Where did you hear of your favorite yoga books

[Meryl]

Hi yoga folks:

I was thinking about where, over the years, I have heard about my favorite yoga books. Chime in about where you got wind of your favorites, too.

My first favorite, To Know Yourself, a philosophy book of words by the late Swami Satchidananda, was suggested to me by my very first yoga teacher many years ago. That endeared me to both the Swami and to that teacher!

Later, a friend recommended the Sivananda Companion to YogaSivananda Companion to YogaTo Know Your Self: The Essential Teachings of Swami Satchidananda, which was a great guide to the asanas.

Over the years I've read many books, of course, and can't recall how I heard about them. More recently I've learned of several books, including two great ones that we read here last year, Yoga BitchYoga Bitch: One Woman's Quest to Conquer Skepticism, Cynicism, and Cigarettes on the Path to Enlightenment and Learning to BreatheLearning to Breathe: My Yearlong Quest to Bring Calm to My Life from the Twitter Yoga Book Club (yes, a fun yoga reading group that tweets its comments--they also read my book last year, so I admit to a bias).

Do you mostly learn of yoga or yoga-inspired books b y word of mouth? Reviews? Yoga teachers? A great yogi friend? This group? Don't give a laundry list; just describe a few specific books that touched you and how you learned of them.

Namaste!

[RH]

All my favorite books have been ones that my yoga teacher Nancy Boler has read from before class -- Meditations from the Mat by Rolf Gates and Katrina Kenison, The Yoga of Eating by Charles Eisenstein and The Yamas and Niyamas by Deborah Adele. My teacher Silke Schroeder also told me about Yogi Bare, an excellent book of interviews with yoga teachers.

[Kate]

Tree of Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar has remained one of my favorites. It's written for yoga teachers, but I found it inspiring and informative. I also love Meditations from the Mat by Rolf Gates. He is such a great teacher and person. Love these words of his..."So we show up. Burn Brightly in the Moment. Live passionately. Hold nothing back. And when the moment is over and the work is done, we step back and let go." The Inner Tradition of Yoga by Michael Stone makes yoga and its concepts so accessible. Namaste- off to brave the LA traffic to work. Thank you for inspiring us to remember these great books, Meryl!

[Meryl]

Gary, do let us know what you ultimate

[Meryl]

Not at my computer (on my phone) so can't yet delete that partial post that accidentally went live. What I'd intended to say is if you do read that book, Gary, be sure to let us know what you think of it!

Namaste!
Meryl

[Lisa]

I found a few of my favorite yoga books through this group! A lot of great recommendations here!! The others I found on my own through internet searches and a few booksellers.

[Diana]

I just found out about Brene Brown as an author tonite, ordered 2 of her books & some other books that are on her blog. They are not Yoga specific but closely related. On her blog @ www.brenebrown.com today she started a virtual online book club & has two wonderful picks. Also, at a conference last week in their book fair, I found out that Baron Baptiste & Amy Weintraub both have new books out. I also bought a new book, The Mindful Way Through Depression that Jon Kabat Zinn has contributed to. My book shelf is filling up!! My goal is to read 1 non-fiction book a week. : ) thanks for all of the great book posts!!

[Kate]

Diana, just finished, Daring Greatly by Brene Brown! Wonderful.

[Meryl]

Wow, interesting to see how many outlets people use to learn about good yoga books.

Namaste!
Meryl

[Diana]

Thanks Kate, glad to hear you liked her book. I downloaded The Gifts of Imperfection onto my kindle & waiting for the others.
Here's to good reading!!

[Monette]

There was a bookshelf on one wall of a yoga studio I used to frequent, and when my mat was in that vicinity, it was not beneath me to scan the shelves when I should have been focusing inward. Found some gems that way! One of the more obscure titles I discovered was First There Was a Tree which is a kind of Eat, Pray, Love account of one woman's journey to Pune, India to study with the Iyengars. Love hearing how everyone stumbles upon their yoga books! I will also buy any yoga book if I can get the author to sign it because I am a huge sucker for signed books.

[Kate]

Monette, someone mentioned Once There Was a Tree awhile ago and I'd forgotten. Thanks for the reminder! I am however horrified that you look at books during your yoga practice. I ONLY consider paint colors, wall art, the teacher's feet, the placement of the lights and the music, if there is any. Loving Downward Dog, Upward Fog!

[Monette]

So glad I'm not the only distractible yogi out there! I like Downward Dog, Upward Fog, too and Rain Mitchell's Tales from the Yoga Studio, too. Both great for melding the joy of a novel with a passion for yoga. Your novel, Breathe, is on my to-read list!

I actually had the name of the book I spied during class wrong. It is First There Is a Mountain: A Yoga Romance by Elizabeth Kadetsky. It does get a tad bit whiny at points, but the insight into the Iyengar yoga world is worth it.

Happy reading, moving & breathing!

Monette

[Kate]

Ha! Yes, Once There Was A Tree is a picture book, profound in its own way :-) I haven't heard of First There Was A Mountain. I'll check it out. Thank you for adding 'Breathe'!

[Kate]

I forgot about 'Yoga Mind Body and Spirit: A Return to Wholeness' by Donna Farhi. I think this may have been the first yoga book I'd ever read. It's wonderful, if you haven't yet- a manual more than a story.

Namaste!

[Monette]

I've read articles by Donna, but never her seminal book. Adding it to my list! Interestingly, I just noticed she has a piece in the new issue of Integral Yoga Magazine titled Asteya: One of the Living Principles of Yoga. I have an article on an interfaith approach to the yama in the same section. Honored to be in such good company!

[Meryl]

Nice, Monette! Can't wait to read your piece.

[Diana]

Yes, heading to B&N today & will look for that magazine, would love to read both articles. Thanks for sharing Monette.

[Kate]

Wow! What a fantastic publication. I was only able to read a few of the articles online. I love the interview with Don Miguel Ruiz. I too will head be heading to Barnes and Noble, bc it's the weekend (yay!) My daughter is dying for the new Nancy Drew and the Crew Clue book, so I'll have buy in. I look forward to your article, Monette. Maybe, I'll see you there, Diana :-)

[Monette]

If only we all lived in the same city, we could have a literary yoga meet-up at B&N! I haven't gotten my copy of the magazine yet, but I'm excited about working with them. This is the first in a a series of three articles excerpted from my book (Sophia Rising: Awakening Your Sacred Wisdom Through Yoga) which will be released June 1. Would love to facilitate a discussion of the book on this forum sometime if you all are interested in a dialog on the ways we meld our spiritual/religious beliefs with our yoga practice.

[Diana]

Yes, meeting up would be wonderful! I could not find the yoga magazine yesterday so I will be purchasing your book.
Would love a facilitated discussion. Thaks!