Feed your mind

You are what you eat

I don't know about your reading habits, but I'm what is commonly known as a 'dipper'. That is to say that I tend to dip in and out of books, reading several in parallel. This approach might not work for all, but it does for me these days, especially since most of my reading tends to be nonfiction as I power through title after title on my newfound quest to learn to live and to love. 

We come across books through reviews, or perhaps they're recommended. One thing I've noticed about books and my journey towards enlightenment is that the books seem to find me when I'm ready for their wisdom. It may sound obvious, but I imbibe information better when I'm one hundred per cent open to it—which is why being a dipper is alright by me.

Here are five books I'm reading or have recently read, which you might enjoy.

In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts, by Gabor Maté

Gabor Maté is a personal hero of mine. A physician and best-selling author, Maté shines a light on the broader story surrounding addiction. His pioneering approach to focussing on trauma and trauma-informed rather than symptoms-focussed therapy has changed how many addiction therapists look at the subject. 

This book explores addiction's scientific and psychological causes through a beautifully compassionate lens that tells real-life stories while reminding us that addicts are human beings—our brothers & sisters. You don't have to be an addict to read it; you just have to care. Anyone affected by addiction (of any kind) will love this book. 

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert M Pirsig

This genuinely inspirational classic is a philosophical odyssey that asks big questions about how we live. "An inquiry into values", this beautiful book is a narrated tale of a father and his son on a 17-day motorcycle road trip. 

Way more than a story about a motorcycle trip, it offers profound reflections about modern society. The story is a metaphor, of course—a journey into the philosophical and metaphysical. You don't have to be interested in motorbikes to read this, just in the world we live in—and your quality of life. 

The Fourth Turning, by William Strauss & Neil Howe

There's an argument that says if you're not American, why would you want to read about "what the cycles of history tell us about America's next rendezvous with destiny", but I'm of the option that would be rather a narrow-minded perspective. 

The Fourth Turning breaks into three parts: seasons, turnings, and preparations. The turnings refer to phases of American history, from 1946-2005. The fourth turning is where the predictions begin. This bold and prophetic book just might change the way you see the world and your place in it. Arguably now, more than ever is a time for us all to do just that. 

The Way of Zen, by Alan Watts

If you've never heard of Alan Watts, stay tuned to the How to Die Happy podcast, as we constantly share tidbits from this theosophical genius and all-around charming man. 

In The Way of Zen, Watts (an English philosopher, author, speaker and psychonaut) provides a wonderfully insightful overview of Zen Buddhism in the context of Indian and Mahayana Buddhism. As was his way, Watts dedicated a great deal of his life to interpreting Eastern philosophies, including Taoism, Hinduism and Buddhism, making them palatable for a Western audience. 

As a lapsed Catholic, I had a healthy disdain for organised religion. Like Watts, I found much wisdom on the fundamentals of universal consciousness within Eastern teachings, which speak more to the art of living than dogma. If I were to identify with any belief now, it would be Omnism. I.e. one can find truth in all religions, yet no one religion is the absolute truth. 

Inward, by Yung Pueblo

"True power is living the realisation that you are your own healer, hero, and leader" is just one of the many stunning and inspiring prose delicately placed within this beautifully curated collection of wise words by the recovered addict and author Yung Pueblo. 

Preceding the many phases of my healing journey was the process of unlearning. Pueblo speaks of this in his book, plus many other aspects of human frailty, mental health, happiness, extreme unhappiness, and the long and painful journey toward self-love. If you want a place to start—a light yet profoundly insightful touch—then perhaps Inward is the book for you. Some of the books I own have turned page corners as means for me to find my favourite passages. I've curled corners of almost every page of my copy of Inward. 

For anyone finally ready to heal, this book is a must-read.