The theory of yoga always goes hand in hand with my practice. I'm always so intrigued to find out about the gods and goddesses of India, how Hinduism was created and exactly why Savasana is the most important pose. Deep down we are all philosophers, as we all try to make sense of our purpose on planet earth. By reading about the ancient Indians and how yoga evolved to the Western world, I find that at times, I have a much better understanding of why I keep returning to my mat.

Apart from reading up on the history of yoga I also have a handful of modern yoga magazine subscriptions. I like to be up to date with introductions to new poses, techniques and style. I’m always fascinated to find out about the next yoga conference or which retreat my ultimate Guru will be at. These books/magazines and blogs are the source of my knowledge.

Knowledge and practice are twins, and both go together for there is no knowledge without practice, and no practice without knowledge - Hazrat Ali R.A

Taking the leap - Pema Chodron
This wonderful book by Pema Chodron deals largely with shenpa, best described as the patterns of habitual thinking that trigger a hooked quality in us. Our automatic responses, and stories that we tell ourselves, that get us wrapped and that we believe to be true. It's a great guide to exercises and practices that help us deal with and overcome our habitual patterns of thinking. This is a great book for someone who is on the path to spiritual awakening, or to one who has an interest in beginning to compassionately disengage from the cycle of negative, habitual reactions and thinking.

The Gift - Hafiz, Translation by Daniel Ladinsky
Growing up with Middle Eastern poetry, Rumi specifically, Hafiz was a natural next choice to read. Like Rumi, Hafiz was a Sufi, and like Rumi he wrote in Farsi. The similarities continue in a commonality in theme and tone as both celebrate and find the divine in the everyday and mundane details so often overlooked by those of us who tend to get caught up in the trivial matters of daily life. There is a playfulness to the collection, and a creativity and uniqueness of metaphor that I just don't find in Western poetry. Regardless of wether this is the art of the poet or the skill of the translator, It was a great read.

The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga - Deepak Chopra & David Simon
This book is definitely a winner and it belongs on every mat, every yoga studio and on top of every yogis night stand. Chopra once again does an outstanding job of making things seem simple and reasonable. This book is an excellent reference for the true, pure form of yoga.

Yoga and the Quest for the True Self - Stephen Cope
"We are not who we think we are," Stephen Cope writes in the introductory pages of his book, "our true self remains deeply hidden, incognito, submerged beneath a web of mistaken identities". This book is beyond fascinating. While many of us define "the real world" through college degrees, marriage, children, careers, and our homes, Cope's sabbatical in a yoga ashram taught him that "we have become exclusively identified with our physical bodies, with our possessions, with our thoughts, with our personalities. We think we're our ideas, our careers, our families, our countries. We live our lives in utter ignorance of the vastness of our real nature, estranged from our true selves. This is the source of our suffering". Cope's writing is honest and raw. Weather you have spent time on a mat or not, this book will appeal to anyone wanting to live life from the heart.

The Yoga Bible - Christina Brown
If you’re a new yogi, especially practicing at home, then you will find this book to be a GEM. It details different poses, step-by-step guides and provides poses to use for various ailments. This book has a do-it-yourself personality. It helps you build your own routine, gives you advice regarding duration and frequency of your yoga sessions, and has helpful do’s and dont’s. It also grades the poses based on difficulty and what they accomplish, and specifies what each pose is geared towards (improve knees, digestion, circulation) and which should be avoided based on health problems (bad back, asthma, fractured ankle).

Asanas; 608 Yoga Poses - Dharma Mittra
Must read! Buy it! The pictures are amazing, no need for words. This is a brilliant book for both beginners and advanced yogis. The format of the book is simple, beautiful, and pocket friendly. It is direct and straight to the point.

Bikram’s Beginning Yoga Class - Bikram Choudhury
Weather you’re a Bikram or a Hot Yoga lover, you must get this book. This man is absolutely crazy and it shines in his text, never the less it is a fantastic book that shows you exactly how the poses should be done. It’s also refreshing to see different sizes of models in the poses.  As Bikram’s introduction states,"Americans are very inventive, even if what they invent is wrong. They are inventing posture after posture, making up names for them. Then they sell their wares to innocent, uninitiated people who do not know that they are getting ripped off, even getting hurt. There are more flavors of Hatha Yoga in the West than ice cream. Americans think that's wonderful. I tell you it is disastrous. Most of these so-called Yoga systems are not Yoga at all. Giving them a Sanskrit or Bengali name doesn't make them Yoga." Bikram is one of the worthwhile things you can do for your physical and spiritual well-being. It is certainly unique and is dramatically different than many other yoga forms available today. This book explains it all. Study it, take a Bikram class and who knows, it may change your life.

Wanderlust and Lipstick:
For Women Traveling To India - Beth Whitman
Whitman thoroughly covers taboos such as never eat with your left hand (this is the hand Indians use to clean themselves after using the bathroom), never pat someone on the head (it's considered rude), never allow your feet to touch someone (feet are considered dirty), never curl your finger in a "come here" gesture (this is considered provocative). This book provides an excellent overview of the various modes of transportation and types of accommodations available across India, as well as a good overview of Indian food. Whitman also provides dozens of invaluable hot tips throughout the book. If you’re a yogi wishing to further your practice in India, read this book first.

Light on Yoga - B.K.S Iyengar
Iyengar gives every possible detail on every posture. Not only does he tell you where each body part should go, he also tells when to pause, how to breathe, and what you're stretching or tightening or whatever. This is a great book for beginners and experienced practitioners alike. If your budget will only allow a few books on Yoga, then this should be one of them.

Buddhism Plain and Simple - Steve Hagen
The book floods with both inspiration and practicality. It takes a subject that often seems far too idealistic and places it at a level that resonates with the daily Western experience of life. It is a quick read without ever coming off as "Buddhism For Dummies." It is a wonderful gift for all of your friends that have so often asked, "what the heck is Buddhism?" Find it, read it and buy another copy for someone you love. Better yet, give it to someone you don't love, It could possibly broaden their horizon.