15 Books About Yoga And Meditation To Read In 2019

From expert books on complex yoga poses to the philosophy behind yoga and mediation.

These are the 15 books to read about yoga in 2019.

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#1 Yoga Wisdom-Reflections of a Practicing Yogi by Anita Perry

Book recommendation by Anita Perry from www.yogaanita.com

Sex. Stress. Job loss. Aging. Funny, thoughtful, essays on life seen through the eyes of a yogi. Yoga is more than looking good in leggings! Paperback and ebooks available

#2 Sit Down, Be Quiet by Michael James Wong, Boys of Yoga

Book recommendation by Dan Jones from Yogi Goals

This book by the Boys of Yoga is a great introduction to yoga for the modern man. It’s full of helpful information and step-by-step pose guides, but the real value lies in the personal accounts with male yoga teachers and influencers. By sparking an insightful conversation about the role yoga can take in our lives, and showing the inspirational men already doing it – it really crystallizes the cultural shift towards yoga for men.

#3 Yoga Girl by Rachel Brathen

Book recommendation by Joseph Hallgren from Yoga Girl

A fantastic book on how transformative Yoga can be on one’s life. The book is a close look into author Rachel Brathen’s life, before and after she started the practice. Rachel’s honest and heartfelt insights into her daily life and how Yoga has helped created a large following on Instagram. With her book, she goes beyond the Instagram feed, diving into just how much Yoga helped her transform from her destructive teenage years. Throughout there are step-by-step sequences and healthy recipes. It’s a fantastic read for those looking to not only practice the physical side of yoga, but also practice the internal wellbeing Yoga offers.

#4 Namaslay by Candace Cabrera Moore

Book recommendation by Jan Monroe from YogaByCandace LLC

This is a part yoga book, part memoir. There are hundreds of yoga poses broken down in a very visual way, so that yoga students can easily see the alignment and cues. In addition, the memoir part of the book shares the inspiring story of how author Candace Cabrera Moore overcame a debilitating mystery illness that at one point left her bedridden and unable to walk. At the end of the book, there are 30 Day Programs you can follow to get started on your yoga journey. It’s also a great resource for new yoga teachers looking for creative sequencing!

#5 Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving Through Stillness by Erich Shiffmann

Book recommendation by Caleb Backe from Maple Holistics

If you’re looking to explore different approaches to practicing yoga, this is the book for you. It will help you enjoy inner exploration and challenge yourself. This book will shift the way you look at yoga and make it more relatable to your day to day life.

#6 Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit – A Return To Wholeness by Donna Farhi

Book recommendation by Caleb Backe from Maple Holistics

This is a holistic guide to yoga. This book will teach you how yoga enhances your connection between your mind, body, and spirit. The author provides exercises to help readers achieve all yoga poses at varying levels. It’s a simple and easy-to-read book that will help you learn what to do as well as what not to do.

#7 Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar

Book recommendation by Anastasia Sharova from Happily Globalized

The “Light on Yoga” by B.K.S. Iyengar is the real “Bible of Yoga”, which should be on the shelf of any yoga practitioner. It has the most comprehensive demonstrations and descriptions of the asanas, which are relevant to any style of modern yoga. This book also explains the practice beyond its physical aspect. It is equally useful for beginners and for advanced students and teachers, as it takes you through the fundamentals of yoga from A to Z.

#8 Every Body Yoga: Let Go of Fear, Get On the Mat, Love Your Body by Jessamyn Stanley

Book recommendation by Candess Zona-Mendola from MakeFoodSafe

When it comes to yoga, everyone assumes they need to be a perfect size 2 bikini model. That could not be further from the truth. Yoga is for everyone, and this book shows you just that.

#9 The Yamas and Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice by Deborah Adele

Book recommendation by Val Minos from Alternative Yoga Vibe

This book by Deborah Adele is great for yoga instructors or practitioners who want to deepen his or her practice by extending it to daily living. So many people think practicing and being a yogi (or yogini) means you have to be vegan and float around like you’re constantly connected to the earth and it’s inhabitants. This book provides real life examples in how to apply the 8 limbs of yoga to normal life. It’s more about learning the way to live a more freely while following the path that is suited for the reader.

#10 Yoga Mind: Journey Beyond the Physical: 30 Days to Enhance Your Practice and Revolutionize Your Life from the Inside Out by Suzan Colón

Book recommendation by Suzan Colón, author of Yoga Mind from Suzan Colon

When a friend became paralyzed after an accident, Suzan Colón taught him Yoga breathing and meditation techniques–and learned the true meaning of Yoga from someone who couldn’t move. This 30-day program of Yoga’s spiritual tools will help you find inner peace, daily mindfulness, and a new perspective of happiness. With a yoga body, you can do challenging poses; with a Yoga Mind, you can do anything.

#11 The Wisdom of Yoga: A Seeker’s Guide to Extraordinary Living by Stephen Cope

Book recommendation by Jennifer Mimkha, registered dietitian and yoga teacher in training from Prana Nutrition

This is a great book for someone who is already familiar with yoga and meditation, rather than just beginning. It describes the more sophisticated teachings of yoga by demonstrating examples of the teachings in various character’s lives. It explores the idea of what it would be like to function at maximum potential of our minds, bodies, and spirits.

#12 Yoga Anatomy Second Edition by Leslie Kaminoff

Book recommendation by Melissa Lomax from Stardust Yoga

This book by Leslie Kaminoff is very easy and descriptive when it comes to yoga alignment and anatomy.

#13 Science of Yoga by Ann Swanson

Book recommendation by Suzanne Kelley from Science of Yoga

Many of us know that yoga and meditation just work. You may have experienced it for yourself or intuitively know based on common sense; relaxation and movement make us healthier and happier. It seems like magic, but really there is a growing body of scientific evidence to support the vast benefits of these practices. Science of Yoga clearly outlines the benefits for every system of your body with gorgeous state of the art illustrations depicting whats going on below the skin, including the muscles working in each pose. This engaging book is perfect for curious yogis and a must for yoga teachers.

#14 Tree of Yoga by BKS Iyengar

Book recommendation by Megan Schmidt, Health Coach and Yoga Instructor from Align Wellness YXE

This book holds such gems, and we all know that yoga is so much more than just about the poses.

#15 Yoga Sequencing – Designing Transformative Yoga Classes by Mark Stephens

Book recommendation by Gina Scianimanico from Yoga and Massage Edu

This book on designing yoga classes is one of the most widely used for yoga teacher trainings. It divides teaching into useful and easy to comprehend chunks. Learning the basic foundations and variations for each category of pose. This gives you accessibility to creating enlightening classes for beginners, intermediate, and advanced students.

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