NOTE - I would consider the first eight books and the poster below (Jois, Miele, Scott, Swenson, Freeman, Sweeney, Maehle, Williams) as authoritative references on Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. (most are available from www.ashtanga.com)

Essential reference for Ashtanga yoga. Pattabhi Jois, together with his guru, Sir Krishnamacharya, is the originator/developer of Ashtanga yoga. Written in 1958, first published in the Kannada language in 1962, this is the first English translation (1999). The 27-page introduction covers yamas, niyamas, pranayama, and general asana instruction. This is followed by about 15 pages on Surya Namaskara, with photos of Pattabhi Jois. The remainder of the book covers the postures of primary series, numbered 1-42. The method and benefits of each asana are given and each is illustrated with a photo. Includes about 16 photos of Pattabhi Jois which were probably taken over 40 years ago and a couple of recent photos, including his beaming face on the cover. Remaining asanas are illustrated by more recent photos of his grandson, Sharath. The 2002 North Point Press edition adds a forward by Eddie Stern. The 2010 edition adds a foreward by Sharath. The difference in 140 and 160 pages seems to be mainly that in the original editions, page 15 is the first numbered page, where North Point starts page 1 after the title and contents pages (and some rounding up - its more like 153 pages). Anyway, as far as I know there is no difference in the text in the above editions. (I just like to list out all the details).

This is a very nice and quite large (3 feet by 4 feet) poster with photos of every posture in the Ashtanga yoga series. Sun Salutations, Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, Advanced B, and Finishing Postures. (and I think the Advanced A and B shown here are equal to the current designation of Advanced A, B, C and D). All are photos of David Williams taken long ago. David was one of the first westerners to discover Ashtanga yoga. He saw Manju Jois demonstrate Ashtanga in 1972 and began studying with Pattabhi Jois in Mysore in 1973, mastering all of the postures within a few years. It is his aim in releasing this poster to preserve the knowledge of the Ashtanga series as originally taught to him by Pattabhi Jois. Most likely it won't be long before most Ashtanga studios have one of these on the wall. Note that there are a few other posters, charts and cards on Ashtanga yoga. Check out: Ashtanga.com

Written under the guidance of Pattabhi Jois. Lino Miele is one of the few Certified Ashtanga teachers in the world. Covers Primary Series (Yoga Chikitsa), and Intermediate Series (Nadi Sodhana). Each posture is illustrated with a photo of Sharath. There is no description of how to do the postures, other than the listing of the vinyasas for each posture (each inhalation and inhalation is listed and numbered in sanskrit). Describes effects or benefits of each posture in primary series (but not for intermediate series). Dristi is given for each posture. Includes some text on vayus, pranayama and chakras. Index at the end is actually contents, listing each posture by page number.

Foreward by Pattabhi Jois. John Scott is one of the few Certified Ashtanga teachers in the world. Formerly based in the UK, now located in New Zealand. This book has detailed coverage of primary series. Illustrated with photos of John Scott. Published in England (Gaia) 10/27/00, in the US 05/01.

A review of the book from Yoga UK.     An interview with John Scott at Yoga UK.

Excellent book. Very user-friendly. Spiral binding allows book to lay flat on floor. Large book covering primary and intermediate series. Lots of description for each posture. A notable feature of this book is that it gives variations for all postures. Includes photos of all postures and variations. Swenson is an Authorized Ashtanga teacher.

Part 1 - Fundamentals (about 10 pages) describes breath, bandhas, dristi, vinyasa. Part 2 (about 112 pages) comprehensive description of Primary series, with lots of detail. Part 3 (about 8 pages) - The History and Lineage of Yoga. Part 4 (about 154 pages) translation and commentary on Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. Probably the most comprehensive book yet on Ashtanga yoga.

This well-respected book contains photographs illustrating all of the postures from the first four series of Ashtanga yoga (Primary, Intermediate, Advanced A, Advanced B). As far as I know this is the only printed source for the advanced postures. (There are some videos which show some of the advanced series - see my yoga videos page). The photos are small (a bit larger in the 2nd edition), but I think part of the concept here is to have a concise reference. Each posture is labelled with its name in Sanskrit. Also includes translations of opening and closing prayers. And much printed info not otherwise available in one book. Contents: Traditional Astanga Yoga Prayer, Salute to the Sun (Version A&B), Standing Postures, Primary Postures, Intermediate Postures, Advanced A Postures, Advanced B Postures, Back Bending, Finishing Postures, Vinyasa Sequencing Variations, Closing Prayer, Glossary.

Sweeney has also produced some wall charts of Ashtanga yoga postures which may be available from www.yogatemple.com

Covers primary sequence of Ashtanga yoga. As of Jan 2010 the book is available in Swedish and Finnish. English translation is said to be coming.

A whole book on the subject of Mula Bandha (root lock). Highly recommended. Not written from an Ashtanga point of view, but as some consider mula bandha as central to the practice of Ashtanga yoga, this is kind of an essential Ashtanga text.

A description from the author's website: "Learn how to read, write and pronounce over 200 asana names and over 300 sanskrit terms relating to yoga. Includes 7 chants, asana names in alphabetical order, and separate tracks for Ashtanga sequences." The book includes 2 CDs so you can hear the pronunciations. While this book is useful to anyone studying any kind of yoga, it seems to be oriented to Ashtanga, and will be very useful to Ashtanga students wanting to learn more about Sanskrit, pronunciation of asana names, and chanting. A super-duper book.

This manual on primary series Ashtanga yoga comes from the Its Yoga studio in San Francisco. After some introductory material, each asana is described and illustrated with a drawing. This is followed by 9 pages of just the names and pictures to be used as a practice guide. I have not yet seen the newer edition, which I think has color pictures. Can be ordered directly from It's Yoga: www.itsyoga.net. (A sample of this book can also be read online or printed out from the above website). It's Yoga does not teach "strict" Ashtanga, thus this is not a highly regarded source, but the original edition was one of the first books published on Ashtanga Yoga.

Basic coverage of primary series Ashtanga yoga.

Though not regarded as an Ashtanga purist, Beryl's book was probably the only Ashtanga yoga book available for several years after being published. Describes primary series postures in detail. Many photos. The term "power yoga" usually refers to some vigorous style of yoga based on Ashtanga to some extent but usually deviating quite a bit from the form of Ashtanga (Bryan Kest, Baron Baptiste, Geo Tacoma, etc). Though Beryl Birch may have coined the term power yoga, this book presents pretty much straight-forward Ashtanga yoga.

Sequel to Power Yoga, covering the eight limbs of Ashtanga yoga.

A personal story of practicing Ashtanga yoga.

Very interesting book. Most of the book is a translation of a manuscript from early or mid 1800's found in the Mysore palace. This book is the subject of an article in Yoga Journal (JUL/AUG 1999), which is discussed below. This is not an instruction manual, but a very interesting study of the development of the yoga styles of Pattabhi Jois and B.K.S. Iyengar. Advances the theory that the emphasis on asana practice is a recent development, which can be seen as an adaptation to the needs of modern people. This is partly based on the observation that there is very little documentation of asana practice prior to this century. See also Mark Singleton's Yoga Body, (listed below in the History and Philosophy section) which explores these ideas even farther.

This is a biography of Krishnamacharya by his son. Discusses Patanjali's Sutras and the origins of yoga extensively. Krishnamacharya was the teacher of K. Pattabhi Jois, B.K.S. Iyengar, B.N.S Iyengar, T.K.V. Desikachar, Indra Devi, and others. This means that a great amount of the yoga that is taught today can be traced back to him. Lots of photos (in fact Aperture is a publisher of photography books). Excellent book - highly recommended. As of 03/10 this has been out of print for awhile, and used copies on Amazon start at $175. Hopefully can be reissued in paperback someday.

Some other books by or about Krishnamacharya can be found here:
Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram - kym.org

Kausthub Desikachar is the son of TKV Desikachar and the grandson of T. Krishnamacharya.

This book is about Vini-Yoga, which says that yoga must be adapted to the individual. Desikachar is Krishnamacharya's son and student. Includes a translaton of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

Very interesting book, written by a long-time student of Krishnamacharya. Not meant for beginners, this book can be a guide for adapting a yoga practice to the needs of an individual.

When people say "Iyengar yoga", they mean the yoga of BKS Iyengar (not to be confused with BNS Iyengar, an Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga teacher in Mysore). He is probably the most famous yogi in the world, ever since the publication of this book, which is one of the most classic of yoga books, sometimes called the "bible of hatha yoga". Extensive discussion of yoga. Encyclopedic section on asanas with photographs (of BKS Iyengar) and instructions for each asana. Original 1966 edition had all photographs together in the back, newer 1995 edition has illustrations paired with descriptions of asanas.

A beautiful and comprehensive book with over 1,900 color photographs. Specific sequences of postures are given (and illustrated) for various conditions. Probably more useful for most practitoners than Light on Yoga.

Excellent presentation. Photos and details for many asanas.

The author details her experiences studying yoga with B.K.S.Iyengar in India and her investigations into the origins of modern yoga. Very interesting book! I read it cover to cover and enjoyed it greatly. Looks like this is out of print and probably will not make it to paperback. Cheap used copies are available at Amazon.

Have not yet seen this book.

Essays, stories, and interviews about BKS Iyengar from about 20 top yoga teachers. have not yet seen.

This is a new revision of a book first published as a French/English edition 1976. The material is taken from class notes and correspondence. Noelle was a close student of Iyengar during this time. Her work, focussing on balance (or "aplomb"), continues to this day.

Very excited to see that Jill has a new big serious book out. She is one of the top yoga teachers in the world. I have not yet gotten ahold of this book. Already has tons of 5-star reviews at Amazon. Check out her Pranamaya DVDs. This book will go beyond what most people are expecting of a "yoga book", as it will incorporate her teaching of using therapy balls for self-massage.

I got this book sometime in 2011. In my crazy life I don't have a lot of time to read, so this got put aside (like all my books). I did not get back to it until now (June 2012). Wow - I am totally blown away by this book. Very densely packed with tons of info. EVERY PAGE is packed. Just the facts, no BS at all. This book has been in the making for a long time and they say will continue to be revised. This is one of the best and ost serious yoga books ever. Seriously, check this out. If you have a serious interest in learning, teaching, or practicing yoga (hatha yoga asana practice), this will be a mindblowing read and a lifelong reference. Just looking through this book will give you an idea of how much there is to learn. If it seems expensive, don't even think twice - scrape it up and get it.

These are some of the most serious and information-packed yoga books I have seen so far. If you are serious about practicing or teaching yoga (with any kind of therapeutic approach), these books are highly recommended. One of the important contributions is the integration of ideas from Tom Myer's book Anatomy Trains, one of the most ground-breaking and important books ever published in the field of bodywork and physical therapy (see my Body Books page for more info). Here is a very interesting interview with Tom Myers at The Magazine of Yoga: themagazineofyoga.com/blog/2011/01/18/conversation-tom-myers/
Doug used to write a column for Yoga International Magazine: (Search there for "Doug Keller" to find his articles) www.himalayaninstitute.org/yoga-international-magazine/
And I think he has PDFs of all these at his site.
Yoga as Therapy - what a concept!

Classic book written by a doctor who studied yoga to help with her own back problems. She has studied with BKS Iyengar and is a certified Iyengar teacher. Lots of info on practicing yoga specifically for back problems.

Thorough coverage of "restorative yoga", which might be considered the "therapeutic" branch of Iyengar yoga. Lots of very gentle postures with extensive use of props. Classic book.

Note the 5-star reviews at Amazon and the endorsements from Thom Myers, Mary Bond, Erich Schiffmann. Book includes a DVD.

Excellent book.

Excellent book. Gary is a teacher of Viniyoga and a student of T.K.V Desikachar. Viniyoga stresses that a yoga practice must be based on the unique needs of the individual. Tons of info on anatomy and on therapeutic yoga for various specific conditions. Lots of info on spinal curvatures (scoliosis, lordosis, kyphosis). Highly recommended. Also has newer book: Yoga for Transformation. And be sure to check out his series of DVDs from Pranamaya: www.pranamaya.com

Excellent book with tons of info on how yoga can be practiced by older people. Also lots of info on how to teach yoga to older students. The book is also available in German and Russian. The author is a certified Iyengar teacher. She was also the mayor of Ojai, California! Also has newer book: Yoga and the Wisdom of Menopause

Here is a comment from the back cover by Donna Farhi: "Todd Walton's book embodies the highest teachings of yoga...If you've ever felt tyrannized just looking at a yoga book or tried and failed to force your body into physical fitness, OPEN BODY offers the hope and encouragement we all need to trust our instincts and then let the body tell us what it knows."
Rather than presenting any specific exercises or plans, this book develops some basic ideas about being creative and exploratory. Very interesting book!
Currently out-of-print but used copies are around.

Lots of info on how to make yoga very easy for anyone to do.

The program presented in this book is based on the Sun Salutation. Like breaking it down so that anyone can safely find benefit from it. Sam Dworkis has a website with tons of info from this book: extensionyoga.com. Check it out!

Very good book. If you have knee issues, this should be helpful.

Very gentle yoga, well presented. Most of the titles from Sterling are a bit fluffy, this is no exception, but sometimes that's what people need.

Yin yoga = still, cool, long holds. Yang yoga = moving, heat, less time in postures. Yang forms (Ashtanga) are mainly working with muscles (removing tension and strengthening). Yin yoga is more concerned with connective tissue - fascia, tendons, ligaments, bones. This book puts forth the theory that the energy pathways (meridians in oriental acupuncture system, or nadis in Indian chakra system) are within the connective tissues of the body, specifically fascia/tendons/ligaments, and that the appropriate way to work with this system is slow stretching - holding postures for 3 to 5 minutes. Connective tissue is yin, while muscles are yang. Gives examples of about 20 yoga postures which can be held for extended periods. Additional info on chakras, pranayama, meditation. The author studied with Paulie Zink and with with Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama. I think the author has some Ashtanga background and it looks like quite a lot of Ashtanga teachers and students are finding the Yin Yoga approach to be interesting and useful in complimenting (yang) Ashtanga yoga practice. Though they may not come right out and say it, it seems to me that Yin Yoga has arisen "in response" to Ashtanga Yoga.

Paul Grilley's website: www.paulgrilleyyoga.com

Paul Grilley's article on Yin Yoga in AUG 2001 Yoga Journal: www.yogajournal.com/practice/580_1.cfm

Info on Paul Grilley's DVD - Anatomy for Yoga: www.pranamaya.com

More on Paulie Zink (master of Monkey Kung Fu, teacher of Taoist Yoga):
www.pauliezink.com

Dr. Hiroshi Motoyama:
www.cihs.edu

Totally amazing book - highest recommendation. Uses new computer graphics imaging techniques to achieve very clear anatomical illustrations. The illustrations show exactly which muscles are involved in each asana covered. The muscles are shown in isolation on a bare skeleton. Much explanatory information on anatomy and yoga is included. The author is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon who has been studying yoga for over 20 years. Excerpts of the book and other info is available at the author's website. These books are an important part of the current scientific revolution in the yoga world. All 6 of these volumes by Ray Long set a new standard for yoga books (not that I would expect to ever see anything else like them). And check out this website, which presents practical knowledge derived from this approach:
The Daily Bandha: www.dailybandha.com

Scientific Keys - Volume 2: The Key Postures of Hatha Yoga - Ray Long MD FRCSC, Illustrated by Chris Macivor
2008 Bandha Yoga Publications 224 pages over 400 color illustrations (spiral-bound $55.00) ISBN10:0977961427 ISBN13:9780977961429
Author/publisher's website: www.bandhayoga.com
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0977961427/

Yoga Mat Companion 1: Anatomy for Vinyasa Flow and Standing Poses - Ray Long MD FRCSC, Illustrated by Chris Macivor
2010 Bandha Yoga Publications 224 pages (paperback $34.95) ISBN10:1607439433 ISBN13:9781607439431
Author/publisher's website: www.bandhayoga.com
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1607439433/

Yoga Mat Companion 2: Anatomy for Hip Openers and Forward Bends - Ray Long MD FRCSC, Illustrated by Chris Macivor
2010 Bandha Yoga Publications 224 pages (paperback $34.95) ISBN10:1607439435 ISBN13:9781607439424
Author/publisher's website: www.bandhayoga.com
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1607439435/

Yoga Mat Companion 3: Anatomy for Back Bends and Twists - Ray Long MD FRCSC, Illustrated by Chris Macivor
2010 Bandha Yoga Publications 224 pages (paperback $34.95) ISBN10:1607439441 ISBN13:9781607439448
Author/publisher's website: www.bandhayoga.com
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1607439441/

Yoga Mat Companion 4: Anatomy for Arm Balances and Inversions - Ray Long MD FRCSC, Illustrated by Chris Macivor
2010 Bandha Yoga Publications 224 pages (paperback $34.95) ISBN10:160743945X ISBN13:9781607439455
Author/publisher's website: www.bandhayoga.com
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/160743945X/

Lots of detailed info on the physiology and anatomy of hatha yoga. This is a book you could study for years. Highest recommendation. Looks like the hardback edition is now out of print, and replaced by the revised paperback edition, which adds some more color. Note - my copy (purchased new in 2001) had some missing pages (449-456, 473-480) and duplicated pages (457-464, 465-472). You may want to check that before buying a hardback copy. (Amazon happily replaced mine).

This is the book that caused a huge controversy in the yoga world when an excerpt titled "How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body" was published in the Sunday New York Times Magazine JAN 8, 2012. More info on that here.

Eddie has been a Certified Ashtanga teacher (in NYC) for many years. He published the first English version of Pattabhi Jois' book Yoga Mala in 1999 (see above).

As of 01/10, this is listed at Amazon as unavailable import. May not quite be released yet - see publisher link above. Also Chris passed away on 11/09/2008, which may have complicated the release of the book. More on Chris Jarmey: www.lotuspublishing.co.uk/chris jarmey

From the cover of the First Edition: "The Five Tibetans are a yogic system of simple yet highly energizing exercises that originated in the Himalayas. Also known as the Five Rites of Rejuvenation, they were brought to the West early in this century by a retired British army officer who learned them in a Tibetan lamasery." Energy, chakras, breathing, and Kundalini meditation are also discussed in this book. I wish there was more info on the exercises, but they are described well enough to practice them, which is what they are for. Each exercise is performed 21 times. The first exercise is spinning clockwise like a whirling dervish. (But I think the sufis might spin in the opposite direction). The second is bring the legs up as if about to do a backward somersault. The third is similar to ushtrasana. The fourth is dynamically transitioning between dandasana and something like purvottanasana. The fifth is dynamically transitioning between upward dog pose and downward dog pose. Very interesting. A friend of mine adopted this as his daily yoga practice, as he did not want to commit to a more time-consuming routine.

Also, these exercises are described on the web here.

David Williams says this is "one of the most important yoga books that has been written in modern times". Relates the Law of Attraction to yoga practice. Explains that tension is stored in muscles as a response to fear. The author practices Ashtanga yoga and owns a raw foods restaurant. Tells how he found yoga when recovering from a car accident. Includes basic info on yoga practice - bandhas, nauli kriya ("the freaky stomach exercise"), breathing, salutations, etc. Cool book.

Useful and inspiring. From the back cover: "Providing detailed instructions, practice tips, and inspiration for students at all levels, Donna Farhi works with universal movement principles that may be applied to all styles of yoga, including ashtanga, Iyengar, Kripalu, and vivniyoga. At the heart of the book are 75 fully illustrated asanas, with descriptions of their exectutions and benefits." Tons of info in here. Check out the pages on the hyoid bone.

Excellent book - highly recommended. I got a lot out of reading the introductory chapters. He is very good at explaining yoga. Erich is featured in Ali MacGraw's yoga video, Yoga Mind and Body.

Excellent book. Comprehensive coverage of asana practice.

Have not yet seen this. Doug is David Swenson's brother.

Excellent book. Godfrey has studied and practiced extensively in both the Iyengar and Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga traditions (with BKS Iyengar and BNS Iyengar respectively) and presents here his own synthesis of these major schools. Lots of concepts of asana practice are broken down and explained. 78 asanas are illustrated with photos of the author.

Totally excellent book. Even if you don't have a need for 15-minute yoga routines, this book is loaded with deep yoga wisdom, presented clearly and concisely. Aimed mainly at beginners, but much useful info for any yoga student or teacher.

Another cool book from Godfrey. The format here is that hatha yoga (asana practice) is taught in a series of 15 lessons. Much here for anyone to learn from. Beautiful book.

This is a very magical and inspiring yoga book. The first part of it is kind of an art book, with a full page illustration on every other page and some text and more illustrations on the alternating pages. The illustrations and text pertain to various topics related to yoga. This is followed by smaller sections on asanas and pranayama. Vanda Scaravelli was about 80 years old when this book was published. She passed away in 1999 at the age of 91. She studied with BKS Iyengar and TKV Desikachar. One idea that is woven into the book is that the spine can be thought of as a tree or plant, which grows both upward and downwards, with the dividing point between roots and trunk/stem corresponding to the 5th lumbar vertebra. This is a very special book - could be a good book to look at every day for some inspiration/motivation.

A brief article on Vanda is online at Yoga Journal's website here.

A lengthier article by Esther Myers appeared in the June 1996 issue of Yoga Journal.

A video about Vanda Scaravelli is available from Esther Myers website: www.estheryoga.com

Tons of info that you will not easily find elsewhere. No-nonsense presentation. Yogani has written several other books, also recommended. His book on Tantra is the best book on Tantric sex. (See my Sex Books page here). Much or all of the content of this and his other books can be found on his website at no charge.

Sort of a book version of the author's famous poster "Master Chart of 908 Yoga Postures". He also has a DVD from Pranamaya: www.pranamaya.com

Very nice book! The first 60 pages or so covers the history of yoga (lots of color illustrations). The rest of the book consists of high-quality photographs of accomplished yoga practitioners demonstrating about 400 yoga postures. Most of the photos are full-page and black and white. Some color photos. The original hardback is quite large and is the ultimate "yoga coffee table book". But definitely a serious and special book. The paperback editions are much smaller, but contain the same content. Apparently Rizzola acquired HLLA and has republished the paperback. The hardback seems to be out-of-print, but you can still find it around.

An old classic from the 70's. Many illustrations of Satchidananda performing asanas and other practices. One of several older yoga books that illustrates nauli kriya with 4 separate photos - uddiyana bandha, mahayama (central) nauli, dakshina (right) nauli, and vama (left) nauli.

There is an original and a revised edition of this book, both in print. (the older one has a red cover). From what I understand, there is not much difference between the new and old editions. (There is also a newer Bikram book, see below). I wanted a reference on just what Bikram yoga is. Like Ashtanga, it is very well-defined, consisting of a certain set of asanas performed in a certain way and always in a certain order. This book covers the 26 asanas in Bikram's program thoroughly. (note that these postures are all described in yoga scriptures). Heat is a major element of Bikram yoga and Bikram studios are heated to 105-115 degrees. Bikram is quite a character and the book includes lots of what is supposed to be actual dialog with his students during a class. He is quite outspoken and the book is very entertaining. He claims that he is the only one teaching yoga correctly, his way is the best, etc. There was an interesting article on Bikram in the March/April 2000 edition of Yoga Journal, titled "Yoga's Bad Boy". You can read that online here: yogajournal.com/lifestyle/328/?print=1. See also the documentary Yoga, Inc., which gets into Bikram's efforts to copyright his yoga and to get yoga into the Olympics as a competitive sport. As far as I know, there are no videos of Bikram yoga (last checked 02/2011). Although he seems like quite a taskmaster and his yoga program is not a super-gentle one, I don't think Bikram yoga is nearly as difficult as Ashtanga and this book is a good one for introducing beginners to a serious, therapeutic, and not too overwhelming asana practice. Also sometimes recommended for people with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome as there are no weight-bearing postures.

Another fun book from the bad boy of yoga. Like the older book, this one contains plenty of Bikram's controversial ideas and opinions, and also covers the 26 postures in his basic practice.

The author takes us on his journey deep into the world of Bikram yoga. Solid 5-star rating at Amazon with over 40 reviews.

First published in 1979 as The Runner's World Yoga Book.

Very popular book from former model Tara Stiles, who is controversial in some circles for "popularizing" yoga (I have nothing against that!). She runs www.stralayoga.com in New York City and she is Deepak Chopra's personal yoga teacher. More info in the interesting New York Times article linked above. Haven't really checked this book out and not really recommending it, but could be useful.

Not something I'm working on, but for those who are into it, this will be an exciting new direction, combining acrobatics and yoga. This book includes a DVD with 2 hours of instruction and demonstration.

A classic book on yoga as it relates to women (pregnancy, etc.) Soon to be "superceded" by a new book, Iyengar Yoga for Motherhood.
Amazon.com: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0931454980/

A friend of mine started a yoga class for children (ages 5-12) and told me that she found this book to be very helpful. She is already very experienced with taking care of childred and with teaching yoga. I had a look through the book and it appears to be a very serious book on the subject. I also noted that it has a very extensive bibliography in the back.

The bibliography section (the main body) of this book is organized into 3 parts, containing 2,490 entries arranged alphabetically by author. The first and largest is Studies, Manuals, General Reference, containing 1,901 entries. The next part is Translations of Selected Sanskrit Source Materials, containing 286 entries (120 for the Bhagavad Gita and 77 for Patanjali's Yoga Sutras). The last part is Disertations and Theses, containing 301 entries. This is followed by a Glossary of Sanskrit Terms, an Author Index, Title Index, and Subject Index. Almost all of the entries in the first 2 parts of the bibliography are well-described with annotations by the author of the bibliography. This is meant to be a pretty much complete listing of books on yoga published within the period covered. Note that the time frame purposely begins where Jarrell's bibliography (listed below) ends. The Preface explains that periodical articles are not included, as they are more appropriately searched using electronic databases such as JSTOR and PubMed. Definitely an essential resource for studying the literature of yoga. Of course I recommend my own yoga bibliography (this webpage), but if you want to take it farther, get this book. It would be awesome if revisions could be made every 5 years or so, as the yoga books (good and bad) are continuing to appear with increasing frequency.

The bibliography section lists 1364 books alphabetically by author's last name, followed by journal articles, magazine articles, and yoga periodicals (1713 entries total). This is followed by an author index, title index, and subject index. Includes yoga literature in English, French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch. Little or no info is given for each book other than bibliographical information (no reviews, comments, etc).

I have not yet seen this book.

This is an online document in PDF format, which can be accessed at the above link. Wne I found this and added it here, it had last been revised on 06/19/10.

Yoga History and Philosophy

Quite a hefty volume. Indepth coverage of all aspects of the vast subject of yoga. Lots of history. The author is one of the top scholars on yoga and has written many other books on yoga.

This classic volume is a scholarly treatment of the subject of yoga. In the Foreward, the author states that the book is "addressed especially to historians of religions, psychologists, and philosophers". Eliade was one of the top world authorities on comparative religions and authored many books. This is not an instructional book or an "easy read". No pictures. Translated from French by Willard R. Trask. 2009 edition adds an introduction by David Gordon White.
Read more about Eliade at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mircea_Eliade

Includes 68 black and white illustrations. Out of print.

See also Kiss of the Yogini (listed on my Sex Books page), which makes a trilogy with this and The Alchemical Body (above). Interesting criticisms in the Amazon reviews by Bryan Phillips and Stuart Sovatsky.

Includes lots of color photos. Very interesting book.

Excellent introduction and overview of yoga from the author of Dynamic Yoga. Covers a lot of territory not explored in his later books, which focus more on asana practice. Recommended.

I have not yet seen this book.

Discusses the history of yoga and how it has spread to the west. The book seems to be concerned mainly with the lineages of Sivananda yoga.

Significant and very well-regarded book explores the development of yoga asana practice over the last 150 years or so. Puts forth the idea that the asanas of today were created fairly recently with various influences (including wrestling and gymnastics), rather than handed down unchanged for thousands of years.

The colorful tale of Pierre Bernard, father of Theos Bernard (see Hatha Yoga in the Yoga Scriptures section).

Author at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Darren_Main

This very readable book is a collection of 20 interviews with well-known yoga teachers. The whole list is: Lilias Folan, Erich Schiffmann, Patricia Walden, Gary Kraftsow, Bryan Kest, Julie Lawrence, Alan Finger, Rodney Yee, Donna Farhi, Baron Baptiste, Thom and Beryl Bender Birch, Rod Stryker, Rama Berch, Vyaas Houston, Sandra Summerfield Kozak, Martin Pierce, Gabriel Halpern, Gabriella Giubilaro, Richard Freeman, John Friend. Great book, highly recommended.

This book collects 46 essays about yoga written by 46 different yoga teachers (mostly not at all famous). A wide variety of ideas from various traditions. The book has been posted online (all 320 pages) where it can be read for for free. Here: yogainamerica.wordpress.com

This is the catalogue from a major exhibition of yoga art which opened on Oct 19, 2013 at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution.

The author is a psychotherapist who has lived at the Kripalu yoga center for over 10 years. The book discusses the philosophy, psychology, and practice of yoga in great detail, using many personal examples from the author's own experiences and his observations of others. A short appendix breaks down some of the complexities of the Indian traditions that yoga comes from. I read it and enjoyed it.

have not yet seen

As implied in the title, this is a VERY concise (weeny) overview of yoga. It says in the book that he plans to do more books in the "Weeny Introduction" series. I'm guessing he will have one on Hinduism, as he is a scholar of Indology.

This book is in German and above Amazon link is to amazon.de. The book explores the place of yoga in Nazi Germany. Here is a link to an interview with the author:
www.ibtimes.com/articles/319400/20120326/heinrich-himmler-ss-nazi-germany-india-hindusim.htm?page=all

Yoga Scriptures

Wikipedia - Yoga Sutras of Patanjali: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yoga_Sutras_of_Patanjali
Wikipedia - Hatha Yoga Pradipika: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatha_Yoga_Pradipika
Wikipedia - Gheranda Samhita: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gheranda_Samhita
Wikipedia - Shiva Samhita: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shiva_Samhita

Note - several books listed in other sections above include translations and commentaries of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras: Heart of Yoga - Desikachar, The Yoga Tradition - Feurstein, Ashtanga Yoga - Maehle. Also, many more translations of these scriptures are listed in Calahan's Yoga Bibliography (see bibliography section above). And many online translations of Patanjali's Sutras can be found here: hrih.hypermart.net/patanjali/
The Vedas, The Mahabharata, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanisads might also be considered yoga scriptures.

Large collection of information on yoga collected from original source texts translated, edited and annotated by Mark Singleton and James Mallinson.

A translation with commentary of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. David Williams recommends this as the only version of Patanjali you need.

The subject of the text which is presented in this book is Kechari Mudra, which is the practice of cutting, removing or elongating the frenum under the tongue so that the tongue can be pressed into a spot at the roof of the palate and used to stimulate the bottom of the brain. Note that this book is about the text, dated at around 1400, rather than the practice described in the text, however there is certainly more information about this obscure practice in this book than anywhere else. This is a very scholarly, academic, and technical book. The actual Sanskrit text is included, as well as an English translation. There are extensive sections for notes and bibliography. The translation is only about 20 pages, but there are over 280 notes for this section, providing quite a bit of commentary and clarification.
The author is one of the top translators of Sanskrit texts, other published works include the Gheranda Samhita and the Shiva Samhita, published by yogavidya.com, and several volumes in the Clay Sanskrit Library - www.claysanskritlibrary.org. I first heard of this book from my yoga teacher, who has met the author. He told me that Mallinson used to fly around India in a paraglider. Here is an article I found on the web, indicating that James is a champion paraglider: www.flyubley.co.uk/suport.php.
More information on the practice of kechari mudra can be found in books by Yogani (or online at his website: www.ayp.org). My teacher advises that this practice is best suited for advanced yogis living in caves, rather than those of us living in civilization. Also, note that cutting of the frenum to any degree may result in problems with eating and/or speaking.

A classic book, long out of print and sometimes hard to find. Has been republished a couple of times - may need to look at amazon.co.uk for a British version, current Harmony version is not listed at amazon.com. Scholarly account of studying yoga in India. One of the first western books to document yoga asana practice. Has lots of pictures of the author performing asanas. Lengthy quotations from yoga scriptures (Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Gheranda Samhita, Siva Samhita). The author got caught in some fighting between Muslims and Hindus and was killed in 1947. He wrote a couple of other books which I have not seen, Hindu Philosophy and Penthouse of the Gods: A Pilgrimage Into the Heart of Tibet and the Sacred City of Lhasa (1939). See also The Great Oom, The White Lama, Theos Bernard, The White Lama, all listed in the section above.

Wikipedia Artcle on Theos Bernard: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theos_Casimir_Bernard

A couple of web pages at Columbia University, from which he graduated:

Theos Casimir Bernard c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/remarkable_columbians/theos_casimir_bernard.html
The Life and Works of Theos Bernard c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/remarkable_columbians/theos_bernard_scholar.html
Theos Bernard in Tibet c250.columbia.edu/c250_celebrates/remarkable_columbians/theos_bernard_explorer.html

Here is an interesting article about Theos' uncle Pierre, who had a large library of yoga books back when such a thing would have been very rare: www.Vanderbilt.edu/~stringer/library.htm

There is a large collection of articles on Ashtanga Yoga at www.ashtanga.com

Yoga Journal Index My own rough listing of the contents of Yoga Journal. I might work on this now and then. (plain text file)

The entire collection of all issues of Yoga Journal (1975-2009) has been posted online at GoogleBooks: books.google.com/books?id=zOkDAAAAMBAJ

Online here: www.selkakuntoutus.fi/julkaisut/IJYT-Article.pdf

Excellent article - back issue may still be available.

Excellent article - back issue may still be available.
Available on the web here: www.natural-connection.com/resource/yoga_journal/power_yoga.html

Very interesting article about the origins of Ashtanga yoga. This is basically a review of the book The Yoga Tradition of the Mysore Palace (listed above). On first reading, this article seemed a bit misleading, hammering on the point that there is no documentation of any particular yoga asanas prior to 1900 with the exception of one manuscript which isn't much older and mentions only a few asanas. Her main point is that "there is no one monolithic yoga tradition". She seems to be implying that Krishnamacharya and BKS Iyengar just made it all up a few decades ago (which perhaps to some extent, they did). Although it may come across as a bit one-sided, this is a very interesting article.

My transcription here.

Talks about his practice of Ashtanga yoga, which he learned from Danny Paradise.

My transcription here.

Ashtanga Yoga videos are listed on a separate page here.

And here is a document comparing the included postures and spelling of postures in the litereature on primary series Ashtanga yoga.

This is meant to be a guide to the most serious and useful books pertaining to the physical practice of yoga. Or more accurately, a detailed bibliographical list, which might be useful in sorting out some of the many books on the subject. I began this page in 1999 to list books about Ashtanga yoga and soon began to include other yoga books. While I make no claims (or aims) of "completeness", I do intend to list all of the best yoga books that I know of which I find to be of interest in my own study and practice of yoga. I am not an advanced practicioner or teacher or any kind of authority. Some have commented that this page is too overwhelming. As of 2009, there are just over 100 books listed. As I research yoga books, I am increasingly aware that there are many hundreds of yoga books being published, and the great majority of them are a bit on the fluffy side. For the most part, the books listed on this page (which are a very small portion of the yoga books available) are, in my opinion, among the very best. With a few exceptions, I have copies of all these books and have spent some time with each of them.
I have links to Amazon.com because they are an excellent reference for more information, including reviews, and because they are an excellent source for quickly and reliably obtaining most of these books (worldwide). I have ordered many books from Amazon. I do not participate in Amazon's referral program as I would not want that to affect my listing of books here or to give that impression. (I may change my mind someday). More info on Amazon links is here. There are many other online sources for books. Many of these books may be found in bookstores or ordered from bookstores, don't forget to check out used bookstores. I used to get lots of books on eBay, but I seem to have switched more to Amazon, since they started selling used books. There are also websites that specialize in locating out-of-print books. See my Books page for some of those. Sometimes I forget, but books can also be found in public libraries. And you may be able to use inter-library loan to get almost any book. Also, I think it is a great idea for yoga studios to maintain libraries for students. I might not list any particular book that someone might recommend, but I am always interested in learning about good yoga books.

Send me books.

Terry Slade (tslade@ionet.net)

See also:

Books on Food and Health.

Body Books.

Atlases of Human Anatomy.

Qigong Books.

Back to Slade's Home Page      Back to Slade's Yoga Page      Back to Slade's Books Page

Revised 06/19/22, 05/08/22, 08/20/19.