Enhance your everday practice with these inspirational yoga books by great yogis.
“Yoga is 99% practice, 1% theory” – Pattabhi Jois
New yogis believe that practice will make them perfect but many tend to forget the fact that this 1% of the theory is an imperative basis of Yoga.
This theory is so vast as various ancient yogis have described its hypothesis and effects on the human mind, body, and soul in many ways.
Yoga is not only about stretching out and getting flexible. It is much more than that.
Gaining physical strength, and feeling harmony are some of its bonus points. Apart from this, you learn new yogic skills to calm down your mind that seems very difficult to attain without yoga. Or you can say yoga is the only tool to enhance mind power.
Being a new yogi, you need to walk on right path. But how to know the right path? Which path is right or wrong?
There are so many questions that are unanswered in beginner mind. In that case, opting book and guru is the best decision.
The journey of yoga becomes more insightful when you are well informed of what successful yogis have experienced and achieved through transforming their yoga practice.
The life journey of real gurus gives us light to find and explore this new path. Few of them are so inspiring that took this world by storm.
The Autobiography of a Yogi By Paramhansa Yogananda is one of them and first spiritual revolution around the world from India that changed many life.
That’s why its important to read the yoga books before starting your yoga journey.
Yoga books are powerful enough to transfigure lives. They influence intellectual, develop positive attitude, provide endless knowledge about yoga and a complete transformation guide of one’s mind, body, and soul.
Start your journey now.
Some Inspirational Must-Read Yoga Books
With a lot of research, we have piled up 10 best yoga books written by Indian yogis – from the land where yoga is actually originated.
1. Autobiography of a yogi By Paramahansa Yogananda
Paramhansa Yogananda was an Indian monk and chief disciple of yoga Guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri.
He was the first Indian yogi to visit America to spread the teachings of yoga and to preach on how to balance between material growth and spirituality.
His yoga campaigns in the U.S. launched a spiritual revolution there.
Autobiography of a Yogi, was his first published book in 1946, which became his lasting spiritual legacy. Translated into more than a dozen languages, it remains a best-selling spiritual classic to this day.
Yogananda’s autobiography was of great merit as it was the first-ever book written by a yogi about yogis.
His remarkable documentation is certainly one of the most revealing of the depths of Hinduism, it’s philosophy, and the spiritual wealth of India, ever to be published in the Western countries.
2. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali By Sri Swami Satchidananda
Patanjali Maharishi was a Hindu saint and one of his greatest Sanskrit works was Yoga Sutras – a classical yoga tale.
In the book, ‘The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali’, Sri Swami Satchidananda has not only translated and spread its significance but also offered practical advice based on his experiences on mastering the mind and achieving internal harmony.
The primary text of Raja Yoga contains almost 200 sutras, traditionally divided into four sections – Portion on Contemplation (Samadhi Pada), Portion on Practice (Sadhana Pada), Portion on Accomplishments (Vibhuti Pada), and Portion on Absoluteness (Kaivalya Pada).
This book consists the theory of yoga, stages of practice of samadhi, detailed explanations of traditional eight limbs of Raja Yoga, etc. It concluded with a discussion on yoga from a cosmic, philosophical viewpoint.
3. Prana And Pranayama by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati
Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati is the successor of Satyananda Saraswati – founder of Satyananda Yoga.
This particular type of yoga emphasizes on Integral Yoga and focuses more on head, heart, and hand – symbols of intellect, emotion, and action.
The book ‘Prana and Pranayama’ is an extensive text on the life source called Prana and the functioning of the life source through Pranayama.
Upanishads state that Prana is the vital force that sustains not only the body but also the creation at every level. Whereas Pranayama is the pause in the movement of inhalation and exhalation of breath.
Yogic practice of pranayama has been known for over 4,000 years in India.
Swami Saraswati has explained how rigorous practice of pranayama can influence the direction of the pranic flows and a greater quantum of energy is produced from the chakras.
4. Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Internationally recognized, this is one of the most systematic yoga manuals available today. The book’s comprehensive text provides clear illustrations, details, and step by step directions of chakra awareness.
There are 7 chakras in the human body which plays an important role in the balance and health of bodies.
This yoga book guides practitioners about chakra meditation and practices of hatha yoga system.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati was the disciple of Swami Sivananda. He founded the International Yoga Fellowship in 1963 and the Bihar School of Yoga in 1964.
It was during this time he first published the book in 1969. It has been translated into many languages and reprinted thirteen times.
The latest edition comprises a therapeutic index for yoga therapists containing the most recent information from research into yoga.
5. Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar
K. S. Iyengar is a prominent figure in yoga society. He is a yogi and has founded “Iyengar Yoga”.
This yoga book ‘Light on Yoga’ is a comprehensive introduction to yoga with 200 yoga poses (asanas) and 14 breathing exercises (pranayamas).
He believes that most of the fundamental attitudes towards life have their physical counterparts and effects in the body. Thus, balancing the outside world and inside self should begin with balancing the body.
He explains how a perfect balance between the body’s left and right sides be achieved through the practice of yoga.
First published in 1966, Mr. Iyenger’s ‘Light on Yoga’ has enabled many beginners to follow the basic art of yoga and achieve happiness.
6. Yoga Nidra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Yoga Nidra is a technique to relax consciously. In this book, Swami Satyananda Saraswati explains why sleep cannot be considered as relaxation.
Doing some recreational activity is only a sensory diversion and not a complete state of stress-free mode.
Rather Yoga Nidra is a technique of inducing complete emotional, mental and physical relaxation by harmonizing the deeper unconsciousness and awakening the inner potential.
This entire yoga book teaches step-by-step art of Nidra, training the mind, symbols of the unconsiousness, and the process of pratyahara.
Some of Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s other prominent yoga books are Yoga for beginners are Asana Pranayama, Surya Namaskara, Bhakti yoga Sagar, Dynamics of yoga, Yoga from shore to shore, and Yoga and cardiovascular Management.
7. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice by T. K. V. Desikachar
K. V. Desikachar was the son of an Indian yoga teacher, Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who practiced Viniyoga (yoga adapted to the needs of the individual), a style of Hatha Yoga.
Desikachar was an engineer by profession but inspired by his father. His yoga book ‘The Heart of Yoga’, is an invaluable source of information regarding the theory and practice of yoga.
He carefully documented the foundations and principles of yoga asana practices.
In the second half of his book, he focused more on what darkens the heart, qualities of mind, the importance of spine at every level – physical, mental, and spiritual.
One of the must read yoga book for emotional people about being emotionally strong.
8. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga by Deepak Chopra & David Simon
After explaining exhaustively about the theory and practice of yoga asanas, meditation, moving energy of pranayamas and bandhas, the authors Deepak Chopra & David Simon gave special attention to the seven spiritual laws of yoga, which are based on the laws of nature applied to the human experience.
They are the principles through which the spirit becomes the material universe and unmanifest becomes the manifest.
These are – Law of pure potentiality, Law of giving and receiving, Law of karma, Law of least effect, Law of intention and desire, Law of detachment, Law of dharma.
This yoga book has something for all – whether you’re a newbie or an advanced yoga practitioner, it provide a deeper spiritual dimension of yoga practice for all.
Also, helps you to take a path of enlightenment through breathing exercises, yoga poses, mantra chanting, and meditation techniques.
9. Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
Kundalini Tantra is Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati’s pioneering work on kundalini, chakras and kriya yoga.
Swami Satyananda Saraswati has given a detailed explanation of kundalini awakening, its signs, effects of such experiences and ways to manage and elicit from them.
He has given a comprehensive description of each chakra and the importance of the chakras in tantric and yogic practice.
He explains how while rising the kundalini shakti, one must learn to balance each center – mind, body, spirit, for greater harmony.
10. Apprenticed to a Himalayan Master by Sri M
Born as Mumtaz Ali Khan, now known as Sri M, was from Kerala, India.
At the age of nineteen, he left home and went to the Himalayas. He met his master Sri Maheshwarnath Babaji in Vyasa Cave, beyond the Himalayan shrine of Badrinath and spent more than three years there.
His master instructed him to return to his home and to live a normal life, to work, to fulfill his responsibilities and social commitments.
He asked him to preach and teach the world what he has learned and experienced in the Himalayas from his master. That’s what influenced Sri M to write his autobiography.
This yoga book is his journey from Mumtaz Ali Khan to Sri M.
A yogi’s deep personal insights and profound knowledge of the Upanishads, gained from the first-hand experiences is indeed a fascinating story which was depicted in his book.
Conclusion
With this inspiring list of yoga books of great yogis, you will gain a deeper knowledge of how to live like a yogi’s life.
Through deeper insights, proper diet, clean body chakra, and practice, you can enjoy more prosperous and happy life while harmonizing your mind, body, and soul at the same time.
Empower your regular yoga routine with these best yoga quotes.
Which yoga books inspired you the most?
Choose the one you drawn for and start exploring your life as yogis. Also, Inspire new yogis by sharing this list of yoga books that has changed many lives.
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