Our meditation expert’s top meditation books for beginners
Here in the Washington DC area, we’re feeling the first chilly mornings of the year, signaling that fall is around the corner. It's one of my favorite times of year because that means it’s time to break out the leather jackets, hoodies, and boots!
Explore top meditation books for beginners
It’s also a time of year when I love to read. It may come as no surprise that mindfulness and meditation are some of my favorite topics to read about (along with Batman graphic novels).
I’d like to share four books with you that have been both inspirational and helpful for my ongoing meditation journey.
The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh
This book is a miracle in itself. Written in simple, accessible language by the late meditation master Thich Nhat Hanh, The Miracle of Mindfulness offers a gentle entry point to anyone curious about practicing mindfulness in daily life. Through the use of anecdotes and practical advice, this book makes a powerful case for mindfulness as being both accessible and essential to a meaningful life.
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach
This modern classic, written by my friend and teacher, Tara Brach, offers readers a path to healing and self-acceptance through the practice of mindfulness. Radical Acceptance invites us to examine (with compassion) our tendency to be unkind to ourselves. Through this examination, we may discover that our ideas about ourselves are often inaccurate or even true. In this discovery, an opportunity to accept ourselves and life itself, with all its ups and downs, opens up. Radical indeed!
Love Your Amazing Self by Ofosu Jones-Quartey
Shameless! I know, don’t judge me, but I love this little book I wrote for children and families. Love Your Amazing Self is a book about self-compassion for kids (and anyone!), written in short verses encouraging readers to remember their goodness. There are also practical guides for practicing mindfulness between the book's sections. As a father of four and someone who works with young people often, I’ve seen firsthand how many of us develop a critical, unkind inner voice early in life. I wrote LYAS to encourage young people and grown-ups alike to love themselves for who they are and share that love with the world around them.
Be Here Now by Ram Das
In this spiritual masterpiece, Ram Das presents his list of book recommendations, prefaced with the adage “painted cakes do not satisfy hunger.“ This means that no matter how much we read about meditation, there’s no substitute for putting in the work. So let these books be companions and guides on your journey, but remember that there’s no substitute for making the gentle effort to be present and kind in each moment.
Another way you can support your personal mindfulness journey is by engaging with the many Plans, Singles, and Sleep Stories on the Balance app. I hope you enjoy any or all of the above recommendations, and I look forward to practicing with you on the app!
Much love and be well, my friend.
Peace,
Ofosu
