Book Suggestions: Introduction To Yoga

Dear Yogis!

I was asked this week for a good book to read as an introduction to yoga. Some of us are happy to turn up and do the class. Some of us want to dive into the deep end, right from the start, and read up on history, philosophy and all sorts. I have many books that promise to be a good introduction – I get them from charity shops so I always have a collection I can lend out. However, I searched and searched and searched for something I could recommend – readable, comprehensible, not too in-depth, not displaying photos of eye-watering postures. Here’s my recommendation… and it’s Iyengar Yoga that wins!

The first is Yoga, The Iyengar Way by Silva, Mira and Shyam Mehta (‘senior pupils of BKS Iyengar’). The book is laid out perfectly; after a couple of pages of introduction the majority of the book is postures, pictured and instructed. At the end of the book comes a small section on yoga philosophy and breathing techniques, a discussion about the soul and then courses for you to put together your practice from complete beginner onwards. Perfect!

The second is similar. It’s by Mira Mehta called How To Use Yoga. It’s a step-by-step guide which, after a couple of pages of yoga history and philosophy, gets you straight into practice. The point of the book is ‘a ten-week course’ to give a basic introduction. If your preference is for practicality and not so much for philosophy, this is the one.

I’ve recommended other books… sporadically. Here are a few more recent ones: Yoga and the Quest for the True Self by Stephen Cope; Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art by James Nestor; The Four Desires by Rod Stryker; The Great Work Of Your Life by Stephen Cope; Ageless by Sharath Jois; The Science of Yoga by William J Broad.

PS. Yoga is 99% practice, 1% theory. However, theory is quite nice!

Zoom Classes 

Woah! Numbers are LOW these days. I don’t blame you… the sun is/was out, after all. Anyway, people have been asking for another stretchy class for a long while now so I’ll be changing the 4.30 Friday class to a 5.00 Friday Stretchy Yoga class from next week. I’ll give a few chaturanga options for the chaturanga-heads! (I know how much the Ashtangis want the challenge). Crow will be there for you if you need an arm balance. Many have said that 4.30 isn’t convenient, hence the move by just half an hour to 5.00. Hope that works for you.

You can book today’s class or all classes here.

Yoga in the news 

The Guardian has: Prince Charles advises people recovering from Covid to practise yoga. “This pandemic has emphasised the importance of preparedness, resilience and the need for an approach which addresses the health and welfare of the whole person as part of society, and which does not merely focus on the symptoms alone,” Charles said. “As part of that approach, therapeutic, evidenced-informed yoga can contribute to health and healing. By its very nature, yoga is an accessible practice which provides practitioners with ways to manage stress, build resilience and promote healing.”

The Tribune has: 11-year-old Indian-origin Yoga prodigy wins UK PM award. “You have brought the joy of Yoga to hundreds of children globally during lockdown. I was particularly inspired to hear how you have helped children with special needs enjoy the activity you enjoy and excel at,” (Boris) Johnson said in a personal letter to Sharma.

The Financial Times has: Indian doctors protest against guru who claims yoga can defeat Covid. Thousands of Indian doctors are expected to wear black armbands on Tuesday to protest against a guru and ally of Prime Minister Narendra Modi who claims that yoga and traditional medicine offer stronger protection against Covid-19 than vaccines.

A factor 30 weekend is coming. Have fun.