Perhaps you have a love of books, of learning, of finding things out. Here are some of the books on my shelf, things I love, or things that changed the way I see the world. For that alone I am grateful. May you enjoy some of these, too.
Yoga
Steve Ross keeps it simple and light. May we all remember to smile more often and know that we're ok. Mr. Iyengar gives precise instruction for ~200 poses and breath work. You'll be busy for a while here. I have immense respect for the lucid way in which Rodney Yee presents yoga. His alignment cues illuminate many of the classic poses. Also, he's a super-great teacher. His classes are transformative.
Meditation
Sheri Huber's book has excellent material with a charming presentation. The text is hand written, which is a pleasantly humanizing touch. And the content itself is gently woven with soothing truths. You'll relax more and more as you read. Keep it beside the bed. Lawrence Le Shan's book is brilliant, clear, and lucid. He takes the confusion out of this exceedingly simple practice: Do. One. Thing. At. A. Time.
Wholehearted Living
Brené Brown's work helps me become the person I want to be. I read these books and then immediately re-read them. They're some of the most meaningful things I've worked with recently. Daring Greatly transforms the way you approach daily life. May you never be the same after reading this. Brené's research and personal insights are easy-to-follow yet profound. All of Pema Chodron's books are excellent. Habits are the invisible architecture of daily life. Better Than Before sheds light on why you used to have that great habit and now you're struggling to get it back in place.
Anatomy
Classics in the field of yoga anatomy. Ray Long helps you appreciate the musculature as well as what's happening on a neurochemical level when we stretch.
Yoga philosophy
All translations are equal, but some are more equal than others ;)
Honestly, this translation (linked and pictured below) of the Bhagavad Gita made a world of difference to my enjoyment of the text. I've skimmed through several versions over the years, and this one exceeds them all in clarity. This text is incredibly approachable; it's worth it for Aldous Huxley's intro alone.
Ram Dass is a peer from the "Turn on, tune in, drop out" era (That quote was made famous by his Harvard colleague Timothy Leary, by the way). Originally a psychology professor at Harvard, this book chronicles his work on being in the present moment. The title of the book alone is probably the best mantra you can work with on a moment-to-moment basis: "Be Here Now."
Patanjali's yoga sutras may need a book club to get through, but there are a lot of gems when you persevere. The Yoga Sutras, as this book is more commonly know, encapsulate the backbone of yoga philosophy. As a disclaimer, I'd say it's not as user-friendly to the modern Western mind as some of these books. It is, however, an incredibly important source of information.
Honestly, this translation (linked and pictured below) of the Bhagavad Gita made a world of difference to my enjoyment of the text. I've skimmed through several versions over the years, and this one exceeds them all in clarity. This text is incredibly approachable; it's worth it for Aldous Huxley's intro alone.
Ram Dass is a peer from the "Turn on, tune in, drop out" era (That quote was made famous by his Harvard colleague Timothy Leary, by the way). Originally a psychology professor at Harvard, this book chronicles his work on being in the present moment. The title of the book alone is probably the best mantra you can work with on a moment-to-moment basis: "Be Here Now."
Patanjali's yoga sutras may need a book club to get through, but there are a lot of gems when you persevere. The Yoga Sutras, as this book is more commonly know, encapsulate the backbone of yoga philosophy. As a disclaimer, I'd say it's not as user-friendly to the modern Western mind as some of these books. It is, however, an incredibly important source of information.