Victoria Klein

The Yoga Sutras is the pulsing core of the practice of Yoga - which is much more in-depth than the mere asana/postures that are so very popular in the West. 

Unfortunately, the original sutras are presented in an extremely simplistic fashion, meant to be “unpacked” by a long-time teacher, according to the traditional Indian system.

Because of this, there are countless translations + commentaries of the The Yoga Sutras available in-print today (2 of which I’ve read + reviewed before: here + here).

Edwin Bryant’s interpretation of the Yoga Sutras is nothing short of remarkable. Along with his own intelligent perspective (backed by 30+ years of study), Bryant also includes insights from “traditional” commentators who “unpacked” the Yoga Sutras thousands of years ago. Perhaps even more important, he includes detailed information on the spiritual/religious lineage that Yoga developed from; a background in the metaphysics that underpin all Yogic concepts; + comparisons in how Yoga differs from other spiritual lineages that developed from the same root beliefs, including Buddhism.

There is a lot on conflicting information about what Yoga really is, especially due to the rise of importance to asana over the past few decades. If you’re looking to take your physical practice to a whole other level (it involves a lot less moving), this book will crack open your mind to all that Yoga has to offer, along with challenging your spiritual + scientific beliefs.

If you have never read a translation of the Yoga Sutras, this book may be overwhelming, unless you really love diving deep right off the bat. This book is truly vital reading for Yoga teachers of all “types” of Yoga - it takes us back to “our roots” + reminds us why we practice (spoiler: it doesn’t involved flat abs or tight buns).

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Thanks to Yoga Teacher Training, I’ve been discovering some of the best books I’ve ever read. Case in point: Rolf Sovik’s Moving Inward: The Journey to Meditation. 

Once you get past all the woo-woo aspects of what meditation can be and/or what you may experience, the logistics of getting comfortable + spending time sitting in stillness is enough for most people to skip it all together. Rolf’s book does an impeccable job of breaking down those logistical barriers (read: excuses) that stand in the way of enjoying meditation + all its benefits on a daily basis.

From finding a comfortable seated posture + breathing diaphragmatically (easier than it sounds) to truly relaxing before meditating + using the breath and/or a mantra as a point of focus during meditation, Rolf’s writing style is easy-to-understand + graciously supportive.

If you are interested in some of the more subtle aspects of meditation, Rolf also touches on the 8 limbs of yoga, active + cognitive senses, mulabandha, systematic relaxation, yoga nidra, prana vayus, nadi shodhanam, the 3 main nadis, maya koshas, and chakras. If that list sounds entirely foreign or mildly intimating  don’t fret - Rolf explains everything in an easy-to-understand way that you can embrace or set aside.

Whether you are brand new to meditation, have been meditating for decades, or anywhere in between, this book is a must-read to help you step into the practice of meditation or take your practice one step deeper.

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Let me start by saying this is the first full version of the Bhagavad Gita that I’ve ever read, so I can’t make any comparisons to other translations. I have read many quotes from the text, but this is the first time I’ve read the whole Gita beginning to end.

That being said, this translation + brief commentary by Graham Schweig is phenomenal! 

I liken reading the Bhagavad Gita to reading Shakespeare - the text is rich with meaning, though it may be tough to grasp without extra insight. Schweig does a great job of providing a little bit of guidance while you let the text speak for itself. The final appendix, titled “On This Translation”, explains Schweig’s means of translating the ancient text + I highly appreciate how he did everything he could to maintain the text’s integrity + complexity when presenting it in English.

Having studied + practiced many of yoga’s core concepts, reading the Gita is a natural extension of delving deeper into the world of yoga. The Gita adds a much richer concept of what yoga is, compared to just reading the Yoga Sutras (which I’ve reviewed here + here).

Whether you’ve had an introduction to yoga or not, Schweig does a wonderful job making the Gita understandable - and you’ll likely be even more curious about yoga afterward! I can easily see myself reading + referring to this translation for many decades

Note: The Gita is a beautiful book for folks of all faiths to read, whether they consider themselves yogis or not. If you have devoted yourself to a particular religion or faith, keep an open mind when you read this book. Krishna, who is the highest God in the Hindu religion, can easily be seen as the God you have chosen to worship. Each religion has their own version of “the highest power”, but more often than not, they are preaching the same message: love one another + leave the Earth better than you found it.

What is your favorite translation of the Bhagavad Gita?

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I just finished this book + it is so wonderful that I don’t even know where to start this review. Experienced practitioner, total yoga newbie, + everyone in between can benefit from reading this book.

Having read Nischala’s book “The Secret Power of Yoga”, I already knew that I enjoyed her writing style + personal insights. Published 13 years ago (7 years before SPOY was published), HPOY draws on her experience in traditional yoga + modern medical settings to present a detailed plan to improve your mental, physical, + spiritual well-being.

There are oodles of wonderful yoga-related books on the market that delve in-depth into the historical writings + modern physical practices. This book is not one of them.

This book focuses more on the general lifestyle of yoga, as well as mental meditation, food meditation, gentle poses (asanas), breathing (pranayama), imagery, overall relaxation, + how to sleep peacefully. It may seem like a lot to cover in one book, but Nischala does it seamlessly. If this book came in a smaller size, I would carry it around in my purse at all times, consistently referring back to the countless passages I highlighted while reading it.

Being an introductory-style guide to yoga (especially geared towards disease prevention or reversal), my main concern was how the book would be written. I’ve read over 30 yoga books (which, in the grand scheme, isn’t that many) + at least half of them would have probably turned me off of yoga if I read them when I first started practicing. Delightfully, Nischala’s book does touch on spiritual + metaphysical aspects, but mainly stays in the realms of life that even a layman can relate to. In other words, anyone can read, understand, + apply this book to their lives.

I can’t say enough good things about this book, so I’ll end the review here. Go out, buy yourself a copy, keep a highlighter with you while you read it, + prepare to refer back to this book for the rest of your life - yeah, it’s that good. With an open mind, experience the book for yourself + allow it to affect you :)

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Having read 2 of Donna’s books already (Yoga Mind, Body & Spirit + Bringing Yoga to Life), I’ve come to deeply appreciate her frank + professional writing style - and this book is no exception. Donna addresses the complex reality of the student-teacher relationships + the lack of stable/established regulations in the Yoga industry. This book was published in 2006 and, sadly, I think we still haven’t made much progress in that area.

Back to the book! Donna firmly established the need for professionalism on the part of Yoga teachers + reinforces how much power we have to help or harm our students. Mainly geared toward Yoga teachers, I find this book to be quite useful for Yoga students as well, giving them an inside view on what Yoga teachers experience. Even if I hadn’t taken a Yoga teacher training program, as a Yoga student of 12 years, I found this book extremely useful from the student angle as well.

After a wide overview, Donna delves into the myriad of ethical issues Yoga teachers face on a regular basis, including money, class numbers, certifications, communication with students, boundaries, appropriate wardrobe, + much much more. Last but not least, she also includes some sample ethical situations at the end of the book, giving you an opportunity to brainstorm how to handle these (possible) issues before they present themselves in your own career (+ hopefully they never do!).

Being a Yoga teacher is a big responsibility on many levels, and Donna’s book expressed that beautifully. The book also gives teachers an informed perspective + a useful reference for making sound, ethical decisions through the entirely of their teaching career. This is another one of those books that will have a life-long place on my shelf, re-reading it every so often to reconnect with the complexity (and joy) of being a Yoga teacher.

P.S. I have not yet listened to the CD included with this book, but I’ve heard from other Yoga teachers that the CD alone is worth buying the book. Since I’ve already found the book to be wonderfully useful, I am looking forward to hearing the CD :)

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Judith Lasater is known as the Queen of Restorative Yoga - and she doesn’t disappoint! For anyone that has an interest, passion, or simple curiosity about Restorative Yoga, this book is your bible. 

Like most (younger) folks, I didn’t pay much attention to Restorative Yoga … that was, until I came across this book & tested out a few of the poses for myself. 

First, Lasater’s writing style is very informative without being complicated. You feel supported & encouraged by her simply intelligent choice of words.

Second, though most of the poses in the various chapters are just slightly different versions of the ones before it, the variety of sequences & their supportive purposes are good for a lifetime.

Third, the poses work, plain & simple. Try them all & I’m sure you will find a favorite (mine is Supported Bound-Angle Pose using sandbags instead of a strap). Whether you are used to practicing with a live Yoga teacher or not, Lasater’s details for setting up, moving into, settling into, and coming out of each pose leave you confident that you can practice any restorative sequence on your own.

I haven’t had the pleasure of reading any of Lasater’s other 7 books, but I certainly want to read them all after my delightful experience with this tome. This is one of those books that you keep on your shelf for life, re-reading & using it more than often.

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