Great Yoga Books For Beginners
While it is great to have access to so much information from our phones or computers, sometimes we just want to hold a tangible thing- a real book. I know that I get tired of looking at a screen or dealing with downloads and printables- even though I make a lot of them. Sometimes you just want to be able to flip through a book and find what you need. And, you can take it with you anywhere that you go.
With that said, I thought I would take a moment to put together a list of yoga books for beginners that are easy to follow and give a starting point for further exploration. Some of these you can even find at your local library!
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So, let’s just dive into the list of 8 Categories. These yoga books for beginners cover a variety of topics- from chair yoga to restorative yoga and meditation. As always, a reminder to be sure to check with your healthcare provider before starting any exercise program. Take a look and see what may be of interest to you today.
1. Chair Yoga
Relax Into Yoga For Seniors: A 6 Week Program for Strength, Balance, Flexibility, and Pain Relief
I highly recommend this book if you are looking specifically for a book on chair yoga. It is full of great information on safety in regards to multiple medical conditions and has a lot of the things that I talk about in terms of safety with osteoporosis. There is a lot of research based information as well. In addition, they have seated, standing, and mat exercises as well as routines to follow with detailed cues. It also comes with Downloadable Audio Practices.
2. Restorative Yoga
If you are not familiar, restorative poses are simple positions held for a bit longer than what you may think of with other types of yoga and meant to provide a deep relaxation in supported positions. They often use pillows, blankets, or blocks as props. This book has 36 poses and 20 sequences with clear illustrations and instructions.
Take your time with these and try out a few poses at a time, then you can combine them into full sequences if you wish. Or just pick a pose that you need at any point in the day and see how you feel. A little bit goes a long way.
3. Beginner Basics
30 Essential Yoga Poses : For Beginning Students and Their Teachers
The author of this book has several others, including books on yoga myths and how to live your yoga. But these 30 yoga poses provide comprehensive information on each pose with clear images, props, variations, as well as benefits. There are also several sequences that you can practice once you have learned the poses.
This is great for starting a home practice by becoming familiar with these basic poses and knowing how to modify them while you are watching a video at home. Or it is just as wonderful to go into a live class and know that you have the tools to make adjustments as needed.
4. Breathing
Breathe Deep: An Illustrated Guide to the Transformative Power of Breathing
This is a great book for beginners if you are interested in learning some breathing techniques. It is wonderfully illustrated and full of practical exercise, ideas, and encouragement if you are new to breathing exercises. There is some science as well as spiritual insights and it is great for any age.
5. Chakras
Chakra Healing: A Beginners Guide to Self Healing Techniques that Balance the Chakras
If you are not familiar with Chakras, they are energy centers in the body. I have done a series on Chair Yoga and Chakras as an introduction. If you would like more info, you can start with the Root Chakra. This book is simple and easy to read and provides great basic information as well as practical tips to introduce into your daily life as desired.
This book combines the Western psychology and science with spirituality and the Eastern Chakra system. It goes through each Chakra in a systematic way with a Western understanding.
6. Beginner Yoga/Meditations
Yoga Body and Mind Handbook: Easy poses, guided meditations, Perfect Peace Wherever You Are
This book provides simple yoga poses with meditations that you can easily add to your daily routine. There are simple tips on philosophy, breathing, and implementing yoga into your day. This book can serve as an introduction to meditation in a gentle way.
7. Accessible Yoga
Yoga For Everyone: 50 Poses For Every Body Type
This book provides clear illustrations and images for 50 poses with at least 3 modifications for each. Modifications are so helpful for everyone. If you are practicing at home or in a class it is always a great thing to have the knowledge of ways you can adjust the poses. It also includes 10 sequences.
8. Philosophy
These are two important books on philosophy. They may not be considered light reading, but they are important works.
The Bhagavad Gita is a 700 verse Hindu Scripture that is a collection of philosophical concepts of Hindu and yoga. It defines yoga as a process by which one can attain self-realization. There are many translations available, this version is summarized and may be easier to digest.
Here is a summary that is a bit more digestible for beginners if you are interested: The Bhagavad Gita Summary – Four Minute Books
The Yoga Sutras of Pantanjali are a collection of Sanskrit aphorisms on the theory and practice of yoga. The Yoga Sutras was compiled by the sage Pantanjali in India to organize knowledge of yoga. This book is one of many translations, so you may find other versions.
I hope you enjoyed this list of 10 yoga books for beginners and that you found something that may resonate with you and that you can explore a bit more. There are so many options out there. You may find that taking a trip to your local library or bookstore and just looking through the books can be inspiring- and it may lead you to explore something else all together! You might start looking for yoga books for beginners and find yourself exploring how to make your own candles- who knows! That is the great part about learning something new. Let me know what you think in the comments below!
Want More?
If you are new to chair yoga, you may be interested in Is Chair Yoga Right For You? or Chair Yoga and Osteoporosis
Take a look at the Chair Yoga Challenge or the At Home Chair Yoga Challenge
You may be interested in the Chair Yoga and Chakra Series, you can start here: Chair Yoga For Grounding- The Root Chakra
Or, take a look at the 21 Day Mindfulness Challenge for some more simple tips and resources to explore
If you are interested in starting a gratitude practice, you may be interested in this simple paperback Daily Gratitude Notebook
Visit The Peaceful Chair Etsy Shop for health and wellness related printable pages
And I invite you to sign up for the Monthly Email Newsletter to stay up to date on the latest blog posts and videos
Namaste!
Disclaimer: The Peaceful Chair and thepeacefulchair.com strongly recommends that you consult with your physician before starting this or any exercise program.The information provided on this website is for informational purposes only and is not to be used in place of medical advice or information from your healthcare provider. Neither The Peaceful Chair, thepeacefulchair.com, nor any of its contributors shall be held liable for any improper or incorrect use of the information described and/or contained herein and assumes no responsibility for anyone’s use of the information contained in any links, videos, or any content on this website.
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