a spiritual book

for the 2020s

published March, 2025

Living a meaningful life isn’t about “finding yourself.” It’s about understanding who you can become. And it’s about understanding how who you become is interwoven with the world we live in—from what it’s been, to what it can be.

Returning to Center is a poetic guide to your spirit, life, and wellbeing—both intimate and shared.

Explore the things you don’t talk about

From the loneliness of anxiety to the depths of sadness, from the power of change to the importance of what you change into—from the moment we’re in to the world asking to be built—delve into life's ebbs and flows, and uncover the answer to its deepest questions.

Grounded in nature,

collective and personal,

this book offers a revolutionary

answer to the question:

what should you do

with your life?

in this book, you’ll explore:

➨ Why you’re here, and the roles you play across time, space, and this life

➨ How the real question is not about purpose, but about promise, and how you live up to it

➨ The false choices young people are given—and the choices that can be made instead

➨ The way spirituality, society, and nature intersect—and how harm to each one has harmed the others

➨ What all people can learn from the overlooked spiritualities of Ancient Africa

➨ How the concept of living deeply was lost, and what it means to regain it

➨ What it means to truly be well—personally and collectively

➨ How to do right by others, the world, and yourself

➨ The nature of your spirit, and how to make sense of it

➨ The truths hidden in the taboo and the difficult, and how to hear them

small enough to carry around with you

Deep enough to spend time with.

This is a book that can be read in order, or revisited as part of a daily practice.

It is structured in digestible passages, meant to be enjoyed as much as they are considered.

Discover inspiration, insights, and a shift in perspective that will transform how you live.

grounded in the first way

The first modern humans emerged in Ancient Africa. They had rich spiritual traditions, passed down for generations, with much to teach today’s world.

But most modern spirituality overlooks this. In doing so, spiritual people learn from the East, the North, and the West.

But they miss the opportunity to discover the deep philosophical and spiritual insights of the South.

among those insights: spirituality is not just about the self

It’s about nature, and history. Justice and injustice. The lives you’ve lived, the ones you haven’t, and the one you still can.

be a part of the journey.

A personal note from the author:

This book is for everyone who’s ever wondered, is this all there is? For everyone who’s ever doubted their spark, or the magnitude that is their existence.

If you care as much about what happens to our shared home—our planet—as you do what happens to your piece of that home—your body.

If you’ve ever wondered why so much of spirituality ignores histories of injustice, or lacks a vision for futures of healing.

If you’re reading this and it resonates, then this book is for you.

It takes years for a book to reach the people it’s meant to. Returning to Center was published just a few weeks ago (March, 2025). You’re here at the beginning.

Here is what people are saying (so far):

"Perfect to start the morning off by grounding myself through a couple of chapters. Each page carries the weight of depth, yet it feels like a gentle guide rather than a prescription. If you’re looking for something to bring self-exploration, purpose, or a sense of clarity into your days, this book is the perfect companion."

rose
"A great read and reread... it's honestly so freeing. Reads like poetry, definitely makes you think."

Hayden
"...an urgent, vital read that will inspire you through good times and sustain you through uncertain ones. I am grateful to have come across it, and it will forever have a special place on my bookshelf."

Sabrina
"Unlike most self-growth books I’ve come across, this one doesn’t examine personal growth in isolation. I love how Tofua threads the self through the fabric of society, history, justice, the earth, and the cosmos. The perspective offered is vast, yet deeply intimate— a rare balance that feels both expansive and grounding."

P Chiang
"This book is such a gift. Thank you for the poetic inspiration and guidance to spirituality."

Mia

get the book:

Bookshop.org

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Kindle

“A journey through time, change, and healing.”

Returning to Center is a beautifully written, transformative debut that invites you to consider yourself, your spirit, your relationships, and our world with new eyes.

about the author

In an era where meaning is hard to come by, Pedro Tofua offers something more.

He is the founder of the mcosm journal, a lifestyle newsletter that has inspired over 10,000 people to live deeper, fuller, more conscious lives.

His work explores the roles of history, the present, the natural, the physical, the spiritual, the social, and more in making the realities we live in. It is rooted in the ancient, living philosophies of southern Africa, and grounded in the tremendous power of life, and the spirit, to transform the world.

His first book, Returning to Center: passages for reconnecting with the spirit, changing the world, and becoming who you’re meant to be, is out now.