Adding to your spiritual bookshelf can be a thrilling experience, but it can also be a stressful one. You want books on your shelf that look intriguing and include a wealth of knowledge you will reference for years to come. That’s why we’ve put together this list of the 6 best spiritual books of 2022.
Of course, there are some spiritual classics that you will want to add to your bookshelf. However, we’ve dedicated this list to include only new and modern spiritual books to add to your collection. Plenty of lists look at all books, but we want to focus on the new and upcoming names in spiritual, magic, and metaphysical reference and learning.
These books are for you if you’re ready for something new and fresh to add to your collection.
The Thrifty Witch’s Book of Simple Spells
You don’t need to purchase elaborate items and materials to practice witchcraft. Many people use their slim budget as an excuse for why they haven’t followed through on their desires to become a proficient and regularly practiced witch. But Wren Maple shows us a more practical way of sharing in the craft. In her book The Thrifty Witch’s Book of Spells, she creatively and elegantly demonstrates through simple, affordable, and doable spells just how easy and accessible witchcraft can be to every practitioner.
The title is a tad misleading. Not only is this a book of spells, but also a book of encouragement, education, and reference. It is a guide for any person to get started in their craft, even if all you have is the earth, the moon, and yourself. As Wren eloquently states, “remember, a witch’s most valuable possession is their intuition.”
Chapter one is an overview of the types of witches, an intro to deviation, a guide to basic herbs and stones used in witchcraft, and other tools and techniques you may choose. Chapter two is an overview of techniques and tips for casting spells. Everything is kept simple but with enough information that anyone reading feels they got something out of it. The rest of the book covers a plethora of spells that can be used for all types of situations and purposes.
You cannot go wrong with having this in your witchy library. It’s delightful and inspirational, and the illustrations are warm and investing. You’ll be referencing these simple and powerful spells for generations to come.
Runes: Your Personal Guide
If you’re looking for a complete “get started” guide to reading runes, this is it! Runes: Your Personal Guide starts with an introduction to the history of runes, including their origin, gods, and deities traditionally associated with runes, and an overview of the symbols of the runes.
The first part of this book is dedicated to understanding Nordic Mythology, which is paramount to understanding runes. This includes important characters, realms, and stories, followed by similar chapters dedicated to Freya’s Aett, Hagal’s Aett, and Tyr’s Aett. Aetts are groups of runes with different basis and meanings. If you are to read runes, understanding each of the Aetts is very important.
Chapter 6 is all about how to begin casting your runes! You will learn how to invoke Odin, make traditional runes, store your runes, clear your runes, and start reading. Next, chapters 7 and 8 introduce you to short and large rune “spreads,” which are ways of laying out and reading runes. Like tarot cards, there are many different setups and ways to read runes. For example, you could read three runes for past, present, and future. There are also different ways that runes can land. Some people choose to read upright and reversed runes, while others choose not to read reversals.
Chapter 10 is all about rune casting and rune magic. If you do spell casting and divination, you will appreciate this chapter. It can help you learn how to use rines in your magic.
Finally, the back of this book includes a handy appendix to help you quickly reference runes and their meaning, pronunciation, and more. The bonus copy includes a large wall chart to hang as a quick reference while doing readings.
The Ultimate Guide to Crystals
The Ultimate Guide to Crystals, written by Rachel Hancock, a certified advanced crystal practitioner, and Reiki master, is a complete reference guide to the science and metaphysics of crystal healing. Not only will you have an index of crystals, their properties, and their uses, but this book also contains a wealth of knowledge about how metaphysics works and the basis for using crystals in your healing work.
If you’re a beginner, this book has an entire chapter dedicated to crystal basics and how to use them. This includes choosing the right crystals, caring for your crystals, the top crystals used for healing and energy work, high vibrational vs. soothing vibrational crystals, and how to cleanse, charge and store your crystals.
Next is a guide on nine ways to use your crystals in healing magic, healing, and metaphysical work. This chapter gives an introduction to all of the following methods and the use of crystals in each:
- Crystal grids, sacred geometry, and long-distance healing
- Reiki
- Yoga
- Astrology
- Waters and Elixirs
- Baths
- Meditation
- Feng Shui
Not only that, but you also get information on the seven chakras and the corresponding crystals that align with each chakra. There is also a section dedicated to understanding the various crystal shapes and formations and how they can be used uniquely.
The most substantial and useful part of this book is the encyclopedia. The Ultimate Guide to Crystals includes a complete encyclopedia of 100 crystals, their properties, their uses, and much more. Just flip through the index and get loads of information on any crystal you’ve added to your collection.
The final sections of this book are not done giving. You’ll learn how to pair crystals and use intentions when working with crystals. There is a guide to using crystals for healing with animals, including a guide on animal chakras. You’ll also learn the difference between intention and intuition and a small reference to crystal healing remedies.
If you’re looking for a complete reference guide to over 100 crystals and a wealth of knowledge on using crystals in various metaphysical works, this book is the answer.
Goddess Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms, and Rituals Divine in Origin
A celebration of divine feminine energy, this book is not only a book of spells but a guide to connecting to any one of the 61 goddess energies introduced to you in this book. It includes a full introduction to working with goddesses in your craft, as well as goddess energies categorized by theme (e.g., love and beauty, strength and protection, good fortune and prosperity, etc.,) along with a total of 45 spells that you can easily implement in your practice.
First, the book gives enough information and instruction to get anyone started in calling upon one or more divine feminine energies. It walks readers through how to befriend goddesses, alters, and offerings, setting intentions, meditation, journaling, and evocation vs. invocation. Then, you are introduced to the realm of goddesses from several ancient cultures around the world, including Greek, Roman, Sumerian/Mesopotamian, Native American, Phrygian, Celtic, Egyptian, West African, African, Japanese, Chinese, Norse, Lithuanian, Hindu, Germanic, and Andean.
Lastly, you’re presented with spells and rituals that can be used under each category. They are simple, easy, and quick. Many require no tools or items, simply intention and/or encantation and prayer/thought.
My favorite part about this book is the beautiful artwork, which makes you feel transported to an ancient magical feminine realm. Grab your copy of Goddess Magic: A Handbook of Spells, Charms, and Rituals Divine in Origin.
The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Earth Magick
Not to distract from what I love about the other books on this list, but this book may be my favorite quick read. Seriously, it is something you can pick up and breeze through but still feel like you’ve gained a lot of insight.
As with most books in this genre, it starts with a quick introduction that includes the basics of what you need to use the magic elements in the rest of the book. This includes an introduction to witchcraft ethics, instruction on how to cast a circle, how to call the elements, and how to close a circle. It also includes some tips on after-spell care to prevent burnout and protect your energy, something I struggle with!
Ths is followed by a section on working with the four elements, which include crystals, themes, herbs and plants, colors, zodiac signs, tarot, direction, season, and tools that align with each element. Following is a section for each season (fall, winter, summer, spring) and the energies that align with each. The idea behind everything in this book is not only to work with natural elements but especially with the natural ebb and flow of the world around you, the celestial, seasonal wheel of the year. Each time and place brings its unique magic to be utilized, and its unique energies to be harnessed. Not only that, but author Lindsay Squire invites you o tune into your internal cycles and how they relate to your natural surroundings.
This book is not done giving. It includes a mini guide to various herbs and spices, flowers, trees, salts, resins and gems (e.g., myrrh, frankincense), metals, and crystals. It includes guides to cleansing and charging elements, divination, empath care, shadow work, and energy balancing techniques.
Overall, if you’re looking for a quick and easy reference to common natural elements used in witchcraft, this book is a wonderful addition to any witch’s bookshelf. And with most of the books I’ve reviewed in this series, the artwork is fantastic. It’s handy, and it looks cool in your collection.
Get The Witch of the Forest’s Guide to Earth Magick here.
Celestial Watercolor
Whether a seasoned watercolor artist or a complete beginner, you’re finding something to love about Elise Mahan’s book. This dreamy and entrancing book is filled with tips, techniques, and inspiration for bringing the cosmos and nature-inspired themes into your creative endeavors.
For the beginner, Elise lays out the many basics of watercolor, including recommended tools (e.g., watercolors, brushes, pens and pencils, and paper), and techniques to practice. She provides a list of all of the recommended products for each. There’s no specific brand loyalty, just her tested favorites as a professional artist.
Next, you will experience fantastic visual renditions of the zodiac signs represented in watercolor, including a full-page info section on each zodiac sign. Each is sectioned off by which element the sign belongs to (e.g., fire signs, water signs, earth signs, air signs), and watercolor theory and themes represent each element. This includes step-by-step instructions for creating your astrological watercolor paintings and tips on creating variations.
This book’s next section is about how to paint the moon! Visual representation of the moon phases and tons of information about the moon phases is presented, followed by a full page of info and representation for using the moon in watercolor paintings based on each month and season. Examples include the “Wolf Moon” for January, which s a depiction of a world under a full moon, surrounded by wispy whimsical prairie grasses and flowers atop a dreamy soft green watercolor sky. Another of my favorites is the ‘Strawberry Moon” to represent June. It’s a strawberry-pink quarter moon atop a lighter pink sky, with strawberry plants bursting throughout and sun rays adorning the moon. This section ends with steps and instructions for creating your watercolor moons and themes.
And this book is not done giving. In it, you’ll discover how to paint seasonal night sky landscapes, pick different color schemes based on your theme, create watercolor layers, and add nature elements like trees and plants. Overall, this book has something for any watercolor artist and no inspiration shortage. I found my copy at Five Below, but you can grab a copy of Celestial Watercolor on Amazon.
Best Spiritual Books of 2022: Honorable Mentions
Of course, we couldn’t review every spiritual book for this list, but we did want to include some honorable mentions that are also included among the top spiritual books of 2022.
Here are some more of our favorites.
Divination: Your Personal Guide
Learn the basics of how to read secret signs and symbols to provide insight, inspiration, and direction about the future.
This accessible and beautifully designed guide includes a frameable poster featuring popular methods of divination.
The Ultimate Guide to Channeling
Channeling is the ability to communicate with angels, spirit guides, ascended masters, and beings in spiritual realms. The Ultimate Guide to Channeling teaches you how to develop this advanced, intuitive skill with precision and safety.
Expert author and Spirit School founder, Amy Sikarskie, will guide you through:
- The different styles of channeling
- How to connect with your group of guardian angels and spirit guides
- The different chakras and clair senses
- How to use your natural intuitive abilities to perceive spiritual messages with accuracy
- How to integrate other divinatory tools such as oracle cards and sound into your channeling practice
You will also find valuable tools and techniques for energetic hygiene so that channeling can be done safely and accurately. Learn how to discern rogue and imposter spirits and clear energy after a channeling session.
Create Your Own Tarot Cards
Learn about the art of reading tarot cards, and then paint your colorful deck! This step-by-step guide includes card stock with 80 blank cards so you can practice immediately.
With painting lessons from Adrianne Hawthorne of Ponnopozz, an artist with a vibrant, contemporary style, Create Your Own Tarot Cards will inspire you to make your own beautifully expressive tarot cards in various colors. In addition to learning how to create a personalized deck, Theresa Reed, The Tarot Lady, situates you in the world of tarot with a thorough introduction to this ancient art and an overview of tarot reading. It’s a perfect primer for beginners!
Acrylic and gouache painting projects are presented in a step-by-step format with easy-to-follow instructions. All projects are accompanied by beautiful photography and a clean, contemporary design. The included card stock with 80 blank, one-sided cards (2.25″ × 4.25″) lets you jump right into painting.
