September is officially the start of National Yoga Month. Yoga is a great mind and body exercise. Research shows the many health benefits associated with it. Yoga isn’t just a physical workout. It is also a mental and spiritual workout. Yoga benefits the whole body and mind. It is accessible to all body types and all ages. It goes beyond poses and includes breathwork and relaxing meditations. These techniques can help relieve stress and make you more present in the here and now. There are many different kinds of yoga classes you can try. You can go to a yoga studio or do yoga in the comfort of your own home. All you need is an open mind, a yoga mat, and a water bottle by your side. Westlake Porter Public Library has many different yoga books and DVDs available in our catalog. There is a display in adult services the entire month of September highlighting some of these titles. Below are a few great recommendations of yoga books to check out that are available here at Westlake Porter Library.
Yoga For Better Sleep: Ancient Wisdom Meets Modern Science by Mark Stephens
Learn simple yoga techniques–poses, meditations, and breathwork–to sleep better and longer, from master yoga teacher trainer and author, Mark Stephens. As modern science unravels some of the mysteries of our sleeping, dreaming, and waking states, age-old yoga practices are helping us to enjoy better sleep, clearer minds, and healthier bodies. Over 65 percent of U.S. adults are sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation causes and worsens many ailments, including stress, heart conditions, high blood pressure, obesity, and depression. This book provides easy-to-do and effective yoga activities–including postural sequences, breathing exercises, and meditation tools–for better quality and quantity sleep across the life cycle from childhood to older age. Long-time yoga instructor, teacher trainer, and best-selling author Mark Stephens integrates the ancient wisdom of yoga with the practical insights, age- and condition-specific sequences, and discussions of neuroscience and psychology to offer practical tools for improving sleep–naturally and drug-free
Managing the emotional and physical challenges that come with aging can be difficult. Seniors face a number of age-related issues, such as chronic pain, hypertension, heart disease, osteoporosis, arthritis, and anxiety and depression. Some people may consider yoga a young person’s practice, there is a growing body of evidence that suggests yoga can be beneficial for a wide variety of age-related ailments. Relax into Yoga for Seniors provides a step-by-step guide that combines ancient wisdom, experience, and tradition of yogic teachings. With this book, you’ll explore what yoga is and how to do it safely, including important movement considerations, and how to stand and sit with healthy postural alignment. With this popular program, you’ll be able to create a safe and effective individualized practice that will address your needs, take personal limitations into consideration, and help you relieve pain, become more flexible and active, and connect more deeply with your inner experience.
The Complete Guide To Yin Yoga: Philosophy + Practice by Bernie Clark
All forms of yoga can provide benefits physically, emotionally, and mentally. However Yin Yoga works the deeper levels of the body/heart/mind: the connective tissues of the ligaments, fascia, joints and bones and the energetic channels of the meridians, nerves and blood system. One big difference noticed by students of Yin Yoga is the long-held, passive nature of the posture, which gives time for a deeper journey to unfold, a journey into the meditative aspects of yoga, a bridge to living life mindfully. Clark presents comprehensive information on how to do the practice, including a deep look inside over two dozen Yin Yoga postures showing the benefit of the pose, how to get into and out of the pose, contraindications and warnings for those who may have trouble with particular aspects of the posture, and other important information. The benefits are explored in three main sections: the physiological benefits, the energetic benefits and the mental/emotional benefits.
Accessible Ashtanga: An All-Levels Guide to the Primary and Intermediate Series by Kino MacGregor
Ashtanga Yoga is a physically challenging style of yoga, which even experienced practitioners can find daunting. Kino MacGregor has re-envisioned this strong and beneficial practice to make it accessible to everyone. Whether you’re a beginner, living in a bigger body, or need modifications for any reason, this book will make you feel empowered, inspired, and confident that you have the tools to make the adjustments and modifications that feel right for your body. Complete with a breakdown of some of the key elements of the Ashtanga Yoga method presented with the beginner student in mind, Kino makes the philosophy of Ashtanga Yoga more relatable to practitioners and teachers of all levels. She also presents a brief theory of movement mechanics that can help prevent injury, optimize physical mobility and tap into the natural intelligence of the body.
Yoga Life: Habits, Poses, and Breathwork to Channel Joy Amidst the Chaos by Brett Larkin
Award-winning instructor…Brett Larkin is here to help you design an adaptable, personalized practice, and cut to the chase with quick yoga habits that soothe your soul…A five-step method to design a personal practice that works for your schedule. How to adapt your practice to meet your physical, mental, and emotional needs. More than a dozen yoga habits that will help you calm your mind and body, even if you never manage to make it to the mat.
