When I teach class, I'm often asked what books have inspired my practice, or have helped me to develop my practice further, so I thought I would share some of my personal favorites to help you too! If you're like me, you'll end up writing all over them, dog-earing the pages, covering them in post-it notes, and turn them into living, breathing parts of yourself and your practice. Each of these is a fav for different reasons, and I hope it inspires you, while giving you lots to think about. While I have a library wall built by my super-handy husband, I also love leaving piles of books everywhere, just in case...
{These are my opinions, and this is not a sponsored post. All of these are easy to find on Amazon-enjoy!}
The Pure Heart of Yoga by Robert Butera, Ph.D.
I really love this book because it's very easy to understand, and isn't a "teachers only" kind of book. While he dives deep into the complex facets of yoga, he uses language and examples that make sense and that you can apply to your life. You'll be able to learn about the inner practices, as well as what we usually associate with yoga-the outer practice-the poses. This is one of those books that I reach for often as a teacher, and one that I see myself using for a long time.
The Healing Power of Sound, by Mitchell Gaynor, M.D.
This is hands-down the book that has changed my perspective on healing and the power that sound has on our physical bodies. I read this for the first time when my oldest daughter was in Pre-k. I was addicted to the library shelves dedicated to alternative healing and this book blew me away then, and I can still get that same sense of awe reading it now. I knew after reading it that one day I would be using crystal singing bowls to help people, but I had no idea what that would look like...fast forward to now, and I cannot imagine my life without my yoga and sound bath practice! Sharing sound and holding space for people is my calling, for sure. If you're interested in why sound affects you the way it does, or how you can use sound to help you through pain or an uncomfortable experience, this book will have your attention!
The Yamas & Niyamas Exploring Yoga's Ethical Practice, by Deborah Adele
Throwing it back to yoga teacher training for this one...think of it as an ethical guidebook for life. You don't need to be in a YTT to read this book-it should be required reading for everyone for life in general. How to treat people, how to live, how to treat yourself... There are inner and outer observances, and each of them when broken down, has a journaling component. I can tell you that my copy is covered in writing, highlighter, underlining, and sticky notes. It's a fast read if you want to read it cover to cover-but I suggest reading it carefully and taking your time. Sit with each section and DO the journaling pieces- I bet you will uncover things that you didn't realize were just below the surface.
The Complete Guide to Yin Yoga, The Philosophy & Practice of Yin Yoga, by Bernie Clark
If you're into Yin yoga? Or want to understand more about the meridian system, and why a Yin practice is so powerful for your body and mind? This book will be a favorite. I have many books on Yin, and this is my "bible" when it comes to the practice for sure. I think most teachers would agree with me & that they have it in their library too.
Yoga Nidra, A Meditative Practice for Deep Relaxation and Healing, by Richard Miller, PhD
If you have come to any of my classes or you've had a distant session with me, chances are we have done some yoga nidra work together. The beauty of yoga nidra is that it's an ancient practice, but applicable for our fast paced life of today. The deep relaxation practice is described in this book, by Richard Miller who is also the founder of iRest, known as Integrative Restoration (a particular form of yoga nidra). It is what has informed the way I teach and share this practice of connecting to sensation in the body in a trauma-informed way.
I hope these books help you discover hidden parts within yourself, happy reading!
Feel free to reach out if you have questions, too.
~Jenn