The Path with Heart: A Guide Through the Perils and Promises of Spiritual Life
Jack Kornfield, 1993
Written by an American Buddhist Monk, this classic text is a delightful mix of stories, practical guided meditations and sensitive explanations on how meditation supports the spiritual life. Warm and accessible. Perfect for beginners.

Full Catastrophe Living: Using the Wisdom of Your Body and Mind to Face Stress, Pain, and Illness
Jon Kabat-Zinn, 1990
This book spearheaded Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programs around the world, including in hospitals and other medical care facilities.

Awakening the Spine
Vanda Scaravelli, 1991
A beautiful book on yoga, not for those who need step-by-step instructions and rules. Scaravelli was an unorthodox yogi. She came to the practice in her mid-life and continued effortlessly well into her 80s. She presents an unselfconsious, enigmatic and lovely concept for inhabiting our bodies and our world with natural ease.

We:Understanding the Psychology of Romantic Love
Robert A. Johnson, 1921
Referencing the myth of Tristan and Iseult, this Jungian philosopher writes a simple and beautiful analysis of the place romance holds in the evolution of human relationships. A must for all couples.

Shamanism, Colonialism and the Wild Man: A Study in Terror and HealingMichael Taussig, 1987
Not for the faint of heart. This is a graphic, anthropological account of the development of Shamanism in the forests of Columbia. While the first part of the book is hard to take, the latter writing on healing and sorcery is detailed and fascinating.