The 9 Best Yoga Books (original) (raw)
We've gathered quite the list of yoga books to help you along your journey—whether you're a beginner looking for history on the practice or want to immerse yourself in yoga and spiritual healing. Depending on your reading habits, it may also help to look for digital versions of the book.
Check out the list below for the top yoga books on the market.
The Best Yoga Books
Best Overall: "Light on Yoga"
Best for Beginners: "The Yoga Beginner's Bible"
Best Illustrated: "Yoga Anatomy"
Best Inclusive: "Yoga for Everyone: 50 Poses For Every Type of Body"
Best Memoir: "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses"
Best History: "Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice"
Best for Pregnancy: "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful"
Best for Postpartum: "The Fourth Trimester"
Best on Modern Yoga: "The Goddess Pose"
Best Overall: "Light on Yoga"
Amazon
This classic 1966 book is our top choice for its encyclopedic illustration of hundreds of yoga poses and many breathing techniques. Written by the famous yoga teacher, B.K.S. Iyengar, this book also goes beyond physical exercise and heavily details the philosophy of yoga.
Reviewers note this yoga book is easy to follow and has modified versions for more advanced poses to accommodate beginners. It also contains a week-by-week guide to advance your skills. Even if you're not a beginner, this yoga book can help you find new inspiration in your journey if you are feeling stagnant or bored.
Price at time of publication: $22
Best for Beginners: "The Yoga Beginner's Bible"
Amazon
If you want to do a little homework before hitting your first yoga class, check out "The Yoga Beginner's Bible," a yoga book featuring clear illustrations of poses with instructions on each. If you're not as bendy as you would like to be (yet), the pages include creative modifications to use in class (your teacher will be able to provide more of these, too, so don't be afraid to ask). A bonus: This yoga book also lays out breathing exercises, which are key to your practice.
Price at time of publication: $38
Best Illustrated: "Yoga Anatomy"
Amazon
The unique strength of "Yoga Anatomy" by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews is its illustrations. Rendered through a process of photography and medical illustration, yoga poses are shown from the inside out so you can see exactly how each one benefits your body. It's a yoga book that instructors and students alike will find helpful for deepening their practice.
Price at time of publication: $24
Best Inclusive: "Yoga for Everyone: 50 Poses For Every Type of Body"
Amazon
In "Yoga for Everyone," author and yogi Dianne Bondy sets out to celebrate what everybody and every body can do, regardless of age, weight, or physical abilities. People who often feel left out of the yoga or fitness community will find this book a breath of fresh air. Each pose photo has additional photos of multiple modifications, so you can discover what works best for you.
Price at time of publication: $20
Best Memoir: "Poser: My Life in 23 Yoga Poses"
Amazon
In this memoir, author Claire Dederer takes readers on her journey with a yoga book that goes beyond the physical benefits of yoga. She discovered the practice while dealing with a back injury and breastfeeding. Her story is universal, though mothers who have struggled with finding balance after having children will find this yoga book particularly inspirational. (Hint: yoga helps.)
Price at time of publication: $22
"Yoga Body: The Origins of Modern Posture Practice"
Amazon
"Yoga Body" is a fascinating book by scholar Mark Singleton into the history of yoga asana. This yoga book is a real game changer, exploring the predecessors of Western yoga practices beyond its roots in ancient India. You'll find yourself questioning conventional wisdom you hear in yoga classes after this one.
Price at time of publication: $18
Best for Pregnancy: "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful"
Amazon
Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa is a leading Kundalini yoga teacher who is especially known for her prenatal yoga classes. The yoga in "Bountiful, Beautiful, Blissful" is gentle, but the anecdotes and advice for pregnant people are unique in the sea of pregnancy books. It is empowering for anyone contemplating natural childbirth.
Price at time of publication: $13
Best for Postpartum: "The Fourth Trimester"
Amazon
This holistic yoga book aims to help pregnant women or those who recently gave birth (a few days or a few years ago) reach physical, emotional, relational, and spiritual healing. Kimberly Ann Johnson, who has experience as a doula and yoga teacher, explains everything from preparing your body for birth to dealing with complex postpartum emotions. Her words will help you rebuild your body and strengthen familial relationships.
Price at time of publication: $20
Best on Modern Yoga:"The Goddess Pose"
Amazon
"The Goddess Pose" is a fascinating look at how yoga made its way into the mainstream culture of the West. Author Michelle Goldberg invites you in through the biography of Indra Devi, one of the first to teach postural yoga in the U.S. Your understanding of modern yoga is incomplete without knowing the significance of Devi's influence.
Price at time of publication: $27
What to Look for in Yoga Books
Length
Do you have time to read through an encyclopedic tome on yoga’s backstory? Would you prefer a brief handbook of basic poses? Some yoga books are a one-time read while others serve as a reference to return to time and again. The amount of time you have to devote to a book will determine the length for you.
Topic
The beauty of yoga is that it serves different purposes for different people. Some folks turn to yoga strictly for exercise while others use it as a spiritual practice. Pregnant people, trauma survivors, athletes, and multiple other groups can all benefit from it in unique ways. Choose yoga books that speak to your area of interest. Because they cater to a wide range of interest levels, yoga books make some of the best yoga gifts.
Author Experience
Just about anybody can write a yoga book and have it published. But not everyone is an authority. To know you’re getting information from a qualified source, check an author’s credentials and experience. Look for a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) certification or other certification, such as YTT or E-RYT. The greater the number after the certification (200, 500, or 600 hours), the more training hours the instructor has completed.
Digital Availability
If you want yoga books to toss in your workout bag or read on your phone, grab a digital copy. When easy, lightweight accessibility is a priority, download yoga books to your phone, tablet, or other reader.
Illustrations or Images
Many are visual learners, especially when applying yoga poses in real life. If you’re seeking a yoga book to help master the art of the downward dog or reclined pigeon, you’ll probably want to see exactly how it’s done. Look for yoga books with high-quality illustrations or images.
Frequently Asked Questions
- People enrolled in accredited yoga teacher training programs may be required to read certain books prior to or during their certification process. However, you cannot become a certified yoga instructor just by reading books. Training programs require a certain number of in-person instruction hours for certification.
- As with any other subject, researching yoga through reading books is an excellent way to expand your understanding. The more you know about yoga—from its anatomical basis to its spiritual side—the more you’ll enhance your personal practice. Yoga teachers can also benefit from a broader knowledge of yoga’s history and its applications for different people.
- Scientific inquiry has examined numerous aspects of yoga. The combination of stretching your muscles and matching your breath to movement has proven merits for health. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health, yoga may help people lose weight, relieve stress, manage depression and anxiety, relieve pain, and quit smoking, among other benefits.
- What you get out of yoga books will, of course, depend on the books you choose and how much you invest in them. If you’re a beginner, reading an introductory book on standard poses could give you the confidence you need to try yoga for the first time. Or if you’re an instructor, a history of the practice or a nitty-gritty look at technique could be the key to helping others have a more fulfilling experience.