordinarily helpful. A Buddhist client that I deeply respect recommended it to me and I recommend it to you. When Things Fall Apart, Pema Chodron It applies mindfulness philosophy and meditation to everyday difficulties, habitual patterns, and painful emotions. How to Meditate, Lawrence LeShan This slim volume is a classic. It is simple and straightforward, written by a Westerner for Westerners who want to reap the rewards of meditation. A Little Book on the Human Shadow, Robert Bly A lively, brilliant little book that uses mythology, pop culture, poetry and personal story to encourage the reader to reclaim the disowned parts of the self. The Artist’s Way, Julia Cameron For anyone who wants to be more creative, this excellent little book is a participatory guide for releasing our most creative selves from fear of failure, guilt and other self-sabotaging beliefs about art and creativity. Walking in This World, Julia Cameron Her follow up book that incorporates walking into your daily search for creativity in your life. These two books have given permission for countless artists to bring their gifts into the world. Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman, PhD A summary of scientific evidence drawn from brain an behavioral research that returns human emotions to their proper place in any theory of human nature. The book offers a new vision of what it means to be “smart,” one that includes self-awareness, zeal, altruism, social deftness, and compassion. It was a real eye-opener for me. A Path with Heart, Jack Kornfield A warm and friendly book, this classic on the spiritual life shows in detail and with humor and kindness the way to practice the Buddha’s universal teaching here in the West. Filled with practical meditation techniques, psychological wisdom, and the author’s own experiences, its subject matter includes classical Buddhist theory, as well as ways of healing relationships, dealing with addiction, and simplifying daily life. Spontaneous Healing, Andrew Weil, M.D. A sound guide to creating a personal discipline that enhances the body’s natural ability to heal and maintain health. Actually, anything by Andrew Weil will be enlightening. He has a way of understanding how nutrition impacts your life. Goddesses in Every Woman: A New Psychology of Women, Jean Shinoda Bolen, M.D. A Jungian psychologist, Bolen illustrates archetypal goddesses as examples of the underlying patterns in a woman’s life. Shows readers how to identify their ruling goddesses and how to decide which to cultivate and which to overcome, and how to tap the power of these enduring archetypes to become better “heroines” in their own life stories. This book helped me to “get” archetypes, to understand how they influence your behavior and the mythology of your life. Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway, Susan Jeffers, Ph.D. A classic and helpful book for anyone who wants to get unstuck and live a happier, more exciting life. I understand more and more how fear influences and immobilizes a life. Very eye-opening. LifeLaunch: A Passionate Guide to the Rest of Your Life, Frederic M. Hudson & Pamela D. McLean Written by the founding President of the Fielding Institute, this manual helps you envisions your optimal choices in the years ahead, so you will succeed at being you in our turbulent world. A must read for anyone going through profound change. I Could Do Anything If I Only Knew What It Was and It’s Only Too Late if You Don’t Start Now, Barbara Sher You have just got to meet Barbara Sher, whether in person or in her books. She has a wonderful way of making you feel you can accomplish anything. Her belief is that every person on the planet has a purpose and your job is to find out what that is and DO IT. You’re life will fall into place. Actually, anything she’s written will get you cranked. I just love her stuff. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, Steps Toward Enhancing The Quality of Life, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi After I read this, I understood why it was important for me to keep crochet in my life, to keep challenging myself with more and more difficult patterns. And to write more poetry. Csikszentmihalyi is a researcher studying states of “optimal experience.” His findings will introduce you to this amazing subject and help you discover the true richness in everyday life.