There are many spiritual books that, although not necessarily related to recovery or sobriety, have found popularity among men and women in the recovery community. These books are no replacement for the main texts used by your chosen recovery fellowship, but can be helpful in gaining a better understanding and connection with the spiritual aspects of sobriety. Here are four books that may be helpful in exploring your spiritual side:
The Four Agreements
In The Four Agreements, Don Miguel Ruiz draws on the ancestral knowledge of the “women and men of knowledge” of Teotihuacan, known as the Toltec. Ruiz suggests breaking old agreements, or the old paradigms that we embraced, in favor of four simple agreements: Be impeccable with your word, don’t take anything personally, don’t make assumptions, and always do your best. Through the book, Ruiz explains how to effectively use these four agreements in daily life as a means of increasing our relationships and general well-being.
The Untether Soul
Michael Singer opens his book with a Shakespeare quote: “This above all: to thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man.” Singer uses this as the impetus to thoroughly examine the concept of “self” and question who truly is at the core of our being, observing and experiencing the world and what we consider the self. Singer suggests a shift in perception of the self that ultimately leads us toward a life free from previously accepted boundaries and limitations.
The Power of Now
Eckhart Tolle presents The Power of Now as a guide to spiritual enlightenment. Tolle reflects on the years he spent struggling with depression and anxiety until he suddenly came to the realization that there is a difference between the “I” and the “self”—only one of them is real. Tolle compiles the many questions he has been asked about the nature of his spirituality into three following chapters: Consciousness: The Way out of Pain, Moving Deeply into the Now, and Mind Strategies for Avoiding the Now. Tolle’s spiritual suggestions draw deeply from mindfulness and awareness, and are helpful in gaining an understanding of the importance of staying in the present moment.
Man’s Search for Meaning
Man’s Search for Meaning is an astonishingly powerful book. Neurologist and psychiatrist Victor Frankl presents the book in two parts: one is a memoir of his experiences surviving the horrors of Auschwitz concentration camp, and the second part, entitled “Logotherapy in a Nutshell”, explains his views on life’s meaning and purpose as a result of his experiences. Frankl finds that meaning exists within everyone, even in times of immense suffering and death. Frankl concludes that the meaning of life exists not in our expectations of life, but in life’s expectations of each of us: “Our question must consist, not in talk and meditation, but in right action and in right conduct. Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.”
Drugs and alcohol block us off from our ability to live a fulfilling spiritual life. You can make the decision to seek help now and begin the journey toward a happy and joyous life, free from the chains of addiction and alcoholism. Oceanfront Recovery is a treatment facility in beautiful Laguna Beach dedicated to guiding you toward a life of peace and serenity in sobriety. For more information about treatment options, please call today: (877) 279-1777
