Mind, Body & Spirit

Beloved body-positive yogi Jessamyn Stanley speaks on the everyday trials of self-love and spiritual upkeep in Yoke, her follow-up to Every Body Yoga, which gained her a huge Internet following of those who resonate with her wellness-based practice. In this collection of uplifting, honest, wise, and often funny essays, Stanley navigates the spiritual, sexual, and racial intersections of her yoga-filled life. — Juj

A monk leaves behind a life of privilege and adoration in order to abandon the self. In elegant prose, he details his new life as an ascetic and the humbling lessons he learns as he goes from having it all to having absolutely nothing. This book will change the way you see the world and challenge the myriad false ways by which you define yourself. Readers need not be Buddhists to fall in love with this book. — Jason

Indigenous knowledge only recently started being recognized in mainstream Western civilization for its overlooked relevance. However, selectively exploiting information without understanding and honoring the source is just another continuation of colonialism. Instead, drawing upon yarns with Indigenous individuals around the globe and framed by his identity as a member of Northern Australia's Apalech Clan, Tyson Yunkaporta challenges his audience to experience a journey through an entirely different kind of thinking, certain to bend your mind, with hope to change the world. — Jocelyn

If Glennon Doyle, Anne Lamott, and Brené Brown were somehow to produce a love child, Ruthie Lindsey would be it. At 17 in her small Louisiana hometown, she was in a car accident that left her with a 5 percent chance of survival and a 1 percent chance of walking again. Yet, miraculously, after only two months and a spinal fusion surgery, she walked out of the hospital, went to college, and put the incident mostly behind her. But years later, she was struck by debilitating pain. One of the wires used for her original surgery had broken free and was now penetrating the base of her brain stem. Without another emergency surgery, any move could be her last. With honesty, buoyancy, self-deprecation, Southern wit and intelligence, Lindsey examines not “just…the magic of optimism, but the work of it.” — S.M.C.

Although two thirds of US Buddhists identify as Asian American, mainstream outlets often fail to show the diverse and inclusive community at the center of American Buddhism. In Be the Refuge, Buddhist chaplain Chenxing Han shares academic excerpts and interviews from own voices—all engaging in difficult conversations about race and religion—illuminating the perspective of an important and underrepresented community. — Jason

While she usually writes fiction, Samantha Harvey’s latest work subverts genre. After a series of emotional trauma in quick succession leads her to insomnia, Harvey struggles to continue on with business as usual. The book is a memoir at its core, but it’s composed of stream-of-consciousness thoughts, letters, conversations, and late-night revelations. Much like the mind of a sleep-deprived person, the narrative is somewhat disjointed and doesn’t always make perfect sense. Harvey provides an intriguing examination of the fragility of the mind and an acknowledgement that most of us truly have very little control over our own consciousness. — Jade

This book is an advanced dive into the intersections of astrology, race, and capital in the West. In an academic tone, author Alice Sparkly Kat deconstructs modern notions of planetary rulership as informed by Western mythologies, encouraging practitioners to move toward an intuitive, humanitarian-based methodology. In doing so, Sparkly Kat believes, astrology can become a healing tool in our communities. A manifesto for those dedicated to both astrology and antiracism. — Juj

Bolz-Weber is anything but conventional. A sober alcoholic Lutheran priest, she founded House For All Sinners & Saints, an LGBT- affirming church that sees everyone as human and deserving of compassion. This updated version of Pastrix, with added content, is a funny and emotional story of her journey. This is for everyone; Bolz-Weber digs down deep to find the importance of community, even with those who may look or live differently from you. — MJ

Gosden’s fascination with identity and how it has informed humans throughout time shines through in this new book on the history of magic in human society. Drawing on many examples of its cultural significance, Gosden shows just how big a role magic has played in the development of societies all over the world. Whether he is talking about horoscopes or tattoos, his voice makes a fun read for anyone, from history buffs to the casual reader.  — MJ

There is a healthy way to be angry at Trump and white supremacy. In this profound and helpful book, a queer Black Buddhist teacher wrestles with his own rage. He teaches us how spiritual practice and vigilant activism can be interwoven. He does not teach us to bypass anger, but instead to use it as a tool. This is the book on social justice and mindfulness we have been waiting for. I cannot recommend it highly enough. — Jason