Yoga

Yoga Mind and Body by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre 


 
A beautiful book, with clear instructions and pictures. Lists the main poses and some variations. Although a newer edition has replaced this, I still prefer the layout of this original edition.

As for all Yoga books, this is to be used as a reference rather than a "do it yourself" guide. 

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Patanjali Yoga Sutras by Swami Prabhavananda and Christopher Isherwood (translator)

 
There is much more to Yoga, in the original sense, than the physical postures (which are usually classified under Hatha Yoga). The essence of Yoga philosophy, as summarised by Patanjali, is explained concisely and clearly by a true Yogi in this slim volume.

A must have and must read for any Yogi.

Avaialable from the Ramakrishna Mission
Autobiography of a Yogi  by Paramahansa Yogananda


A fascinating first person account of the journey of a Yogi at the turn of the 20th century.

Yogananda was one of the first Yogi's to venture to the USA and spread the philosophy there.

This book was a favourite of Steve Jobs

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The Tree of Yoga: The Definitive Guide to Yoga in Everyday Life  by B. K. S. Iyengar


Essays by the master Yogi who made yoga accessible and popular to Westerners, with his emphasis on precision and clarity.

(Watch old Youtube videos of him doing Yoga in his 20's and 60's !)

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Yoga (101 Essential Tips) by Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre




The very handy pocket version of the Yoga book by the Sivananda centre.

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Yoga as Medicine: The Yogic Prescription for Health and Healing by T. McCall, MD

This is a carefully researched and clearly written
book for those who wish to understand Yoga Therapy from a modern (science) perspective.

It also contains specific chapters dealing with various ailments which can be addressed using Yoga Therapy.

A useful reading and reference  for Yoga instructors.

    Click on the image above to go to the Amazon product page or click here to go to the SRI Bookstore
The Science of Yoga: The Risks and the Rewards  by
William J Broad

This book, by a journalist talks about the 'good, bad and ugly' side of commercialized Yoga, although he himself perhaps doesn't realize the difference between the overtly commercial and more traditional forms of Yoga.

The warnings about what can go wrong when one pushes too hard too fast are worth heeding.
Click on the image above to go to the Amazon product page or click here to go to the SRI Bookstore





More books to be added later