I didn’t set out to create something called soul homework. It came to me one morning in 2020, when I was trying to explain what I’d been doing each day just to stay afloat. My soul had been so overburdened by the weight of the past five years—especially the emotional toll of perimenopause—that I began carving out time each morning just for myself.
I’d light candles or incense, turn on my salt lamps, play music, read books, and take notes. It wasn’t anything formal or planned at first. But over time, I realized: this was my ritual. This was how I was caring for my spirit in a season when everything felt upside down.
So I gave it a name: soul homework.
It has become a transformative practice for me. And maybe—if your soul is carrying something heavy—it could be for you, too.
I’ve written a blog post that takes you step-by-step through starting your own soul homework. You can also connect with me on Goodreads, so we can follow each other’s journey.
As someone with a deep love for music, I’ve created a playlist to complement my morning practice. You can listen to it here:
Morning Soul Homework Playlist on Spotify
Morning Soul Homework Playlist on Apple Music
Have fun!
Here’s a list of the books I’ve read, in order. I’ll be adding more as I finish them.
The books marked with an asterisk are my favorites — the ones I could read over and over.
Dear Universe: 200 Mini Meditations for Instant Manifestations by Sarah Prout
The Magic Path of Intuition by Florence Scovel Shinn
The Complete Writings of Florence Scovel Shinn for Women
You Can Heal Your Life by Louise Hay
The Power is Within You by Louise Hay
A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of “A Course in Miracles” by Marianne Williamson
Bird by Bird: Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott
The Secret by Rhonda Byrne
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz*
The Greatest Secret by Rhonda Byrne
When Things Fall Apart: Heart Advice for Difficult Times by Pema Chodron*
White Fire: Spiritual Insights and Teachings of Advaita Zen Master Mooji by Mooji
Living Beautifully: with Uncertainty and Change by Pema Chodron
The Book of Awakening: Having the Life You Want by Being Present to the Life You Have by Mark Nepo*
A Year of Positive Thinking: Daily Inspiration, Wisdom, and Courage by Cyndie Spiegel
Zen: The Art of Simple Living by Shunmyo Masuno
The Lost Art of Doing Nothing: How the Dutch Unwind with Niksen by Maartje Willems and Lona Aalders
The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
Still Here: Embracing Aging, Changing, and Dying by Ram Dass
Many Lives, Many Masters: The True Story of a Prominent Psychiatrist, His Young Patient, and The Past Life Therapy That Changed Both Their Lives by Brian L. Weiss, M.D.
Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh*
The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity by Julia Cameron*
A Year to Live: How to Live This Year as If It Were Your Last by Stephen Levine
The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael A. Singer
The Body Keeps The Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel Van der Kolk M.D.
Wake Up to The Joy of You: 52 Meditations and Practices for a Calmer, Happier Life by Agapi Stassinopoulos
Reconciliation: Healing the Inner Child by Thich Nhat Hanh
Milk and Honey by Rupi Kaur*
Home Body by Rupi Kaur*
The Sun and Her Flowers by Rupi Kaur*
It’s Never Too Late to Begin Again: Discovering Creativity and Meaning at Midlife and Beyond by Julia Cameron
Whole Again: Healing Your Heart and Rediscovering Your True Self After Toxic Relationships and Emotional Abuse by Jackson MacKenzie*
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of Rain by Tara Brach*
The Listening Path: The Creative Art of Attention by Julia Cameron
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig*
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumphs by Ryan Holiday
The Dark Side of the Light Chasers: Reclaiming Your Power, Creativity, Brilliance, and Dreams by Debbie Ford
Sacred Contracts: Awakening Your Divine Potential by Caroline Myss
The Call of Intuition: How to Recognize & Honor Your Intuition, Instinct & Insight by Kris Franken*
The Five Archetypes: Discover Your True Nature and Transform Your Life and Relationships by Carey Davidson
Radical Acceptance: Embracing Your Life with the Heart of a Buddha by Tara Brach*
The Way of Integrity: Finding the Path to Your True Self by Martha Beck*
Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg*
The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows by John Koenig*
Change Your Thoughts- Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer*
Why Won’t You Apologize? Healing Big Betrayals and Everyday Hurts by Harriet Lerner
A Year of Living with More Compassion: 52 Quotes & Weekly Compassion Practices by Richard Fields PhD*
Your Sacred Self: Making the Decision to Be Free by Dr. Wayne W. Dyer*
Healing the Shame that Binds You by John Bradshaw
When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi
Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom by Sharon Salzberg
How We Live is How We Die by Pema Chodron
Loving-Kindness in Plain English: The Practice of Metta by Henepola Gunaratana*
Moments of Mindfulness: Daily Inspiration by Thich Nhat Hanh
Healing Through Words by Rupi Kaur
Constructive Wallowing: How to Beat Bad Feelings By Letting Yourself Have Them by Tina Gilbertson*
You Are the Universe: Ram Dass Maps the Journey by Amy Buetens and Julie Weinstein*
The Wild Edge of Sorrow: Rituals of Renewal and the Sacred Work of Grief by Frances Weller*
Awaken Every Day: 365 Buddhist Reflections to Invite Mindfulness and Joy by Thubten Chodron*
Reflections on Silver River: Tokme Zongpo’s Thirty-Seven Practices of a Bodhisattva by Ken McLeod*
Poetic Medicine: The Healing Art of Poem Making by John Fox
The Heart of Unconditional Love: A Powerful New Approach to Loving-Kindness Meditation by Tolku Thondup
The Endless Practice: Becoming Who You Were Born to Be by Mark Nepo*
How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope by James Crews*
Oneness With All Life: Inspirational Selections from A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle*
Soul Boom: Why We Need a Spiritual Revolution by Rainn Wilson
The Book of Soul: 52 Paths to Living What Matters by Mark Nepo*
The Good Life: Lessons from the World’s Longest Scientific Study of Happiness by Robert Waldinger and Marc Schulz*
The More Beautiful World Our Hearts Know is Possible by Charles Eisenstein*
The Wise Heart: A Guide to the Universal Teachings of Buddhist Psychology by Jack Kornfield
Awakening Joy: 10 Steps That Will Put You on the Road to Real Happiness by James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander
Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization by Scott Barry Kaufman*
Soul Shift: The Weary Human’s Guide to Getting Unstuck and Reclaiming Your Path to Joy by Rachel Macy Stafford
Fulfilled: How the Science of Spirituality Can Help You Live a Happier, More Meaningful Life by Anna Yusim*
The Power of Letting Go by John Purkiss
How to Love the World: Poems of Gratitude and Hope by James Crews*
Heart Medicine by Radhule Weininger
Perfect Love, Imperfect Relationships by John Welwood*
The Wonder of Small Things: Poems of Peace and Renewal by James Crews*
The Sevenfold Journey: Reclaiming Mind, Body and Spirit Through the Chakras by Anodea Judith and Selene Vega
The Way of the Fearless Writer by Beth Kempton*
The Path to Kindness: Poems of Connection and Joy by James Crews*
Eastern Body Western Mind: Psychology and the Chakra System as a Path to the Self by Anodea Judith*
A Book of Life by Peter Kingsley*
Something More: Excavating Your Authentic Self by Sarah Ban Breathnach
Falling Back in Love with Being Human: Letters to Lost Souls by Kai Cheng Thom
The Art of Psychic Reiki: Developing Your Intuitive and Empathic Abilities for Energy Healing by Lisa Campion
Narrative Healing: Awaken the Power of Your Story by Lisa Weinert*
Poetry Unbound: 50 Poems to Open Your World by Padraig O Tuama
When Women Were Birds: Fifty-Four Variations on Voice by Terry Tempest Williams
The Road Home: A Contemporary Exploration of the Buddhist Path by Ethan Nichtern
How to Be an Adult in Relationships: The Five Keys to Mindful Loving by David Richo
The Wisdom of No Escape: How to Love Yourself and the World by Pema Chodron
For Small Creatures Such as We: Rituals for Finding Meaning in Our Unlikely World by Sasha Sagan
All Sickness is Home Sickness by Dianne M. Connelly*
Lessons for Living: What Only Adversity Can Teach You by Phil Stutz
The Five Invitations: Discovering What Death Can Teach Us About Living Fully by Frank Ostaseski*
Birding to Change the World: A Memoir by Trish O’Kane
Being with Dying: Cultivating Compassion and Fearlessness in the Presence of Death by Joan Halifax
As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve by J.S. Park *
The Great Work of Your Life by Stephen Cope
What We Carry: A Memoir by Maya Shanbhag Lang*
I’m Not a Mourning Person: Braving Loss, Grief, and the Big Messy Emotions That Happen When Life Falls Apart by Kris Carr
Soul Friends: The Transforming Power of Deep Human Connection by Stephen Cope
Instant Karma: 8,879 Ways to Give Yourself and Others Good Fortune Right Now by Barbara Ann Kipfer*
Death is But a Dream: Finding Hope and Meaning at Life’s End by Christopher Kerr
Blue Horses by Mary Oliver
The Good Energy Book: Creating Harmony and Balance for Yourself and Your Home by Tess Whitehurst
Soul Archaeology: A (Totally Doable) Approach to Creating a Self-Loving and Liberated Life by Sarah Sapora
Bearing the Unbearable: Love, Loss, and the Heartbreaking Path of Grief by Joanne Cacciatore*
After: A Doctor Explores What Near-Death Experiences Reveal about Life and Beyond by Bruce Greyson
Finding Your Way: Meditations, Thoughts, and Wisdom for Living an Authentic Life by Sharon Salzberg
Don’t Believe Everything You Think by Joseph Nguyen
The One Life We’re Given: Finding the Wisdom that Waits in Your Heart by Mark Nepo
Understanding Your Grief: Ten Essential Touchstones for Finding Hope and Healing Your Heart by Alan D. Wolfelt
A Grace Disguised: How the Soul Grows Through Loss by Jerry Sittser
The Art of Losing: Poems of Grief and Healing by Kevin Young
Drinking from the River of Light: The Life of Expression by Mark Nepo
The Courage to Rise: Using Movement, Mindfulness, and Healing Foods to Triumph Over Trauma by Liz Arch
The Grief Cure: Looking for the End of Loss by Cody Delistraty*
Ordinary Mysticism: Your Life as Sacred Ground by Mirabai Starr
The Things You Can See Only When You Slow Down: How to Be Calm in a Busy World by Haenim Sunim*
The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams by Deepak Chopra
Conscious Grieving: A Transformative Approach to Healing from Loss by Claire Bidwell Smith
The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding, Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living by Hillary McBride
Coming Home to Who You Are: Discovering Your Natural Capacity for Love, Integrity, and Compassion by David Richo
The Aftergrief: Finding Your Way Along the Long Arc of Loss by Hope Edelman*
Illuminating Our True Nature: Yogic Practices for Personal and Collective Healing by Michelle Cassandra Johnson*
Just One Thing: Developing a Buddha Brain One Simple Practice at a Time by Rick Hanson*
On Life After Death by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross*
Briefly Perfectly Human: Making an Authentic Life by Getting Real About the End by Alua Arthur*
Find Your Soul Path: Discover the Magical Life Within by Emma Griffin*
Composting Our Karma: Turning Confusion into Lessons for Awakening Our Innate Wisdom by Barbara Rhodes
Consider This: Reflections for Finding Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab
Quotes That Will Change Your Life: A Curated Collection of Mind-Blowing Wisdom by Russ Kick*
Unlocking the Heart: Writing for Mindfulness, Courage, and Self- Compassion by James Crews*
A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose by Eckhart Tolle*
Your Body, You Best Friend: End the Confidence-Crushing Pursuit of Unrealistic Beauty Standards and Embrace Your True Power by Erica Mather
Ordinary Wonder: Zen Life and Practice by Charlotte Joko Beck*
Your Grief, Your Way: A Year of Practical Guidance and Comfort After Loss by Shelby Forsythia
Stillness Speaks by Eckhart Tolle*
Love for Imperfect Things: How to Accept Yourself in a World Striving for Perfection by Haemin Sunim*
Change Your Story, Change Your Life: Using Shamanic and Jungian Tools to Achieve Personal Transformation by Carl Greer
How to Fly in Ten Thousand Easy Lessons by Barbara Kingsolver
Gentle: Rest More, Stress Less, and Live the Life You Actually Want by Courtney Carver
Tiny Experiments: How to Live Freely in a Goal-Obsessed World by Anne- Laure Le Cunff
Heartwood: The Art of Living with the End in Mind by Barbara Becker*
The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad*
Poetry of Presence: An Anthology of Mindfulness Poems (1 and 2) by Phyllis Cole-Dai and Ruby Wilson*
From Sun to Sun: A Hospice Nurse Reflects on the Art of Dying by Nina Angela McKissock*
Alive Until You’re Dead by Susan Moon*
Yang Sheng: The Art of Chinese Self-Healing by Katie Brindle*
The Mindful Path to Self-Compassion: Freeing Yourself from Destructive Thoughts and Emotions by Christopher Germer*
The Art of Solitude by Stephen Batchelor
Chop Wood, Carry Water: A Guide to Finding Spiritual Fulfillment in Everyday Life by Rick Fields
Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love, and Wisdom by Rick Hanson
Are You Mad at Me? How to Stop Focusing on What Others Think and Start Living for You by Meg Josephson
The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos*
Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts by Oliver Burkeman
Memoir as Medicine: The Healing Power of Writing Your Messy, Imperfect, Unruly (but Gorgeously Yours) Life Story by Nancy Slonim Aronie
In the Absence of the Ordinary by Frances Weller
The Book of Ichigo Ichie: The Art of Making the Most of Every Moment, the Japanese Way by Hector Garcia and Francesc Miralles
A Grace Full Life 