Bristol School of Yoga

200 Hour Ashtanga and Yin Yoga Teacher Training

Reading List

Essential Pre-Course Reading

These are the books you should buy/ borrow and have to hand throughout the course and

I hope you will find them useful throughout life!

Please read and be familiar with these books before starting your course. You will need

knowledge of them for group discussion, presentation and coursework. There are several

translations of some texts, you need to have at least one copy of each text.

We hold many of the course books in our studio bookshop, so come down and have a

browse. Any good bookshop will also order the books for you.

1. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali There are many translations of this text, some that are accessible include:

• TKV Desikachar. The Heart of Yoga: Developing a Personal Practice (a yoga text book with sutras included)

• Swami Satyananda Sarawati. Four Chapters on Freedom.

• Online brief translation can be downloaded here: http://www.swamij.com/yoga-sutras.htm

2. The Bhagavad Gita

Again, many translations exist. Recommended translations include:

• Eknath Easwaren. Bhagavad Gita

• George Thompson. The Bhagavad Gita: a new translation

• Edward Viljoen. Bhagavad Gita for Beginners

3. Hatha Yoga Pradipika

• Swami Muktibodhananda. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Yoga publications Trust.

• Brian Dan Akers. Hatha Yoga Pradipika. Yoga Vidya. The text can be downloaded

online at (June 2016):

o http://www.swamij.com/hatha-yoga-pradipika.htm o http://terebess.hu/english/HathaYogaPradipika2.pdf

4. Anatomy

• David Keil. Functional Anatomy of Yoga

5. Other Yoga Texts

• Swami Satyananda Sarawati. Asana, Pranayama, Mudra,

• Bandha. Yoga Publications Trust.

• Melanie Cooper. Teaching Yoga Adjusting Asana

• David Swenson. Ashtanga Yoga The Practice Manual

Yin and Restorative reading

• Sarah Powers. Insight Yoga

• Norman Blair. Brightening Our Inner Skies

• Judith Lasater. Relax and Renew

Additional recommended reading

• Matthew Sweeny. Ashtanga Yoga As It Is

Plus one more book about Ashtanga for example by John Scott, Kino McGregor, Petri Raissnen, Gregor Meahle, Lino Miele

• Donna Farhi. The breathing book.

• Blandine Calais-Germain. Anatomy of Breathing.

• Donna Farhi. Mind, body, spirit.

• David Pond. Chakras for beginners.

Also, there are many online resources including:

• Yogajournal.com for articles on teaching, asana, pranayama, meditation etc.

• Bandhayoga.com for information on anatomy

• yogamatters.com is an invaluable resource.

Further Recommended Reading/Viewing

You will need some further texts/resources to supplement your study so that your written

work is of the required level. These may be taken from a tradition of yoga you are

particularly interested in.

Examples include:

• Upanishads, ancient texts elucidating some of the key teachings on yoga and

tantra; Eknath Easwaren is good or any translation you prefer

• The Spirit and Practice of Moving Into Stillness, Eric Schiffman

• Light on Life by BKS Iyengar

• Trail Guide to the Body by Andrew Biel