Best Spiritual Books of 2003
The Spirituality & Health Awards
Selected by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
We are pleased to announce our choices of the 50 books that have most impressed and inspired us in 2003. We have made this selection from the more than 350 books reviewed during the year on this web site. Choosing only 50 was actually more difficult than it might seem since we have already made one selection by picking the book for a review from all those we read. As you have probably noticed, we only do positive commentaries on books.
This year's bests are an eclectic mix — as you can see from scanning the list; we have organized them by a major theme or spiritual practice covered in the book. Through diverse approaches, drawing upon the wisdom and practices of the world's religions, these titles explore the quest for meaning and purpose, wholeness and healing, commitment and community, contemplation and social activism.
We congratulate the authors and publishers of these exceptional contributions to today's spiritual renaissance.
ANIMALS
Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken's Soul by Judy Carman (Lantern Books, paperback) contains prayers, affirmations, and ethical activities for animal lovers.
ART
Meinrad Craighead: Crow Mother and The Dog God: A Retrospective by Meinrad Craighead (Pomegranate, hardcover) contains over 250 reproductions of the paintings of this visionary artist, along with a generous selection of her writings on sacred stories, dreams, pilgrimages, and the Great Mother.
ATTENTION
Attention Shoppers! Attention Shoppers! The Woman's Guide to Enlightenment Through Shopping by Eve Eliot (Health Communications, paperback) turns shopping into an opportunity to nurture one's true self, to make important choices, to deepen self-awareness, and to bring about the spiritual process of transformation.
BEAUTY
Living the Japanese Arts & Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty by H. E. Davey (Stone Bridge Press, paperback) presents an impressive overview of the principles and practices behind bonsai, tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arrangement, and much more.
BOWING
The Sacred Art of Bowing: Preparing to Practice by Andi Young (Skylight Paths, paperback) presents this sacred art in many different religious traditions.
BUDDHISM
Taking Our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up by Norman Fischer (HarperSanFrancisco, hardcover) presents an accessible and profound overview of the essentials of spiritual maturity that enables us to grow naturally into our true selves.
CHILDREN
Adam & Eve's First Sunset: God's New Day by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Jewish Lights, hardcover) is a children's book that inspires us to live by the lights of faith and hope whenever fear and anxiety grab us by the throat.
CHRISTIANITY
The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus J. Borg (HarperSanFrancisco, hardcover) is a bellwether work that sets out in cogent, compassionate, and imaginative terms the direction of the Christian way in difficult times.
CONSCIOUS AGING
Crones Don't Whine: Concentrated Wisdom for Juicy Women by Jean Shinoda Bolen (Conari Press, hardcover) is an enlightening and winning little volume.
CREATIVITY
Fingerpainting on the Moon: Writing and Creativity as a Path to Freedom by Peter Levitt (Harmony Books, hardcover) is an innovative resource for anyone who yearns for some fresh sources of inspiration and encouragement.
DEVOTION
Divinity in Disguise: Nested Meditations to Delight the Mind and Awaken the Soul by Kevin Anderson (Center for Life Balance, hardcover) presents some playful meaning-makers and superb examples of everyday spirituality.
FASTING
The Fasting Path: The Way to Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional Enlightenment by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Avery, hardcover) is a rounded and fascinating look at a spiritual practice that is rarely discussed in contemporary circles.
GRACE
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of The Twenty-third Psalm by Harold S. Kushner (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a devotional work that will bring comfort to those who are grieving and peace to those caught in a vise of fear.
GRACE
Wrestling with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life by Robert Corin Morris (Upper Room Books, paperback) presents many concrete practices that can deepen and enrich your experiences of the presence of God.
HEART
The Wisdom Way of Knowing: Reclaiming an Ancient Tradition to Awaken the Heart by Cynthia Bourgeault (Jossey-Bass, hardcover) is a bold and visionary work about practices preserved in mystical and esoteric circles.
HOPE
Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx by Heidi B. Neumark (Beacon Press, hardcover) reveals the faith, stamina, and patience needed to work for change in a community known for its violence, drugs, and unemployment.
HOSPITALITY
Beside Still Waters: Jews, Christians and the Way of the Buddha, edited by Harold Kasimow, John P. Keenan, and Linda Klepinger Keenan (Wisdom Publications, paperback), is a watershed work in the increasingly important new field of multifaith studies.
IMAGINATION
The Genesis Meditations: A Shared Practice of Peace for Christians, Jews and Muslims by Neil Douglas-Klotz (Quest Books, hardcover) describes the creation story as a meeting place for three religions and offers practices for personal meditations on its many meanings.
ISLAM
Islam Is . . . An Experience of Dialogue and Devotion by Mary Margaret Funk (Lantern Books, paperback) is a salutary and illuminating work of interfaith wisdom by a Benedictine nun.
JESUS
A Place at the Table A Journey to Rediscover the Real Jesus with the Guidance of Various Teachers from Billy Graham to Deepak Chopra by William Elliott (Doubleday, hardcover) contains 27 diverse interviews with scholars, mystics, and evangelists that add meaning to the author's personal quest.
JUSTICE
What Jesus Meant: The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life by Erik Kolbell (Westminster John Knox, hardcover) hits the mark with its inspired interpretation of the eight pillars of the Christian path and its high regard for the spiritual practice of justice.
MEANING
The Way Things Are: Conversations with Huston Smith on the Spiritual Life edited and with a preface by Phil Cousineau (University of California Press, hardcover) sparkles with philosophical insights, cross-cultural epiphanies, religious truths, memorable stories, and a wonderful batch of juicy quotations about the human adventure.
MEMOIR
My God and I: A Spiritual Memoir by Lewis B. Smedes (William B. Eerdmans, hardcover) provides a captivating series of snapshots from the life and ministry of this unconventional teacher, preacher, and writer in the Christian Reformed tradition.
MYSTERY
Abandon: A Romance by Pico Iyer (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a marvelously inventive novel about the spiritual transformation of an Englishman studying Sufism who falls in love and opens up to the bounties of mystery and surrender.
NATIVE AMERICAN
Honoring The Medicine: The Essential Guide to Native American Healing by Kenneth Cohen (One World/Ballantine, hardcover) reveals the breadth and depth of America's original holistic medicine.
NATURE
John Muir: America's Naturalist by Thomas Locker (Fulcrum Publishing, hardcover) vividly conveys this environmentalist's love of the wildness in wilderness.
NONVIOLENCE
Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace by John Dear (Ave Maria Press, paperback) presents a poignant revisioning of the mother of Jesus as a practitioner of nonviolence and peacemaking.
OPENNESS
Awake Mind, Open Heart: The Power of Courage and Dignity in Everyday Life by Cynthia Kneen (Marlowe & Company, paperback) presents an inspiring overview of the Shambhala warrior training developed by the Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditation master Chogyam Trungpa.
PATIENCE
The Power of Patience: How to Slow the Rush and Enjoy More Happiness, Success, and Peace of Mind Every Day by M. J. Ryan (Broadway Books, hardcover) is a gem from a longtime practitioner of everyday spirituality.
PEACE
Creating True Peace: Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World by Thich Nhat Hanh (Free Press, hardcover) is a watershed work filled with everyday practices to prevent war in our personal and public lives.
PEACE
The Fifth Book of Peace by Maxine Hong Kingston (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a blend of fiction and memoir exploring the meaning and value of pacifying the world through creative writing, play, dreams, questing, and nonviolent protest.
QUESTING
Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Elaine Pagels (Random House, hardcover) explains some of the reasons why it is difficult for many Christians to embrace pluralism or to accept the diversity of belief in the early church.
QUESTING
Seeking Enlightenment…Hat by Hat: A Skeptic's Path to Religion by Nevada Barr (G.P. Putnam's Sons, hardcover) is a spunky spiritual memoir about a mystery writer's quest for God and community.
READING
Walking a Literary Labyrinth: A Spirituality of Reading by Nancy M. Malone (Riverhead, hardcover) recommends that we make better use of books as meditative tools in our search for wholeness.
REVERENCE
Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank by Robert W. Fuller (New Society Publishers, hardcover) is a watershed work calling for a dignitarian movement based on reverence for the personhood of all people.
RUNNING
Running The Spiritual Path: A Runner's Guide to Breathing, Meditating, and Exploring the Prayerful Dimension of the Sport by Roger D. Joslin (St. Martin's Press, hardcover) contains many practices that can enrich your communion with God and open your heart while you are exercising.
SAINTS
The Saints Guide to Happiness: Everyday Wisdom from the Lives of the Saints by Robert Ellsberg (North Point Press, hardcover) contains insights into living out of the deepest part of ourselves.
SERVICE
Knitting Into the Mystery: A Guide to Shawl-Knitting Ministry by Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. Izard (Morehouse, hardcover) demonstrates the soul-making capacity of this service of nurturing.
SHADOW
Healing Through the Dark Emotions: The Wisdom of Grief, Fear, and Despair by Miriam Greenspan (Shambhala, hardcover) shows how troubling emotions can be seedbeds for gratitude, faith, and joy when properly nourished.
SPIRITUALITY
The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, hardcover) summarizes the key people, practices, and ideas of the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions.
SOUL
The Power of Soul: Living the Twelve Virtues by Robert Sardello (Hampton Roads, paperback) challenges us to begin the work of inner transformation and to bring peace and healing to a suffering world.
SUFISM
In Search of the Hidden Treasure: A Conference of Sufis by Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, hardcover) is a soul-stirring gathering of Sufi wisdom for the ages.
TAI CHI
Return to Stillness: Twenty Years with a Tai Chi Master by Trevor Carolan (Marlowe & Company, paperback) pays tribute to this Indian meditation master whose peaceful presence was one of her many spiritual gifts.
TIME
Sacred Time and the Search for Meaning by Gary Eberle (Shambhala, paperback) is a philosophically rich work that reveals many avenues into finding a balance in your life between the temporal and the eternal.
TRANSFORMATION
It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys: The Seven Step Path To Becoming Truly Organized by Marilyn Paul (Viking Compass, hardcover) is a superb resource with some sane spiritual perspectives.
UNITY
Rumi — Gazing at the Beloved: The Radical Practice of Beholding the Divine by Will Johnson (Inner Traditions, hardcover) presents an overview of this pathway to ecstatic union with the Divine.
VISION
Spiritual Perspectives on America's Role as Superpower by the Editors of Skylight Paths (Skylight Paths, paperback) presents 16 essays by religious and spiritual teachers on what role the United States should play in the world.
WISDOM
Passionate Presence: Experiencing the Seven Qualities of Awakened Awareness by Catherine Ingram (Gotham Books, hardcover) advises us to follow our innate wisdom as it unspools in our actions.
WONDER
The Path: A One-Mile Walk Through the Universe by Chet Raymo (Walker & Company, hardcover) will induce you to cherish the wonders in the place where you live.
YOU
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach (Bantam Books, hardcover) contains a lively and diverse compendium of spiritual practices to tap into our innate goodness and to draw it out.
Selected by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
We are pleased to announce our choices of the 50 books that have most impressed and inspired us in 2003. We have made this selection from the more than 350 books reviewed during the year on this web site. Choosing only 50 was actually more difficult than it might seem since we have already made one selection by picking the book for a review from all those we read. As you have probably noticed, we only do positive commentaries on books.
This year's bests are an eclectic mix — as you can see from scanning the list; we have organized them by a major theme or spiritual practice covered in the book. Through diverse approaches, drawing upon the wisdom and practices of the world's religions, these titles explore the quest for meaning and purpose, wholeness and healing, commitment and community, contemplation and social activism.
We congratulate the authors and publishers of these exceptional contributions to today's spiritual renaissance.
ANIMALS
Peace to All Beings: Veggie Soup for the Chicken's Soul by Judy Carman (Lantern Books, paperback) contains prayers, affirmations, and ethical activities for animal lovers.
ART
Meinrad Craighead: Crow Mother and The Dog God: A Retrospective by Meinrad Craighead (Pomegranate, hardcover) contains over 250 reproductions of the paintings of this visionary artist, along with a generous selection of her writings on sacred stories, dreams, pilgrimages, and the Great Mother.
ATTENTION
Attention Shoppers! Attention Shoppers! The Woman's Guide to Enlightenment Through Shopping by Eve Eliot (Health Communications, paperback) turns shopping into an opportunity to nurture one's true self, to make important choices, to deepen self-awareness, and to bring about the spiritual process of transformation.
BEAUTY
Living the Japanese Arts & Ways: 45 Paths to Meditation & Beauty by H. E. Davey (Stone Bridge Press, paperback) presents an impressive overview of the principles and practices behind bonsai, tea ceremony, calligraphy, flower arrangement, and much more.
BOWING
The Sacred Art of Bowing: Preparing to Practice by Andi Young (Skylight Paths, paperback) presents this sacred art in many different religious traditions.
BUDDHISM
Taking Our Places: The Buddhist Path to Truly Growing Up by Norman Fischer (HarperSanFrancisco, hardcover) presents an accessible and profound overview of the essentials of spiritual maturity that enables us to grow naturally into our true selves.
CHILDREN
Adam & Eve's First Sunset: God's New Day by Sandy Eisenberg Sasso (Jewish Lights, hardcover) is a children's book that inspires us to live by the lights of faith and hope whenever fear and anxiety grab us by the throat.
CHRISTIANITY
The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a Life of Faith by Marcus J. Borg (HarperSanFrancisco, hardcover) is a bellwether work that sets out in cogent, compassionate, and imaginative terms the direction of the Christian way in difficult times.
CONSCIOUS AGING
Crones Don't Whine: Concentrated Wisdom for Juicy Women by Jean Shinoda Bolen (Conari Press, hardcover) is an enlightening and winning little volume.
CREATIVITY
Fingerpainting on the Moon: Writing and Creativity as a Path to Freedom by Peter Levitt (Harmony Books, hardcover) is an innovative resource for anyone who yearns for some fresh sources of inspiration and encouragement.
DEVOTION
Divinity in Disguise: Nested Meditations to Delight the Mind and Awaken the Soul by Kevin Anderson (Center for Life Balance, hardcover) presents some playful meaning-makers and superb examples of everyday spirituality.
FASTING
The Fasting Path: The Way to Spiritual, Physical, and Emotional Enlightenment by Stephen Harrod Buhner (Avery, hardcover) is a rounded and fascinating look at a spiritual practice that is rarely discussed in contemporary circles.
GRACE
The Lord Is My Shepherd: Healing Wisdom of The Twenty-third Psalm by Harold S. Kushner (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a devotional work that will bring comfort to those who are grieving and peace to those caught in a vise of fear.
GRACE
Wrestling with Grace: A Spirituality for the Rough Edges of Daily Life by Robert Corin Morris (Upper Room Books, paperback) presents many concrete practices that can deepen and enrich your experiences of the presence of God.
HEART
The Wisdom Way of Knowing: Reclaiming an Ancient Tradition to Awaken the Heart by Cynthia Bourgeault (Jossey-Bass, hardcover) is a bold and visionary work about practices preserved in mystical and esoteric circles.
HOPE
Breathing Space: A Spiritual Journey in the South Bronx by Heidi B. Neumark (Beacon Press, hardcover) reveals the faith, stamina, and patience needed to work for change in a community known for its violence, drugs, and unemployment.
HOSPITALITY
Beside Still Waters: Jews, Christians and the Way of the Buddha, edited by Harold Kasimow, John P. Keenan, and Linda Klepinger Keenan (Wisdom Publications, paperback), is a watershed work in the increasingly important new field of multifaith studies.
IMAGINATION
The Genesis Meditations: A Shared Practice of Peace for Christians, Jews and Muslims by Neil Douglas-Klotz (Quest Books, hardcover) describes the creation story as a meeting place for three religions and offers practices for personal meditations on its many meanings.
ISLAM
Islam Is . . . An Experience of Dialogue and Devotion by Mary Margaret Funk (Lantern Books, paperback) is a salutary and illuminating work of interfaith wisdom by a Benedictine nun.
JESUS
A Place at the Table A Journey to Rediscover the Real Jesus with the Guidance of Various Teachers from Billy Graham to Deepak Chopra by William Elliott (Doubleday, hardcover) contains 27 diverse interviews with scholars, mystics, and evangelists that add meaning to the author's personal quest.
JUSTICE
What Jesus Meant: The Beatitudes and a Meaningful Life by Erik Kolbell (Westminster John Knox, hardcover) hits the mark with its inspired interpretation of the eight pillars of the Christian path and its high regard for the spiritual practice of justice.
MEANING
The Way Things Are: Conversations with Huston Smith on the Spiritual Life edited and with a preface by Phil Cousineau (University of California Press, hardcover) sparkles with philosophical insights, cross-cultural epiphanies, religious truths, memorable stories, and a wonderful batch of juicy quotations about the human adventure.
MEMOIR
My God and I: A Spiritual Memoir by Lewis B. Smedes (William B. Eerdmans, hardcover) provides a captivating series of snapshots from the life and ministry of this unconventional teacher, preacher, and writer in the Christian Reformed tradition.
MYSTERY
Abandon: A Romance by Pico Iyer (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a marvelously inventive novel about the spiritual transformation of an Englishman studying Sufism who falls in love and opens up to the bounties of mystery and surrender.
NATIVE AMERICAN
Honoring The Medicine: The Essential Guide to Native American Healing by Kenneth Cohen (One World/Ballantine, hardcover) reveals the breadth and depth of America's original holistic medicine.
NATURE
John Muir: America's Naturalist by Thomas Locker (Fulcrum Publishing, hardcover) vividly conveys this environmentalist's love of the wildness in wilderness.
NONVIOLENCE
Mary of Nazareth, Prophet of Peace by John Dear (Ave Maria Press, paperback) presents a poignant revisioning of the mother of Jesus as a practitioner of nonviolence and peacemaking.
OPENNESS
Awake Mind, Open Heart: The Power of Courage and Dignity in Everyday Life by Cynthia Kneen (Marlowe & Company, paperback) presents an inspiring overview of the Shambhala warrior training developed by the Tibetan Buddhist scholar and meditation master Chogyam Trungpa.
PATIENCE
The Power of Patience: How to Slow the Rush and Enjoy More Happiness, Success, and Peace of Mind Every Day by M. J. Ryan (Broadway Books, hardcover) is a gem from a longtime practitioner of everyday spirituality.
PEACE
Creating True Peace: Ending Violence in Yourself, Your Family, Your Community, and the World by Thich Nhat Hanh (Free Press, hardcover) is a watershed work filled with everyday practices to prevent war in our personal and public lives.
PEACE
The Fifth Book of Peace by Maxine Hong Kingston (Alfred A. Knopf, hardcover) is a blend of fiction and memoir exploring the meaning and value of pacifying the world through creative writing, play, dreams, questing, and nonviolent protest.
QUESTING
Beyond Belief: The Secret Gospel of Thomas by Elaine Pagels (Random House, hardcover) explains some of the reasons why it is difficult for many Christians to embrace pluralism or to accept the diversity of belief in the early church.
QUESTING
Seeking Enlightenment…Hat by Hat: A Skeptic's Path to Religion by Nevada Barr (G.P. Putnam's Sons, hardcover) is a spunky spiritual memoir about a mystery writer's quest for God and community.
READING
Walking a Literary Labyrinth: A Spirituality of Reading by Nancy M. Malone (Riverhead, hardcover) recommends that we make better use of books as meditative tools in our search for wholeness.
REVERENCE
Somebodies and Nobodies: Overcoming the Abuse of Rank by Robert W. Fuller (New Society Publishers, hardcover) is a watershed work calling for a dignitarian movement based on reverence for the personhood of all people.
RUNNING
Running The Spiritual Path: A Runner's Guide to Breathing, Meditating, and Exploring the Prayerful Dimension of the Sport by Roger D. Joslin (St. Martin's Press, hardcover) contains many practices that can enrich your communion with God and open your heart while you are exercising.
SAINTS
The Saints Guide to Happiness: Everyday Wisdom from the Lives of the Saints by Robert Ellsberg (North Point Press, hardcover) contains insights into living out of the deepest part of ourselves.
SERVICE
Knitting Into the Mystery: A Guide to Shawl-Knitting Ministry by Susan S. Jorgensen and Susan S. Izard (Morehouse, hardcover) demonstrates the soul-making capacity of this service of nurturing.
SHADOW
Healing Through the Dark Emotions: The Wisdom of Grief, Fear, and Despair by Miriam Greenspan (Shambhala, hardcover) shows how troubling emotions can be seedbeds for gratitude, faith, and joy when properly nourished.
SPIRITUALITY
The Upper Room Dictionary of Christian Spiritual Formation edited by Keith Beasley-Topliffe (Upper Room Books, hardcover) summarizes the key people, practices, and ideas of the Protestant, Catholic, and Orthodox traditions.
SOUL
The Power of Soul: Living the Twelve Virtues by Robert Sardello (Hampton Roads, paperback) challenges us to begin the work of inner transformation and to bring peace and healing to a suffering world.
SUFISM
In Search of the Hidden Treasure: A Conference of Sufis by Pir Vilayat Inayat Khan (Jeremy P. Tarcher/Putnam, hardcover) is a soul-stirring gathering of Sufi wisdom for the ages.
TAI CHI
Return to Stillness: Twenty Years with a Tai Chi Master by Trevor Carolan (Marlowe & Company, paperback) pays tribute to this Indian meditation master whose peaceful presence was one of her many spiritual gifts.
TIME
Sacred Time and the Search for Meaning by Gary Eberle (Shambhala, paperback) is a philosophically rich work that reveals many avenues into finding a balance in your life between the temporal and the eternal.
TRANSFORMATION
It's Hard to Make a Difference When You Can't Find Your Keys: The Seven Step Path To Becoming Truly Organized by Marilyn Paul (Viking Compass, hardcover) is a superb resource with some sane spiritual perspectives.
UNITY
Rumi — Gazing at the Beloved: The Radical Practice of Beholding the Divine by Will Johnson (Inner Traditions, hardcover) presents an overview of this pathway to ecstatic union with the Divine.
VISION
Spiritual Perspectives on America's Role as Superpower by the Editors of Skylight Paths (Skylight Paths, paperback) presents 16 essays by religious and spiritual teachers on what role the United States should play in the world.
WISDOM
Passionate Presence: Experiencing the Seven Qualities of Awakened Awareness by Catherine Ingram (Gotham Books, hardcover) advises us to follow our innate wisdom as it unspools in our actions.
WONDER
The Path: A One-Mile Walk Through the Universe by Chet Raymo (Walker & Company, hardcover) will induce you to cherish the wonders in the place where you live.
YOU
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life With the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach (Bantam Books, hardcover) contains a lively and diverse compendium of spiritual practices to tap into our innate goodness and to draw it out.
