These books and CDs are a sample of what I consider the most helpful
resources. There are many other very good texts. If you are interested
in a specific area, feel free to ask me for other recommendations. The
opinions proffered below are mine alone.
Yoga Discipline of Freedom: The Yoga Sutras Attributed to Patanjali
Translated by Barbara Stoler Miller Miller explains the aphorisms with helpful and detailed context and
analysis. Find Out More to Purchase
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
Translated and Introduced by Alistair Shearer This introduction, beautifully written and inspiring, provides a succinct
summary and overview of yoga. Nicely sets forth Eastern concepts and culture
for a western reader. Find Out More to Purchase
The Upanishads Translated and Introduced by Alistair Shearer Shearer displays his eloquence and knowledge yet again in this fine edition of the Upanishads. Find Out More to Purchase
Bhaghada Gita The Penquin Classic of a yoga classic has a terrific introduction (and a chronology). The Bhagavad Gita is one of the sources of Hindu philosophy. The text is constructed as a dialogue between Arjuna, a warrior soldier, and Krishna, the Hindu God. The Bhagavad Gita is an extract from the larger Mahabharata, one of two Indian epics. At the beginning of this passage, Arjuna hesitates on the eve of battle because he’ll be fighting people he knows. The war is between cousins and amid family. Krishna discusses Arjuna’s reluctance. In taking Arjuna through his doubts, Krishna sets forth the yoga method. Yoga was already considered ancient when The Bhagavad Gita was recorded (about 500 B.C.). Bhagavad Gita translates as “Song of God” or “Song Divine” or “Lord’s Song.” At times very abstract, historians consider this song a primary source of yogic knowledge. Find Out More to Purchase
Light on Yoga
B.K.S. Iyengar This text, first published in 1966, is the bible. The thirty-five introductory pages are saturated with information. Read the introduction regularly, and every time something new will penetrate. Final glossary and appendices are invaluable. The material in between is unmatched. Enough said. Find Out More to Purchase
Beautiful Books
Living Yoga: Creating a Life Practice
Christy Turlington Turlington provides an honest, open and very personal rendition of her
exploration of yoga. Traveling with her on her journey is interesting,
informative and accurate. I particularly enjoyed her chapters on “grace,”
“community,” and “metamorphosis.” Her rendition
of how the spirituality of yoga reacquainted her with the spirituality
of her own faith very much resonated with me. Her book touches briefly
on many aspects of yoga and is a good overview with lovely photos. Find Out More to Purchase
The Spirit of Yoga
Kathy Phillips Phillips is the Health and Beauty Director of British Vogue and it shows.
Stunning photos are works of art. The book is divided into three parts:
Yoga Now, Practicing Yoga, and Back to the Roots of Yoga. The content
is informative especially in the survey of contemporary and ancient history
of yoga. An excellent overall resource and the most beautiful yoga book
out there. Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga: A Yoga Journal Book Linda Sparrowe My sisters and brothers-in-law gave me this oversized book for my 37th birthday, and it's quite a treasure. After 61 pages of introduction, the rest are full-page photographs of many of the most prestigious yoga instructors doing all the yoga poses. The pages are inspiring, and some simply amazing, to flip through. A great gift and available in a less expensive paperback version. Find Out More to Purchase
Living
Eat, Pray, Love
Elizabeth Gilbert
.A popular paperback tells the story of one woman's pilgrimage to change her live. She eats in Italy, prays in India and loves in Bali. She does yoga and includes the best description of read of the process of developing a meditation practice Find out More to Purchase
Happiness - A Guide to Developing Life's Most Important Skill
Matthieu Ricard A new hardcover that I'm finding very interesting. Before becoming a monk thirty-five years ago, he studied cellular genetics at the Institute Pasteur. And now, in this overview he brings together some of the newest science on the psychological and biological effects of a regular meditation practice. So far, in addition to the definition of sukha, I loved his redition of how some French intellectuals vocally despise happiness. When this book came out in France, a national debate ensued and Ricard's work was called "sorcery" or "dirty work." I find it anything but! Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga and the Quest for the True Self
Stephen Cope This text is very well written and quite rewarding to read. Cope is a
psychotherapist and serves as the Scholar-in-Residence at the Kripalu
Center for Yoga and Health. His perspective reflects a familiar “western” skepticism as he describes the benefits to some seemingly strange and
foreign yoga ideas and experiences and practices. Find Out More to Purchase
Bringing Yoga to Life
Donna Farhi Donna Farhi’s latest book continues her deep exploration of living
the spiritual aspects of yoga in today’s world. Her ideas cover
the spectrum of life’s disappointments and challenges and how yoga
can inform and change perspectives to bring contentment. She stresses
that this approach means engagement in the world and not seclusion. Her
writing engages with vivid metaphors and examples. Find Out More to Purchase
Living Your Yoga
Judith Lasater Lasater takes quotes from the Yoga Sutras and the other yoga literature
to animate short essays on topics such as “Control,” “Suffering,”
“Discipline,” “Attachment and Aversion.” Each
concludes with a concrete practices to implement the principles. The text
is accessible, and the chapters stand alone as an effective tool for focused
reflection. Find Out More to Purchase
Light on Life: The Yoga Journey to Wholeness, Inner Peace and Ultimate Freedom
B.K.S. Iyengar I've not completely finished this latest work from Mr. Iyengar, but I've read enough to be able to tell you that his writing is very readable and lively. His metaphors are outstanding and really capture concepts or attitudes. Light on Yoga was about the physical postures; Light on Life focuses on yoga philosophy. And he ties together how the body and the physical postures affect the mind and spirit (and vice versa). So far, I'm loving the ideas and learning a lot. Find Out More to Purchase
meditation and healing
How to Meditate Using Chakras, Mantras, and Breath
Dennis K. Chernin, M.D., M.P.H. Chernin writes a very accessible, complete guide to the full practice
of meditation. This text is the best I’ve encountered for a full
explanation of meditation. He includes what meditation is and isn’t,
the benefits and goals of meditation and how to practice meditation. The
book includes two CDs for guided meditation. Find Out More to Purchase
Lotus in the Fire: The Healing Power of Zen
Jim Bedard Bedard tells a poignant story of courage and coping with illness. His
attitude and meditation practice were integral to his recovery. The honesty
about all aspects of his health challenge, including fear and despair,
was very helpful to me personally. Find Out More to Purchase
Wisdom of No Escape
Pema Chodron Chodron provides a good overview here of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy in
the tradition of Karma Kagyu. Her essays encompass much including how
to mediate, how to cultivate acceptance, nine ways of resting the mind.
Easy to read. Find Out More to Purchase
The Places that Scare You: A Guide to Fearlessness in Difficult Times
Pema Chodron Pema Chodron’s writing ameliorates suffering. She discusses how
to be brave, how to forgive, how to hold on, how to live compassionately,
how to stay with sorrow and pain and how to find inspiration - among other
facets. Her chapter on Meeting the Enemy discusses the three enemies of
compassion: pity, overwhelm, and idiot compassion. She ends this book
with a concluding aspiration and an appendix on meditation practices. Find Out More to Purchase
Loving-Kindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness
Sharon Salzberg Salzberg’s book ruminates on metta or lovingkindness in all its
aspects – what, why, how. Chapters include specific exercise to
cultivate this precept. Her chapters Hindrances to Lovingkindness: Desire
and Attachment and Working with Anger and Aversion are especially good. Find Out More to Purchase
Technique
Relax & Renew: Restful Yoga for Stressful Times
Judith Lasater, Ph.D., P.T. This book is the seminal text for restorative yoga. The chapters are divided
by topic of concern making the information readily accessible. Restorative
yoga requires lots of props and preparation, and so the clear instructions
juxtaposed with photos are invaluable to the reader. See especially the
chart on the various methods to fold a blanket. Find Out More to Purchase
The Woman's Book of Yoga & Health
Linda Sparrowe, Patricia Walden This book is just terrific. Linda Sparrow was editor of Yoga Journal for many years. The information is very good and reliable. And the pictures, including those with props, are clear. The chapters cover specific health challenges that affect women such as
menstruation, hot flashes, pregnancy, menopause as well as those that affect women and men such as eating disorders, insomnia, back pain. The poses are not only described, but also this book sets forth the sequence of practice. It's a wonderful support for anyone ready to start a personal, home practice. Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga: The Path to Holistic Health
B.K.S. Iyengar & Daphne Razazan Like other Dorling Kindersley books, this book is a comprehensive guide
to yoga. Each pose (asana) is set forth with detailed color photos and
very specific instructions and warnings. Chapter Five devotes 150 pages
on how to use yoga to alleviate various ailments. Very helpful guidebook. Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga: the Iyengar Way
Silva, Mira and Shyam Mehtas Also a Dorling Kindersley book, this workbook is an excellent first book
on yoga. With this book, you’ll have a good foundation and understanding
of the breadth and depth of yoga asanas. This book served as our study
text in my yoga teacher training. Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit: A Return to Wholeness
Donna Farhi Farhi’s second text is a highly recommended resource. Her discussion
on how to apply the yamas and niyamas in contemporary life is the best
I’ve encountered. She also provides excellent and specific guidance
and clues on how to adjust poses to all levels. She shares her knowledge
of the mindset and methods for deep transformation. Find Out More to Purchase
Yoga for Wimps: Yoga for the Flexibly Impaired
Miriam Austin Despite its unfortunate title, this book should not be dismissed. Photos
show modifications using every day items readily available in your home
to make yoga accessible and productive for even the most challenged. The
yogis and yoginis depicted are awesome and encouraging. Find Out More to Purchase
The Yoga of Breath: A Step-by-Step Guide to Pranayama Richard Rosen
This text is THE resource for all instruction on the Iyengar method of pranyama. Pranayama is translated as control of the life force, but harnessing of the life force is perhaps more accurate. The life force is the breath. Find Out More to Purchase
Compact Discs
Yoga Nidra
Robin Carnes A short introduction outlines the purpose and practice of yoga nidra.
Ms. Carnes teaches at a local DC area studio, Willow Street Yoga
Center, in Takoma Park. In her introduction, she captures
the state of being in yoga nidra as a "hovering between sense consciousness
and sleep consciousness." Two guided yoga nidras follow.
Her confident voice calms and comforts. As you set your resolve
(your Sankalpa) for your yoga nidra, she encourages you to conjure an
image that captures your intention - something or some way of being you
wish to bring to fruition in your life. Then, as traditional she
guides your awareness around your body in several layers - sometimes specific
small parts of the body (each finger), other times larger areas (whole
leg). She directs you to be aware of the surface of your body (the
skin in specific areas), channel your breath, wash colors
through your body or conjure images of landscapes (tree, mountain,
cloud) or objects (rose, ball, tunnel). New to me, Ms. Carnes
brought an "awareness of sensation" and suggested I feel
my body first heavy then light, cold then hot. The second nidra at
42 minutes is slightly longer the first (27 minutes), but both are
excellent and authentic. Judith Lasater once said to me, that you
don't do restorative yoga, it does you. Robin Carnes said the
same of yoga nidra "you don't do it, it does you."
And when yoga nidra is done doing you, you free great! This
rewarding CD is $15.
To purchase, contact Robin Carnes at rdcarnes@starpower.net or
301-587-1835.
Drops of Nectar with Shiva Rea This 2 CD set is subtitled, "Yoga Relaxation for Rejuvenation and
Healing." Only one track is a yoga nidra (19 minutes).
Shiva Rea is known for her integration of dance and yoga, but this CD
demonstrates her talent for going deeper in another way. Music underscores
her voice and the Nidra opens with "a sea of Oms" chanted
one over the other while she encourages you to "become one vibration
with the sound." She directs you to imagine your body looking
down at yourself, as if outside of yourself, set a sankalpa and then leads
you through a brisk survey of the body. She also brings attention
to each of the chakras "brightly flaring" and connects the image
of your heart to other living beings to foster a sense of connectedness. Throughout,
simple tones of music, graced with bells that sound like wind chimes,
support the experience just as much as the surface underneath your
body. Her guidance may be confusing if you've not perused the liner
notes; she presumes you know the location of the chakras and familiar
with certain terms. But as excellent as her guided CDs are, her
liner notes are more outstanding. She presents additional information concisely
and clearly to enhance your practice and even includes helpful
photographs. The rest of the tracks include information on how to do a
Moon Salutation (Chandra Namaskar), a cleansing breath exercise (Nadi
Shodhana Pranayama) and several guided Corpse Poses (Savasana) - one inspired
by the moon, another by a Rumi poem and another by a sunset over
the sea. To purchase, click here.
nilambu : a personal
yoga studio
PO Box 40811, Washington DC 20016-0811 // email us // p: 202-333-8854
