Integrating the physical yoga practice with yoga philosophy is alfa omega. Practicing yoga without having a framework to encompass the experience is like fumbling around in the dark. Reading up on yoga will not only widen your horizon, but it will help guide your practice in the direction of healing and transformation.
Reading only the traditional yoga literature (see the list to the right) can be incomprehensible as well as of little practical use in our modern society. As an example, to understand the Yoga Sutras, you need to supplement with an interpretation and commentary. In my case, I have read two different interpretations of the Yoga Sutras, and I still re-read chapters regularly to better my understanding.
Here is a list of books I have read that has inspired me tremendously not only as a yoga practitioner, but as a human being.
Books for those wanting to learn more about yoga
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David Swenson
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Maki, Bhavani Silvia
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David H. Coulter
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Maehle, Gregor
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Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy
Maehle, Gregor -
Iyengar, B. K. S.
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Frawley, Dr. David
Non-fiction books & magazines I would recommend to yogis and non-yogis
- Grit: Why Passion and Resilience are the Secrets to Success
Duckworth, Angela -
Sincero, Jen
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Sadhguru
- Ashtanga Dispatch Magazines
- The Power of Habit
Duhigg, Charles - Thinking, Fast and Slow
Kahneman, Daniel - Vår utrolige Hjerne
Norberg, Johan
My top 5 fiction books
- A Little Life
Yanagihara, Hanya - Seven Types of Ambiguity
Perlman, Elliot - Dina’s Book
Wassmo, Herbjørn - What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
Murakami, Haruki - On Beauty
Zadie Smith