Yoga philosophy, the poetry of the mystics, an examination of oppression, a juicy novel… what’s on your bedside table right now?
Here are our top 5 current reads.
The Lost Flowers of Alice Hart – Holly Ringland
Set between sugar cane fields by the sea, a native Australian flower farm, and a celestial crater in the central desert, this debut novel explores how our untold stories haunt us – and the stories we tell ourselves in order to survive.
Love Poems From God – David Landinsky
This luminous collection brings together the timeless work of twelve of the world’s finest spiritual writers, six from the East and six from the West. Ecstatic love poems, loving observations of nature, freeing humour and sensual verse that synthesises Hindu, Muslim, and Christian beliefs.
Me and White Supremacy: How to Recognise Your Privilege, Combat Racism and Change the World – Layla Saad
An unflinching examining of the ways people with white privilege are complicit in upholding the oppressive system of white supremacy. A worldwide awakening to the harm inflicted on Black, Indigenous and People of Colour, and opportunity to take ownership of our personal anti-racism work.
Healing Mantras – Thomas Ashley-Farrand
Mantras, or simple chants, are short phrases packed with energy and intention – specifically designed to generate powerful sound waves that promote healing, insight, creativity, and spiritual growth. This book is a practical guide on how to use these sacred sounds, passed down from the sages of India, the classical scientists of ancient Greece, and the medieval monks of Europe, in everyday life.
The Bhagavad Gita – translated by Eknath Easwaran
The Bhagavad Gita opens dramatically on a battlefield, as the warrior Arjuna turns in anguish to his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, for answers to the fundamental questions of life. As Easwaran points out, “The battlefield is a perfect backdrop, but the Gita’s subject is the war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage” to live a life that is meaningful, fulfilling, and worthwhile. Love to know more about the origins of yoga and how to live the practice in today’s modern world? Join Rachael Coopes and Aimee Pedersen for Embodying Philosophy and Theming from 16 October 2020.