The 13 most influential books: Masterpieces that shaped my life.
Charan Singh “Ajpu’s” 13 most influential books
The fascination with books arose during many road trips.
Spanning nearly two decades playing music; I was always accompanied by a great book.
In the beginning, stories from journalists risking their lives filled my heart with courage. The truth-seekers led me down a rabbit hole digging deeper into the unknown.
The second wave of selected readings were educational books. My interests expanded from one topic to another. Absorbing everything like a sponge, I wanted to know the answers to the universe.
Gemology, numerology, astrology, reflexology, shamanism, dreaming, mythology, hypnotherapy, yoga, poetry, hidden knowledge, magic, divination, plant medicine, and ancient civilizations all keep me in a cosmic dance.
I can now jump into the sky with the constellations as my guide.
I was in my 20’s when venturing off into the vast sea of incredible writings. I considered attending medical school at the age of 19 while learning ayurvedic medicine.
Paperback and hardcover books are like vinyl records to me. I cherish my library, especially on rainy days.
Before yoga studio’s existed in my home town, I would invite a friend over to read the instructions of each yoga posture to me. What great memories of friends reading out loud about something we knew nothing about and trying to figure it out together.
Today, I continue to read books for many inquiries not available on the world wide web. I dream of accessing the lost Library of Alexandria. It’s quite possible the Akashic records could contain our forgotten history. The books I will share with you have had a great impact on my life. Some were gifted to me, others recommended, or obtained through the open channels of life.
Magic will be revealed, all that is required is the reader.
By purchasing any of these books via the links you are supporting my family, we thank you kindly. If none of these books tickle your fancy send me a message with some suggestions. These literary masterpieces contain a lot of power and wisdom. In the nearly 20 years into this journey; here are my top 13 most influential books.
May these books bring illumination to your life.
- 1) Shambhala: The Sacred Path of the Warrior
There is basic human wisdom that can help solve the world’s problems. It doesn’t belong to anyone's culture or region or religious tradition — though it can be found in many of them throughout history. It’s what Chögyam Trungpa called the sacred path of the warrior. The sacred warrior conquers the world not through violence or aggression, but gentleness, courage, and self-knowledge. The warrior discovers the basic goodness of human life and radiates that goodness out into the world for the peace and sanity of others. That’s what the Shambhala teachings are all about, and this is the book that has been presenting them to a wide and appreciative audience for more than twenty years.
Charan’s words: It’s the “feng shui” of prioritizing what’s most important in life. Your sacred temple reflects who you are. When connecting deeper to the sensitivity within the body, feelings arise, and one master’s one’s self abundance.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3q8VSOE
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2XGWX3T
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2Lk4svr
- 2) The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran’s masterpiece, The Prophet, is one of the most beloved classics of our time. Published in 1923, it has been translated into more than twenty languages, and the American editions alone have sold more than nine million copies.
The Prophet is a collection of poetic essays that are philosophical, spiritual, and, above all, inspirational. Gibran’s musings are divided into twenty-eight chapters covering such sprawling topics as love, marriage, children, giving, eating and drinking, work, joy and sorrow, housing, clothes, buying and selling, crime and punishment, laws, freedom, reason and passion, pain, self-knowledge, teaching, friendship, talking, time, good and evil, prayer, pleasure, beauty, religion, and death.
Charan’s words: This book will radically change your view of what options are available in your life. If you are a writer, a poet, a lyricist, a literature lover, the words are surreal. In 100 years from now, this book will be available to all neighboring life forms. It’s a myriad, a paradigm shift.
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/2LpCtdt
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3q90zbc
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2LIsFeH
- 3) The Wizard Within
Founder and director of the American Institute of hypnotherapy A.M Krasner Ph.D. write one of the most comprehensive books on clinical hypnotherapy. The phenomenon of hypnosis is mesmerizing. From clinical to self-hypnosis, this book will teach you how the conscious and subconscious mind works with induction techniques. The power of change is within you.
Charan’s words: 95% of your program is run by your subconscious mind. The 5 senses represent only 5%. Re-write your legacy. Hypnosis is still one of the most misunderstood forms of therapy and healing available. Hypnotherapy has helped many when other methods failed.
- 4) The Path of the Yoga Sutras
One of the great gifts of the yogic path is that it returns us to a life of simplicity, even as we go about our lives in a world of growing complexity. Through practice, we ultimately find the freedom to be who we really are, and allow others do the same.
This was Patañjali’s original intention when he penned his legendary sutras. But when a text is over 2,000 years old, important things can get lost in translation. For today’s yoga students looking to take their practice “off the mat and into the world,” Nicolai Bachman presents The Path of the Yoga Sutras.
By organizing the sutras into 51 core concepts that support the Western student in germinating and blossoming these potent “seed” teachings, Bachman has created a breakthrough tool for integrating yoga philosophy and practice, whatever your level of experience.
Charan’s words: This book is for anyone wishing to acquire the wisdom that is universal and serves all. Feel uplifted from each lesson or exercise presented. There are few books or courses available that have the answers in prestige order. If the laws of the universe can be read, they are found here.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/2XDtNmd
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3i7jCQt
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2XyKTlc
- 5) RitualCraft: Creating Rites for Transformation and Celebration
You can change yourself and your world with effective, focused rituals. This book by renowned Witches Amber K and Azrael Arynn K show you how to craft powerful and meaningful rituals for your life, your family, and your spiritual community.
The authors share their vast knowledge of ritual planning and performance, providing a framework for creating your own successful rituals. They illustrate the principles of ritual crafting with stories from their own experiences as they explore a variety of topics, including rites of passage, esbats and sabbats, seasonal celebrations, rites for personal transformation, and rituals done simply for the fun of it.
You’ll find information on all aspects of ritual including correspondences, timing, environment, attitude, music, meditation, altars, tools, costumes, and safety. This comprehensive book also offers worksheets, outlines, suggested themes, sample rituals, and a guide to teaching others.
Whether you’re a beginner or seasoned practitioner, this comprehensive guide will help you take your own Witchcraft to new levels of significance, celebration, and personal transformation.
Charan’s words: The passage of rite is an ancient practice. Upon reading the rite of passage I was inspired to travel to South America. There I was re-born upon the initiations, ceremonies, pilgrimages, and rituals. This book helped me formulate a path to enlightenment. If the wizards, warlocks, and witches have a library; this book is certainly accessible within reach.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3oAYdS1
Kindle: https://amzn.to/39vtXSe
- 6) The Egyptian Book of the Dead
The Egyptian Book of the Dead is an ancient collection of spells, prayers, and incantations designed to guide the departed through the perils of the underworld, ultimately ensuring eternal life. Written as part of funeral rites, these scrolls were often left in the sarcophagus of the deceased and now offer a fascinating insight into Egyptian culture.
This beautifully illustrated edition contains images from the exquisite Papyrus of Ani, an ancient Egyptian scroll narrating the journey of Theban scribe Ani through the underworld. Its accompanying hieroglyphic text has been translated by acclaimed Egyptologist E.A. Wallis Budge, and includes spells addressed to ferryman, gods, and kings to aid Ani on his way to the afterlife.
Charan’s words: To know death before death comes allows one to transcend. See the afterlife with a new vision. Moving and influential, this book is a masterpiece simply within the context of the Egyptian hieroglyphs. Monotheistic religion was birthed from the origins of Egypt; The first civilization documented to worship the sun. The hardcover link is a must for this book, it’s that precious.
Hardcover: https://amzn.to/3bth65F
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3qgiTPL
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2XCx2KI
- 7) Kabbalah Magic
Advancing to higher levels of ritual magic with purpose and power requires an exaltation of consciousness-a spiritual transformation that can serve as an antinode to the seeming banality of modern life.
Based on Kabbalistic techniques, the teachings of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and a Hermetic tradition spanning nearly two thousand years, this innovative new work introduces the history of the Golden Dawn and its mythology, the Tree of Life, Deities, demons, rules for practicing magic, and components of effective ritual.
A comprehensive course of self-initiation using Israel Regardie’s seminal Golden Dawn as a key reference point, Kabbalah, Magic and the Great Work of Self-Transformation guides you through the levels of the Golden Dawn system of ritual magic. Each grade in this system corresponds with a sphere in the Kabbalistic Tree of Life and includes daily rituals, required reading, written assignments, projects, and additional exercises.
Knowledgeable and true to tradition, author Lyam Thomas Christopher presents a well-grounded and modern step-by-step program toward spiritual attainment, providing a lucid gateway toward a more awakened state.
Charans words: The most comprehensive guide to the sorcery of Egyptian origin. Fascinating, enlightening. The Lesser Banishing Ritual description alone is worth the purchase of this book three times over.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3q8ZOyU
Kindle: https://amzn.to/2LLWZVs
- 8) Cave and Cosmos: Shamanic Encounters with Another Reality
The pioneering author of The Way of the Shaman continues his exploration of universal shamanism in this “wonderful, fascinating” guide (Carlos Castaneda)
Drawing from a lifetime of personal shamanic experiences and more than 2,500 reports of Westerners’ experiences during shamanic ascension, Harner highlights the striking similarities between their discoveries, indicating that the heavens and spirits they’ve encountered do indeed exist. He also provides instructions on his innovative core-shamanism techniques, so that readers too can ascend to heavenly realms, seek spirit teachers, and return later at will for additional healing and advice.
Written by the leading authority on shamanism, Cave and Cosmos is a must-read not only for those interested in shamanism, but also for those interested in spirituality, comparative religion, near-death experiences, healing, consciousness, anthropology, and the nature of reality.
Charan’s words: There are many methods to leave your body and travel through portals to otherworldly realms. This is the safest of those sacred methods available. It is also one that shows insight into the symbolism of petroglyphs. The medicine drum is understood profoundly within the context of Harner’s guide.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/38CyuTY
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3qfiMnv
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3sfMdI9
- 9) The Book of Destiny: Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Mayans and the Prophecy of 2012
“Face to face with the schism caused by rational and scientific thought, Carlos Barrios undertakes an authentic and passionate search, bringing us close to the Cosmovision of one of the most ancient and wise people of our continent.” Nobel Laureate Ernesto Sabato
James Redfield’s The Celestine Prophecy and the writings of Nostradamus meet Don Miguel Ruiz’s The Four Agreements and the work of Carolyn Myss (Anatomy of the Spirit, Sacred Contracts) in The Book of Destiny: Unlocking the Secrets of the Ancient Mayans and the Prophecy of 2012. A contemporary Mayan Priest and Shaman reveals the genius of the ancient Mayan calendar and its accompanying horoscope and examines in depth the ancient 2012 prophecy that many believe will forever change the world as we know it. The Book of Destiny is the most complete and authentic book on the secrets of the ancient Mayan culture and what it means for readers today.
Charan’s words: Carlos was a master teacher who ignited the sacred fire within many. I am an apprentice of his lineage of Mayan Priests. This is one of the most highly regarded books and practitioners of the Maya Cosmo-Vision. If you love gazing at the stars; this book is for you.
Paperback: https://amzn.to/3bx2lyR
Kindle: https://amzn.to/35AeEGG
- 10) The Heart of Tantric Sex: A Unique Guide to Love and Sexual Fulfillment
‘One of the most revolutionary books on sexuality ever written.’ Ruth Ostrow, Sex, Relationship and Spirituality journalist, News Ltd.
After many years of exploration, Diana Richardson found that the ancient practice of Tantra, with its unique, intelligent approach to sex, had the effect of enhancing intimacy and deepening love. Here she has adapted Tantra for modern Western lovers in a practical, sympathetic way. Tantric Sex can transform your experience into a more sensual, loving, and fulfilling one. First published in 2003, the bestselling Heart of Tantric Sex has become the standard in its field.
Charan’s words: We are born through sex. Tantra is the finest teachings available from India. The power of sexual energy can transform and awaken any individual. Some of the oldest civilizations say we are closest to God in the most sacred act. Awaken the fire within.
Book: https://amzn.to/3nxl1AY
Kindle: https://amzn.to/3oF40Gq
- 11) Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self
Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self is the account of an extraordinarily talented lucid dreamer who goes beyond the boundaries of both psychology and religion. In the process, he stumbles upon the Inner Self.
While lucid (consciously aware) in the dream state and able to act and interact with dream figures, objects, and settings, dream expert Robert Waggoner experienced something transformative and unexpected. He was able to interact consciously with the dream observer — the apparent Inner Self — within the dream. At first, this seemed shocking, even impossible, since psychology normally alludes to such theoretical inner aspects as the Subliminal Self, the Center, the Internal self-helper in vague and theoretical ways.
Waggoner proposes 5 stages of lucid dreaming and guides readers through them, offering advice for those who have never experienced the lucid dream state and suggestions for how experienced lucid dreamers can advance to a new level. Lucid Dreaming offers exciting insights and vivid illustrations that will intrigue not only avid dream workers but for anyone interested in consciousness, identity, and the definition of reality.
Charan’s words: If we pass a third of our life in sleep mode, why not enjoy it fully? Dreaming affects our life more than most comprehend. Entering the dreaming world as a student, one begins to open gateways that reflect in the waking state. What is not possible in the physical world is possible in the dream world.
Book: https://amzn.to/39oJ3ZL
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/2XCfgYd
Kindle: https://amzn.to/39sigMk
- 12) Coming to Light: Contemporary Translations of the Native Literatures of North America
A richly diverse anthology of Native American literature draws on the work of more than 200 tribes across the United States and Canada, providing information on the historical and cultural contexts of the stories, songs, prayers, and orations.
Charan’s words: It is of the great debate that philosophers claim mythology holds the greatest truth. Legends, tales, and folklore documented into the written word. Connect with the roots of your land. The stories will enchant all ears with marvels of this unbelievable world. This book is a large as the stories in it. Share it with your children, share it with your dreams.
Book: https://amzn.to/2K7F0Ze
Kindle: https://amzn.to/35ypY6v
- 13) The Teachings of Don Juan: A Yaqui Way Of Knowledge
The teachings of don Juan is the story of a remarkable journey: the first awesome steps on the road to becoming a “man of knowledge” — the road that continues with A Separate Reality and Journey to Ixtlan.
“For me, there is only the traveling on paths that have heart, on any path that may have a heart. There I travel, and the only worthwhile challenge is to traverse its full length. And there I travel, looking, looking, breathlessly.” — Don Juan
Charan’s words: One of my favorite writers since Shakespeare. Those upon first meeting me would say “have you read Carlos Castaneda?”
Paperback: https://amzn.to/39iNEfW
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3oDG99W
Kindle: https://amzn.to/39vhQ7V
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Image Copywrite: Yacek Yurka
