Yoga Self-Taught


André Van Lysebeth - 1968
    Unlike other yoga books which show only the completed posture, these illustrations show the intermediate steps for attaining the final postures. For beginning students, this classic book is a perfect introduction to yoga.

The Mindful Day: Practical Ways to Find Focus, Calm, and Joy From Morning to Evening


Laurie J. Cameron - 2018
    But new research shows that simple daily exercises can change the way our brain works, improve focus, lift our mood, create stronger connections, and help us develop greater resilience. In this enriching book, noted teacher and mindfulness expert Laurie Cameron provides an everyday road map to cultivate inner peace and navigate any situation with control and clarity. Timeless teachings and straightforward practices designed for busy schedules--from the morning commute to back-to-back meetings to family dinners--show how mindfulness can transform life at home, in the workplace, and beyond. A personal guide for women who have leaned in, men who want to be more effective, and professionals looking to optimize their lives, this book will help readers lead their lives with intention and purpose.

One Simple Thing: A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How It Can Transform Your Life


Eddie Stern - 2019
    If yoga does accomplish all that--and most practitioners will swear it's true--how exactly does it do it? Believe it or not, there are answers. And they are based in how the human body/mind functions, how we are built and wired, and how what we do can direct and change that.Drawing on modern neuroscience, ancient wisdom, and decades of practice and teaching, Eddie Stern's One Simple Thing, with a foreword from Deepak Chopra, explains how what we do affects who we become, and reveals how a steady routine of physical movements, activities, and attitudes are able to transform not just our bodies but our brain functions and emotions, and how we experience life.

Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life


Jon Kabat-Zinn - 1994
    It speaks both to those coming to meditation for the first time and to longtime practitioners, anyone who cares deeply about reclaiming the richness of his or her moments.

The Wim Hof Method: Own Your Mind, Master Your Biology, and Activate Your Full Human Potential


Wim Hof - 2020
    You can overcome disease, improve your mental health and physical performance, and even control your physiology so you can thrive in freezing temperatures.” With The Wim Hof Method, this trailblazer of human potential shares a method that anyone can use—not just extreme athletes or spiritual masters—to supercharge your capacity for strength, health, and happiness.Wim Hof has become a modern legend for his astounding achievements, such as withstanding extreme temperatures, breaking world records, and running barefoot marathons over deserts and ice fields. In his gripping and passionate style, Hof shares the story of how he developed his method, along with testimonials and new insights from the university research studies on its amazing results. With guidance suited for any reader—young or old, sick or healthy—you’ll learn how to harness three key elements of Cold, Breathing, and Mindset to take charge of your own mind and metabolism.Yet the most important result of Hof’s method goes beyond improved health or performance—it is a path for reconnecting with your spiritual nature. “With these practices, you awaken to your inner source of power and fulfillment,” he says. “You find you can control your destiny.”

Ashtanga Yoga: Practice and Philosophy


Gregor Maehle - 2007
    Join author Gregor Maehle, a seasoned yogi and compassionate teacher, as he guides you through the history and lineage of yoga; the fundamentals of breath, bandhas (energy locks within the body), drishti (the focal point of the gaze), and vinyasa (sequential movement); a detailed breakdown of the asanas of the Ashtanga Primary Series, following the traditional vinyasa count; a lively and authentic rendering of the complete Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, yoga's ancient sacred text; and a glossary of yoga terminology.In the asana section, Maehle describes each posture with clear, meticulous instructions, photographs, anatomical illustrations, and practical tips. Information on the mythological background and yogic context of specific postures brings further insight to the practice. In the philosophy section, Maehle illuminates the Yoga Sutra using the major ancient commentaries as well as his own insights.This volume makes the entire path of Ashtanga Yoga accessible to modern practitioners. Both practical guide and spiritual treatise, Ashtanga Yoga is an excellent introduction to the eight limbs of yoga and an invaluable resource for any yoga teacher or practitioner.

Yoga 365: Daily Wisdom for Life, On and Off the Mat


Susanna Harwood Rubin - 2016
    Each entry explores a mind-body theme such as balance, strength, and resilience in a short, illuminating paragraph that can be enjoyed in the morning or at bedtime, incorporated into a yoga session, or read on the go. Featuring a serenely beautiful hardcover and a spacious, color-washed interior, the package is as calming in the hand as the readings are to the eye. Yogis will find it to be a motivating tool for personal growth and a lighthearted, gift-worthy way to share the joys of their practice with others.

Real Happiness: A 28-Day Program to Realize the Power of Meditation


Sharon SalzbergSharon Salzberg - 2011
    Beginning with the simplest breathing and sitting techniques, and based on three key skills—concentration, mindfulness, and lovingkindness—it’s a practice anyone can do and that can transform our lives by bringing us greater resiliency, creativity, peace, clarity, and balance. This updated 10th anniversary edition includes exercises, journal prompts, and ten guided meditations available for download online and through scannable QR codes.

Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art


James Nestor - 2020
    Yet, as a species, humans have lost the ability to breathe correctly, with grave consequences.Journalist James Nestor travels the world to figure out what went wrong and how to fix it. The answers aren't found in pulmonology labs, as we might expect, but in the muddy digs of ancient burial sites, secret Soviet facilities, New Jersey choir schools, and the smoggy streets of Sao Paulo. Nestor tracks down men and women exploring the hidden science behind ancient breathing practices like Pranayama, Sudarshan Kriya, and Tummo and teams up with pulmonary tinkerers to scientifically test long-held beliefs about how we breathe.Modern research is showing us that making even slight adjustments to the way we inhale and exhale can jump-start athletic performance; rejuvenate internal organs; halt snoring, asthma, and autoimmune disease; and even straighten scoliotic spines. None of this should be possible, and yet it is.Drawing on thousands of years of medical texts and recent cutting-edge studies in pulmonology, psychology, biochemistry, and human physiology, Breath turns the conventional wisdom of what we thought we knew about our most basic biological function on its head. You will never breathe the same again.

Buddhism Plain and Simple


Steve Hagen - 1997
    It is about being awake and in touch with what is going on here and now. When the Buddha was asked to sum up his teaching in a single word, he said, "Awareness." The Buddha taught how to see directly into the nature of experience. His observations and insights are plain, practical, and down-to-earth, and they deal exclusively with the present. In Buddhism Plain and Simple, Steve Hagen presents these uncluttered, original teachings in everyday, accessible language unencumbered by religious ritual, tradition, or belief.

Sivananda Companion to Yoga


Lucy Lidell - 1983
    Easy-to-follow instructions and authoritative teaching cover all aspects of this timeless discipline -- an inspiration for the beginner and expert alike. * Develop a fit and beautiful body * Keep youthful in every stage of life * Eat wisely and well * Breathe for life and vitality * Improve your health * Enjoy a troublefree pregnancy * Banish stress and tension * Increase your powers of concentration * Experience peace of mind

Yoga


Rodney Yee - 2002
    Fresh from a guest spot on Oprah where he taught yoga to the masses, Rodney Yee is well-known around the world and travels extensively both nationally and worldwide to teach weekend workshops, week-long teacher training workshops, and yoga retreats.For the first time ever, Rodney Yee explains in writing his highly popular and successful approach to yoga. Yoga: The Poetry of the Body is an introduction to the practice of yoga in both its physical and spiritual aspects. Using more than 400 beautiful black-and-white photos, this book takes beginners, as well as more advanced students, step-by-step through 8 full yoga practices based on 45 of the most basic yoga poses. Using thought-provoking student-teacher dialogs, Rodney makes abstract concepts come alive, thereby allowing readers to better understand and appreciate the essence of yoga. All in all, this book presents a wonderful and stimulating journey into the world of yoga that reflects both the way Rodney teaches and his personal philosophy. It is sure to please yoga enthusiasts everywhere.

Meditation: The First and Last Freedom


Osho - 2004
    Meditation: The First and Last Freedom shows that meditation is not a spiritual discipline separate from everyday life in the real world. In essence, it is simply the art of being aware of what is going on inside and around us. As we acquire the knack, meditation can be our companion wherever we are-at work, at play, at rest.Meditation contains practical, step-by-step guides to a wide variety of meditation techniques selected by and/or created by Osho, including the unique OSHO Active Meditations which deal with the special tensions of contemporary life. Recognizing that it's almost impossible for most people these days just to stop and sit silently, these meditations - including the Osho Dynamic Meditation and Osho Kundalini Meditation - begin with one or more stages of vigorous physical activity. This brings our physical and mental energies to a peak, so that the following silence is easy -- leaving us alert, refreshed, and newly energized.Newly revised and resized into a handy portable format, Meditation is the perfect text to begin or continue exploring the joys of meditation.

Savor: Mindful Eating, Mindful Life


Thich Nhat Hanh - 2010
    But somehow we get stalled. We start on a weight-loss program with good intentions but cannot stay on track. Neither the countless fad diets, nor the annual spending of $50 billion on weight loss helps us feel better or lose weight.Too many of us are in a cycle of shame and guilt. We spend countless hours worrying about what we ate or if we exercised enough, blaming ourselves for actions that we can't undo. We are stuck in the past and unable to live in the present--that moment in which we do have the power to make changes in our lives.With Savor, world-renowned Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh and Harvard nutritionist Dr. Lilian Cheung show us how to end our struggles with weight once and for all.Offering practical tools, including personalized goal setting, a detailed nutrition guide, and a mindful living plan, the authors help us to uncover the roots of our habits and then guide us as we transform our actions. Savor teaches us how to easily adopt the practice of mindfulness and integrate it into eating, exercise, and all facets of our daily life, so that being conscious and present becomes a core part of our being.It is the awareness of the present moment, the realization of why we do what we do, that enables us to stop feeling bad and start changing our behavior. Savor not only helps us achieve the healthy weight and well-being we seek, but it also brings to the surface the rich abundance of life available to us in every moment.

Yoga for Pain Relief: Simple Practices to Calm Your Mind and Heal Your Chronic Pain


Kelly McGonigal - 2009
    Yoga also helps to ease the stress, anxiety, and depression that can create and reinforce pain, making you feel more comfortable in both your mind and your body.Written by a yoga instructor and former chronic pain sufferer, Yoga for Pain Relief is packed with gentle postures and practical strategies for ending pain. This complete mind-body tool kit for healing also includes deep relaxation practices drawn from the yogic tradition and psychological techniques for helping you make peace with your body and dissolve pain. As the ancient practice of yoga releases the hold that chronic pain has over your life, you will begin to feel more like yourself again.