Unroll your mat, open a book: 7 yoga books for mind, body & soul
Before yoga studios opened around every corner, enthusiasts would turn to illustrated books to learn the postures and understand their benefits. Indeed, finding a book or two on yoga was commonplace in Indian middle-class households. Here are six books that might serve as faithful companions on the journey to mastering the practice and embracing the philosophy of yoga.
If one were to pinpoint the moment the ancient Indian practice of yoga captured the western imagination, it would be Swami Vivekananda's speech at the Parliament of Religions in Chicago in 1893. This volume compiles the spiritual leader's teachings on the four main paths of yoga—karma (spiritual liberation through duty to others), bhakti (devotion), jnana (self-realisation), and Raja (control of body and mind). Drawing from ancient scriptures, including the Bhagavad Gita and Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, the helps explain the philosophical and spiritual foundations of yoga.
Muthanna, who runs a popular yoga school in Bengaluru carries out workshops across the world, blending tradition and modern wellness in her book. She melds the wisdom of ancient Sanskrit texts with contemporary lifestyle needs. In the book, she offers 21 yoga routines designed to address several common maladies. The book, which is also inspired by Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, demystifies yogic philosophy while offering visual guides and practical tools for those navigating busy schedules.
Focussing on yoga tailored to the individual (viniyoga), the book outlines a step-by-step sequence to develop a customised yoga routine taking into account the practitioner's health, age, occupation and lifestyle. Desikachar – the son of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the father of modern yoga – draws from his father's teachings as well as his own practical approach. In his own words, he offers 'a programme for the spine at every level: physical, mental, and spiritual.' Desikachar discusses all the elements of yoga, including, but not limited to poses and counterposes, conscious breathing, meditation, and philosophy. For those going for the latest edition, the book now comes with 32 poems of Krishnamacharya that capture the essence of his teachings.
Iyengar – Krishnamacharya's brother-in-law – gave the world 'Iyengar Yoga', a form of Hatha yoga that reinforces precise body alignment and encourages learners to use props to achieve proper posture. His students famously include the violinist Yehudi Menuhin and Standard Oil heiress Rebekah Harkness. His 1996 book, Light On Yoga, is recommended reading for beginners as it serves as a comprehensive introduction to the discipline. Iyengar breaks down poses into steps allowing students to practice yoga on their own. He explains the meaning of yoga, asanas and kriyas and dedicates a whole section to Pranayam and its effects.
The Latvian actor, Eugenie Peterson, better known by her stage name Indra Devi, was once known as the First Lady of Yoga. Another disciple of Krishnamacharya, she is known to have taught Hollywood actors such as Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson. Her guide for her American audience, who she said needed yoga the most, victims as they were of a competitive, tension-ridden society suffering from its own 'superabundance.' With obesity, 'underactivity,' and psychosomatic illness becoming common outside the continent, one might crack the spine of her book, which includes introductory FAQs (Frequently-asked-questions), illustrations, diets, and advice for those suffering from arthritis, asthma, and overweight.
In Swami Satchidananda, a widely respected yoga master and spiritual teacher, presents Patanjali's Yoga Sutras with English transliteration, translation, and analysis. The book is structured as a manual for self-discipline and mental clarity, covering the eight limbs of yoga, from ethical living (yamas and niyamas) to meditation (dhyana) and bliss (samadhi). This book serves as a meditative companion for both seasoned seekers and those new to the spiritual path.
Known for his mastery over Hatha Yoga techniques (asanas, pranayamas, mudras, bandhas, and kriyas), Vishnu-Devananda was a discipline of Swami Sivananda and trained under him at an ashram in Rishikesh before he set up yoga centers across the United States and Canada, establishing the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta headquarters in Montreal. First published in 1960, the book comprises photos of different yoga poses and touches upon a variety of allied philosophies, including the conquest of old age and the astral body.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
25 minutes ago
- Time of India
The hidden tax we all pay: Why civic sense is a core economic issue
The other day, I saw a child from one of Patna's top-tier private schools carelessly throw a chips packet from a moving school bus onto the roadside. A mundane act of littering, witnessed countless times in various spectacles, by me and many, I am afraid. It is tempting to dismiss it as bad manners. It is not. It's a tax—one paid not in rupees, but in degraded public space. This wasn't just litter—it was a reminder that while our schools proudly laser-focused on teaching Artificial Intelligence, coding, and STEM innovation, they often fail to impart the most basic lesson of modern citizenship: civic responsibility. Civic sense – the discipline of common courtesy and care for shared spaces – is more than mere etiquette. Civic sense is not a 'soft skill.' It's a public good with strong positive spillovers: when people properly dispose of waste, obey traffic rules, and respect public property, everyone benefits from cleaner streets, safer roads, and healthier neighborhoods. In effect, a well-behaved citizen creates a benefit for society (better air, faster traffic, less disease) that no market would adequately price. Conversely, every thrown candy wrapper, every illegal parking, and every wasted hour in traffic imposes hidden costs on others – costs that individuals seldom pay for. But in the Indian equilibrium, such restraint is rare. People free-ride, and the result is predictable: public space as tragedy-of-the-commons. For example, take the entrenched habit of spitting gutka and betel nuts. This isn't just bad manners—it's an economic drag. Indian Railways spends around ₹1,200 crore every year cleaning gutka stains from stations and trains. The cost isn't borne by the spitters, but by the taxpayer. That is public money poured into cleaning up private bad habits, enough to pay for nearly ten new India's semi-high-speed train, 16-coach trainset Vande Bharat Express! That's the textbook definition of a negative externality or neighbourhoods effect: private actions imposing public costs. In economic terms, each spittle stain or bit of litter creates a negative externality – a preventable social cost borne by taxpayers, transit users, and commuters. It is the opposite of investment: by fouling shared spaces, individuals erode the very infrastructure that makes economic activity possible. Take another instance of garbage disposal by the management in Patna. Civic agencies, armed with JCB machines, dutifully scoop filth from clogged drains, only to dump it on the roadside, where it festers for days—or months—until trucks arrive. By the time the municipal truck arrives to transport it to the outskirts, rain, wind, and street runoff have already returned the trash to its original home: the drain. This isn't waste management; it's waste circulation. Traffic is another case study in everyday economics gone wrong: when one driver blocks a lane, especially the right and middle ones, the lost minutes and extra fuel for dozens of other drivers add up to real economic losses. According to experts, congestion can consume millions of hours and tons of fuel nationally, translating into billions of dollars of forgone productivity (in Europe and the US, congestion wastes hours at a cost of ~US$30–63 billion per year). In India's big cities the figures are staggering. Every minute that a commuter loses in traffic is time that could have been spent working or educating a child. That is called the opportunity cost of congestion. Cleanliness and order, by contrast, produce positive externalities: tidy streets encourage more walking and commerce; reliable rules encourage greater investment and social trust; shared respect for property lowers policing costs. Economists describe this as a market failure: goods that are free and public tend to be overused or undervalued. Roads, parks, public transit and clean air are 'non-excludable' and 'non-rivalrous,' but they become congested and dirty if too many act selfishly. The classic rule of thumb (Vincent Ostrom's) is that we should set the level of collective action or government at the scale of the problem (the externality). Right now, much of our civic infrastructure is centralized in faraway city hall, while the consequences are felt on every neighborhood road and by every commuter. When citizens pay nearly no direct price to drive on a congested road or dump waste in the street, they tend to do so recklessly. That is why economists argue for aligning incentives: charge motorists for use of busy lanes, and prosecute habitual litterers or queue-cutters with visible penalties. Which brings us back to schools. Given these challenges, why does our school system not address them head-on? Today's Indian education is famed for its emphasis on math, science and careers, and it has produced top engineers, doctors and businessmen – a fact even critics of civic sense readily acknowledge. It has become 'an ignorable subject,' a multiple-choice hurdle to clear at age 13 and promptly forget. We teach rules in theory, not the lived reality of the social contract. In 1942, Britain's Beveridge Report identified five 'giant evils' that stood in the way of post-war progress: Want, Disease, Ignorance, Squalor, and Idleness. India may have reduced some of these, but we have quietly bred another: Indifference. Until we treat civic sense as a core subject—taught in classrooms, modelled by leaders, and enforced in public—our cities will remain stupid in practice. Facebook Twitter Linkedin Email Disclaimer Views expressed above are the author's own.
News18
an hour ago
- News18
A Bed Of Flowers, A Glass Of Milk, And A Shy Bride: 'Suhagraat' Beyond Filmy Symbols
The term ' Suhagraat ' is derived from two words: ' Suhag ' and ' Raat '. Suhag stems from the Sanskrit word ' Saubhagya ' or ' Subhagya ', denoting a woman's marital good fortune, her husband's long life, and happiness. Raat simply means night, referring specifically to the first night after marriage. Therefore, Suhagraat literally translates to 'the night of marital good fortune', marking the moment when husband and wife grow intimately close for the first time. Historical Origins: During the medieval period, especially among the Mughal and Rajput royal households, Suhagraat evolved into a ceremonial event that accompanied the grandeur of marriage. Traditions included preparing a rose-adorned bed, applying fragrant perfumes, and guiding the nervous bride to sit beside the groom. With the advent of British rule, Victorian ideals merged with Indian customs, imbuing Suhagraat with a more emotional and sacred dimension. Over time, it grew from a mere night of union into a full-fledged ritual. Regional Variations Across India: India's vast cultural diversity brings with it various names and traditions, though the sentiment behind Suhagraat remains largely the same: the first night shared by the newlyweds. In Bengal, it is called Phoolshayya, bed of flowers. In Tamil Nadu, it is known as Iravu Thiruma whereas in Maharashtra, it goes by Pahili Raat, meaning first night. In Rajasthan and Punjab, the term Suhagraat is common, with slight regional variations. Despite linguistic differences, the essence remains consistent: the symbolic beginning of the couple's marital journey. Depiction in Films and Literature: In the 20th century, Indian cinema redefined the popular image of Suhagraat. Films often portrayed flower-laden beds, glasses of milk, bashful brides, the soft jingle of bangles, and veils concealing shy smiles. This cinematic representation fused sensuality with tradition, embedding a romantic and ritualistic narrative into public imagination. What was once a private ritual became a cultural motif. Modern-Day Perceptions: In contemporary society, particularly in urban areas, Suhagraat is increasingly viewed as a personal experience rather than a rigid tradition. For many modern couples, who may already share emotional or physical intimacy before marriage, Suhagraat has become more of a symbolic gesture. For others, especially in rural or traditional settings, it remains a deeply significant and often mysterious event, filled with expectation and emotion. To the younger generation, it may represent not just a night of romance, but the emotional beginning of a shared life. Traditional Symbols and Their Meanings: The bed of flowers, often central to the Suhagraat setting, symbolises beauty, purity, and sensuality. The fragrant petals not only enhance the romantic atmosphere but also represent the blossoming of a new relationship. The glass of milk, traditionally offered to the couple, signifies love, strength, and vitality. It is seen as a nourishing gesture, both literal and symbolic, meant to energise and bless the couple as they embark on their life together. The veil, typically worn by the bride, denotes modesty, grace, and adherence to tradition. It creates a sense of mystery and shyness, reinforcing the emotional vulnerability and respectful boundaries that mark the beginning of a marriage. These elements are not just ornamental or ritualistic, they each represent an emotional and psychological transition. Suhagraat, in its many forms, is more than just a night of intimacy. It stands as a reflection of evolving customs, deeply rooted emotions, and the timeless nature of human connection.
News18
2 hours ago
- News18
Tips And Tricks: Desi Hack To Clean Rusty Iron Kadhai In Just 1 Minute
A simple alum trick can clean rust and black stains from iron woks in just a minute, making them shine again without costly cleaners or hours of scrubbing The humble iron kadhai (wok) is an essential part of Indian kitchens. Whether for cooking vegetables, dal, or other dishes, food made in an iron kadhai is not only delicious but also packed with health benefits. However, the real challenge begins when the wok gathers rust or stubborn black residue. At times, the rust is so tough that even after hours of scrubbing, it refuses to come off, leaving your hands sore and your patience tested. But here's a simple desi method that can make your kadhai sparkle in just a minute, without the need for expensive cleaners or exhausting scrubbing. All you need is one simple white ingredient, along with a few household items. The star of this cleaning method is a piece of alum. Along with alum, you will need water, detergent powder, dishwashing liquid, and a steel scrubber or old scrub pad. Steps To Clean The Kadhai Place the kadhai on the stove and pour in one cup of water. While the water heats, grind a piece of alum into a fine powder, about one teaspoon. Add the alum powder to the hot water. Stir in one teaspoon of detergent powder and let it boil for 3-4 minutes. Foam will begin to form. Using a spoon, spread this foamy water over the edges so the entire kadhai is soaked, allowing the rust and grime to loosen. Turn off the stove and let the wok cool slightly. Transfer the alum water to a bowl and lightly scrub the kadhai with a steel scrubber. Wipe it dry with a clean cloth, then rub a thin layer of mustard oil on the surface to prevent future rusting. Why Alum Works When dissolved in water, alum forms a mild acidic solution that breaks down the outer layer of rust and black residue on iron. It also cuts through the greasy residue from oil, spices, and food particles, making cleaning quick and effortless. Benefits of This Method The kadhai shines in just one minute. No need for hours of hard scrubbing. Removes both rust and black residue effectively. 100% homemade, inexpensive, and chemical-free. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
