3 Books That Found Me

Embracing the wisdom of others

Soul Wisdom is a weekly newsletter. Please feel free to share parts of this letter that connect with you, or send to someone you love. A special shout out to all the new subscribers who joined since the last newsletter. Thank you for valuing my work when there are so many things that can take your attention online. I appreciate you. It means everything. 🖤

Looking back at the last decade I noticed certain wisdom found me through books to help me navigate my journey and profoundly shaped my perspective on life.

These are books that I keep revisiting because each time I read them, the person who is reading is different, therefore, I learn something new.

After reading lots of books over the years I’ve come to appreciate reading a few books many times instead of reading many books just once.

So here are the 3 that have been life changing for me:

The Alchemist

Written by Paulo Coelho

“The darkest hour of the night comes just before the dawn” - Paulo Coelho

This book found me in 2013 around the time of my first spiritual awakening.

It was the first time I was introduced to the idea of destiny. That there was something out there that was meant for me - a path I was meant to walk.

The Alchemist is the story of a shepherd boy called Santiago who has a dream about the Pyramids of Egypt and sets off on a journey to find the treasure that awaits him there. He receives wisdom from various people along the way.

The reason this spoke to me so much is because my identity was beginning to fall away.

Everything I believed about myself and the world around me was thrown into question.

Overnight, I became extremely sick.

I had eczema and hives all over my body. I was literally and metaphorically shedding my skin to become a new person.

I was in my final year of university studying Law and I began sensing that it wasn’t going to be the career path I’d follow for the rest of my life.

In the book Santiago is given black and white stones called Urim and Thummim to help him make decisions along his way.

Fun fact: these stones appear in one of my favourite tv shows, Lost.

Urim and Thummim found in the pocket of a dead corpse in a cave on the island, S1E6

I later realised that the concept of setting off on your own journey is actually called The Heroes Journey. Joseph Campbell was famous for writing and lecturing about this topic.

We all get a call to adventure, a calling from life itself, to follow a new path and it is up to us to answer it. I believe if we don’t, we are leaving an exciting life filled with passion, purpose, and fulfilment on the table.

3 lessons I learnt from The Alchemist:

• It’s important to go on the journey you feel called to, not for the destination, but because of who you become along the way.

• The Universe is always guiding us if we decide to see everything as a sign divinely placed there for us.

• Your persistence and courage will be tested along the way. You will be invited to lean in to new versions of yourself as you walk the path you intuitively feel is right for you.

Although I like audiobooks there is something sacred about holding this particular book in your hand and reading it.

You can buy a copy of the book here

Autobiography of A Yogi

Written by Paramahansa Yogananda

“Stillness is the altar of Spirit” - Paramahansa Yogananda

I believe books come into our life for a reason. This one found me at a very critical time in my life when I was going through another spiritual awakening in 2019.

Up to that point I’d been deeply interested in personal development, lots of mindset stuff. But in 2019 I was plunged even deeper into exploring the emotional and spiritual aspects of life.

Most of humanity live their lives above the shoulders, in their head. But there is wisdom inside of us from head to toe. It’s important to take the time to reconnect to our whole selves, not rely solely on the mind to all of our decisions.

In fact, it’s detrimental if we do.

We risk living lives that are emotionally and spiritually malnourished.

This book is a true story of a soul who felt called to return to the Himalayas to become a monk once again. His rediscovery and remembrance of his truth took him on a journey of deepening his connection to the divine.

He ultimately brought the teachings of Yoga to America and the masses in the West.

The depth of his devotion to the Divine sparked a new light within me.

3 lessons I learnt from Autobiography of A Yogi:

• Follow that which is deeply calling to you, you will be supported by unseen energy along the way.

• Intention is a powerful tool when directed towards a particular outcome.

• The journey of self realisation is the highest form of service you can do for yourself and the world. The quest of finding out who you really are helps you become a better human being. You show up with more compassion, kindness, and empathy - qualities needed for a united and harmonious world.

You can buy a copy of the book here

The Surrender Experiment

Written by Michael Singer

“Was it possible that life had more to give us than we could ever take for ourselves?” - Michael Singer

I listened to this one on Audible and I remember being absolutely hooked, I could not stop listening. It was as if Michael himself was holding my hand and guiding me through his journey.

No surprise that this book found me immediately after the previous one because in this book Michael receives a copy of Autobiography Of A Yogi and is profoundly changed by it.

The book explores the concept of letting go of control in our lives and leaning into the natural current of life. Realising that there is a divine intelligence guiding each of us - the same intelligence that creates a baby in the womb without us having to do anything.

This book particularly spoke to me because it was the first time I had read about someone who was deeply spiritual and had lots of financial/business success.

The more he let go and followed the direction life was taking him, instead of what he thought was best, the more adventurous, synchronistic, and expansive his life became.

3 lessons I learnt from The Surrender Experiment:

• Surrender isn’t a sign of weakness or giving up. It is being courageous enough to follow the invisible into the unknown over and over.

• Any goal that we create is set by our limited mind based on all the data points we have collected up to that point. So anything we dream up is within the realm of what we think is possible. What would be possible if we let all that go and opened ourself to the fullness of what life could provide?

• There is vast peace that is available to each of us right behind the chatter of the mind. Take the time to watch the mind and be amused by its ongoing movement. Don’t get attached to it. You are not the mind. You are the one watching/experiencing it.

You can buy a copy of the book here

Bonus: Love, Service, Devotion

Lecture by Ram Dass

“We are not alone my friend, not because there are so many others, but because there are none” - Ram Dass

I wanted to throw this one in because it is a lecture series I have learnt so much from. This also found me in 2019 when I was seeking for deeper connection and meaning in my life.

3 lessons I learnt from Love, Service, Devotion:

• Trust your intuition to guide your spiritual practises. There is no right or wrong way to be spiritual.

• Don’t take life so seriously. Watch it all pass by knowing that it will eventually all end.

• You can use tools to experience bliss like plant medicine, intense breath work etc but you will only experience it temporarily. Only unconditional love will keep you there permanently.

You can buy a the audiobook here

Journal Prompts

1. What book (fiction or non-fiction) have you enjoyed reading?

2. What was happening in your life at that time?

3. If you were to write a book, what would it be about?

1 thing I’m loving right now

Since November 2022 I stopped drinking all forms of caffeine because I’d become too sensitive for it. A single cup would give me inflammation and I would feel jittery and uneasy. I have since enjoyed drinking a variety of herbal tea. In particular I’ve enjoyed Nettle, Cats Claw, Pau D’Arco, Peppermint, and Thyme.

One love,

V

Want to work with me?

If you’re craving a safe space to explore your identity more deeply then find out more about working privately with me here

I regularly share short solo episodes and longer guest conversations on my podcast Soul Wisdom Stories. You can listen here