For even more books to enhance your spiritual journey, go to the Retreats International reading list by clicking here.

Books for Your Spiritual Journey

Frederic & Mary Ann Brussat, Spiritual Literacy: Reading the Sacred in Everyday Life (Scribner) Spiritual wisdom from various traditions.

Maggie Callanan & Patricia Kelly, Final Gifts: Understanding the Special Awareness, Needs and Communications of the Dying, Bantam, 1993.

Steve Doughty, To Walk in Integrity: Spiritual Leadership in Times of Crisis, Upper Room, 2004. We live in a world filled with personal and public crises. This book uses stories and examples to provide a model for spiritual leadership amidst the struggles of daily life.

Laurence Freeman, OSB, Jesus: The Teacher Within, Continuum, 2001. Fr. Laurence is the Director of the World Community of Christian Meditation based in London, England. Jesus asked his disciples, "Who do you say that I am?" This book uses this question as a springboard into a marvelous exploration of topics ranging from the historical reality of Jesus, to forgiveness, friendship, relationship, and the Gospels, plus much more.

Michael Fonseca, Living in God's Embrace: The Practice of Spiritual Intimacy, Ave Maria Press, 2000. An experienced spiritual director, Fonseca offers insights from his years of working with those seeking an intimate relationship with God. An excellent choice for anyone considering entering into spiritual direction.

John Kirvan, There Is A God, There Is No God, Sorin Books, 2003. Kirvan writes for those who want to get beyond an ordinary good life. With great insight he goes to the essence of the spiritual journey-the darkness and uncertainty that one embraces after abandoning the clear and certain path.

Harold S. Kushner, How Good Do We Have to Be?: A New Understanding of Guilt and Forgiveness (Little, Brown & Company) A touching, sensitive book that suggests that rather than judging one another's flaws and imperfections that we reach out in love to bind wounds-as God does.

Drew Leder, Sparks of the Divine: Finding Inspiration in Our Everyday World, Sorin, 2004. This book is a collection of reflections, quotes and meditations from diverse religions, writers, and poets. The premise is that the world is filled with holy sparks shared by many traditions. Learning to be aware of these sparks in the world around us can rekindle our inner search for God.

Nancy Mairs, Ordinary Time: Cycles in Marriage, Faith and Renewal (Beacon Press) A wonderful chronicle about the author's spiritual journey.

Gerald G. May, The Dark Night of the Soul: A Psychiatrist Explores the Connection Between Darkness and Spiritual Growth, Harper San Francisco, 2004. Reviewing for America, Dr. W.W. Meissner, SJ called this book, "a succinct, literate, graceful exposition" of the spirituality of Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross, two legendary Christian mystics.

Harry R. Moody, The Five Stages of the Soul, Doubleday Anchor Books, 1997
Did you ever ask the question "Is this all there is to my life?" This book (now translated into seven languages worldwide) offers an answer. The book provides an overview of stages of spiritual growth--Call, Search, Struggle, Breakthrough and Return--revealed in art, psychology, comparative religion and autobiography. The book encourages self-exploration through fairy tales, dream analysis and journaling and explores research leading to a new conceptual framework for transpersonal gerontology. There are practical implications for work with congregations, psychotherapy and older adult education.

Robert Corin Morris, Wrestling with Grace: Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life (Upper Room Books). Spirituality & Health magazine named this one of the 50 best spiritual books of 2003. The book is filled with reminders that God's grace is everywhere and that we can open ourselves to being more receptive, and thus more aware. Morris coaxes us to be less reactive, less ego-involved, and less inclined to devote precious energy to life's small irritations. He provides personal examples and suggests spiritual practices to help us shift from reactive to receptive.

James Nelson, Thirst: God and the Alcoholic Experience, Westminster, John Knox Press, 2004. Bill Wilson, the founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, thought that one of the effects of alcoholism is spiritual emptiness, and recovery is only possible through a spiritual awakening. James Nelson, a professor emeritus of a Lutheran seminary in the Twin Cities, and a recovering alcoholic, further explores this connection in this worthwhile book.

J. Phillip Newell, Celtic Benediction (Eerdmans) A beautiful collection of Celtic morning and night prayers. Great way to start and end the day.

Helen Prejean, SSJ, The Death of the Innocents: An Eyewitness Account of Wrongful Executions, Random House, 2004. In her award-winning book, "Dead Man Walking" Sr. Helen told the story of one inmate condemned to death, of the family of his victim and of his family. In her latest work, Sr. shares the stories of three men to whom she was a spiritual advisor. All three were put to death; all three were innocent of the crimes for which they were killed.

Ronald Rolheiser, The Restless Heart: Finding Our Spiritual Home in Times of Loneliness, Random House, 2004." Ronald Rolheiser examines the pain of loneliness and the meaning of our longing with compassionate precision. The book is not simply an exercise in personal spirituality but comes at a time when great social and political harm is done because many of us cannot endure and enjoy who we are in our loneliness. A much needed antidote to the uneasiness of the times." -Alan Jones, dean of Grace Cathedral, San Francisco, and author of Living the Truth and Seasons of Grace.

Ronald Rolheiser, Holy Longing: The Search for a Christian Spirituality (Doubleday) A powerful book for those searching to understand and live a Christian spirituality. Filled with personal examples.

Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi and Ronald S. Miller, From Age-ing to Sage-ing: A Profound New Vision of Growing Older, the foundation work for our programs on aging and a wonderful road map for finding meaning and purpose in the later years of life,Warner Books. 1995.