There is so much literature available on topics such as self-help, healing and spiritual awakening, that it would take lifetimes to plough through them all and come up with the definitive list. Of the books chosen here, we have not necessarily agreed with every single word, but they have been seminal works in our own process of change, and this chapter may provide useful guidance for anyone feeling bewildered by the enormity of the choice of inspirational reading matter. Quantum Healing by Deepak Chopra Deepak Chopra was working as a consultant endocrinologist in a hospital in Boston when he began to question the connections between 'miracle' healing, conventional medicine and quantum physics. This book clearly describes his thought processes and the conclusions which have since led him to give up practising medicine and become a 'guru' of holistic practice. We cannot recommend this book highly enough, but there are some who will not find it an easy read. Perhaps those who require a more scientific, rational explanation of the connections between mind, body and spirit will be the most drawn to this book. Spiritual Healing In A Scientific Age by Robert Peel An uplifting book for anyone searching for more evidence for the power of the mind, but particularly those who are already in the grip of chronic or serious illness. Robert Peel is a follower of Christian Science but there is absolutely no need to be a Christian Scientist, or even a Christian to receive inspiration from the extraordinary testimonials of healing in this book. The Road Less Travelled by M Scott Peck This book has been a consistent bestseller since it was written nearly twenty years ago. Scott Peck was a practising consultant psychiatrist who, like Deepak Chopra, was drawn to take a broader, more spiritual, view of the human condition than was traditionally acceptable in medical circles. This book is for those who realise that their greatest need is to go within and gain greater understanding of the self. The "Road" of the title refers to the path of self-transformation and knowledge, and reading it can bring about profound changes in one's outlook on life. Dr Peck is particularly good on the subject of personal relationships. Voices In My Ear by Doris Stokes This will strike some as an odd choice of recommendation, especially after the above titles of earnest self-help. Why a book by a famous medium, the late Doris Stokes? Surprisingly perhaps, it is a profoundly healing and inspirational book. The convincingly simple truths contained in Doris Stokes's story can remove a person's fear of death. For those who are sceptical of the evidence of life after death, or the validity of spiritualism in general, it is an essential book and a delightfully entertaining read as well. Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan This may also seem to be a rather baffling recommendation – a book that proclaims itself to be a novel about one woman's journey through the Australian Outback with a tribe of Aboriginals. In fact it is not a novel, but a true story. In order to protect the identity of her aboriginal friends, the author is legally obliged to call her book a novel – whereas it is in reality a factual account of her experience. Marlo Morgan gives remarkable insights into the spiritual power of the native Australians and their understanding of the healing arts. She also reveals their profound knowledge of how to live in such complete harmony with nature that they can survive – and survive joyously – in an environment hostile enough to kill any one of us "civilised" humans (we are nicknamed "mutants" by the Aboriginals) within twenty-four hours. It is indeed a reminder of our own capabilities that are just waiting to be awakened. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield This one really is a novel – the only one in our list of eight. The Celestine Prophecy was the number one bestseller in 1995 in the USA. It is an adventure story, which makes it an entertaining, easy read, even for those who are not seeking deeper meaning from their reading matter. What makes it so different from the average adventure is that each chapter contains one of nine spiritual "Insights" from a fictional document called "The Manuscript". Through the eyes of the hero of the story we discover and learn the significance of each Insight, which teaches us of the deeper meanings of life and points to a new awakening within mankind in general. This book makes an excellent starting point for those who are just beginning on the path of looking for something more than the accepted daily realities of the material world. A Child Of Eternity by Kristi Jorde & Adriana Rocha Another remarkable true story. The authors are mother and daughter – the daughter, Adriana, is severely autistic and had never managed to speak or communicate properly. The book concerns the parents' discovery of a new method of communication for people suffering from autism – using a computer keyboard. Through this keyboard, Adri began to communicate with her mother in a wholly unexpected way – inside this apparently uncontrollably disabled little girl resides a wise and spiritually enlightened being who relates extraordinary information about the meaning of life, disability, reincarnation and the future of Earth itself. The Prophet by Kahlil Gibran "The Prophet" is a famous poem, but for those who do not know it already we wanted to say that we believe no home should be without a copy.