Yoga is a great way to foster harmony throughout your body, spirit, and environment. While yoga is a great physical workout, it also works toward mental, social, and spiritual development. Benefits of yoga include increased flexibility, increased mindfulness, and reduced stress, to name a few.
Adding just a few yoga poses to your daily routine can drastically improve your emotional and physical health. In fact, according to Net Doctor, recent studies have proven that practicing yoga regularly increases serotonin levels and makes you happier. While you can always take an online yoga course or class, reading books on yoga can also help you better understand the craft. Let’s take a look at the best yoga books and see which can help you become a better yogi.
Best Yoga Books
Below are the top 8 books on yoga. These books will teach you how to incorporate a yoga practice into your routine, and explain how yoga alters your brain chemistry to ultimately improve your mood.
1. Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff
Yoga Anatomy is a best-selling anatomy guide for those looking to diversify their practice. This book includes in-depth information about the benefits of yoga and explanations on how to do each pose. In this, Kaminoff also explains the terminology used in the yoga community and what each term means.
With her expert instruction, you’ll gain insight on both the history of yoga and every yoga pose there is. To understand the principles underlying each movement, this is the book for you.
2. Light on Yoga by B. K. S. Iyengar
Light on Yoga is known today as the definitive bible of modern yoga. In this, Iyengar dives into the philosophy behind the practice of yoga. This book also provides descriptions and illustrations of both poses and breathing exercises to help you get the most out of your yoga practice.
B. K. S. is seen as the world’s most respected yoga teacher, making this book the perfect all-in-one resource to learn more about your practice.
3. The Heart of Yoga by T. K. V. Desikachar
The Heart of Yoga is all about developing your personal practice. For those who are just starting to incorporate yoga into their routine, and those who are looking to be more enthusiastic while practicing yoga, this is the perfect book for you. In this, Desikachar goes into the long list of various teachings of yoga, explaining how they often contradict each other, and what you can learn from these contradictions.
This will help you tap into your purpose while doing yoga and identify the goal of your practice. This is also the first yoga text to develop a step-by-step guide on creating your personal training.
4. The Yoga Bible by Christina Brown
This is the #1 definitive guide to yoga postures. Featuring over 150 poses from the primary school of yoga, this book is a comprehensive and illustrative guide to achieving each pose. Perfect for both experienced yogis and beginners, Brown walks you through each posture and explains how to implement adjustments if needed.
Yoga provides a sense of physical and spiritual well-being into its practitioners, and it’s more crucial than ever to create a practice that’s suited for you. In this, Brown helps you create a fitting yoga sequence to match your personal needs and preferences.
5. The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Devi
The Secret Power of Yoga is a woman’s guide to the heart and spirit of yoga sutras. In this, world-famous yoga expert Nischala Devi explains the essential principles behind each yoga practice. While many pay attention to the health benefits of yoga, the emotional and spiritual benefits often end up overlooked.
Devi’s personal interpretations of yoga help the reader understand how it can impact a variety of aspects of life. In this, she offers suggested ways to practice yoga and different avenues to embrace yoga’s spirituality as well.
6. Yoga Mind, Body and Spirit by Donna Farhi
In Yoga Mind, Body and Spirit Donna Farhi, the author of The Yoga Journal’s most popular column, explains how you can return to a feeling of wholeness by implementing yoga into your life. With over 240 illustrations and photos, this is a user-friendly guide to understanding yoga and its underlying historical traditions.
In this, Farhi reveals how yoga enhances the connections between the mind, body, and spirit. She also discusses the ten ethical principles that have shaped the practice of yoga over time. This is the perfect book for today’s mainstream audience to understand and practice yoga on a deeper level.
7. Living Your Yoga by Judith Hanson Lasater
Living Your Yoga explains how yoga can help you find spirituality in your everyday life. According to Lasater, finding the enlightenment that yoga can bring is not as hard as people make it out to be. Lasater explains how you can use yoga to foster a more profound sense of well-being beyond the most familiar poses and breathing techniques.
Speaking on relation, empathy, and worship, this book will help you understand yoga’s wisdom and how it can help deepen your relationship with yourself, others, and the world around you.
8. Yoga Sequencing by Mark Stephens
In Yoga Sequencing, Mark Stephens explains how to design genuinely transformative yoga classes. Perfect for both yoga instructors and those looking to create their own sequence, this book will teach you how to plan and sequence the perfect yoga session. Offering 67 model sequences of yoga poses, you’ll never be short on ideas when planning your next session.
This book includes ways to practice for beginning, intermediate, and experienced yoga students, helping anyone implement a useful yoga routine into their daily life.
Yoga And Your Life
All in all, yoga can benefit the lives of kids, teens, and even seniors. In fact, according to the Yoga Alliance, 38% of yoga practitioners in the US are over 50 years old. Implementing yoga into your daily routine can relieve anxiety, depression, and improve your overall mood. While working out is a great way to release endorphins, the unique practice of yoga allows you to gain benefits from various aspects of the practice. With over 300 million yoga practitioners worldwide, the benefits of the practice cannot go unrecognized.
If you’re looking for more ways to relax and calm your mind, you may also enjoy our guide to the best Mindfulness books. Mindfulness can be incorporated into yoga, so you can develop a solid and powerful routine to destress.
