Recommended Books, DVDs, and CDs
Ashtanga Specific:
- Ashtanga Yoga “The Practice Manual”, by David Swenson, www.ashtanga.
net, an excellent practice companion for the beginning and intermediate
student.
- Yoga Mala, The Seminal Treatise and Guide from the Living Master of
Ashtanga Yoga, by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, ISBN 0-86547-662-4
- Ashtanga Yoga As It Is, Primary-Intermediate-Advanced A & B, by Matthew
Sweeney, The Yoga Temple, Third edition (2005). A superb source for the
serious Ashtanga practitioner. Matthew shows the exact vinyasa sequences
for all 4 series. Matthew’s depiction of the asana is second to none. He’s
also added valuable background information and his insight from years of
practice and teaching. May the force be with you, Matthew!
- Richard Freeman’s practice DVDs, Studio Talks, and The Yoga Matrix, http:
//www.yogaworkshop.com/store.html. Richard weaves the asana practice
into a rich fabric of metaphors, scriptures, and philosophy that will add
depth and richness to your practice. His asana DVDs provide insight and
refinement. More suitable for ongoing practitioners.
Essential Yoga Texts:
- The Bhagavad Gita – the most beautiful and beloved of yoga texts. I
personally love the Prabhavananda & Isherwood translation. Read it over
and over again until the words become engraved in your mind and the
concepts become yours.
- The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – There are numerous translations &
analyses. I like the translation by Swami Vivekananda
- The Hatha Yoga Pradipika – A concise enumeration of the yoga principles
you’ll see frequently described in secondary sources.
Other Exceptional Yoga Books:
- Light on Yoga, The Bible of Modern Yoga – Its Philosophy and Practice- by
the World’s Foremost Teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar, ISBN 0-8052-1031-8.
Encyclopedic in nature. Provides comprehensive description of a vast
array of asanas, most of which appear in the Ashtanga series.
- Health, Healing & Beyond, Yoga and the Living Tradition of
Krishnamacharya, by T.K.V. Desikachar with R.H. Cravens. A fascinating
look into the life of the "father of modern Hatha yoga" and the teacher of
both B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois.
- Jivamukti Yoga, Practices for Liberating Body and Soul, by Sharon Gannon
and David Life, ISBN 0-345-44208-3. A delightful, inspiring and artistic
compilation.
- Bringing Yoga to Life, The Everyday Practice of Enlightened Living, by
Donna Farhi, ISBN 0-06-075046-4. Gently and poetically Donna weaves
ancient yogic principles into 21 century living.
- The Inner Tradition of Yoga, A Guide to Yoga Philosophy for the
Contemporary Practitioner, by Michael Stone with Forward by Richard
Freeman, ISBN 978-1-59030-569-0
- A Physiological Handbook for Teachers of Yogasana, by Mel Robin, ISBN 1-
58736-033-0. An excellent in-depth description of the physiology of yoga.
Online Resources:
- Yoga Journal: free online subscription; trendy but not overboard; good
articles on yoga postures, thought, ayurveda, workshops, etc.
- Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute: The official website of Sri K. Pattabhi
Jois, www.kpjai.org
- www.ashtanga.com - A good link into the global Ashtanga community,
including listings of workshops, good articles and interviews with senior
teachers, etc.
- www.barefootyoga.com - Excellent source for yoga mats, props, and other
related merchandise.
- www.yogaaccessories.com - Quality inexpensive source for yoga gear.
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