Contemporary Books that Every Yoga Teacher Must Read

Teaching Yoga is an infinite circle of learning, evolution, and joy. While it’s deeply rooted in an ancient past, new ideas and information continuously arise—as the only guarantee in this physical world is change. Like any profession, it’s up to the teacher to stay current with emerging knowledge and materials. Likewise, it’s just as important for a teacher to be versed in the ideas, principles, and texts that Yoga was founded upon.

You’ve probably already read many foundational yoga books, from The Yoga Sutras by Patanjali to Teach Yoga: Essential Techniques and Foundations written by Mark Stephens. What I am sharing today is a collection of books that don’t fit into the usual yoga book categories.

These books contain many insights that can be used to teach contemporary Yoga. They are based on the latest science and still adhere to the fundamental principles of the practice.

Teaching people does not pose: 12 principles for teaching Yoga with integrity by Jay Fields

Jay’s teaching principles are accurate, truthful, and relate directly to actual classroom experience. The emphasis on discovering one’s authentic voice and teaching method is what I like most. Each principle acts as a step along the way to your teacher’s intention.

This book is a good tool for experienced teachers who have lost their way and need guidance to get back on track.

Functional Anatomy Of Yoga: A Guide For Practitioners And Teachers By David Keil

The author’s unique approach to anatomy is what I find most appealing about this book. David emphasizes integration and explains the importance of understanding basic anatomy to deepen your practice. This book will teach you more than just the names of muscles and bones. It will also explain how these functions relate to the mechanics and movement of the body during a yoga practice.

Instead of thinking about them as a group or family, Asanas can be linked by anatomical terminology. In the past, asanas were grouped by categories and families. This book shows how biomechanics is used to link asanas together.

By Michelle Linane, The Thriving yoga teacher: How to create a sustainable career doing what you love

This book is a shameless plug. It’s filled with real stories of teachers who can help readers build successful and sustainable careers as teachers. This book provides teachers with resources and advice on how to run a successful yoga business. It is an essential read for any teacher at any level of their career.

Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga By Rolf Gates

This book offers a short piece for each day of the calendar year to encourage readers to go beyond asanas and practice Yoga off the mat. It’s great to be able to pick up the book and read a few pages to get inspired for my practice, teachings, and day. This is a wonderful resource to help you come up with themes and intentions for your classes and your students. It also enables you to stay committed to your practice, which is a must for all yoga teachers.

Exploring the teacher-student relationship by Donna Farhi

This book is about the ethics of being a teacher of Yoga, which is an important subject. This book reinforces what we learned during teacher training: we are guides, not masters.

It also covers all the difficult situations that teachers face, from refunds to sending students to a different teacher. She discusses the ethics of studio administration and Yoga Alliance pricing.

The best teachers are always exploring the craft. A fool would assume they already know all there is to learn about a subject. Expertise is a result of a willingness to learn and explore. So please keep up your education.