Do you love reading?
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Are yoga books required to begin yoga?| Learning about yoga is both fun and challenging! There is a lot of free and useful information on-line. No doubt. For the book-lovers who are beginning yoga, nothing can replace the experience of reading a book! |
Are you thinking to buy your first yoga book? Unsure about selecting one from thousands that have been written to date? Or have you been put off by complex information and poses?
There are many good books about yoga on the market. Most books deal with one or two aspects of yoga at great length e.g. asana, pranayama, meditation, yoga philosophy, etc.
So it is possible that you will buy more than one book. But this is a good sign! It means that you are continuing to learn and evolve with your yoga practice; that you are not staying in the same place but moving forward.Yoga is not fixed and static. It cannot be, as humankind is changing. The texts available on the market reflect the 'evolution' of yoga and the opinions of people on the subject of yoga that have been formulated over the centuries.
As a yoga teacher I have not found a book on yoga that has blown me away, i.e. that has managed to give the true and full 'unbiased' picture of what yoga is about in a way that it is 'accessible to all'.
I can say that I have learned from each single book that I have bought. I am grateful to the teachers that have written about their experience of yoga and that have inspired me and other people to stay on the path of yoga!
The most important lesson that I have learned about yoga is that yoga is an experience or a journey. A way to find out about what life can be like when body-mind-spirit are integrated and in harmony.
As such yoga cannot be understood just by reading and getting information, as one has to go through that experience itself. It needs to be practiced.
With regular pratice of all aspects of yoga, it is possible to learn the simple ideas underpinning yoga and experience what yoga is about!
Stay on the path! Samsakta Prati Deva - Yoga Teacher
Information about yoga books will be added on this page. All site readers’ comments are welcomed.
Book of the Month – November 2010
This new book aims to provide information about body movements in a way that can be understood by the majority of the population. Information is comprehensive, but clear and concise. For this reason, it is suitable to anyone that is interested to get to know how the body works and moves and is prepared to learn some of the ‘technical’ concepts used to describe movements. The first chapters provide background information about anatomical and movement terms and the physiology and mechanics of musculoskeletal system. Once the reader is familiar with the information in those first chapters and the technical terms used to talk about the body are learned, the rest of the book will become a lot easier to read. The remaining chapters relate to specific joints areas e.g. the knees, the shoulders, the core, etc. Each chapter give general information about the function of the joint and show exercises that are particularly relevant; for instance, exercises – not strictly yoga - that stretch or strengthen that part are often shown. A very brief explanation about how to get into the posture is generally given. Exercise illustrations are in an approachable format and show the muscles involved. The information provided in not in a ‘list form’ of actions of each joint and muscle involved in each pose. Asanas included are: Marjariasana (Cat Stretch), Bhujangasana (Cobra Pose), Salamshasana (Locust), Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward Facing Dog Pose), Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog Pose), Matsyasana (Fish Pose), Uttansana (Standing forward bend), Trikonasana (Triangle pose), Matsyendrasana (Lord of the Fishes Pose), Urdhva Dhanurasana (Wheel Pose), Balasana (Child’s Pose), Plank/ Upward Plank Pose, Garudasana (Eagle), Virabhadrasana II (Warrior II), Bridge (Setu Bandhasana), Ustrasana (Camel), Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I), Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose), Anantasana (Site Reclining Leg Lifts), Vrksasana (Tree Pose), Pachimottasana (Seated Forward Bend), Jathara Parivartanasana (Reclined Spinal Twist). However, there are many more exercises that cover a wide range of scope of fitness areas: weight-training, yoga, pilates, dance and sports. Find below a list of chapters: •Chapter 1: Anatomical Directions, Planes and Movements •Chapter 2: Skeletal Muscle and Muscle Mechanics •Chapter 3: The Spine •Chapter 4: The Core •Chapter 5: The Shoulder Region •Chapter 6: The Elbow and the Radio-Ulnar Joints •Chapter 7: The Wrist and the Hand •Chapter 8: The Iliofemoral (Hip) Joint •Chapter 9: The Knee Joint •Chapter 10: The Ankle Joint and Foot ★ ★ ★ ★ Overall, this is an excellent reference book for anyone approaching yoga anatomy and kinesiology for the first time. This book gives information that is essential to understand how the body functions during exercises and how to keep it healthy and injury free. Compared to many other yoga books on anatomy, most readers will find the style of this book more approachable. The author does not just provide a list of terms, definitions and pictures, but tries to give interesting explanations and comments which can help the reader to maintain health, weight, posture, strength and stretch skills. |
by J. Staugaard-Jone
Book of the Month – October 2010
As the title implies this book is concerned with one aspect of Hatha Yoga. It aims to show how yoga asanas are performed. 77 yoga positions for beginners and more advanced yoga poses are illustrated through 650 colour photos. These represent the main yoga postures used in popular styles of Hatha yoga such as Iyengar yoga, Anusara yoga, Bikram yoga, Power yoga and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga. The book is divided into 11 chapters. The first chapter offers information about the history of yoga in India. In addition, it briefly mentions common views about meditation, chakras (esoteric anatomy), drishtis (point of focus), pranayama (breathing) and bandhas (locks). The rest of the book relates to yoga positions, which have been grouped in different chapters. Information for each posture is listed onto 2 pages: • Sanskrit and English name • 1 common counter-pose • 1 common eye-focus • Mental and physical benefits generally associated to the pose • General contraindications associated to the pose • Step-by-step instructions: a common way of getting into the pose with associated pictures, brief instructions and alignment guidelines • At least 1 variation of the pose – either a gentle or a more advance variation, or both The last chapter includes 11 asanas sequences: • 2 gentle yoga routines • 2 yoga for flexibility routines • 3 vinyasa yoga sequences • 2 sun salutations • 2 moon salutations An Index of Asanas is shown at the end of the book which includes a picture of the pose, the English and Sanskrit name of the pose and the reference page. Table of Content: Chapter 1 - Art and Practice of Hatha Yoga Chapter 2 – Standing Postures Chapter 4 – Balancing Postures Chapter 5 – Arm-Balancing Postures Chapter 6 – Inverted Postures Chapter 7 – Backward-Bending Postures Chapter 8 – Twisting Postures Chapter 9 – Forward-Bending Postures Chapter 10 – Sitting Postures Chapter 11 – Reclining and Relaxation Postures ★ ★ ★ ★ This is a useful quick-reference book for yoga beginners and for more experienced yoga practitioners, who are looking for pictures and list of information about commonly used yoga positions and yoga routines to practice at home.High quality and concise information about asanas is mentioned in an easy to understand way. It does not over-burden readers with detailed explanations or esoteric terms, but lists useful information about the practice of asanas either at home or in class. Compared to many beginners yoga books on the market, Hatha Yoga Illustrated offers more pictures and poses; it also shows a counter-pose and variation for each pose. The yoga sets at the end of the book show a picture, breath, Sanskrit/English name and reference page, so they can be learned quickly. If you are looking for a yoga book to take with you when travelling or commuting, then this is suitable as it is fairly small and light-weight – 233 pages. |
Hatha Yoga Illustrated
- For greater strength, flexibility and focus by M. Kirk, B. Boon, D. DiTuro Book of the Month – September 2010
This book is concerned with general Hatha yoga, and more specifically with asanas (physical postures) and pranayama (breathing techniques). The book includes:
★ ★ ★ ★ Overall, this is a good yoga book for complete beginners. It gives very useful information needed to quickly start practicing physical (Hatha) postures. This is high quality and relevant information that is written in an easy to understand way with limited use of jargon, esoteric or Sanskrit terms. The book is small, thin and light-weight (64 pages; A5 size), which fits in small bags and can easily be carried around when commuting or going on holiday. It includes lots of pictures of poses and the font size is large. There are second hand inexpensive copies available on many websites.People who are beginning yoga and do not want to be overwhelmed with technical and esoteric terms, but want easy to follow information to quickly start asanas, will like this book.This is not a book that you will start and never finish! Be aware there is no information on meditation! (Also no Sanskrit names of poses or a glossary of terms, so take a look at the Yoga Poses Index) Meditation is the aim of a yoga practice. Asana practice prepares the body & mind for meditation. After creating harmony in the body and mind, at the end of the asana work remember to add a meditation practice. Learn about Meditation. |
The Great Yoga Handbook
- A Quick Reference Guide to Yoga Exercises by L. Stuart Book of the month coming soon!
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