First the best selling spiritual books with my audience. Do also check out more best sellers.
Famous Inspiring and uplifting spiritual bestsellers
Religion and spirituality fascinates me no end. I also love to read books – this page combines both fascinations. I’ve reviewed quite a few spiritual books by now. Here you’ll find my reviews as well as a few extra inspiring books. I hope you enjoy some of these and broaden your horizons.
Top Best selling spiritual books
Here are the ten books that sold most through my spiritual pages online. Most of them are Buddhist, despite me having pages about other spiritual lineages as well.
1) The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching: Transforming Suffering into Peace, Joy, and Liberation
Thich Nhat Hanh’s book has become a classic introducing Mahayana Buddhism to the masses. This popular teacher has transformed his native tradition – often called zen – into something that has helped countless people clean up their lives.
Spiritual Teachings From A Buddhist Monk
2) Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life
No. 1 in ‘Zen’ according to Amazon, but on my list it’s second. Great introduction to mindfulness – that you’ll never get enough of.
Another Thich Nhat Hanh best seller that teaches us the importance of changing the mindless daily activities into mindful events as we strive to attain our own inner peace. The book is filled with anecdotes, meditations and commentaries from this spiritual leader. He takes every day life and explains how we can live mindfully in our own realities.
Nhat Hanh does not suggest that we try to do activities that we can not achieve but rather gives examples of simple things to do to obtain a peace within ourselves that will translate into being a better person in the life we are in. Something as simple as smiling a compassionate and kind smile when we are stuck in a traffic jam where everyone is stressed and on edge.
3)Autobiography of a Yogi
An iconic book in 20th century spirituality.
Paramahansa Yogananda’s biography. There are several editions out there. This one is brought out by his spiritual heirs, the Self-Realization Fellowship and includes a bonus cd as well as extra material added by the author.
4) How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life
His Holiness the Dalai Lama is the other main Buddhist teacher of our age. Well known to everybody, he is at once funny and charming, strong and dignified and will surprise you with his humanity.
Though this book does address meditation and prayer, at its core it demonstrates how day-to-day living can be a spiritual practice.
5) A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose (Oprah’s Book Club, Selection 61)
Eckhart Tolle is not one of my favorite authors. However, since it was selected by Oprah for her Book Club, this is still a best seller.
6) Think on These Things
Cayce defined alternative Christianity in the early 20th century. This is still a classic and inspiring to many. More by Edgar Cayce.
7) The Art of Happiness, 10th Anniversary Edition: A Handbook for Living
It has become a cliche to say that all beings want to be happy. This book can be read as a meditation on this basic truth. And yes, if you apply what you learn here to your daily life, chances are you will become happier. Dr. Howard Cutler interviewed His Holiness the Dalai Lama about happiness and created a book out of the answers. This means the book is more accessible than many of His Holiness’ books and of course it discusses a theme close to all of our hearts. One of those books that successfully crosses cultural boundaries.
8) The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment
Another Eckhart Tolle classic. If you want to know what people mean by saying ‘live in the moment’, this book may help you out. Or not.
9) Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears
Pema Chodron is the first and only woman on this list. She well deserves her spot with her practical, honest and down to earth approach to life and it’s troubles. In fact, she is one of my favorite spiritual authors.
10) True Love: A Practice for Awakening the Heart
Another Thich Nhat Hanh best seller that many people rave about.
I can vouch for the basic principle: that meditation can help us feel love more deeply and truly.