Whether you are looking to improve the performance of your physical body, find some inner peace, elevate your consciousness, develop a spiritual practice or achieve ultimate union with the divine, yoga is a pursuit that can reap unlimited benefits. It's not necessary to move to India to receive authentic yoga instruction! But sadly, there are many sources that are overly commercial, highly watered-down, or misleading.
That’s why we have researched the best yoga books available for those just getting started or who wish to take their practice to the next level. We found that the best source of pure yoga being offered in English today is Sadhguru’s Inner Engineering. The author embraces the entirety of yogic science at its essence and makes it digestible to a wider audience no matter what level of practice they are on. Check out the other great books in our top 10 list, and use our buying guide to help choose the best one for you.
We have narrowed down a list of 10 of the highest-quality books about yoga available. These will ensure your practice keeps moving in the right direction and will save you from the regret of buying books that will not get you anywhere near the doorway of this ancient art of yogic science.
$23.39
Publication year | 2016 |
---|---|
Focus | Yogic sciences |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | Isha, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No |
Available formats | Hardcover, Kindle, audio |
eBook price | $8.48 |
$15.98
Publication year | 2008 |
---|---|
Focus | Asana |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | Hatha, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | Yes |
Available formats | Paperback, Kindle |
eBook price | $9.99 |
$17.57
Publication year | 2003 |
---|---|
Focus | Asanas |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | General |
Author's credentials | Yoga teacher |
Yoga asana guide | Yes |
Available formats | Paperback, Kindle |
eBook price | $13.99 |
$13.11
Publication year | 2009 |
---|---|
Focus | Yoga style comparison, yogic sciences |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | Karma, Bhakti, Raja, Jnana, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No |
Available formats | Hardcover, paperback |
eBook price | - |
$14.47
Publication year | 1995 |
---|---|
Focus | Asanas |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | Iyengar, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | Yes |
Available formats | Paperback, spiral-bound |
eBook price | - |
$25.56
Publication year | 1990 |
---|---|
Focus | Yogic sciences |
Level | Intermediate, advanced |
Yoga style | General |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, Kindle |
eBook price | $17.99 |
$19.39
Publication year | 2011 |
---|---|
Focus | Anatomy of Yoga |
Level | Intermediate, advanced |
Yoga style | General |
Author's credentials | Yoga and movement educators, experts on breath and anatomy |
Yoga asana guide | Yes |
Available formats | Paperback, Kindle, spiral-bound |
eBook price | $16.49 |
$14.57
Publication year | 2012 |
---|---|
Focus | Yogic sciences |
Level | Intermediate, advanced |
Yoga style | Raja, Ashtanga, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No |
Available formats | Paperback, Kindle, audio |
eBook price | $9.99 |
$8.47
Publication year | 2009 |
---|---|
Focus | Meditation |
Level | Intermediate, advanced |
Yoga style | Hatha, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No |
Available formats | Paperback |
eBook price | - |
$14.90
Publication year | 1999 |
---|---|
Focus | Yoga |
Level | Any |
Yoga style | Viniyoga, general |
Author's credentials | Son of a yogi |
Yoga asana guide | Yes |
Available formats | Paperback, Kindle |
eBook price | $13.99 |
Image | 1 ![]() Sadhguru | 2 ![]() Swami Satyananda Saraswati | 3 ![]() Christina Brown | 4 ![]() Swami Vivekananda | 5 ![]() B.K.S. Iyengar | 6 ![]() Sri Aurobindo | 7 ![]() Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews | 8 ![]() Sri Swami Satchidananda | 9 ![]() Swami Sivananda | 10 ![]() T.K.V. Desikachar |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Inner Engineering | Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha | The Yoga Bible | Complete Book of Yoga | Light on Yoga | The Life Divine | Yoga Anatomy | The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali | Concentration and Meditation | The Heart of Yoga |
Features | A Masterpiece of Inner Alchemy Giving You Tools to Transform Your Life | The Definitive Resource of Yogasanas With Expansive Reference Details | A Nice Collection of Straight-Forward Beautifully Photographed Asanas | Learn the Difference Between Four Major Paths of the Yoga of Lord Krishna | Attain Mastery of Anatomical Precision in Yogasana Execution | Bridging the Gap Between the Physical and the Spiritual | Understand the Forms More Deeply With an Anatomical View | A 2,000-Year-Old Yogic Text by the One Who Unified the Practice of Yoga | Learn the Core Technique of All Yogic Practices from a Legendary Yogi | A Guidebook for Many Western Teachers of Yoga Written by the Son of a Great Yogi |
Price | $23.39 | $15.98 | $17.57 | $13.11 | $14.47 | $25.56 | $19.39 | $14.57 | $8.47 | $14.90 |
Publication year | 2016 | 2008 | 2003 | 2009 | 1995 | 1990 | 2011 | 2012 | 2009 | 1999 |
Focus | Yogic sciences | Asana | Asanas | Yoga style comparison, yogic sciences | Asanas | Yogic sciences | Anatomy of Yoga | Yogic sciences | Meditation | Yoga |
Level | Any | Any | Any | Any | Any | Intermediate, advanced | Intermediate, advanced | Intermediate, advanced | Intermediate, advanced | Any |
Yoga style | Isha, general | Hatha, general | General | Karma, Bhakti, Raja, Jnana, general | Iyengar, general | General | General | Raja, Ashtanga, general | Hatha, general | Viniyoga, general |
Author's credentials | Recognized yogi | Recognized yogi | Yoga teacher | Recognized yogi | Recognized yogi | Recognized yogi | Yoga and movement educators, experts on breath and anatomy | Recognized yogi | Recognized yogi | Son of a yogi |
Yoga asana guide | No | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No | Yes | No | No | Yes |
Available formats | Hardcover, Kindle, audio | Paperback, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle | Hardcover, paperback | Paperback, spiral-bound | Paperback, hardcover, Kindle | Paperback, Kindle, spiral-bound | Paperback, Kindle, audio | Paperback | Paperback, Kindle |
eBook price | $8.48 | $9.99 | $13.99 | - | - | $17.99 | $16.49 | $9.99 | - | $13.99 |
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Here are some points to keep in mind as you browse the shelves for a great book on yoga.
The goal of all traditional yoga is to achieve union with the divine by mastering the energetic systems of the body. To accomplish this, there are many paths up the same mountain. Depending on which path you choose, the journey could be quite different.
Although there are many different kinds of yoga, there are several common ones with which it may be best to familiarize yourself before you commit.
The most common form of traditional yoga today is Hatha Yoga. If you are not sure which type to choose, then Hatha Yoga is a safe bet.
“Ha” means sun and “Tha” means moon. Through physical practices, concentration, and meditation, proper diet, and pranayama (or breath control), the yoga practitioner learns to take control of their physicality.
Vinyasa Yoga is a bit more physically demanding than the average yoga type. It cycles through many asanas, or postures, in a quick flow. "One breath, one posture" is the saying. If you want quick physical development, this is for you.
Thousands of years ago, the Indian sage Patanjali attempted to take the excessive diversity of many schools of the yogic sciences and organize them into a single system. This system is called Raja Yoga or Ashtanga Yoga, and it means the eight limbs of Yoga.
It has a clearly mapped out path for energetic purification. This is a widely available form nowadays, and suits everyone from casual to serious practitioners.
Iyengar Yoga was developed about 50 years ago by B.K.S. Iyengar. He focuses on precision, detail, and near-perfect alignment in every yoga asana. This type also incorporates the use of props such as blocks, ropes, and blankets to help one achieve this mastery. It is excellent for beginners who want to master the forms.
Kriya yoga was well known by yogis in ancient times, but then seemed to disappear for a long time. It has resurfaced in modern times due to the yogic lineage made popular by Paramahansa Yogananda. Kriya yoga uses sometimes intense yogic techniques to accelerate the spiritual evolution of the practitioner.
Not all books on yoga are the same. Some books focus entirely on the physical aspect of yoga while others address it as an energetic science that has many levels of practice and application. The best books on yoga are a fine balance between physical practice and the study of yoga as an energetic science.
There are two general directions you can take your practice of yoga; one focuses mainly on physical fitness and the other focuses on spiritual development.
The path of spiritual development includes all the health and fitness benefits of the commercial practice of yogic exercise, but has much more to offer beyond that. But like any practice with such lofty aims, it requires more dedication and focus.
Many books on yoga are like manuals, with a collection of illustrations and photographs explaining how to do the physical postures (asanas or yogasanas, as they are called.)
Other types of books deal with the science of yoga and its application in refining the body and its various energetic systems into higher levels. In addition to this, you can also find autobiographies and biographies which will take it all and paint a picture of how some people have lived yoga as a way of life.
A yogi, by definition, is someone who has practiced yoga to such a depth that they have broken the boundaries of their individuality. Many of these individuals who have lived yoga as a way of life and achieved depths beyond casual understanding are based in India.
If you are serious about your pursuit and want to make sure you are learning authentic yoga, then it is essential that you choose a book or teacher who belongs to a true yogic lineage and has made a significant achievement on that path.
Yoga can be a lifelong pursuit, but is a discipline that needs to be achieved gradually in stages. Choose simple books in the beginning, and as you gain your footing and your awareness expands, then you can slowly advance to higher and higher levels.
A good rule of thumb is if you are completely lost in terms of what is being taught then go down a notch. Be patient but consistent in your practices as you work on mastering the basics.
The science of yoga has many different aspects to it. It is a good idea to get books that focus on certain areas of the practice to help you gain a deeper understanding.
Concentration and meditation form the core of what defines the practice of yoga. Adequate skills in these are essential to make any real progress in your practice. You’ll learn how to let go, be present, and turn your focus inward through these practices.
Breath control is an essential aspect of yoga. The term pranayama refers to this portion of yoga, which trains mastery over the concentration and control of the flow of breath. Learning to be aware of the conscious flow of the breath in each moment is essential to establish a firm foundation in yoga.
Mudras are hand postures that a yoga practitioner uses to channel energy in a certain way to gain desired results. Numerous mudras can be learned to help heal health conditions, emotional troubles, stress and to achieve spiritual well-being.
Yoga is a deep ocean if you desire to explore it. There are many books which will not give you instruction on the physical postures themselves but will offer development on emotional and spiritual levels, which many say are even more important than the physical yogasanas. Be sure to check some of them out.
Ayurveda medicine is inseparable from the practice of yoga. It is an ancient system of medicine still practiced today. It teaches eating and lifestyle habits as well as how to treat and cure various diseases and health issues.
Yoga is a simple activity that doesn't need many accessories, but there are some items which will enhance your experience. Take a look at our other related top 10 lists to get even more from your sessions.
The pursuit of the practice of yoga in its various expressions and forms could become one of the most rewarding and life-changing experiences you have ever undertaken. It may take a bit of work and dedication, but the benefits gained from your efforts will soon far outshine the difficulties.
A good set of yoga books could be essential in helping to keep you moving in the right direction as well as giving you a depth of practice that may not have otherwise been available to you. Namaskaram!
Author: Eric Justin
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