What is Beyond Yoga you ask? I have no clue, but I love that brand of yoga pants! Haha! Students (thanks Elizabeth!) have been asking me to suggest my favorite yoga books, beyond Patanjali’s Sutras, that are very hard for most students, never mind non-yoga people, to read and understand. There are a plethora of yoga books out there, some the same with different catchy titles, while others are written in such yoga jargon that you end up re-reading the same paragraph over and over again. I don’t like those books. So I won’t suggest them!
My teacher, Tim Miller, is always suggesting we read his favorites and many of his books have become my favorites now too. During retreats with Tim, he includes a story hour each day where he reads from the Indian texts, the Ramayana or the Mahabarata, while we all sit and listen in awe, even though many of us have reads these texts over and over, myself included. It’s something about having your teacher read to you that takes me back to second grade at Our Lady of Mercy School, when Mrs. Vallone would read from Beverly Cleary novels while we sat on the floor and watched her lips slowly move.
I don’t have time to read books to you though, sorry, my first EVER book club, that I started meets tomorrow for the first time! I am SO excited, I know you can’t tell. We’re going to set up on lawn-chairs in my backyard and snack, drink and talk… what a lovely Saturday afternoon I have ahead of me. And I am planning on Yummy Yogini-ing it up for the girls! Not sure what I’ll make, but I’ll think of something!
So here are my favorite yoga books in no particular order really, with the exception of the first one. I am constantly lending my books out to students so if you want to borrow one of these, just ask. Because some of the books are not in my possession right now, I have listed a few down below that are worth checking out too! Oh! And PA-LEASE suggest something for me if it’s not on there or you think I’d like it! I eat books for dinner. They are nutritious!
This is BY FAR my favorite yoga read of all time. Krishnamacharya was the teacher to both Pattabhi Jois and Iyengar and it’s fascinating to see how different the two practices are when they stem from the same teachings. This book is also written by Krishnamacharya’s son so it’s a first-hand account of this amazing man who lived into his 100’s.
This book is written for a fifth grader, seriously. I am not a fan of said writing but the message in this book is wonderful and those of you who are stuck on the Sutras should pick up a copy of this book and read it simultaneously. They go hand and hand.
This is the Indian epic tale of Prince Rama, and William Buck has told it with all of its nobility of spirit, heroic renunciation, fierce battles and the triumph of good over evil. Here we meet the monkey Hanuman, my favorite deity of them all!
A must read for all yoga students, the Gita is the most influential of all the Hindu scriptures and is one of the greatest spiritual classics of the world. The Gita presents us with a conversation between Krishna and Arjuna, while on the battlefield where two groups of relatives are about to wage war over each other. This is NOT an easy read, but a necessary task!
Like the Gita above, Easwarem writes a wonderful translation of the Upanishads, the story of Indian sages who embarked on an extraordinary experiment 2000 years ago and the wisdom they gained from it.
Looking for small, inspiring passages to read each morning/night? Check 365 Nirvana out. I am constantly reading passages to my students in shavasana and they are always asking what I’m reading from, so here ya go!
This is one of my favorite teaching yoga books, by one of my favorites authors, Donna Farhi. This is a MUST read for all you teachers and teachers-to-be out there. She is straightforward and shows compassion, creativity and clarity when explaining the important role of yoga teachers. and the relationships we cultivate with our students.
Want to learn more about Hanuman, Lakshmi and Ganesha? Coolest and cutest book out there about the Indian deities, or God’s, and easy to read… it would be a fun read for kiddos too!
Those elusive bandhas! Espeially Moola! If you’re having trouble understanding, catching or engaging this energy lock, I highly recommend this book. Problem is, I purchased it in India, so if you want to borrow it, let me know!
This is yoga wisdom at its best from Mr. Iyengar. It’s amazing how he became what he is today when he was a weak, sick child with no real interest in yoga… or so he thought!
Trying to remember or practice Primary Series on your own? Want a sneak peak into the Second Series? How about seeing a young, adorable Sharath (Pattabhi’s grandson) demonstrate all the poses while listing the correct Sanskrit count and dristi? This is my BIBLE! I don’t lend it out… you’ll have to find it on your own! It’s too precious to me and a go-to every single day in my line of work!
For those of you who don’t know much, or anything for that matter, about Pattabhi Jois, this is a book written by all the people close to him including family, friends and other Ashtanga teachers. I absolutely love this book and the stories about Guruji from when he was a young man up to the months before his death.
Other yoga books to check out:
Yoga Mala by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (a must read for all Ashtanga students)
The Mahabarata by Vyasa (I like Kamala Subramaniam’s translation)
Happy Yoga by Steve Ross (This is a great book, no jargon and great writing)
The Gift by Hafiz (Poetry that I’ll read my students during shavasana)
Anatomy of the Spirit by Caroline Myss (She writes about the seven stages of power and healing)
Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts (The true story of a prison escapee and his travels through India… I won’t tell you anymore… I don’t want to spoil it!)
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So while we’re talking about yoga books and teachings and such, my girl Meg Whitney has just announced her first teacher training in the spring at the Yoga Centre, where we both work. She is an incredible practitioner, instructor, philosopher, friend and overall, Meg just embodies the spirit of yoga. Meg is authentic, and I’m only plugging her training because she is so real and consumed with yoga on the mat, and off. So sign up! Here she is today doing her “thang” on some pumpkins we (Meg, Morgan and I) decided we just HAD to stop and pose on! Too funny- the owner of the patch came up to us to see what on earth we were doing. She didn’t seem happy but don’t cha know less than 10 minutes later, there were over a dozen people there to buy pumpkins! We make a very good advertisement!!
…and just a sneak peak of the books she’ll be using during training!
After the three of us girls had our fill of the pumpkins (pictures to be posted later) I ran home because I forgot there were groceries sitting in my car… for the last two and a half hours, thank you very much! And to my surprise a little package at my door from LuLuLemon Athletica, yes, my favorite brand of yoga wear EVER. I know LuLu has a lot of haters out there after the whole see-through pants scandal, however I was not affected by said pants and I’ve always thought their stuff is of good quality… unless they have started mass producing, than I’m not so sure about that. I have so many tanks, tops, pants, jackets, packs and other LuLu crap, that my husband actually bought stock in the company!
Don’t cha love getting mail when it’s not bills??!!
Since the nearest LuLu store here is at least an hour away, I talked the girls at the Santa Barbara store into hosting a trunk show here in San Luis Obispo. First it was suppose to take place in the summer, at the Farmer’s Market, where I would teach a yoga class while everyone shopped but they couldn’t get the permits. Luckily, the Yoga Centre stepped in and said LuLu could have the trunk show in the studio… which happens to be adjacent to Meze Wine Bar so it’ll be a fun night of shop-asana followed by wine for us girls! LuLu is bringing thousands of dollars worth of product to the studio, so make sure you head on down and pick yourself up some red, purple or blue pants!
The LuLuLemon Trunk Show is happening this Tuesday night, from 4-7 p.m. at the Yoga Centre located at 1880 Santa Barbara Ave in SLO. For more information call 805-598-7100.