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Reader to Yogi: 14 Books That Will Help You Welcome Yoga In Your Life

Self-care is the new mantra of 2018 because you can’t feel healthy and happy without some quality time with yourself. While everyone’s self care differs, we recommend adding yoga into your self care routine because of a plethora of benefits and enriching qualities. For instance, Yoga is an ideal workout for anyone because it’s quiet, meditative and requires very little interaction with other humans. And if practised sincerely and regularly, yoga can cure anything from anxiety to back pain.
So if you are a beginner or an expert, commit yourself to regular yoga this yoga day and let these informative books about yoga and natural healing be your guide.

Patanjali’s Yoga Sutra by Shyam Ranganathan


Patañjali’s Yoga Sutra (second century CE) is the basic text of one of the nine canonical schools of Indian philosophy. In it the legendary author lays down the blueprint for success in yoga; now practised the world over. Patañjali draws upon many ideas of his time; and the result is a unique work of Indian moral philosophy that has been the foundational text for the practice of yoga since. The Yoga Sutra sets out a sophisticated theory of moral psychology and perhaps the oldest theory of psychoanalysis.

Laughter Yoga by Madan Kataria 


Laughter yoga is a revolutionary idea: simple and profound. A practice involving prolonged voluntary laughter, it is based on scientific studies that have concluded that such laughter offers the same physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. This comprehensive book by the founder of the laughter yoga club movement, Dr Madan Kataria, tells you what laughter yoga is, how it works, what its benefits are and how you can apply it to everyday life.

Hair Yoga : Caring for your hair the right way by Jawed Habib 


There are two things that are common to most people: we all want gorgeous hair and we all have at least one hair issue. From styling celebrities to running one of the most popular salon chains in India, Jawed Habib is undoubtedly someone you can trust with your hair. In Hair Yoga, Jawed takes you back to the basics of hair care and tackles all of your hair troubles. Packed with tips and remedies, this is the ultimate book to take hair health into your hands so that you have a good hair day, everyday.

The Essence of Yoga by Osho 


In this book Osho explains how, through yoga, one can attain the grace of the body and of God. He talks about crucial concerns of love, marriage, faith and contentment. It is a perfect blend of ancient wisdom and contemporary knowledge.

Textbook of Yoga by Yogeswar


In the past few years, the popularity of yoga as the ultimate key to fitness, both physical and mental, has resulted in a plethora of books, videos and audio tapes designed to guide a learner through the various asanas prescribed by the Yogasutra. The Textbook of Yoga goes one step further: it is the one book that tells you not merely how to practise an asana the right way, to maximum effect, but also explains how best to share your knowledge and teach others the theory and practice of yoga. It is like a textbook in its approach: lesson by lesson, you are introduced first to the basics and then to the more advanced levels of practice. Alongside the text, the illustrations allow you to understand exactly how the body should be moved and positioned without fear of error or injury.

Own the Bump by Payal Gidwani Tiwari 


Motherhood is a life-changing event in a woman’s life. Keeping in mind the fast-paced lives of nuclear families and sometimes unhealthy lifestyles, Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari, brings to fore the importance of preparing the body and soul for such a change. From pre-pregnancy to post-natal, Gidwani utilizes her age-old knowledge of yoga and provides essential advice to take care of oneself before, during and after the birth.

Body Goddess: The Complete Guide on Yoga for Women by Payal Gidwani Tiwari


Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, Payal Gidwani Tiwari comes to your rescue. From the basics of yoga to their practical application in our day to day life–Payal’s essential mantras guarantee not just weight loss but also promise a healthier lifestyle. Designed for all age groups, this book comes enriched with easy to follow exercise regimes and invaluable tips. Body Goddess is indispensable for every woman who wants to look and feel like a diva.

Book of Woman by Osho


Osho talks about various issues like motherhood, relationships, family and birth control. Questioning the concept of marriage, he says it is the ‘ugliest institution invented by man’ as its aim is to monopolize a woman. He is equally critical of the institution of family which ‘corrupts the human mind’. A woman, he says, should not imitate man.

Book of Man by Osho 

Osho perceives man as becoming increasingly alienated from his inner self, gradually losing his natural innocence and creativity in the mindless quest for worldly power and success. For Osho, the ideal man is Zorba, the Buddha—a perfect blend of matter and soul. This seamless collection of discourses takes the reader through the various stages of man’s evolution: from Adam to Slave, Son, Homosexual, Priest and Politician, until he attains the pinnacle of his consciousness as the Rebel or Zorba.
 Ayurveda : Life; Health and Longevity by Robert E Svoboda
Developed from the Vedas, India’s ancient books of wisdom, Ayurveda combines physical, psychological and spiritual therapies in an approach to health that is as relevant to the modern world as it was to the ancient world.  Utilizing herbs and minerals, proper nutrition and purification and, above all, affirmative ways of living, Ayurveda treats not just the ailment but the whole person and emphasises prevention of disease to avoid the need for cure.

Everyday Ayurveda by Bhaswati Bhattacharya


Time is scarce and precious in today’s world and we seek solutions that are quick. While allopathic medicine tends to focus on the management of disease, the ancient study of Ayurveda provides us with holistic knowledge for preventing disease and eliminating its root cause. Dr Bhaswati Bhattacharya takes you through a day in the life of Ayurvedic living.

From XL to XS: A fitness guru’s guide to changing your body by Payal Gidwani Tiwari 

Can you change the shape of your body? Yes, you can. Payal Gidwani Tiwari, Bollywood’s most celebrated yoga expert, tells you how to go From XL to XS. With simple and easy to follow principles and exercise routines, learn how to lose (or gain) weight, stay fit, and transform your body structure
Yoga : The Supreme Science by Osho
Drawing on the teachings of Patanjali, Osho gives an entirely new perspective on the fundamental questions of life, the nature of heaven, religion and God. For Osho it is not a question of being ‘good’ or ‘bad’, or of a God in the sky, but of each individual becoming aware of his being and attaining kaivalya— the ultimate state of enlightenment when the meditator goes beyond all desire. This process draws on the inner science of yoga.

Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda

The story of a personal and spiritual awakening, Autobiography of a Yogi is a seminal work that continues to aspire and change millions of lives. In his wise, accessible and gentle manner, Paramahansa Yogananda has demystified ancient traditions like yoga and meditation; he imparts truths that are instructive and enriching; and he offers comfort and counsel. From Steve Jobs to the Beatles and Ravi Shankar, Autobiography of a Yogi has been a companion to all those who seek to lead a more spiritual, content life.

What is the meaning of fitness?

Shivoham is one of India’s foremost fitness trainers. In his book,‘The Shivfit Way’ he shows how to work out without any equipment or machines. He combines cardio, strength training and weight exercises for a full-body workout. He also offers a whole new perspective on what it means to be fit and how to motivate yourself to start exercising. This book is coauthored by Shrenik Avlani, who is a newsroom veteran with nearly two decades of work experience as a leading writer in the field of endurance sport and fitness.


The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines fitness as ‘the quality or state of being fit’, while fit is defined as ‘sound physically and mentally’. Though the word was first used in 1580 ad, its dictionary 
definition does not tell us much about what fitness actually is.
We have seen triathletes compete in Ironman races which involve swimming 3.86 kilometres, followed by cycling 180.25 km and then immediately running a full marathon of 42.195 km, being crowned the fittest men and women in the world. but put them in a gym and ask them to lift weights, and you will find that they fare rather poorly. Even a boy or girl of average strength will be able to lift more than the fittest men and women on earth if endurance sport is the measure of fitness, as it mainly enhances the aerobic capacity of an individual.
But walk into a weightlifting clinic or lifter training for the Olympics and you would find the smallest of them lifting much more than their body weight. Lifters usually describe their colleagues as strong, not fit. Now ask them to run a couple of kilometres or swim just 500 metres, you are most likely to see them struggling and gasping for breath pretty quickly. so, strength alone also cannot be a parameter to measure fitness.
Clearly, fitness means different things to different people. Depending on who you ask, fitness is likely to be defined in terms of things people are good at or specialize in. For a runner, being able to run a full marathon in under four hours is being fit. For a body-builder, big muscles are clear indicators of fitness. Then again, talk to weightlifters, and they will tell you that their ability to lift weights three times heavier than themselves is proof of their fitness. For the average person, fitness could mean something as simple as going through an entire day of work and having enough energy to indulge in their hobbies or run and play freely with their kids without feeling exhausted.
In the many years I have spent in this industry, and during the course of my own journey, I have come to realize that no single parameter can measure fitness. several factors measure different attributes of your body, and the ones you pay more attention to depend on which school of fitness you follow. For example, if you believe having sculpted abs is a mark of fitness, then you will strive for low body fat percentage. For others, it could be achieving the ideal weight according to their height and body type.
Since I believe in and practice CrossFit, I follow its founder Greg Glassman’s definition of fitness, which is based on the following ten general physical skills:
Cardiovascular or respiratory endurance: The ability of the body to gather, process and deliver oxygen to its different parts.
Stamina: The ability of the body systems to process, deliver, store and utilize energy.
Strength: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply force.
Flexibility: The ability to maximize range of motion at a given joint.
Power: The ability of a muscular unit, or combination of muscular units, to apply maximum force in minimum time.
Speed: The ability to minimize the time cycle of a repeated movement.
Coordination: The ability to combine several distinct movement patterns into a singular distinct movement.
Agility: The ability to minimize transition time from one movement pattern to another.
Balance: The ability to control the placement of the body’s centre of gravity with regard to its support base.
Accuracy: The ability to control a movement in a given direction or at a given intensity.
Find this book: The Shivfit Way

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