Judith Hansen Lasater is the author of numerous books for yoga practitioners. “30 Essential Yoga Poses: For Beginning Students and their Teachers” is a must-have yoga book for the practitioner’s bookshelf. Written in plain English, without any “fluff”, Lasater gives each pose an incredible amount of attention. She provides pose variations and modifications and clearly lists benefits and contraindications. Consequently, you can make an informed decision as to whether or not the pose is suitable for you.

Additionally, I highly recommend  “Yoga Myths: What You Need to Learn and Unlearn for a Safe and Healthy Yoga Practice“. It highlights 11 common misconceptions regarding the physical practice of yoga. Lasater describes the myth, why it could be detrimental, and how to correct it. This book has been of immense value to me as a student and yoga teacher and I think it will be for you, too.

“Myths of the Asanas: The Stories at the Heart of the Yoga Tradition” by Alanna Kaivalya and Arjuna van der Kooij is a wonderful yoga book. What is the myth behind hanumasana (the splits)? Who was the Lord of the Fishes? What is the story behind anjaneyasana (Anjanyea Pose or Low-Lunge)? This book will give the answers. It is also a great way to connect with Sanskrit, the language of Yoga.

The authors give the story behind numerous commonly-practiced asanas. Personally, I have found this to be incredibly helpful in connecting with the roots of Yoga. Most importantly, having a little bit of background knowledge about the shapes we make on the mat can increase our clarity, curiosity, and confidence in the practice. I hope you find this book as enjoyable as I have. It is one I keep going back to repeatedly.

Though not usually at the top of the list of every yoga beginner, this wonderful tome may eventually become a bookshelf addition as your curiosity about yoga grows. So, why am I recommending it now, you ask? This version (admittedly, the only one I have read) by Dr. Edwin Bryant (a Professor of Hindu religion and philosophy at Rutgers University) provides a robust yet manageable section on the history of Yoga.

The history of Yoga is not a straightforward, linear one. It was a tradition passed down by word of mouth for centuries before Patanjali collated all his knowledge into a guide-book of sorts called “The Yoga Sutras”. “Sutra” means “stitch” in Sanskrit, which is the intention of this book. It stitches together in a coherent, logical way all the teachings of yoga that our teachers for millennia have passed down.

This book, “Surya Namaskar: A Technique of Solar Vitalization” by Swami Satyananda Saraswati gives an illustrated, in-depth description of the history and meaning behind Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutations). It looks closely at the 12-pose classical sun salutation, giving detailed descriptions for each pose of this essential sequence as well as the benefits and contraindications of each pose. Moreover, breathing instructions are also detailed.

Though written decades ago, this book is a must-have, in my opinion. Why? Because Sun Salutations are an essential component, in most Hatha yoga asana classes. Therefore, having some background knowledge is a great way to anchor into these poses when doing Sun Salutations as part of a longer class or as a stand-alone physical practice in itself.

Continuing on in the same vein, this section will list some blogs about yoga that most importantly will pique the interest of many a yoga practitioner, no matter where they are in their journey.

Next, I highly recommend Yoga Basics. This website has a LOT to offer and could quickly become overwhelming for the practitioner who is just starting out.

Most importantly, they have collated all beginner-related info into one page called Yoga 101: The Basics. This page has an incredible amount of confusion-busting information. It answers a wide variety of questions including “What is Yoga?”, “What is the History of Yoga”, and many more.

Likewise, I’d be remiss not to include my own blog here, which is aimed at helping curious yet concerned yoga beginners in setting up a safe and sustainable home yoga practice. If you’re new to my blog, I recommend starting with “Getting Started with Yoga Part 1: Setting Up Your Space“.

This is the first of a five-part series. Part 2 lays out a 5-day yoga start-up class kit. Three rules to stay safe in your practice is covered in Part 3. Part 4 gives some resources for continuous study, including some really great Instagram accounts to follow. the final part, Part 5 examines the difference between motivation and discipline when it comes to establishing a consistent practice.

Be sure to check back in periodically for updates to this non-exhaustive list of helpful yoga books and articles.

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