100 Most Spiritually Influential Living people

[kentauros]

Another thread rescued from the Religion forum

http://www.watkinsbooks.com/review/watkins-spiritual-100-list-2012

1. Dalai Lama
2. Eckhart Tolle
3. Thich Nhat Hanh
4. Deepak Chopra
5. Paulo Coelho
6. Elizabeth Gilbert
7. Iyanla Vanzant
8. Ken Wilber
9. James Redfield
10. Rhonda Byrne
11. Alice Walker
12. Nelson Mandela
13. Dr Wayne W Dyer
14. Doreen Virtue
15. Michio Kaku
16. Oprah Winfrey
17. Alejandro Jodorowsky
18. Mantak Chia
19. Desmond Tutu
20. Alex Grey
21. Peter Russell
22. Byron Katie
23. Ram Dass
24. Esther Hicks
25. Bernie Siegel
26. Richard Bach
27. Brian Weiss
28. Andrew Cohen
29. Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
30. Robin Sharma
31. Steve Taylor
32. Z’ev ben Shimon Halevi
33. Andrew Harvey
34. Marianne Williamson
35. Lisa Williams
36. Francis Chan
37. Don Miguel Ruiz
38. Masaru Emoto
39. Gregg Braden
40. Andrew Weil
41. Erich von Däniken
42. Adyashanti
43. Krishna Das
44. Sonia Choquette
45. Joseph Ratzinger
46. Louise Hay
47. Amma
48. Vladimir Megre
49. Ervin Laszlo
50. Elaine Pagels
51. Jeff Foster
52. Seyyed Hossein Nasr
53. Neale Donald Walsch
54. Drunvalo Melchizedek
55. Pema Chödrön
56. Diana Cooper
57. Bruce Lipton
58. Dan Millman
59. Karen Armstrong
60. Graham Hancock
61. David R. Hawkins
62. Jack Canfield
63. Clarissa Pinkola Estés
64. Sogyal Rinpoche
65. Swami Ramdev
66. Philip Berg
67. Caroline Myss
68. Michael Newton
69. Daisaku Ikeda
70. Vadim Zeland
71. John Bradshaw
72. Richard Bandler
73. Jean Houston
74. Starhawk
75. Daniel J. Siegel
76. James Lovelock
77. Judy Hall
78. Gary Snyder
79. Patrick Holford
80. Oberto Airaudi
81. Dr Azmayesh
82. Mother Meera
83. Rabbi Michael Lerner
84. Lynne McTaggart
85. Michael Beckwith
86. Satya Narayan Goenka
87. Satish Kumar
88. Paramahamsa Nithyananda
89. Rowan Williams
90. Prem Rawat
91. Mooji
92. Stanislav Grof
93. Grant Morrison
94. Jon Kabat-Zinn
95. Dolores Cannon
96. Gangaji
97. Shakti Gawain
98. Claudio Naranjo
99. Mastin Kipp
100. Marion Woodman

[seabeyond]

1. seat of the soul.... gary zukav

he did the most for me at the time i was ready for what he had to say.

i also really like Don Miguel Ruiz

and recognize a lot of the names on the list.

[kentauros]

2. I recognized quite a few of them, too.

Also, the visionary artist, Alex Gray, is represented

I've never read any of Zukav's books. I know I've heard him talk on the radio, though, and liked what I heard. There are just too many books I need to read

[seabeyond]

3. read it if you can. it is excellent. i had already

started my journey so when i picked up his books i had already started using the words he was, and understood what he was saying. everything fell into place sweetly.

[kentauros]

4. I see there's a Kindle version.

And it's priced $0.21 less than the paperback version

I'll probably still get it. I just will be happy when publishers realize that electronic versions of books don't need to sell for the same price as the print copies. Either that, or the authors finally realize they can buy the rights back from their publishers, sell even more copies for less and still make more off the sale

Sorry for the rant. Stuff like that makes me pause and ponder more about buying a copy, no matter how helpful the content.

[seabeyond]

5. 21 cents? am i reading that wrong? edit

i got the paperback. i dont know how much it is. i bought it this christmas for my son.

i like cheap, too. over 700 books on my kindle and i have spent over 60 bucks or so.

[kentauros]

6. Yes, 21 cents :)

I don't know how to make the "cent" symbol

The paperback is priced at $11.20 and the Kindle version at $10.99. I know from reading the story about the collusion between Apple and five of the "Big Six" publishers that this is probably an example of where the publishers are still setting the price and Amazon can't change it.

If you haven't ever seen it, there's a writer and blogger that has written extensively on this subject (publishers and ebooks) that I recommend. A Newbie's Guide to Publishing

I'm not a very fast reader, not to mention that I am working on a novel as well, and then spend too much time on DU when I should be writing So, I don't have very many books on my Kindle. I'd be very happy if some of the spiritual books I like were available as I use them often for references. In the case of at least one of them, I would be willing to spend a little more. I don't know if I'd spend 60 bucks on an eBook though...

[seabeyond]

7. library... lol. i buy at walmart, they are 2, or 3 dollars cheaper. i never buy hard cover.

try to pick up at the library. but i am surprised the kindle books cost so much. for the new release anyway. i thought the would be cheaper than stores.

anyway... i hear ya.

[kentauros]

8. I sometimes forget about the library,

except when I want to use it for quiet writing time, and they're closed! We need 24-hour libraries!

I'll go take a look at the Houston Public Library's site and see if they have a copy. Thanks for the reminder

[seabeyond]

9. ya, well i have a little library about a mile or two away.

That makes it real easy. They know me there. They will hold a new book if they know I read the author. Also, since you have a kindle, there are books you can get over the kindle. Doubt zukav would be one. Just a heads up.

[kentauros]

10. Thanks :)

I checked the HPL site and they have two physical copies, neither at the library branches I use. So, I'll have to get one transferred. I'll do that tomorrow, when I'm getting a new library card. Seems my 13-year old card is rather out of date

[Mira]

11. Many of these men and women were very instrumental

in helping me get to this advanced age. One other who meant a lot was David Viscott.

[kentauros]

13. David Viscott sounds familiar,

but I don't think I ever heard his show, if it was syndicated. Considering his background (and intent) I'm glad he was able to help you

[Mira]

15. I looked up what was on the "net" about him after I made the post

and was not thrilled with all I found.
I read his book "The Language of Feelings" and I read it at a time in my life when it helped me make decisions that furthered my life monumentally. I give him the credit for putting the words in front of me at the right time.

I never knew there was a radio show.

[felix_numinous]

12. What a great list to have

as a reference! Thanks for another thread 'rescue' Kentauros!

[kentauros]

14. You're welcome!

It was getting pissed on, so it needed rescuing toot suite!!

I was a little surprised that while Ken Wilbur made the list (even the top ten), neither Bishop John Shelby Spong or Richard Smoley made it. I'm not a Christian, but I think they're both great thinkers. I guess they just aren't searched as much as the others.

[the peoples summit]

16. Um...the Dalai Lama is nice but I really love

Eckhart Tolle. IMO, he's the real deal. His message is sophisticated yet he delivers it without a trace of ego. It's almost as if he's receiving a transmission from on high. I do believe he's in samadhi constantly. He's always laughing at the absurdity of our discursive thoughts. Some of the others are nice and I like to read their books and listen to their tapes, but they strike me as more self-help than transcendant teachings. I see that Gangaji is not on the list. She's great and I love Byron Katie.

[kentauros]

17. The unfortunate fact of the list

has to do with how it's partially based on who is the most popular in Internet searches. So, while there are many other individuals worthy of the list, if they aren't being searched as often, then they don't make it into the top 100.

I suspect that if many of them were polled to list their top tens and others, then that list would change dramatically. Anyone up to the task?

[MrMickeysMom]

18. Louise Hay..

... is the person who stands out for me, probably due to my own experiences during the part of my life when I needed to go another step.

I am glad she's still listed. Frankly, I'm unsure of many of these names, but Louise ... All is WELL with my world...

[kentauros]

21. So many of the names stand out to me,

that I can't pick just one

I am thankful that Louise Hay started HayHouse Publishing, and then the online radio station. Otherwise, I haven't ever read her books, though I know many have been inspired and helped by her, like yourself

[MrMickeysMom]

22. Hey, I just learned she had an online radio station!

Thanks, kentaurs!

[NJCher]

19. a few recommends from me

First, thanks from me, too, Kentauros, for rescuing these posts.

A couple names I consider noteworthy are Carolyn Myss, Lynne McTaggert, and Graham Hancock.

But Phillip Berg? Would that be attn'y Phillip Berg? I shudder if it is.

Will be interesting to research some of the names I'm not familiar with. Thanks to everyone for their comments on the thread.



Cher

[kentauros]

20. I don't know who Philip Berg is, attorney or not.

I would guess not, since it's a list of those people that are considered very spiritual, and not just an evangelist. Does the attorney version fall into that category? I don't know anything about him, so I can't say.

And you're welcome for the thanks of the rescue I do wade into the sometimes cesspool of Religion to find these gems, without having to actually comment there