Our Top Ten Yoga Books: Part Two
Our Top 10 Yoga Books: Part Two
We recently asked you to share your favourite yoga books with us. Here's part two of the results. Read the first part here. Is your favourite missing from the list? Add your own recommendations using the comments form at the bottom of the page... happy reading!
6. Bringing Yoga to Life (Donna Farhi)
Donna Farhi is a world renowned yoga teacher and reading this book, it is very clear to see why. Laced with real life examples and personal vignettes, this book is a wonderful guide to applying what happens on your mat to the rest of your life too. Inspiring, heartwarming and evocative, Donna's style is both down to earth and refreshingly honest. She encourages the reader to take a long, hard look at their lives, their minds and their practice. A great book to turn to now and again when you need a strong pick-me-up! Our very own Beverley Nolan studies annually with Donna. (And Donna herself will be visiting Camyoga in July next year!)
7. Yoga Anatomy (Leslie Kaminoff & Amy Matthews)
Ever wondered what your psoas is or how breathing works? This popular guide to anatomy is one of the best available, revealing the inner workings of the human body asana by asana. Whether you're studying to be a yoga teacher, looking to improve your knowledge of anatomy or simply just plain curious, this book is a wonderful reference and great for dipping in and out of.
8. Bihar School of Yoga Books
The Bihar School of Yoga was founded in 1964 by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and they have been publishing books and articles on all aspects of yoga for over 40 years through their publishing house, Yoga Publications Trust. All of the books in the series act as wonderfully detailed guides to specific aspects of yoga. Mark Stevens, our Jivamukti teacher, says "If you see a Bihar School of Yoga book in a second hand bookshop, buy it and read it. If you don't like it, I'll buy it off you." Now that certainly is a recommendation!
9. Yoga: Immortality & Freedom (Mircea Eliade)
This book certainly doesn't make for light reading but readers' efforts are rewarded - a staggering and colourful ride through the history of yogic traditions and philosophy. Discover the origins of what we know today as yoga and uncover the social, political and spiritual contexts in which the practice has developed, splintered and expanded. Eliade presents yoga in all of its glorious complexity, diversity and richness.
10. The Yoga Tradition: Its History, Literature, Philosophy & Practice (Georg Feurstein)
This mammoth 720-page book contains a wealth of information on all aspects of yoga. Covering the links between yoga and major religions, yogic cults, literature, philosophy and practice, this truly is a comprehensive guide. The book also contains full and part translations of key yogic texts, including the Sutras and parts of the Bhagavad Gita.