If you’re looking for hatha yoga books here a few that I can recommend. The shelves are filling up year after year with books on yoga, many of which regurgitate the same stuff, some even with the same photos. Rather than reviewing everything that is out there (a waste of my time, and yours) here a couple that have stood the test of time.
The Sivananda Companion to Yoga
by The Sivananda Yoga Center is a colorful book, lavishly illustrated, and is a great all-round introduction to yoga. The photographs of the yoga asanas and descriptions make it clear what you are looking for in each pose.
Topics like diet, meditation and yogic philosophy are also covered, making this a great handbook on yoga for the beginner. Yoga routines are given, and with the detailed descriptions you should find everything easy to follow.
Great For: Yoga beginners
Order your copy from Amazon.com
Yoga and Health
by Selvarajan Yesudian and Elisabeth Haich is my all-time favourite yoga book. This was the book that inspired me along my yoga path. First published in 1953, it begins by telling the author’s story of growing up as young man in India, and how after finding a yoga master his health and life was transformed.
The chapters on yoga breathing and diet are among the clearest I have ever read, and the compassion and wisdom of Yesudian flow through every page. His descriptions of the yoga postures are detailed and the old black and white photos give a wonderful feel to the work.
I give this book my highest recommendation.
Great for: All yoga students
Order your copy from Amazon.com
