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Resources

Yoga as Self-Study, Self-Care, & Social Engagement

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In March 2020, the world as we knew it shut down. And with much fear and uncertainty in the air, there came a revolution of sorts. Many people were required to change their daily habits, and to focus on simply surviving. People lost jobs and loved ones, and many lost their sense of purpose. From my vantage point, I saw a great increase in the number of people practicing yoga. My students told me that it was their yoga practice that kept them going, that setting aside time each day to move, and more important, to feel and be present with themselves, was an essential component of their survival. Many formerly “casual practitioners” became daily practitioners, and many requested additional resources for furthering their study of yoga and mindful living.

 

Fast-forward to June 2020, and there came yet another cultural revolution - this time, centered squarely around racial injustice. Humans everywhere were been called in, loudly and explicitly, to engage in conversations about race relations. It was uncomfortable for many, and much of the discomfort remains. But here’s the thing, y’all: Discomfort is good. And this kind of widespread discomfort - the kind about centuries of systemic racism and oppression - is long overdue.

 

If you have been struggling to know what to do next, know that you are not alone. We will continue to struggle for a long time. But the more we work to expose the struggle (removing avidya), and the more we understand our role in the struggle (svadhyaya), the more readily we can engage honestly with our fellow humans (satya) through empathy, kindness, and compassion (ahimsa). This is the essential work of yoga, and, I would argue, of living. 

 

Below is a list of some favorite resources that I have used in my own self-study, and study of yoga. Italicized resources are podcasts; the rest are books. Resources with asterisks (*) indicate those used in my 200-hr Foundational Immersion & Teacher Training.

 

Note: I will continue to add to this list as my own education develops. If you have suggestions of additional resources, please do reach out!

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Yoga Philosophy

*The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

*The Bhagavad Gita, Eknath Easwaran trans.

The Upanishads, Eknath Easwaran trans.

*Myths of the Asanas, Alanna Kaivalya & Arjuna van der Kooij

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Modern Spirituality & Practice

*The Heart of Yoga, T.K.V. Desikachar

*Skill in Action, Michelle Johnson

Radical Dharma, Rev. angel Kyodo williams, Lama Rod Owens, & Jasmine Syedullah

Love and Rage, Lama Rod Owens (coming out Jun 16, 2020!)

Every Body Yoga, Jessamyn Stanley

The Inner Tradition of Yoga, Michael Stone

The Science of Yoga, William J. Broad

On Being with Krista Tippett

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Social Justice & Trauma-Recovery

*Yoga, The Body, and Embodied Social Change, Beth Berila, Melanie Klein, & Chelsea Jackson Roberts, eds.

The Body Keeps the Score, Bessel van der Kolk

When the Body Says No, Gabor Mate

Yoga for Emotional Balance, Bo Forbes

Anti-Diet, Christy Harrison

Food Psych with Christy Harrison

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Anatomy

*Key Muscles of Yoga, Ray Long

*Yoga Anatomy by Amy Matthews & Leslie Kaminoff

Trail Guide to The Body, Andrew Biel​

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Want to order a copy of any of these books? Before you head to the website of that giant corporation that treats its employees terribly, check out these independent bookstores:

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  • Black Pearl Books - a Minority-Woman-Owned Indie bookstore in Austin, TX

  • Birchbark Books - a Native-owned bookstore committed to providing “a locus for Native intellectual life” in Minneapolis, MN

  • Firestorm Books - a queer, feminist collective & bookstore in Asheville, NC

"Having practiced yoga for almost 30 years, it is refreshing to find a teacher who brings fun and humor to the mat whilst maintaining a serious understanding of anatomy, a respect for the individual, and an appreciation of all that comprises a complete practice."

– James, Rochester, NY

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