(Part 2) Top products from r/yoga

I'll elaborate a bit on "comfortable seat" meaning asana as I think it's related to the direction of the conversation.

From what I understand approx 5,000 years ago the meditating sages were restless and their bodies were aching from sitting in meditation for long periods of time. The sages decided to develop a set of physical poses and breathing exercises to prepare their bodies to sit in meditation for long periods of time. Thus asana was born. This method (of physical exercise) was designed to help them sit in cross-legged meditation for extended periods. So in that sense asana is a form of exercise, but yoga encompasses much more than just these asanas. Hatha has eight limbs, asana being the third. Above asana are the Yamas and Niyamas. Yamas are morals: compassion/non violence, honesty for example. Niyamas are personal obersvances: Purity, contentment for example. To keep it short yoga in this eight limb path is the process to achieve Samadhi, union w/ the divine, enlightenment. The goal of yoga (if you can view from a goal oriented perspective) is to reach enlightenment.

Why did they have it right? Well this is more of my opinion. The world is rather fucked, has been for awhile. People kill each other because of differences in who they believe is our creator / G.O.D. and to access resources. Yet if we worked together we might see that honoring different gods and having different traditions of spirituality is really fine. How can we know and name all that is god? How do we know we are correct and our neighbor is not? How do we know the true god, while others are confused? We can simple accept each other and let each worship in their own way. Further, with education, peaceful intelligent innovation, and friendly competition we can find a way to give all beings clean water, grow plant based foods for all humans, create shelters for all who want them. The world is abundant. Resources are abundant. Technological developments can be made to share the available resources where-ever there are human populations.

Yet yoga wasn't a practice of the masses in India. As mentioned above it was part of preparing to sit in meditation and was taught to the Brahmacharyis as part of their lives of devotion and study of the divine. A few masters: Sivananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, Yogi Bhajan (to name a few) tried something different. They saw the world needed yoga. They saw that the masses everywhere needed yoga (needed peaceful approach to life). They all eventually were drawn to the LA (hollywood) area of California, some leaving India against their teacher's suggestions with the clothes on their backs and a few dollars in their pockets. They recognized that the part of the globe where I was born (CA) is a hub for innovation, a place of open-minded views, somewhere w/ influence over the world. And this was true. Fast forward about a century and we still have wars. There is so much hate. I think that much of the hate for others (differing in religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender) stems from hating the self. Our deepest hate is self-hate, and we, as a species project it to others because that is easier. With yoga we practice compassion and non-violence as the very first step. We practice morals and personal observances as a way to better ourselves and better the world wide human community. When westerners, those lost souls who manifest their destiny by wiping out native tribes across 1,000s of miles of land, who fight world wars to control resources and assert that their christian patriarchal culture is dominant, practice yoga and embrace the teachings their lives change dramatically for the better. They begin to look inward, to study and practice to better themselves, to become more peaceful beings. Many become yoga teachers and travel the world teaching yoga. That has become a reality. Yoga is available world wide, often taught by people of western decent. This isn't to say that yoga teachers aren't people of all races and cultures from all over the world. But if you look closely at the current leading/famous teachers, they are westerners. The masters were right in that the world needs a path to peace. They were right to recognize that Americans were lost and traveling forward in the wrong direction. They were right to go against 1,000s of years of tradition and their teachers to say that yoga is not just for the few who devote their lives to the pursuit of enlightenment; it is instead a useful tool that any human can benefit form. Yet westerners are a physical culture, we are on the move, we produce, create, do. It's hard for westerners to stop doing, to practice non violence and sit in meditation. But oh, these asanas, these movements that help our bodies be healthy, this is something we relate to... So, asana has become what most people think of when they think of yoga. Almost that asana is what yoga is. Really that is okay. We can start w/ asana. We can get as many people as possible doing this weird yoga thing because ultimately they are practicing yoga and self discipline even if only w/ a narrow approach. As the love of asana deepens many find the true nature of yoga and embrace the other limbs. Asana is the door that western culture takes into the realm of yoga.

Edit:
http://www.sivananda.org/publications/books.html
I suggest The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda, a devote of Swami Sivananda and the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and Ashrams world wide, named for his teacher, master Sivananda. To put my money where my mouth is I will transfer you bitcoin to purchase a used copy of this book which is available on Amazon used for approx $6USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illustrated-Book-Yoga/dp/0517884313 It appears that much of the book (excluding asana) is visible on amazon without buying it.

Edit 2: I wrote much of this from memory. If I got part of the history wrong I humbly apologize. If I offended anyone in discussing Westerners, Americans, Christians, Patriarchy, ect. please excuse my words. I myself am a westerner. I am American (yet I apologize and am deeply embarrassed and ashamed by the current presidential administration). I speak from experience regarding self hate. I practice yoga and offer the above only as a means to better myself and others and do not intend to offend anyone as I speak in generalizations and opinion.

To be honest mate (this is coming from a guy who's practiced yoga for +5 years) the strength gains you can get from yoga, unless you thinking of turning into a full time yogi, are only really complimentary.

If you want to get your strength back try every other day a few rotations of each sun salutation then spend 30-40 mins performing explosive calisthenics. 4 sets, 12 reps 1.5 mins between and at least one exercise per body part, I'd recommend push-ups dolphin push ups, burpees, russian twists, dips etc. After this start winding down into a continuous, gentle flow of each exercise and then performing a relaxed yogic sequence. If you do this every other day (or every third day) you'll see strength very soon!

But in terms of daily yoga, I found this book to be the book/pdf to get/download. But in all honesty, the internet is the greatest resource out there; search yoga sequences or the sun salutations and then look up each posture on youtube/ articles. Most branches of yoga share postures like hippies share love, if you focus on the postures at first and get a feel of them in a gentle and playful way and then experiment with the over-arching methods of each style (Ashtanga, Hatha and the such) you will soon find yourself tailoring your practice to your being, and not the other way around. But practicing a well rounded sequence for even 45 mins each day would serve most purposes, though more couldn't hurt!

For a mat, I swear by Manduka mats, they are a VERY solid brand. But having said this I practiced on the floor for a year using a rolled up vest for a belt without any problems. One thing I would suggest (and this might only be a personal suggestion!) if you do go for a mat I would advise against getting a 'sticky' starter mat, they distort yogis' posture more than should be happening - go with a normal mat and let your muscles build and strengthen into the pose.

Just some thoughts for you, Hope they help some. Please don't hesitate to pm me if you want anything else, the world of yoga can be a bit of an odd place to navigate! Either way have fun, peace!

Welcome. Namaste. My humble suggestion is in agreement with Plutoid--order the sampler box. Hot yoga certainly doesn't have a corner on the market in being the most beneficial physically. It is on the athletic side, but as is several types of hatha yoga, power yoga etc. And I've been reading that the benefits of the heat tend to be more personal/experiential than scientific.

I'm no gymnast but Vinyasa has been the perfect equilibrium of physicality in postures (asanas), paired with breath strengthening (pranayama). I'd suggest you give it a shot to perfect your breathing, and then move on to the more physically demanding versions.

Re-reading your post, you did enjoy the heat--so my suggestion is to follow that direction if you still prefer it over the other styles, having worked on breath in this evaluative period.

Sidenote, in a very un-yogi-like observation, the founder of Bikram yoga, Bikram Choudhury, has been accused of many wrongdoings over the years. Despite the help and power he's given people over the years, he actually began to copyright his sequence of poses, which amassed him billions of dollars. In addition to his materialistic (and sometimes bizarre) pursuits, he has also been accused of sexual harassment by his disciples and trainees. If I did do hot yoga, I'd rather support a local studio that's not the Bikram brand.

Good luck and enjoy!

PS If you're interested in the spirituality and contemporary history, I highly recommend Autobiography of a Yogi, by Paramhansa Yogananda. He was a Shakespeare merged with a Buddha. Beautiful writing about Hindu yogic spirituality and his journey helping to bring yoga to America in the early 20th century.

it really depends on what kind of thing you're looking for (practice, philosophy, anatomy, fiction, etc), but here's a pile of ideas anyway.

The first book I ever got, read, and liked: Yoga Body, Buddha Mind. Some philosophy and a lot of practice. Has little stickman sequences in the back.

My Body Is A Temple: Yoga As a Path to Wholeness. Mostly philosophy, and I really like the author.

The Mirror of Yoga: Awakening the Intelligence of Body and Mind. Haven't read it, but I hear it's accessible and humorous.

How Yoga Works. Pretty much covers the yoga sutras, but in fictional story form.

Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving into Stillness. Constantly declared one of the best hatha yoga books ever. I've read and enjoyed it, but it's been a while.

Yoga Beyond Belief: Insights to Awaken and Deepen Your Practice. Really good book. Hard to explain quickly... theres a long description on the amazon page.

Jivamukti Yoga: Practices for Liberating Body and Soul. Lots of philosophy, also some sequences and poses with plenty of pictures.

There are lots of books that are considered must-reads but I think many of them can get boggy for beginners. I might suggest Light on Yoga, Light on Life, and Light on Pranayama by B.K.S. Iyengar... but they can be a little dense/overwhelming at first. However - they're dense - so they're FULL of good information.

I love this book for understanding the physical practice
http://www.amazon.com/The-Key-Poses-Yoga-Scientific/dp/1607432390/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396563465&sr=8-2&keywords=yoga+pose+books

For the ethical/discipline base of yoga, this is a short, easy, and really helpful read. Non-harming, non-clinging, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamas-Niyamas-Exploring-Ethical-Practice/dp/0974470643/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396563657&sr=1-1&keywords=the+yamas+and+niyamas+by+deborah+adele

For the pure philosophy, I'm a fan of this book on Tantra(where yoga came from). It's overwhelming the first time through, but there is so much powerful knowledge locked up in here
http://www.amazon.com/Tantra-Illuminated-Philosophy-Practice-Tradition/dp/0989761304

This is a great book on mindfullness with some applicable meditation techniques framed for the modern day, but it's all based on ancient teachings

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Inside-Yourself-Unexpected-Achieving/dp/0062116924/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396563508&sr=8-1&keywords=search+inside+yourself

Also, the Chakra system is fascinating and Anodea Judith offers some guided meditations. This book is really helpful and accessible

http://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Life-Chakra-System-Llewellyns/dp/0875423205

And, diet. This book helped me shift my diet in a way that's been extremely helpful
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Taste-Heal-Ayurvedic-Cookbook-Modern-Living/dp/0976917009/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396563932&sr=1-1&keywords=eat+taste+heal

These have been some of the most influential books in my practice. Hope they help!

I do both weightlifting 3 times a week and yoga everyday. My motivation for starting yoga is the exact same reason as yours. This is what I've learned.

Compound weightlifting exercises will fix your posture more than yoga will. Because these postural issues are usually created by lack of muscle in certain areas of your body, most likely your upper back. In order to fix this you need to build muscle. The most effective way to do that is barbell exercises because you can control and increment the load easily.

Sorry, despite what many on this subreddit think, yoga isn't very effective at building muscle or strength. It isn't a fix all solution. If you want the most bang for your buck for fixing posture then you'll need to lift. And you should want this because you're 35. You don't have time to waste when undoing years of damage.

Follow the [Starting Strength](Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training https://www.amazon.ca/dp/0982522738/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_Od2mDbPWCCCHD) method by Mark Rippetoe. It's a great novice program that teaches you correct form for the most effective barbell exercises.

Having said that, yoga will help, but it'll take months of daily practice before you notice any improvement. After that, there will be severe diminishing returns. It's a very inefficient way to achieve your goal of improving posture. I learned this the hard way.

On the other hand, you'll notice improvement from weightlifting within the first 6 workouts, and it'll compound shortly after that.

Congratulations. While not every practice is great, the best sessions get even better.

Take at least a few classes, it is really hard to know what you're doing in terms of alignment until an instructor corrects you. In a similar vein, I think everyone should work slowly through a book that describes each asana in great detail. It might take ten or fifteen minutes to translate what the book says into physical posture, you might only work through one or two poses per practice, but you really learn it. I'm not a huge fan of Baron Baptiste's style, but Journey into Power has great descriptions of the asana. Dynamic Yoga is another book with great descriptions of the poses.

OK, so shaking when doing crunches isn't because you're stretching something, it's related to contracting muscles (ie your abdominal muscles tighten to pull your chest closer to your knees) and your muscles not being used to that movement. You can google it and see that it's a fairly common issue for people.

BUT since it aggravates your head injury, I agree with the other person - maybe ask for a referral to a physical therapist or someone else who can guide you to restoring normal physical activity safely.

I know it may sound lame, but there's some pretty good chair yoga out there for people who can't invert. Also this Iyengar book is really great, it breaks down all the common poses and has many sequences in the back for various ailments. It doesn't have one specifically for your situation but it might be useful.

A great book to read is Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda.

Yogananda came to America to teach advanced higher yoga techniques, and he started Self Realization Fellowship as a vehicle to teach people divine communion through higher yoga.

Check out their website for more information.

Their Kriya Yoga path of Meditation is particularly powerful.

The Self Realization lessons (which teaches how to do Kriya Yoga and other advanced techniques) comes with an app that includes video and audio lessons on how to do the techniques.

SRF also has monks and nuns who are available to answer questions, and they has many centers and local meditation groups throughout the world.

The techniques are very powerful, and the lessons give a complete and thorough explanation of how to do achieve higher states of consciousness through inner yoga.

That's great that you were able to stick with yoga because I personally would have been very turned off by that kind of approach. Ultimately, it did embarrass you though and I think that teacher could have handled it better. There are ways to adjust students without pointing out they are doing something wrong and subsequently embarrassing them. My favorite yoga teacher always demos poses she sees us " doing wrong." She will also say things like draw your belly button into the back of your spine, or shoulders parallel to the floor, etc. Those cues may help. It also eliminates any embarrassment because she is not singling out just one person.

Some of the things I have heard my teachers say that really made me stick with yoga:

• There is not right or wrong way to do yoga
  
  
• Adjustments do not mean you are doing a pose wrong, it is also to guide you deeper into a pose
  
  
• Accept that where you are right now is exactly where you need to be
  
  
• The success of yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.
  
  
• All that matters is you made it to your mat and have taken time out of your day to honor yourself
  
  I think your intentions are good. But, please try to be more compassionate towards "'complete' beginners/students who are confused" who "don't know poses." People show up to their mat for many different reasons. And for me it is my safe place, away from my anxiety and stress of the day, a place I feel that no one is judging me and I can just be. If I want to do a chinstand, I will damn well do it because it is for ME and no one else.
  
  
  I had a similar teacher to you when I was fat, overweight, and could barely hold crow. Needless to say, I never took her class again. What worked for you may not work for others so please keep that in mind. It is easy to judge the flaws of your students, especially beginners, but try to put yourself in their shoes.
  
  Give them some credit for showing up to their mat.
  
  
• Guide them into being proficient yoga practitioners both MIND and BODY.
  
  
  Yoga is not just about performing postures, it is also how your practice translates into your life. Being mindful, being able to breathe through stressful times in your life (similar to when you are in difficult poses), and being present in your life.
  
  If you have the time please read this book by Baron Baptiste: http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Into-Power-Baron-Baptiste/dp/0743227824

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yoga-Kriya-Systematic-Ancient-Techniques/dp/8185787085

Working through this book would be an adventure for anyone, whatever level their skill in asana, pranayama, etc.

All the best to you - I still feel like a beginner and I've been practicing for a few years now. Never stop opening yourself up to new territory and never stop observing. Everything can be learned from, my friend :)

my best friend is also a yoga instructor and she absolutely love this book http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Yoga-Reasons-Theres-Nothing/dp/0060533390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323228316&sr=8-1

Here's a few more ideas for you:

• Theracane (use several times a day, as recommended by book in next bullet point)
  
• The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook
  
• Dry needling (in some states a PT can do this; in other states an accupunturist can approximate this, or a sports medicine doctor can do it)
  
• The Mind-Body Prescription - I know this sounds like mumbo-jumbo, but there's truly some good evidence that trigger points are partially/largely a physical response to psychological issues. When nothing else works, I highly recommend keeping an open mind and trying this out - I thought it sounded ridiculous, but after years of pain it cured my inability to use my right hand at work (for a mouse) in just a week. Lots of success stories from programmers here.

Calling /r/nimblenumbus ...how would you feel about this? I'm going to throw out Happy Yoga by Steve Ross, just because I own it already and it's such a joyful little book. It's been a few years since I've read this, but it's a very lighthearted approach to yoga and a fun read. I'm open to absolutely anything though.

Sure, you can research David Emerson who's involved at Kripalu, or there's Bessel van der Kolk who is a badass, you can listen to a great interview with him from the show On Being. There's also Stephen Levine.

Here's a Kripalu article that quotes van der Kolk.

And there's psychologists that talk a lot about somatic holding, or at least subconscious holding patterns. An easier read would be stuff from Daniel Siegel(I know it kinda looks like pop psych but it's actually pretty good), one of my favorite authors on trauma is Donald Kalsched, which is a bit more dense and more about work through talk psychotherapy. But often I find myself applying his concepts in yoga classes as a way to understand what's going on inside mentally/emotionally that's connected to my physical experience. Also sheds some light on how I relate to other students and the teacher.

Then there's the bodywork stuff, cranial sacral therapy or somatic body work but there's too much misinformation for me to guide you. All I can say is that I have a yoga teacher that also gives me bodywork sessions that supplement my yoga practice, and the inner growth I've experienced has been profound.

Out of all of this, if you're going to research anything I would highly suggest the van der Kolk interview, which you can download and listen to.

Well done brother! I can only advise that keep things small to begin with. Even if you just do 20m of pranayama per day to start, it’s better than trying to do an hour per day and giving up at Day 4.

If you really want to get deep into I would recommend reading this (no affiliation, promise) - Yoga and Kriya: A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques: 1 https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/8185787085

Check the other sellers of the book as you can buy it for 1/3 the prime price

As a guy who has been in rehab/PT and now an S&C program for a blown lumbar disc: Heed that advice.

However: Having a blown disc isn't the end of the world.

Get imaging and a PT assessment, and if you cleared to do strength building, I highly recommend you do some light powerlifts (squat, deadlifts, bench). Key word here is LIGHT.

This book is extremely good at getting you started on lifting properly:

http://www.amazon.com/Starting-Strength-3rd-Mark-Rippetoe/dp/0982522738/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1415384805&sr=8-1&keywords=starting+strength

I started yoga for back pain and one of the things I realized is that back pain is often linked to lots of different areas of the body. Of course I can't relate to your back pain, only speak from my own experience which was not injury, but posture related. Edit I saw below you said you had a spinal fracture, so do take this advice with a grain of salt..just speaking from my own experience.

But I found that having tight ham strings and hips contributed to my back pain but then I had tight hamstrings because of issues with my quads, etc. Basically everything is connected and I found it important to take a holistic approach. So I would suggest not only focusing on upper back but doing full body work with an emphasis on your upper back.

But I would recommend (in addition to cat cows):

• Extended child's pose (one addition I use is to grip the ground with my palms, extend and then pull using my upper back muscles..you get a very good pull across your upper back)
  
• Down dog and up dog
  
• Low cobra
  
• Extend opposite arm and leg from hands and knees (dunno if this pose has another name)
  
• Warrior 3 (if your back is up to it..can be a bit intense)
  
• Hollow body position
  
• Locust pose
  
• Puppy dog pose
  
• Feet up the wall
  
  And then I highly, highly recommend getting a theracane (https://www.amazon.com/Thera-Cane-JMAS5000-Massager/dp/B000PRMCJU/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479620918&sr=1-1&keywords=theracane). You can work on problematic trigger points much better in your back. I use this every day.
  
  Edit 2: Let me also suggest Mobility WOD. https://www.mobilitywod.com/. Not yoga related but may give some good info

Light on Life is a great suggestion, as is a Bhagavad Gita translation with a companion explanation novel (or get one with both explanation and translation).


I read the Bhagavad Gita and it was the initial turning point inward in my yoga practice.


Next I picked up (and I am still reading/absorbing) this translation and commentary of Sri Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. The Yoga Sutras are basically everything.

Also, interested.

I picked up a couple of books at the library that I have been meaning to get through. Only partially started one...

Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment, I just started this one...

And this is the other I am going to be getting to: Wherever You Go, There You Are

Good book recommendations in the comments here! The following was one of the first yoga books I read, and I am recently rediscovering it in Kindle format, but you can still get the paperback. Based on what you are looking for, you may find it useful:
The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga

Right now I'm reading Swami Vivekananda's transliteration of the yoga sutras and I highly recommend it. He wrote his version of the translation over 100+yrs ago and I'm fascinated by the way he worded things because they feel so relevant to today. 'Relevant' even beyond the fact the yoga sutras are a "How to Human" guide, Vivekananda spent time in Europe studying Western philosophy and in his introduction he very effectively lays out the differences between the logic systems of Western philosophy and Yogic philosophy as described in the sutras.

It's in Google Books for $.99 as "The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali" but from what I've seen in the Amazon comments, this version is an excerpt from a book he wrote called Raja Yoga (link to it on Amazon) where he translates the sutras and then also talks further about Raja yoga.

You might frame it in terms of other fitness. Ask what movements specifically you should avoid, and that will help you on the mat. The biggest consideration right off the bat will be to avoid hot yoga. If you're already practicing though, continuing to do so is fine. You might snag a book or two. Here's one reference: http://www.amazon.com/Iyengar-Yoga-Motherhood-Practice-Expectant/dp/1402726899 and I'm reasonably sure others have resources they trust.

Since all addiction is a form of medication for internal pain usually stemming from trauma of some sort i would recommend this book: http://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Trauma-through-Yoga-Reclaiming/dp/1556439695
Pranayama is really good for me to keep off pot & cigarettes. Good luck!

The Anatomy of Yoga is good for teaching beginners outside of the actual asana time. Focus muscles are highlighted in chart-like photos and diagrams.


Also this one

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/8185787085/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

has a lot of ancillary kriya that can help many people if you can teach it.

I would suggest The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with commentary by Swami Satchidananda. The sutras are basically the source of modern yoga as it's known and practiced today. I live at a yogic ashram and this is the only book I really return to. Also Midnights with the Mystic is a great introduction to all things yoga

If you dont mind a little anatomy, i suggest the key poses of yoga . It was (and still is) an eye opener for me. Not really a set of sequences for every day, but a very good source to look at yoga from a little different perspective

If you want to cope with anxiety, then you should really look into meditation. I meditate and do yoga, and the meditation does much more for anxiety. And both of them need to be done more regularly than once or twice a week. Regular practice will make you more calm the rest of the time, so that your anxiety will not be triggered so often. It's better used as a preventative than a treatment.

I and many others highly recommend The Mind Illuminated as a starting point for meditation.

The Key Poses of Yoga is a great resource.

EDIT: And also Hatha Yoga Illustrated.

[For some great philosphy and sequencing] (http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Spirit-Practice-Moving-Stillness/dp/0671534807) this would be my recommendation.

I like most of Donna Farhi's books, especially Bringing Yoga to Life where she talks about how she made it a daily practice and incorporated yogic mindset into everyday life.

For really getting into each pose, Iyengar's book Yoga is pretty detailed pose by pose, how to get in and out of each one, plus it has sequences for many common ailments, from depression to varicose veins. I'd suggest attending a few Iyengar classes just to get a better understanding of Iyengar yoga because it's quite different from standard hatha/vinyasa classes.

[Genuine Happiness: Meditation as the Path to Fulfillment] (http://www.amazon.com/Genuine-Happiness-Meditation-Path-Fulfillment/dp/047146984X) by B. Alan Wallace

I'd suggest an experienced teacher or a good book for suggestions
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1402726899?keywords=geeta%20iyengar&qid=1453947839&ref_=sr_1_4&s=books&sr=1-4

this book might be a good start, if I recall but I haven't read all of it.

Also this book is very concise but dense, it emphasizes more the philosophical dimensions and it is written for somebody who holds a degree in philosophy.

To understand the philosophical foundations of Yoga, I would suggest Yoga, Karma and Rebirth by Stephen Phillips.

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Karma-Rebirth-History-Philosophy/dp/0231144857

I was originally doing Zazen (Soto style Shikantaza). Now I am working through the book "The Mind Illuminated"

(So it's more buddhism style).

Yoga Your Home Practice Companion (Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre)
http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Companion-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centre/dp/1405349182

Yoga Mind & Body
http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mind-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centrehttp://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mind-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centre/dp/0789404478/

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga
http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Illustrated-Book-Yoga/dp/0517884313

https://www.amazon.com/Overcoming-Trauma-through-Yoga-Reclaiming/dp/1556439695

I read this book when I went through my first TTC. I still call upon often.

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Spirit-Practice-Moving-Stillness/dp/0671534807

Autobiography of a Yogi - Paramahansa Yogananda

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali - Swami Satchidananda

The Yoga Teachers' Toolbox - Le Page

The Essence of the Bhagavad Gita: Explained by Paramhansa Yogananda, As Remembered By His Disciple, Swami Kriyananda

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/091120623X/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1394128027&sr=1-1

this is a classic? http://www.amazon.com/Autobiography-Yogi-Paramahansa-Yogananda/dp/0876120834

One book that I refer to again and again ( a few years of practice but no formal background at all) is Yoga Bible