Contemplative Guidance

Recommended Reading

Books that have informed and inspired my work as a Contemplative Guide

Pema Chödrön

Pema Chödrön is an American Tibetan Buddhist nun and one of the most beloved teachers of our time. Her books offer practical, compassionate guidance for working with difficulty, uncertainty, and the full range of human experience. I return to her work again and again.

  • 1991
    The Wisdom of No Escape and the Path of Loving-Kindness
  • 1994
    Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living
  • 1996
    When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times
  • 1996
    Awakening Loving-KindnessA pocket edition drawn from The Wisdom of No Escape
  • 2001
    The Places That Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
  • 2001
    Tonglen: The Path of Transformation
  • 2002
    Comfortable with Uncertainty: 108 Teachings on Cultivating Fearlessness and Compassion
  • 2003
    The Compassion Box
  • 2005
    No Time to Lose: A Timely Guide to the Way of the BodhisattvaLater reissued in paperback as Becoming Bodhisattvas (2018)
  • 2006
    Practicing Peace in Times of War
  • 2007
    Always Maintain a Joyful MindLojong slogans with commentary
  • 2008
    The Pocket Pema Chödrön
  • 2009
    Taking the Leap: Freeing Ourselves from Old Habits and Fears
  • 2012
    Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change
  • 2013
    How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind
  • 2015
    Fail, Fail Again, Fail Better
  • 2017
    The Compassion Book: Teachings for Awakening the Heart
  • 2019
    Welcoming the Unwelcome: Wholehearted Living in a Brokenhearted World
  • 2022
    How We Live Is How We Die
  • 2026
    Another Kind of FreedomHer newest book, published April 7, 2026. Draws on the work of her teacher Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. 256 pages.

Other Recommended Reading

These books span contemplative practice, psychology, meaning-making, and the art of living well. Each has shaped how I think about the inner life and the work of guidance.

  • The Zen of Therapy: Uncovering a Hidden Kindness in LifeEpstein, M.·2023·Penguin Books
  • Man's Search for MeaningFrankl, V. E.·1959·Beacon Press
  • The Gift of Grief: Finding Peace, Transformation, and Renewed Life after Great SorrowGewirtz, M.D.·2008·Celestial Arts
  • Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal GrowthJohnson, R. A.·1986·Harper Collins
  • Wherever You Go There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday LifeKabat-Zinn, J.·1994·Hyperion
  • A Thousand Names for Joy: Living in Harmony with the Way Things AreKatie, B.·2007·Harmony Books
  • Here I Am, Wasn't I: The Inevitable Disruption of Easy TimesKopp, S.·1986·Bantam Books
  • A Path with Heart: A Guide through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual LifeKornfield, J.·1993·Bantam Books
  • Gift from the SeaLindbergh, A. M.·1955·Vintage Books
  • The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ckManson, M.·2016·HarperCollins
  • The Last LecturePausch, R.·2008·Hyperion
  • The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual EnlightenmentTolle, E.·1999·Namaste Publishing
  • A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's PurposeTolle, E.·2005·Penguin Books
  • Ordinary Magic: Everyday Life as Spiritual PathWelwood, J. (Ed.)·1992·Shambhala
  • The Gift of Therapy: An Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their PatientsYalom, I. D.·2002·Harper Collins

The Waking Up App

The Waking Up app, created by Sam Harris, offers a science-based approach to meditation and mindfulness. It includes guided meditations, courses, and conversations that explore the nature of mind and the practice of awareness — a wonderful complement to contemplative guidance work.

I am pleased to offer a free 30-day trial through the link below.

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