6 Books That Teach Some Of Life’s Lessons

Enlightenment / Photo by Stephen Chapman

One of the reasons I favour independent travel over travelling with a group, or as part of a pre-arranged tour is that personal and spiritual growth both have room to occur without conciously being sought. Having unstructured time on your hands affords you the freedom to move on a whim, to spare a thought for happiness and to philosophise about your life. Untying ourselves from the restraints of conventional routine that hold us prisoner to ourselves in our daily lives requires us to dig deep within ourselves for confidence and wisdom. Independent travel is an opportunity for growth and by its very nature feeds the soul with new experiences, new thoughts, and new attitudes that eat away at the tight grip we once thought we had on the world, expanding our understanding of existence.

This list may once have seemed like a bunch of new-age books of no practical use, substance or interest to you, but may in fact contain the inspiration necessary to awaken your soul and get you out into the world in a way you’ve been dreaming about for far too long. Allow these six books to connect with your inner self and add their messages to your curriculum of life’s lessons.

1. Jonathan Livingstone Seagul by Richard Bach – A story for people who follow their dreams and make their own rules. Through the metaphor of flight, Jonathan’s story shows us that if we follow our dreams we too can soar.
2. The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield – A story of adventure and discovery that draws on the ancient wisdom found in a Peruvian manuscript.
3. The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton – Stop asking where should we go? What should we see? and start asking yourself why do we travel and how can we become more fulfilled by doing so? These questions are addressed here with the help of a selection of writers, artists and thinkers.
4. Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho – An odyssey of self-discovery for a young Brazilian girl who ends up working as a prostitute in Geneva.  The book is a sensitive exploration of the sacred nature of sex and love and invites us to confront our own prejudices and demons.
5. Zen and The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenence by Robert M. Pirsig – Based on actual occurrences and celebrated internationally for its enlightening effect on the mind.  The author embarks on a 17-day motorcycle adventure across the U.S.A. with his son Chris exploring various elements of philosophy along the way.
6. Watching The Tree by Adeline Yen Mah – A personal interpretation of Chinese wisdom and beliefs that shows us how those in the west can benefit from the teachings of the east.