20 best yoga books for beginners

Here are the 20 best yoga books for beginners in 2022, detailing the cover and author's experience.

1. Yoga for Dummies - Yoga class for beginners (by Helen Parson)

This book is perfect for beginners who want to learn the basic yoga poses and concepts. It is suitable for those who have never taken a yoga class or are looking to get back into the practice after some time has passed. This book aims to teach people about yoga and its benefits and that of other world religions and philosophies.

2. Yoga: 21 Days - Yoga students guide (by James William)

This book helps you ease into your practice with accessible introduction and warm-up exercises at night and on weekends. It assists in building up your core strength and balance while getting in shape. The book also shows you how to do the most popular yoga poses such as cat-cow, downward-facing dog, and the shoulder stand without stressing yourself out!

People with little flexibility and need some basic easy poses might follow.

3. Yoga - Poses, Practice, and Philosophy (by B.K S Iyengar)

This book teaches yoga in its proper form, revealing the undisputed beauty of alignment while helping you build strength. It shows you different yoga poses, their names, benefits, and how to do them. The book contains:

♦ Valuable information about the various philosophies of yoga.
♦ The other schools of thought.
♦  Methods for class preparation.
♦  A beginner's guide to life.

It also acts as an excellent guide for those who have already taken a few yoga classes but would still like to learn more about it to improve their practice further.

4. Yoga for Weight Loss (by Barbara Benagh)

This book will teach you about the benefits of yoga for weight loss and how it can give you the dream body without leaving home or spending a lot of money on trainers, gyms, or supplements. It guides you on how to get started so that you can start losing weight as soon as possible.

5. Yoga – The Practice (by Ganga White)

This book is a must-read if you are brand new to yoga, a practice centered on tuning you with your body, mind, and soul. It takes you through a list of different poses in an easy-to-understand format so that you can remember as you read and learn about each posture in great detail.

This book also gives you a list of yoga exercises that you can do to prevent injury, relieve pain and help cure diseases.

It will teach you yoga basics and how to practice safely and efficiently to build your confidence and gain more knowledge about it.

6. Light on Yoga - Simple Yoga (by B.K.S. Iyengar, Joseph Huber)

If you want to learn about yoga on their terms, it will help you define what yoga is, how it works, and why you should start practicing it when you are not in a class. The book has chapters that point out the pros of practicing yoga, the different types of yoga, where to practice, and what to expect from your practice.


This book will help you understand what yoga is about, how to do it properly and how to build up your practice. It will also show you many different yoga methods, starting from the basics and going through different poses, breathing techniques, and various other poses.

7. Yoga for Beginners - A guide for beginners (by B.K.S Iyengar, Andrew Harvey)

You can rely on this book if you don't know where to begin. It will show you how to ease your way into the practice and give you a great foundation from which you can build up your knowledge about yoga poses and techniques. It also has a section explaining the different types of yoga suitable for every person.

8. Complete Yoga - The Definitive Guide to Yoga, Pregnancy, and Health (by Loren M. Fishman)

This book is the ultimate guide for those interested in learning about the different types of yoga and how to do them. It will provide information on how to customize each pose according to your needs, level of flexibility, and experience with yoga.


It will also teach you about pregnancy-friendly yoga posture that you can practice during the nine months of your pregnancy to build up a healthy body for yourself and a healthy baby after delivery too!

9. Yoga and You (by B.K.S Iyengar)

This book will get you started in your yoga practice by teaching you about the basic yoga poses and what they do for you, how you should breathe, and more. It also helps you feel better about yourself and gives you a better understanding of what it is that yoga does for your body and mind.


It will also teach you which type to practice during which stage of life to give your practice the most advantage possible.

10. Yoga in 10 Minutes (by B.K.S Iyengar)

The book will walk you through the practice of basic yoga poses and breathing techniques for your spare time to relieve stress and improve how you look for a better body. It also has a section that shows you how to create pieces of art that stimulate and rejuvenate your mind.


Suppose you are looking to do yoga at home without using the equipment but only want a simple, straightforward guide on adequately doing it. It will guide you on how to do the basic poses, breathing exercises, and relaxation techniques to help you relax during stress or anxiety.

11. Yoga for Everyone: A Simple Guide to Yoga and Health (by Georg Feuerstein, Kenneth H. Cooper, Adina Z. Sachs, Jennifer M. Lowry)

Suppose you have no clue what yoga is about and are just starting to get the hang of this great practice. It teaches you how to do basic yoga poses appropriate for all levels of experience so you can successfully begin your trial afresh with a clean slate. You will learn how to increase your flexibility to be as flexible as possible and increase the benefits of practicing it even further.


With this book, you can learn much about yoga, the different types of yoga, and how to change their lifestyle to improve their lives. It is also ideal for pregnant women who want to learn how they can do yoga while still being in their ninth month when it's most important to ensure that they are getting the best possible care during pregnancy.

12. How Yoga Works: The Risks and Benefits of a New Way to Live (by Georg Feuerstein)

The book is suitable for those that have already taken an introductory yoga class and want to learn more about it. It will teach you the "why" behind yoga, how it can benefit your body and mind, and how to get the most out of your practice to maintain a healthy lifestyle for yourself and your family. It also has a section on practicing yoga safely at home when you don't have as much space or equipment.

13. The Yoga Bible: 150 Techniques for Your Body and Your Life (by David Shannahoff-Khalsa)

The book will teach you how to do each pose properly and ensure you are doing them correctly from the very beginning so that you don't end up with a sore back or shoulders. It also includes information on breathing exercises, meditation practices, and more that you can do in-between your poses or after your workout.

14. The Fourth Trimester Yoga Book: Exercises and Techniques for Moms-to-Be (by Jennifer Lawrence, M.D.)

This book will teach you about the best poses to do during pregnancy so that your body can adapt to being pregnant and protect you from complications. It also has a chapter on how to manage the symptoms of morning sickness so that you don't feel too bad and can still do your yoga practice.


A doctor who wrote it knows more than most people about pregnancy and how it affects a mother's body so that she can give readers exact information about what will happen to your body during the next nine months. You will learn how yoga can assist you through pregnancy and where they can find the best classes available in their area to practice yoga with other pregnant women.

15. The New Yoga for People Over 50 (by Bernard Bouanchaud)

It can be an ideal book for older people who want to learn more about yoga without the constant chatter of younger people in a typical class. It will teach you how to do each pose correctly so that you do not strain your body too much and lose any flexibility that you may have in your joints or muscles from years of working, raising children, or just getting older.


It has simple exercises you can do without equipment in your home if you have little space or money to join a class.

16. Yoga: Mind and Body (by Timothy McCall, M.D.)

The book is for anyone with problems with their daily routine and how they interact with people. It will teach you to focus on what is happening to ensure you are present for your daily activities, not just your yoga practice.


It is for you if you have an intense daily routine and would like to slow it down to relax and feel less stressed out. It will also teach you how to focus on what you have right now instead of worrying about everything else that may or may not happen in your life so that you can finally be content with what you have now.

17. Nourishing the Body, Nurturing the Mind: A Yoga Cookbook (by Nina Simonds)

If you desire to incorporate yoga into their meals by cooking delicious recipes based on Indian cuisine using healthy, natural ingredients that match most yogis' lifestyles. 


It also includes information on how to create your home spa and do your treatments such as baths, facials, scrubs, and more using ingredients that you can find in your kitchen.

18. Yoga: The Spirit and Practice of Moving Through Stillness (by Erich Schiffman)

This book will teach you all the secrets to getting the most out of yoga, including the benefits each pose provides so that you can make sure each pose is beneficial to you and not just something that looks cool when someone else does it. 


It also has a chapter on breathing exercises, jewelry, mats, and other items that every yogi must have to practice safely at home.

19. Yoga: A Bibliographic Guide to Books and Articles in English (by Richard Rosen, S.J.)

If you have yoga interests but do not know where to start or have been practicing for years and would like to know what other people are saying about it so that you can learn more about it, this is the book for you. It has more than 1,000 sources on yoga, so you can find out everything possible about the subject.

20. The Beginner's Guide to Yoga: How to Do a Quick and Easy Yoga Workout in Minutes (by Patanjali)

Author Patanjali will teach you everything you need to know from the beginning, including how to breathe correctly and where to place your feet so that you do not aggravate an existing injury. This book will teach you how each pose affects your body once done so that you can feel more energized and balanced throughout the day.