East West Bookshop: Our Mission
A place for self-exploration, personal growth, and spiritual renewal
Support for each person’s personal journey
A community of people with shared aspiration for higher awareness
A place where all spiritual traditions and teachers are honored; East West is a non-sectarian center for inspiration and wisdom
A highly knowledgable staff to answer questions and explore topics of interest
A haven of peace in the midst of one of the most dynamic places in the world
What you’ll find here
Books that can change our lives
Explore a wide range of books from spiritual traditions ancient and modern. Contemporary spiritual teachers include the Dalai Lama, Pope Francis, Yogananda, Amma, Marianne Williamson, Deepok Chopra, Neale Donald Walsch, and many more. You’ll find a huge cookbook section with healthy, delicious meals. Learn the latest clinical research on meditation, consciousness, and healing. Explore how consciousness studies are affecting our understanding, not only of ourselves, but of fundamental concepts of physics and the nature of the universe. A great book takes us on profound journeys of self-discovery.
Click on this photo to see a terrific 360 degree tour of the store, thanks to Google.
Unique, beautiful gifts
The store is overflowing with unique and beautiful gifts that uplift the spirit, including the largest collection of crystals in the Bay Area, sacred art, jewelry, candles, aromatherapy, singing bowls, statues, natural fabric clothing, delicate teapots and organic teas, incense, greeting cards, and a large selection of blank-paper journals. (and much more)
Voted “Best Place for Unusual Gifts”
nearly every year since 1997
—Mountain View Voice
Support for young people
Give young people the gift of greater self-understanding and inner strength. The Silicon Valley is not an easy place to raise confident, relaxed, compassionate children. Give your child or teen tools to meet the challenges and stresses of modern life. We offer a wide range of books to inspire and teach young people universal ideals: compassion, will power, enthusiasm, courage, self-calming skills when we feel afraid, kindness, confidence.
Special priced books
We have three large bookcases devoted to used and special priced books. Every book in these sections is $5 each. Books come and go fast, so stop in regularly to peruse this section. It’s restocked every week.
Used book donations are welcome
Pass your gently used books on to us, so someone new can enjoy them as you once did. We accept bags, boxes, or even a single book on any of the topics offered in the store (spirituality, consciousness, healing, yoga, meditation, crystals, sacred art, self-help, etc). Leave used books with our front desk staff, any time. If you have an especially large collection or an estate collection, contact us to see if we can help arrange a pick-up.
Our Spiritual Roots
East West Bookshop was a favorite spot for Swami Kriyananda. He stopped in often whenever he visited his parents who lived nearby in Atherton (The store was in Menlo Park then).
When the owner was ready to retire, she reached out and asked if Swamiji would take on the store. He felt inspired to say yes, and the store has been managed by Ananda folks ever since. We're honored to be custodians for this remarkable place. The store is devoted to public service, non-sectarian, and is a center for greater awareness.
Ananda is the spiritual community founded by Swamiji. Like him, members are students of the yoga teachings of Paramhansa Yogananda (author of the spiritual classic, Autobiography of a Yogi). Learn more about Ananda below (4 minute video):
Paramhansa Yogananda & his direct disciple, Swami Kriyananda, who purchased East West Bookshop in the early 1980s.
Swami Kriyananda served his guru for more than 60 years. He is author of more than 130 books, a prolific composer of spiritual music, and founder of Ananda communities and temples. Learn more about this spiritual lineage.
“This place is my undying sanctuary. The energy here is out of this world such that I immediately feel a sense of calm and peace when I walk in.”