20 Ultimate Books for Yoga Teacher Training In 2024

For all the budding Yogis, reading about yoga before you embark on the journey of becoming a yoga teacher is vital. The comprehensive blog covers a range of books for yoga teacher training. 

From the historical relevance of the art to the latest techniques to incorporate yoga into your fast life, the authors of the following books have discussed it all. These books will enhance your practice, polish your skills, and even elevate your teaching skills. 

Many books for yoga teacher training can help a person to learn yoga. For those who wish to work or learn the art of yoga, books for yoga teacher training are widely available. However, selecting the best ones is a must.

20 Best Yoga Books

1. The Bhagavad Gita By Eknath Easwaran

The Bhagavad Gita translated by Eknath Eswaran is beautifully rendered and accessible for interpretation. It is considered to be a milestone of Hindu philosophy. You can explore the spiritual awakening, meaning of life, and nature of reality. The book captures timeless wisdom and preserves its profound insights.

In short, it is an ancient classic Indian story about the conversation between Arjuna and Sri Krishna. Arjuna begins seeking answers while going into battle. The book includes questions about life and their answers from lord Sri Krishna. It is the best yoga book to explore inner peace and understand life.

2. Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Patanjali

This book is like the Bible for all the aspiring yogis and yoginis out there. A book that will tell you everything about spiritual awakening through yoga. Yoga Sutras are the most important texts on the philosophy of yoga and were written over 4000 years ago. You will find the detailed yogic philosophy for day-to-day life, spirituality, meditation, and ethics.

3. Perfectly Imperfect: The Art and Soul of Yoga Practice by Baron Baptiste

A philosophical work that focuses on how imperfect life is and how imperfect yoga practice can be. The work is bold, insightful, and humorous. This book helps you learn the important fundamentals of yoga. It helps you to become a perfect yogi and opens up spiritual growth.

4. Yoga Anatomy by Leslie Kaminoff and Amy Matthews

Matthews and Kaminoff give a detailed account of the anatomy of the human body. The illustrations of various poses give a detailed account of how yoga works. Both writers are yoga anatomy experts and offer a great reference for young teachers. After reading the book you will have a great understanding of the anatomy and structure of the human body. It is the best yoga book to learn about anatomy.

5. The Art and Business of Teaching Yoga by Amy Ippoliti and Taro Smith

For those who wish to monetize their passion, Ippoliti and Smith have the best suggestions for you. You can merge the two concepts and have a good time reading it. If you are a yoga teacher, then you will find in-detailed aspects of yoga and business. You will learn how to run a successful yoga business by finding opportunities, communication, social media marketing, marketing, business basics, and more.

6. Teaching Yoga: Essential Techniques and Foundations by Mark Stephens

To master the practical details of yoga and to understand the essential techniques for running classes, Stephens’ work is the ideal book for beginners. The book includes sequencing, breathing techniques, poses, teaching techniques, yoga forms, history, and philosophy. Deepen your yoga knowledge with the help of this book.

7. Light on Life by B.K.S. Iyengar

For a wholesome approach to learning yoga, Iyengar delves into details about spiritual awareness and how it can be achieved through yoga. The book includes the spiritual and emotional development of yoga. You will learn how yoga helps you face challenges in life and leads you to a deeper sense. 

8. 21,000 Asanas by Daniel Larceda

Larceda’s 21,000 asanas is nothing but an encyclopedia for yoga. It has figures and explanatory illustrations about poses and concepts. The book has photographs of most yoga poses that exist. You will find inversions, backbends, standing poses, seared poses, and more with detailed modifications and brief descriptions. It is the best book to learn yoga asana.

9. The Mindful Brain by Daniel Siegel

This highly acclaimed work by Siegel talks about how an emotionally healthy and mentally aware person can lead a physiologically healthy life. Mindfulness helps your mental health, emotional health, overall health, and physical body. Additionally, this book is more focused on improving all aspects of your life.

10. Yoga Therapy by Mark Stephens

For those who are looking for yogic solutions to physical health problems, Stephens’ Yoga Therapy deals with specific asanas for healing particular body parts. Find out how yoga heals injuries and ailments. Moreover, the book includes modern medical research and knowledge of yoga and Ayurveda.

Also read: 80 Yoga Sanskrit Words Every Yoga Teacher Should Know

11. The Complete Guide To Yin Yoga by Bernie Clark

Yin Yoga is a branch of yoga that works on a deeper physical, mental, and emotional level. There are around 30 asanas in yin yoga and Clark’s book offers a description of each. If you want to become a Yin yoga teacher, then you must read this book because it includes Yin yoga philosophy and practices. 

12. Anatomy of Hatha Yoga: A Manual for Students, Teachers, and Practitioners by H. David Coulter.

More of an anatomy text than a yoga manual, Coulter’s book comprises chapters on breathing, movement, posture, and various kinds of asanas.

13. The Four Agreements by A Personal Guide to Personal Freedom by Don Miguel Ruiz.

Practicality is a very important concept. Ruiz’s book is all about how practically infusing wisdom in life can make the journey more fulfilling and authentic.

14. Two Hundred Hour Yoga Teacher Training Manual by Marta Berry

To understand the basics of yoga, beginners must invest in this manual to learn about yoga. The book has practical instructions and Sanskrit names of concepts. Not only will you work as a professional but will also sound like one.

15. Yoga Sequencing: Designing Transformative Yoga Classes by Mark Stephens

This book is for budding instructors who are facing issues in creating sequences of asanas in their masterclass. The book covers sequences for people of all age groups. This book will also help you in designing, planning, and sequencing your yoga classes. Moreover, the book is suitable for all yoga teachers and practitioners whether they are beginners or advanced level.

16. Chair Yoga for Seniors Over 60: Cecilia Wells

For senior citizens who are not able to perform every asana due to health conditions, Wells offers a unique solution. These exercises cater to seniors and how they can incorporate yoga into their routine.

17. Yoga and The Path of Urban Mystic by Darren Main

This modern spiritual book is not about asanas and the technicalities of breathing. It is about incorporating yogic ideas into modern life to transform into a higher being.

Join the 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh

18. The Inspired Yoga Teacher by Gabrielle Harris

A work that comprises poetry, the philosophy of yoga, and even quotes on yoga. The book is a detailed account of how a yoga class must go and the basic concepts of life that a teacher must refer to while conducting a class.

19. Yoga Themes for Modern Yogis by Madeline Kanuka McGee

For those who wish to conduct structured classes and strengthen personal practices, the book offers 52 detailed class plans. An index with important Sanskrit terms, illustrations, and even workbook pages is a part of it.

20. Yin Yoga and Meditation by Sagel Urlacher

An inspirational read, this book has photographs explaining the transformative effects of yin yoga on the body. Concepts like Taoist elements and impressions that are central to yin yoga are discussed in detail.

21. Hatha Yoga for Teachers and Practitioners: A Comprehensive Guide by Ram Jain

The famous yoga practitioners and teacher trainers Ram Jain and Kalyani Hauswirth-Jain describe more than 200 asanas. instructions for each asanas are detailed, alignment cues have been mentioned in detail and modifications have been stated so that the aspiring teachers get a wholesome idea.

Conclusion

The above-mentioned best yoga books for yoga teacher training are ideal for aspiring yoga students and teachers as well. Yoga practitioners and teachers need to remember that consistent reading is a must to stay updated and ensure continual growth. Also, having a profound knowledge of the mind is as important as the body and yoga is a combination of both. Therefore, these books for yoga teacher training will illuminate your path and enable you to master the art and science of yoga.

Heart of Yoga offers 200-hour yoga teacher training, 300-hour yoga teacher training, and 500-hour Yoga TTC. Become a Yoga Alliance-certified yoga teacher by completing the training.