We have interviewed some of the top yoga teachers in the Seattle area and we have asked each of them what their favorite book was.  To help you find the next book that will inspire you, we have made a compilation of the most recommended books by our amazing yoga teachers. Scroll down and pick your next favorite book!

Yoga Book #1: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Sri Swami Satchidananda

book1-yoga-sutras-of-patanjali

Recommended by Abiola Akanni: “The book that has influenced me most is definitely The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali.”

About this Book: This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga, the path of concentration and meditation. This new edition of these timeless teachings is a treasure to be read and referred to again and again by seekers treading the spiritual path. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least 4,000 years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life. The Sutras are presented here in the purest form, with the original Sanskrit and with translation, transliteration, and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda, one of the most respected and revered contemporary Yoga masters. In this classic context, Sri Swamiji offers practical advice based on his own experience for mastering the mind and achieving physical, mental and emotional harmony.

Yoga Book #2: Tantra Illuminated by Hareesh Wallis

Tantra Illuminated by Hareesh WallisRecommended by Adrienne Rabena: “Tantra Illuminated by Hareesh Wallis . I read it almost every day!”

About this book: This book takes readers on a fascinating journey to the very heart of Tantra: its key teachings, foundational lineages, and transformative practices. Since the West’s discovery of Tantra 100 years ago, there has been considerable fascination, speculation, and more than a little misinformation about this spiritual movement. Now, for the first time in the English language, Tantra Illuminated presents an accessible introduction to this sacred tradition that began 1,500 years ago, in the far north of India. The book uses translations from primary Sanskrit sources, offers a profound look at spiritual practice, and reveals Tantra’s rich history and powerful teachings.

Yoga Book #3: The Seeker’s Guide by Elizabeth Lesser

The Seekers Guide by Elizabeth LesserRecommended by Andreas Fetz: “Not yoga per se, but as far as spirituality centered books, The Seeker’s Guide by Elizabeth Lesser had a big influence on me. Really helped me to frame my own spiritual path outside of traditional religion.”

About This Book: In The Seeker’s Guid, Elizabeth Lesser synthesizes the lessons learned from an immersion into the world’s wisdom traditions and intertwines them with illuminating stories from her daily life. Recounting her own trials and errors and offering meditative exercises, she shows the reader how to create a personal practice, gauge one’s progress, and choose effective spiritual teachers and habits. Warm, accessible, and wise, this book provides directions through the four landscapes of the spiritual journey.

Yoga Book #4: Fierce Medicine by Ana T. Forrest

fierce medicine - ane t forrestRecommended by Anna Douglas: “Ana T Forrest’s book Fierce Medicine. That book woke me up. If you don’t know Ana I highly recommend checking out her story.” 

About This Book: In Fierce Medicine, Ana Forrest, charismatic teacher and founder of Forrest Yoga, combines physical practice, eastern wisdom, and profound Native American ceremony to help heal everything from addictive behaviors and eating disorders to chronic pain and injury.
Fierce Medicine is also part memoir, detailing Ana Forrest’s journey to move beyond her past as she helps others to do the same. Filled with helpful yoga exercises, Fierce Medicine teaches us to reconnect with our bodies, cultivate balance, and start living in harmony with our Spirits.

Yoga Book #5: The Heart of Yoga by TKV Desikachar

The Heart of Yoga by TKV DesikacharRecommended by Anne-Phyfe Palmer: “The Heart of Yoga by TKV Desikachar is my favorite yoga book.”

About This Book: Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, who lived to be over 100 years old, is one of the most well respected and well known yogis of the modern era. Elements of his teaching have been spread around the world through the work of his students BKS Iyengar, Pattabhi Jois, Indra Devi and AG Mohan. TKV Desikachar is Krishnamacharya’s son, who lived and studied with the great master all his life and now teaches the full spectrum of Krishnamacharya’s yoga. The core of this teaching is that practices must be continually adapted to the individuals changing needs to achieve the maximum beneficial effect.

Yoga Book #6: To Love and Let Go by Rachel Brathen

To Love and Let Go - Rachel BrathenRecommended by Devon Watson: “To Love and Let Go by Rachel Brathen! Just finished reading it for the second time and it was just as moving as the first. A must read for everyone, but especially for those who are moving through a period of loss and grieving.”

About This Book: While on her way to teach a yoga retreat in March 2014, Rachel Brathen collapses at an airport, brought to her knees by excruciating stomach pains. She is rushed to the hospital on the tiny island of Bonaire, and hours later forced to undergo surgery. When she wakes up from anesthesia, her boyfriend is weeping at her bedside. While Rachel was struck down with seemingly mysterious pain, her best friend, Andrea, sustained fatal injuries as a result of a car accident. Rachel and Andrea had a magical friendship. Though they looked nothing alike—one girl tall, blond, and Swedish, the other short, brunette, and Colombian—everyone called them gemelas: twins.

Yoga Book #7: Psychic Intelligence by Terri and Linda Jamison

Psychic Intelligence by Terri and Linda JamisonRecommended by Ellen Haines: “I read Psychic Intelligence by Terri and Linda Jamison recently which I would recommend to anyone wanting to learn how to tap into and trust their intuition.”

About This Book: Terri and Linda Jamison have amazed audiences all over the world with their incredibly accurate predictions of global events, including earthquakes, terrorist threats, and, famously, the events of September 11, 2001. They’ve also worked one-on-one with countless clients who report that their predictions have later come true. Terry and Linda Jamison have undeniable psychic abilities . . . but so do you.
Now The Psychic Twins will help you tune in to and strengthen your own intuition, look into your future, and change your destiny. In this book, Terry and Linda share their astonishing gift with you. They give step-by-step instructions for how you can dissolve mental blocks and focus on exploring the Four Clairs: clairvoyance, clairaudience, clairsentience, and claircognizance.

Yoga Book #8: The Yamas & Niyamas by Deborah Adele

The Yamas & Niyamas Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice by Deborah AdeleRecommended by Elli Yokochi: “I love The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele because it’s always relevant with great stories and quotes. It’s also excellent for theming as a teacher.”

About This Book: The first two limbs of the eight-fold path of yoga sutras—the basic text for classical yoga—are examined in this spiritual guide to the practice of yoga. Foundational to all yogic thought, they are considered to be the guidelines to the yoga way of living that free individuals to take ownership of their lives, direct them toward the fulfillment they seek, and gain the skills to choose attitude, thought, and action. The first five guidelines are referred to as the yamas—a Sanskrit word that translates to “restraints”—and encompass nonviolence, truthfulness, not stealing, nonexcess, and nonpossessiveness. The last five are referred to as the niyamas, or observances—purity, contentment, self-discipline, self-study, and surrender. A self-study section at the end of each chapter may also be used by instructors for group discussion.

Yoga Book #9: Yoga of the Subtle Body by Tias Littles

Yoga of the Subtle Body by Tias LittlesRecommended by Emily O’Dea: “The yoga related books I love, love, love are Yoga of the Subtle Body by Tias Littles, and Anatomy Trains by Thomas Myers”

About This Book: If you spend considerable time doing yoga, you begin to see that it is about much more than just the body—the practice of yoga in fact reveals that the body is in no way separate from the psYchospiritual forces that animate it. Tias Little here provides a way to understand these forces as they relate to an integrated yoga of body, mind, and spirit. He unites somatic concepts and wisdom teachings in this practical guide to the anatomy of the physical, mental, emotional, and subtle (or energetic) body.

Yoga Book #10: Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar

Light on Yoga by B.K.S IyengarRecommended by Emma Shandy Anway: “Light on Yoga by B.K.S Iyengar. This book truly changed my life, I read it first when I was 17 and it transformed the way I thought about yoga and how I practiced.”

About This Book: The definitive guide to the philosophy and practice of Yoga–the ancient healing discipline for body and mind–by its greatest living teacher. Light on Yoga provides complete descriptions and illustrations of all the positions and breathing exercises. Features a foreword by Yehudi Menuhin. Illustrations throughout.

Yoga Book #11: Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa YoganandaRecommended by Frani Assaf: “Autobiography of a Yogi has had the greatest impact on me. Yogananda is the brother and teacher of Bishnu Ghosh and his lineage changed my life for the better.”

About This Book: Selected as “One of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century,” Yogananda’s Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into over 33 languages, and is regarded worldwide as a spiritual classic. It reads like an adventure story while answering questions about religion, God, existence, yoga, higher consciousness, and the challenges of daily spiritual living.

Yoga Book #12: The Radiance Sutras by Lorin Roche

The radiance sutras by Lorin RocheRecommended by Gea Krajcar: “One of my favorites is The radiance sutras by Lorin Roche. It’s his unique perspective on the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra along with guidance in how to meditate with and embody them.”

About This Book: The gateways to wonder and delight are flung open wide for all to enter. At once a beautiful love song and an encyclopedia of yogic techniques, the cherished text known as the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra shimmers with new effulgence in Lorin Roche’s The Radiance Sutras. Lorin brings us his unique perspective on each of 112 Sanskrit teachings, along with his one-of-a-kind guidance in how to meditate with, embody, and practice them―what he describes as “answering the call of the sutras you love.”

Yoga Book #13: Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi

Bringing Yoga to LifeRecommended by Heather Falkin: “I can’t really choose just one book! My bedside table is full of them. One that I refer back to often, however, is Bringing Yoga to Life by Donna Farhi. It was the first book I read that took the teachings of yoga and eloquently put them in terms I could digest and appreciate.”
About This Book: Internationally renowned and bestselling author Donna Farhi moves yoga practice beyond the mat into our everyday lives, restoring the tradition’s intended function as a complete, practical philosophy for daily living.
Expanding upon the teachings of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the core text of the yoga tradition, Donna Farhi describes yoga’s transforming power as a complete life practice, far beyond its common reduction to mere exercise routine or stress management. This is the philosophy of yoga as a path to a deeper awareness of self. Drawing upon her years of teaching with students, Farhi guides readers through all the pitfalls and promises of navigating a spiritual practice.

Yoga Book #14: The Bhagavad Gita by Christopher Key Chapple

The Bhagavad Gita by Christopher Key ChappleRecommended by Morwenna Hardwick: “Reading the Bhagavad Gita was very interesting. One of the things that I gained from reading it was reinforcement for the piece of advice that I mentioned earlier that was so inspiring to me – do the work and let go of the results.”

About This Book: For years, this edition of the Bhagavad Gītā has allowed all those with a lively interest in this spiritual classic to come into direct contact with the richness and resonance of the original text. Winthrop Sargeant’s interlinear edition provides a word-for-word English translation along with the devanagari characters and the transliterated Sanskrit. Detailed grammatical commentary and page-by-page vocabularies are included, and a complete translation of each section is printed at the bottom of each page, allowing readers to turn the pages and appreciate the work in Sargeant’s translation as well. Discussions of the language and setting of the Gītā are provided and, in this new edition, editor Christopher Key Chapple offers guidance on how to get the most out of this interlinear edition.

Yoga Book #15: Hatha Yoga by Yogi Ramacharaka

Hatha Yoga by Yogi RamacharakaRecommended by Michael Suzerris: “The book that most influenced me was the first of a series of books published in 1904, by Yogi Ramacharaka called Hatha Yoga. I came across a very attractive set of little blue cloth-bound books that caught my eye. When I first picked them up at age 18, the content inside didn’t click with me. Some years later, I re-opened the Hatha Yoga book which started with the words: ‘If you’re reading these words, it means you’re ready to hear what I have to say to you.’ In that moment, it was as though I was actually hearing the voice of someone speaking to me from the past. And thus, began my inquiry into the world of yoga.”

About This Book: Yogis’ regard for the physical body; Work of the divine Architect; Our friend, the vital force; Laboratory of the body; life fluid; Crematory of the system; Nourishment; Hunger vs. appetite; Prana absorption from food; About food; Irrigation of the body; Ashes of the system; Yogi breathing; Effect of correct breathing; Breathing exercises; Nostril breathing vs. mouth breathing; Little lives of the body; Control of the involuntary system; Pranic energy; Science of relaxation; Use of physical exercise; Yogi bath; Solar energy; Fresh air; Nature’s sweet restorer, sleep; Regeneration; Mental attitude; Led by Spirit. This book has practical and excellent suggestions for promoting health in the body.

Yoga Book #16: Awakening Shakti by Sally Kempton

Awakening Shakti by Sally KemptonRecommended by Naomi Huober: “The one that I continually go back to again and again is Awakening Shakti by the ever-amazing Sally Kempton. I eat up all things ‘divine feminine’ and love the world of archetypes and Mythology.”

About This Book: How do you live a life of spiritual awakening as well as outer abundance, inner freedom as well as deep intimacy? How do you serve the world selflessly, yet passionately celebrate your life? The sages of Tantra have known for centuries that when you follow the path of Shakti—the sacred feminine principle personified by the goddesses of yoga—these gifts can manifest spontaneously. Yet most of us, women as well as men, have yet to experience the full potential of our inner feminine energies. When you know these powers for what they are, they heighten your capacity to open spiritually, love more deeply and fearlessly, create with greater mastery, and move through the world with skill and delight.

Yoga Book #17: The Art of Living Vipassana Meditation by William Hart

The Art of Living Vipassana Meditation by S. N. GoenkaRecommended by Stephanie Hansen: “I avoid book questions like the plague! Ha! Books are not really a hobby for me unless I’m medicated enough to focus. However, my favorite audiobook is The Art of Living Vipassana Meditation by S. N. Goenka. An old friend Rocky gave me this audiobook and I listen to it regularly. I hope to visit a Vipassana retreat center someday.”

About This Book: Vipassand-bhavand, “the development of insight,” embodies the essence of the teaching of the Buddha. As taught by S. N. Goenka, this path to self-awareness is extraordinary in its simplicity, its lack of dogma and, above all, its results. The Vipassana technique can be successfully applied by anyone.
Based on the lectures and writings of S. N. Goenka–and prepared under his direct guidance–The Art of Living shows how this technique can be used to solve problems, develop unused potential, and lead a peaceful, productive life. It includes stories by S. N. Goenka, as well as answers to students’ questions, that convey a vivid sense of his teaching.

Yoga Book #18: Seasonal Health and Wellness by Melina Meza

Melina-Meza-Seasonal-Health-and-WEllness-BookRecommended by Tracy Hodgeman: “I’m also really enjoying Melina Meza’s brilliant and beautiful new book called Seasonal Health and Wellness.”

About This Book: Seasonal Health and Wellness – Change Your Life One Week At A Time, a holistic practice that features lifestyle, diet, and yoga practices tailored to the rhythms of the four seasons to help people stay healthy as they age! This inspirational guidebook features 52 simple and effective seasonal practices, one for each week of the year. The practices span a range of focuses-some are dietary, some meditative, some yoga- or exercise-based, and others geared to sleep or self-care. Each is designed to be followed at a particular time of day, during a particular season when it is most supported.

Yoga Book #19: The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Vivekananda

The Yoga Sutras of PatanjaliRecommended by Ali Valdez: “…I also love the Vivekananda translation of The Yoga Sutras.”

About This Book: Providing an explanation of the practical and philosophical foundations of Raja Yoga, The Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali is arguably the most important text on Yogic philosophy.
The book is organized into four parts and provides descriptions of the eight limbs of yoga, such as pranayama and asana. The translated text is presented alongside a clear and insightful commentary by Swami Vivekananda, which makes them more accessible to the modern reader and yoga practitioner. His message of universal brotherhood and self-awakening remains relevant today, especially in the current backdrop of widespread political turmoil around the world.

Yoga Book #20: Radical Dharma by Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Lama Rod Owens, and Jasmine Syedullah

book2-radical-dharmaRecommended by Laura Humpf: “Some other books I return to over and over are Radical Dharma by Reverend angel Kyodo Williams…”

About This Book: Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Lama Rod Owens, and Jasmine Syedullah represent a new voice in American Buddhism. Offering their own histories and experiences as illustrations of the types of challenges facing dharma practitioners and teachers who are different from those of the past five decades, they ask how teachings that transcend color, class, and caste are hindered by discrimination and the dynamics of power, shame, and ignorance. Their illuminating argument goes beyond a demand for the equality and inclusion of diverse populations to advancing a new dharma that deconstructs rather than amplifies systems of suffering and prepares us to weigh the shortcomings not only of our own minds but also of our communities. They forge a path toward reconciliation and self-liberation that rests on radical honesty, a common ground where we can drop our need for perfection and propriety and speak as souls.

Yoga Book #21: Wheels of Life by Anodea Judith

Wheels of LIfe by Anodea JudithRecommended by Greta Hill: “Oh goodness… There are so many! Ok a few off the top of my head: Wheels of LIfe by Anodea Judith…”

About This Book: Wheels of Life takes you on a powerful journey through progressively transcendent levels of consciousness. View this ancient metaphysical system through the light of new metaphors, ranging from quantum physics to child development. Learn how to explore and balance your own chakras using poetic meditations and simple yoga movements―along with gaining spiritual wisdom, you’ll experience better health, more energy, enhanced creativity, and the ability to manifest your dreams.

Yoga Book #22: The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi

The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy DeviRecommended by Jasmine Rashae: “I love The Secret Power of Yoga by Nischala Joy Devi …”

About This Book: In The Secret Power of Yoga, world-renowned Yoga expert Nischala Joy Devi interprets Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the principles at the basis of Yoga practice, from a heart-centered, intuitive, feminine perspective, resulting in the first translation intended for women.
Yoga is well known for its power to create a healthy body, but few realize the emotional and spiritual benefits. Devi’s simple, elegant, and deeply personal interpretations capture the spirit of each sutra, and her suggested practices offer numerous ways to embrace the spirituality of Yoga throughout your day

Yoga Book #23: 2,100 Asanas by Daniel Lacerda

2,100 Asanas The Complete Yoga Poses by Daniel LacerdaRecommended by Nina Hunt: “A few of my favorites – any book by Ray Long or Tom Myers, 2,100 Asanas: The Complete Yoga Poses by Daniel Lacerda …”

About This Book: This fully-illustrated New York Times bestseller categorizes an astonishing 2,100 yoga poses through photographs and descriptions for optimal benefit including adaptations for all levels of expertise and ages. A thoughtful, inspiring, meticulously-crafted guide to the practice of yoga, 2,100 Asanas will explore hundreds of familiar poses along with modified versions designed to bring more healthful options to yogis of all experience and ability.

Yoga Book #24: A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle

A New Earth by Eckhart TolleRecommended by Renee Meena Fitzgerald: “My favorite books I revisit again and again are – Light On Life by Iyengar; A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle…”

About This Book: With his bestselling spiritual guide The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of readers to discover the freedom and joy of a life lived “in the now.” In A New Earth, Tolle expands on these powerful ideas to show how transcending our ego-based state of consciousness is not only essential to personal happiness, but also the key to ending conflict and suffering throughout the world. Tolle describes how our attachment to the ego creates the dysfunction that leads to anger, jealousy, and unhappiness, and shows readers how to awaken to a new state of consciousness and follow the path to a truly fulfilling existence.

Yoga Book #25: Journey Into Power by Baron Baptiste

Journey Into Power by Baron BaptisteRecommended by Tina Templeman: “…and Baron Baptiste’s book Journey Into Power (essential for newer yogis).”

About This Book: Whether you are looking to lose weight, trying to increase your strength and stamina, hoping to sharpen your mental edge, or seeking to go deeper within, Baron Baptiste can take you there. Baptiste Power Yoga isn’t just the ultimate workout, it’s the ultimate life transformation program.
In this unique and inspiring book, one of the world’s most dynamic and sought-after master yoga teachers brings us the same revolutionary program for body, mind, and spirit that has changed the bodies and lives of Hollywood celebrities, all-star athletes, and millions of people just like you. In his refreshing and iconoclastic style, Baron Baptiste shows us that the key to true power is not to chase an ideal version of ourselves but to reveal the perfect self already within.

Yoga Book #26: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh

The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh Recommended by Tera Bucasas: “Oh goodness, favorites are my least favorite. I love books, especially this genre! The 2 that come to mind are: The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching by Thich Nhat Hanh…”

About This Book: In The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching, now revised with added material and new insights, Nhat Hanh introduces us to the core teachings of Buddhism and shows us that the Buddha’s teachings are accessible and applicable to our daily lives.
Covering such significant teachings as the Four Noble Truths, the Noble Eightfold Path, the Three Doors of Liberation, the Three Dharma Seals, and the Seven Factors of Awakening, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching is a radiant beacon on Buddhist thought for the initiated and uninitiated alike.
2024-03-11T00:16:00-07:00By |Featured, Yoga Products|

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