Converting Hidden Spiritual Racism Into Sacred Activism: An Open Letter to Spiritual White Folks

by Virginia Rosenberg (hyperlink in title)

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8 Signs Your Yoga Practice Is Culturally Appropriated - And Why It Matters

by Maisha Z. Johnson and Nisha Ahuja (hyperlink in title)

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How to Decolonize Your Yoga Practice

by Susanna Barkataki (hyperlink in bio)

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The Places that Scare You

  By Pema Chodron

Pema Chödrön teaches: We can let the circumstances of our lives harden us and make us increasingly resentful and afraid, or we can let them soften us and make us kinder. Here Pema provides the tools to deal with the problems and difficulties that life throws our way. This wisdom is always available to us, she teaches, but we usually block it with habitual patterns rooted in fear.

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What Makes You Not a Buddhist

  By Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse

The author throws down the gauntlet to the Buddhist world, challenging common misconceptions, stereotypes, and fantasies. With wit and irony, Khyentse urges readers to move beyond the superficial trappings of Buddhism—beyond the romance with beads, incense, or exotic robes—straight to the heart of what the Buddha taught.

 

Smile at Fear: Awakening the True Heart of Bravery

   By Chogyam Trungpa

Chögyam Trungpa offers us a vision of moving beyond fear to discover the innate bravery, trust, and delight in life that lies at the core of our being. Drawing on the Shambhala Buddhist teachings, he explains how we can each become a spiritual warrior: a person who faces each moment of life with openness and fearlessness.

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Ruling Your World

  By Sakyong Mipham

Ancient Strategies for Modern Life. Sakyong Mipham brings the lessons of  the ancient Shambhala warriors and rulers to the Western world and shows us how to live our lives with confidence. The key to this well-being lies in the ancient strategies of the warrior kings and queens of Shambhala.

 

Light on Yoga

  By BKS Iyengar

B.K.S. Iyengar’s unique teaching style brought precision and clarity to the practice, as well as a mindset of ‘yoga for all’, which has made it into the worldwide phenomenon it is today.

‘Light on Yoga’ is widely called ‘the bible of yoga’ and has served as the source book for generations of yoga students around the world. It is the classic text for all serious students of yoga.

 

Buddha Mind, Buddha Body: Walking Towards Enlightenment

  By Thich Nhat Hanh

Thich Nhat Hanh explores the connection between psychology, neuroscience, and meditation. He discuss the importance of creativity and visualization in a successful meditation practice, presents basic Buddhist practices (in particular walking meditation and sitting meditation), and writes about the importance of brotherhood and sisterhood in finding love, happiness, and living harmoniously with others.

 

The Power of Now

  By  Eckart Tolle

Ekhart Tolle's message is simple: living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment. Tolle's clear writing, supportive voice, and enthusiasm make this an excellent manual for anyone who's ever wondered what exactly "living in the now" means.

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Forest Bathing : How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness

 By Qing Li

Notice how a tree sways in the wind. Run your hands over its bark. Take in its citrusy scent. As a society we suffer from nature deficit disorder, but studies have shown that spending mindful, intentional time around trees--what the Japanese call shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing--can promote health and happiness.

 

Bhagavad Gita: A New Translation

  Translated by Stephen Mitchell

The Bhagavad Gita is universally acknowledged as one of the world's literary and spiritual masterpieces. A very important book in understand the path of yoga. This translation is simple, poetic and accessible.

 

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

   Translation & Commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda

This valuable book provides a complete manual for the study and practice of Raja Yoga. The classic Sutras (thought-threads), at least four thousand years old, cover the yogic teachings on ethics, meditation, and physical postures, and provide directions for dealing with situations in daily life. The Sutras are presented here in the purest form, with the original Sanskrit and with translation, transliteration, and commentary by Sri Swami Satchidananda. Sri Swami offers practical advice, based on his own experience, for mastering the mind and achieving physical, mental, and emotional harmony.

 

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

   By Swami Muktibodhananda

This book is a classic treatise on Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga is a combination of two beeja mantras. It has been explained in hatha yoga that represents prana, the vital force and ha represents mind the mental energy. So hatha yoga means the union of the pranic and mental forces. When union between the pranic and mental forces takes place,then a great event occurs in man. This is the awakening of higher consciousness. Read, practice and enjoy.

 

Eastern Body, Western Body

 By Anodea Judith

Psychology and the Chakra System As a Path to the Self.  A fresh approach to the yoga-based Eastern chakra system, adapting it to the Western framework of Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, childhood developmental theory, and metaphysics. Anodea seamlessly merges the East and West, science and philosophy, and psychology and spirituality into a compelling interpretation of the chakra system and its relevance for Westerners today.

 

Wheels of Life: A user’s Guide to the Chakra System

  By Anodea Judith

Wheels of Life takes you on a wondrous journey through the progressively transcendent levels of consciousness. View this ancient metaphysical system by the light of new metaphors: quantum physics, elemental magic, and the Kabbalah. Learn how to explore your own chakras using poetic meditations, physical expression, and visionary art.

Sacred Sage: How It Heals

  By Silver Wolf Walks Alone

An exploration of traditional Native American healing practices, this volume looks at the ceremonial uses of sage to help with physical, mental and spiritual healing.

 

Yoga of the Subtle Body: A Guide to the Physical and Energetic Anatomy of Yoga

     By Tias Little

With his expert teachings, philosophical insights, and pragmatic imagery, world-class yoga instructor Tias Little turns the anatomy of the physical body into a tool for navigating the subtle body.

 

**Book summaries taken from amazon.com and/or google books. 

 

If you know of any other books, that you feel would be fit this list. Please let me e-mail me.