There may be times when you’re feeling lost or searching for guidance in certain areas of your life, and are in need of spiritual literature, especially when it comes to your physical, mental or spiritual wellbeing. Maybe you’ve been struggling with self-confidence, or perhaps you’re feeling disconnected from your intuition and sense of spirituality.
Books written by spiritual leaders, medical professionals and self-help experts can offer us help. Especially by guiding us through the steps needed to become happier, more successful, and at peace within ourselves.
Best wellbeing books at a glance:
• Best book for personal development: Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? by Dr. Julie Smith – View on Amazon
• Best book for the mind-body connection: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk – View on Amazon
• Best book for spiritual knowledge: Healing Is the New High by Vex King – View on Amazon
Along with mindfulness and yoga, reading wellbeing books can be a key part of the journey to self-improvement. So, to help inspire your spiritual journey, we’ve created a list of the best wellbeing books for healing and inner peace.
The best wellbeing books for adults in the UK
“In therapy, you learn about how your mind works and how to use that to your advantage. In this book, I want to share those insights with the world so that everyone can make use of them in everyday life.” – Dr Julie Smith
This Sunday Times bestseller was written by clinical psychologist Dr Julie Smith and provides insight into a healthy state of mind. It’s a good read that explores techniques commonly used in therapy sessions, encouraging personal growth and development.
“In order to change, people need to become aware of their sensations and the way that their bodies interact with the world around them. Physical self-awareness is the first step in releasing the tyranny of the past.” – Dr Bessel van der Kolk
From one of the world’s foremost experts on traumatic stress, this New York Times bestseller written by Dr Bessel van der Kolk aims to heal the mind, brain and body from trauma.
“I found that I could choose who I was, and most importantly, that who I was didn’t have to be changed by what other people thought of me.” – Vex King.
Self-help guru, mind coach and social media content creator, Vex King, shares his deep spiritual knowledge, walking you through yogic principles that help to resolve unresolved pain and trauma.
“When we tune out the opinions, expectations, and obligations of the world around us, we begin to hear ourselves.” - Jay Shetty
In this profound book, social media star and podcast host, Jay Shetty, shares the lessons he learned on his journey to practising as a monk. He draws on ancient wisdom to teach us how to lead a less stressful and more meaningful life by pushing through obstacles and overcoming negative thoughts and habits.
"Conception is undeniably a spiritual process. One of my patients described it as something that’s so much bigger than us, where we realize there is a flow of energies beyond our humanness waiting to be discovered and connecting us all with the Universe." -Dr Larisa Corda
If you are looking for a science-backed spiritually-driven guide to fertility, then The Conception Plan by Dr. Larisa Corda is a transformative book for anyone aspiring to conceive. Blending Western medicine with epigenetics and alternative therapies, this 12-week plan by a leading obstetrician and gynaecologist can help enhance your fertility holistically. It's an empowering read, offering insights into physical, emotional, and spiritual health for a successful journey to parenthood.
Available to pre-order now. This title will be released on December 28, 2023.
"Let’s turn the intuitive whispers up - you’ve got this and intuition has you!" - Emma Lucy Knowles
Emma Lucy, an expert in working with crystals and healing energy, has released a book to help your self-care journey. It's like having a life coach on your coffee table, a spiritual approach to finding who you are and your soul purpose. Whether you’re battling mental health concerns or want to achieve personal goals, Emma's approach to life will soon have you tuning into your instincts.
“The price for freedom may be high, but the price that we pay for being imprisoned and cut off from the very root of our being is even higher.” - Queen Afua
Through teachings rooted in ancient Egypt, Queen Afua takes us on a journey through healing and transformation. She teaches us what it takes to understand the essence of a woman, handing over sacred tools to rejuvenate spiritually and be in harmony with our world.
“I long to see men free themselves from emotional incarceration, to see their minds renewed, souls weaned, and relationships restored." – Jason Wilson
This spiritual book and life-changing memoir by Jason Wilson explores the journey to healing from the cultural dThis spiritual book and life-changing memoir by Jason Wilson explores the journey to healing from the cultural definition of ‘masculinity.’ As a leader of an esteemed youth organisation for young boys in Detroit, the author of this book opens the conversation around male mental health, and explores the idea of strength in expressing emotion.
“I realised that I could spend the rest of my life doubting myself, or I could make the brave decision to work through self-doubt and allow myself to be stretched in ways I had not been before.” – Morgan Harper Nichols
A beautiful poetry book from Morgan Harper Nichols which urges you to harness your power, restore your heart and heal your wounds. Speaking from the soul, this book of poetry is a love letter to the reader, reminding them of their strength.
“Lunar Living provides an understanding of emotional impulses, allows a time to be and a time to do and gives you back control of your life”- Kirsty Gallagher
Sometimes you may find yourself feeling overwhelmed and emotional for no obvious reason. But have you ever thought the answer to your feelings may be in the sky? Moon energy may not have crossed your mind before, but more awareness has been brought around the way this can affect your mood and overall feeling. Lunar Living provides a helpful and insightful guide to understanding moon cycles. The book explores how you can realign yourself and improve your life, including themes on sleep and relationships.
“You will never be able to escape from your heart. So it's better to listen to what it has to say.” - Paul Coelho
A novel that has enhanced the lives of millions, The Alchemist tells the story of a young shepherd from Andalusia who musters the courage to escape his humble life and follow his dreams. Throughout the story each obstacle faced by the young shepherd serves as an important lesson, with the underlying theme of overcoming fear and following your heart. Throughout, Coelho teaches us that failure is part of our journey, but the key to life is to never lose hope.
“Whatever happens around you, don't take it personally. Nothing other people do is because of you. It is because of themselves.” - Don Miguel Ruiz
Based on ancient Toltec wisdom, The Four Agreements encourages us to free ourselves from the self-limiting beliefs we make with the world, identifying them as the cause of needless harm and suffering. The author proposes four alternative beneficial agreements which readers can follow, take their destiny into their own hands, and lead a drastically happier life.
What are the benefits of reading wellbeing books?
Along with providing an alternative perspective, wellbeing books can give us insight into our behaviours or past experiences. They may also teach professional techniques so we can unlearn or heal from these unresolved issues.
Alternatively, they may be tools for self-improvement These books guide us so we make healthy changes to our lifestyles. Much like a wellbeing journal, self-help books may boost our confidence or motivation to achieve our personal goals.
A book may be a good idea to read before bed - so you can end the day on a positive note and start the following day with all the tools you’ve learned. Additionally, reading for just six minutes before bed has been proven to reduce stress by 68 per cent!
What types of books are there?
Generally, wellbeing books will come under the category of self-help or self-improvement, as their purpose is to help heal the mind, body and spirit.
Physical wellbeing: May include topics surrounding health, fitness, and exercise. These books often motivate the reader to make healthy changes to their lifestyles.
Mental wellbeing: Often, wellbeing books about the mind can include trained CBT techniques from professional psychologists used as coping strategies.
Emotional wellbeing: May include topics about managing, regulating or the healthy expression of your emotions. These books may encourage you to redirect those more challenging emotions into something more positive.
Spiritual wellbeing: These books may work towards spiritual awakening, potentially heightening psychic abilities such as intuition.
Samantha Price is a contributing Commercial Content Writer at Spirit & Destiny. She's currently part of the Fashion, & Beauty team, covering content on fashion, beauty and wellness.