What to read
Here are one or two titles which I have found invaluable in my practice. You may also find my recommended viewing page to be helpful.
Guruji : Guy Donahaye
It is a rare and remarkable soul who becomes legendary during the course of his life by virtue of great service to others. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois was such a soul, and through his teaching of yoga, he transformed the lives of countless people. The school in Mysore that he founded and ran for more than sixty years trained students who, through the knowledge they received and their devotion, have helped to spread the daily practice of traditional Ashtanga yoga to tens of thousands around the world.
Guruji paints a portrait of a unique man, revealed through the accounts of his students. Among the thirty men and women interviewed here are Indian students from Jois’ early teaching days; intrepid Americans and Europeans who traveled to Mysore to learn yoga in the 1970s; and, important family members who studied as well as lived with Jois and continue to practice and teach abroad or run the Ashtanga Yoga Institute today. Many of the contributors (as well as the authors) are influential teachers who convey their experience of Jois everyday to students in many different parts of the globe. Anyone interested in the living tradition of yoga will find Guruji richly rewarding. Description courtesy of The Book Depository.
Ashtanga Yoga – Practice & Philosophy : Gregor Maehle
Gregor Maehle’s book presents a comprehensive guide to all eight limbs of Ashtanga Yoga in which he covers: the history and lineage of yoga; the fundamentals of breath, bandhas, drishti and vinyasa; a detailed breakdown of the asanas of the Primary Series; a lively and authentic rendering of the complete Yoga Sutra of Patanjali 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 further enriches the practice. In the philosophy section, Maehle illuminates the Yoga Sutra using the major ancient commentaries as well as his own insights. This book 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 Mala : Sri K. Pattabhi Jois
One of the great yoga figures of our time, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois brought Ashtanga yoga to the West more than thirty years ago. Based on flowing, energetic movement coordinated with the breath, Ashtanga and the many forms of vinyasa yoga that grow directly out of it have become the most widespread and influential styles practiced today. “Yoga Mala” – a ‘garland of yoga’ – is Jois’ authoritative guide to Ashtanga.
In it, he outlines the ethical principles and philosophy underlying the discipline, explains important terms and concepts, and guides the reader through Ashtanga’s Sun Salutations and the subsequent primary sequence of forty-two asanas, or poses, precisely describing how to execute each position and what benefits each provides. It is a foundational work on yoga by a true master. To coincide with publication of “Guruji: A Portrait of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Through the Eyes of His Students” by Guy Donahaye and Eddie Stern, this new edition of “Yoga Mala” includes a foreword by Jois’ grandson Sharath Rangaswamy, currently co-director of the famous school Jois founded in Mysore, the Ashtanga Yoga Institute. Description courtesy of The Book Depository.
Ashtanga Yoga – The Practice Manual : David Swenson
Patanjali’s analogy is the perfect image. There are many approaches to yoga just as there are many varieties of tree in a forest. Each tree has the same goal, to reach toward the light. Wisdom and spirituality unfold in the same steady manner.
Ashtanga Yoga, as described in David Swenson’s manual, is derived from the teachings of K. Pattabhi Jois. He was the director and founder of the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India. He learned his method from his teacher, Krisnamacharya, and has shared it with thousands of students around the world. Today, celebrities, athletes and professionals from all walks of life are enjoying its benefits.
David Swenson began practising yoga in 1969 at the age of 13. His introduction to Ashtanga came in 1973 from David Williams. In 1975, K. Pattabhi Jois made his first trip to the U.S. and Swenson initiated his studies directly with him. David is recognised as one of the world’s foremost instructors of Ashtanga.
