Each book below is paired with a short note on how it fits into the curriculum of our Yoga Courses in Rishikesh — so you can choose your pre-arrival reading based on the course you plan to take: 100 Hour, 200 Hour, 300 Hour, or 500 Hour YTT.
The single most influential modern asana manual. Iyengar documents 200 postures with precise alignment cues, sequencing, and therapeutic application — the same scaffolding our teachers use when introducing the asana syllabus. Every student of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India is expected to be comfortable with the postures detailed here. Pair it with the alignment workshops covered in our YTT curriculum to translate book knowledge into a teachable practice.
Pattabhi Jois's own description of the Ashtanga Yoga primary series — the vinyasa, drishti, bandha and asana count that defines traditional Mysore-style practice. Required reading for anyone preparing for an Ashtanga-focused 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in India. Our Rishikesh school teaches the primary series in the lineage form, and Yoga Mala is the reference text we point students back to throughout the course.
A modern, accessible entry point into Ashtanga Yoga — written for practitioners who want to understand the practice's deeper psychology, not just the asana count. We recommend it alongside Yoga Mala for students enrolling in our 200 Hour Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. MacGregor's breakdown of breath, bandha and drishti supports the daily Mysore-style practice we run during the course.
A practitioner's handbook to the eight limbs as taught in the Ashtanga Vinyasa tradition — covers count-by-count vinyasa for the primary and intermediate series. Useful pre-reading for the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in India, particularly the Ashtanga modules. Our 300 Hour Yoga TTC graduates often return to this text when refining their personal Mysore-style sadhana before teaching.
The 15th-century root text of Hatha Yoga. Defines asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha and the goal of awakening kundalini — the framework that modern yoga teacher training is built on. Studied verse-by-verse during the philosophy modules of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. Anyone interested in the Hatha lineage rather than power-yoga should treat this as their primary scripture.
A photographic alignment reference for 77 of the most common Hatha asanas, with entry-exit cues, modifications and contraindications. Excellent companion to Light on Yoga for students who learn visually. Used as a teaching-prep aid during our 100 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh — particularly the asana lab where trainees learn to demonstrate and verbally cue postures.
Freeman and Taylor unpack what makes Vinyasa Yoga more than choreographed flow — the breath-shape-attention triad that connects each posture to the next. Recommended pre-reading for students enrolling in our Vinyasa-focused 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. Bridges the technical (asana, breath) and the contemplative sides of the practice.
Ramaswami — a direct student of Krishnamacharya — documents the Vinyasa Krama approach: sequenced postures organised around a central asana, each entered and exited with conscious breath. Excellent grounding text for our Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training in India modules. Helps students understand that "vinyasa" originated as a deliberate, slow methodology long before it became gym-class shorthand for flow yoga.
Clark's clear, anatomy-grounded introduction to Yin Yoga — the slow, long-hold practice that targets fascia and connective tissue rather than muscle. We use Yin sequencing during the recovery days of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh to balance the more dynamic morning Ashtanga and Vinyasa sessions. Useful for trainees considering a later specialisation in restorative or therapeutic yoga.
The standard anatomy reference used in Yoga Alliance accredited teacher training programs worldwide. Maps the muscles, joints and breath mechanics engaged in each major asana. Required reading for the anatomy module of our Yoga Courses in Rishikesh — students should arrive having worked through at least the first three chapters. Our anatomy faculty references this text directly throughout the YTT curriculum.
Dr. Ray Long's biomechanical breakdown of standing and seated asanas — every posture rendered as a 3D anatomical diagram showing prime movers, synergists and stretched tissues. Pairs naturally with Yoga Anatomy for students who want to understand why each cue works. We use diagrams from this volume in the alignment workshops of our 200 Hour Yoga TTC and the deeper anatomy modules of our 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh.
Volume 2 covers backbends, inversions and advanced postures with the same anatomical depth as Volume 1. Particularly useful for graduates moving into our 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, where shoulder, spine and pelvic mechanics for advanced asanas are taught in depth. Students preparing to teach therapeutic or contraindication-aware classes should treat both volumes as core reference.
Not a yoga book — and that is exactly why we recommend it. Stretching Anatomy explains flexibility from a sports-science perspective: which fibres are lengthening, what stretch tolerance actually means, and how to progress safely. Excellent supplement to the asana modules of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh and a strong foundation for anyone planning to teach mature students with mobility limitations.
The Bihar School's definitive text on pranayama — covers all major techniques (nadi shodhana, bhastrika, kapalbhati, bhramari) with detailed contraindications and progression sequences. We teach pranayama directly from this lineage during the 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh and go deeper into the advanced practices during the 300 Hour YTT. Essential for any student who wants to teach breathwork credibly.
The most thorough manual on yogic mudras (hand and body gestures) and bandhas (energy locks) available in English. Each technique is broken down with its physiological effect, its tantric and pranic intent, and progressive practice instructions. Reference text for the advanced pranayama and kriya modules of our 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India.
A single-subject monograph on Moola Bandha — the root lock — and its role in pranayama, asana stability and kundalini awakening. Often the first deep introduction students get to subtle-body practice. Studied in detail during the 300 Hour Yoga TTC in Rishikesh and useful preparation reading for the 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training where bandha integration into therapeutic practice is taught.
A dedicated study of the sixth chakra — the seat of intuition and the bridge between manas (lower mind) and buddhi (higher intellect) in tantric yoga. Pairs with our meditation and yoga nidra modules. Students taking the 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh use this text alongside the chakra anatomy taught in our pranayama labs.
The classical tantric sadhana for purifying the five elements within the body — a deep contemplative practice taught in the later stages of our 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. Provides the philosophical scaffolding for understanding shatkarma, kriya yoga and the inner cleansing logic behind much of Hatha practice. Not introductory — best read after a 200hr foundation.
The reference text on kundalini in the Bihar lineage — chakras, nadis, granthis and the safe progression of awakening practices. Written for serious practitioners, not curiosity seekers. Studied in our Kundalini Yoga modules and the 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India. Students considering a future Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training should treat this as foundational reading.
Tias Little maps the koshas, chakras and nadis onto Western anatomy in a way that students from both traditions can follow. Helpful for trainees who find pure tantric language abstract. Read it alongside Prana and Pranayama during the 300 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh for a two-sided view of subtle-body practice — Eastern lineage and Western anatomy.
The 196 aphorisms that define classical (raja) yoga — the ashtanga (eight-limbed) framework that every Yoga Alliance accredited teacher must know. Studied verse-by-verse in the philosophy module of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, with a deeper second pass during the 300hr. If you only read one philosophy text before arriving in Rishikesh, this is the one.
Arjuna's dialogue with Krishna remains the most accessible introduction to the four yogas — karma, bhakti, jnana and raja — and the philosophical bedrock of every classical Indian yoga tradition. We discuss key chapters during the philosophy lectures of our YTT and read it again as the meditative companion to our Yoga Retreat in Rishikesh, India. Multiple translations exist; we recommend Eknath Easwaran's for first-time readers.
The book that introduced kriya yoga and the broader yogic worldview to the West. More devotional than instructional — and that is why students returning from a yoga retreat in India often cite it as the text that made the experience make sense. Recommended as pre-arrival reading for our Spiritual Retreat in India programs and the philosophy modules of every YTT level.
Michael Stone reads the Yoga Sutras through a contemporary, psychotherapeutic lens — useful for students who find the traditional commentaries dense. Frames yoga as ethics-in-practice rather than a posture system. Excellent companion text for our Himalayan Yoga & Meditation Retreats in Rishikesh, where the philosophy is lived rather than studied in a classroom.
A short, accessible bridge for students new to yoga philosophy — Chopra and Simon distil the principles into seven daily practices. Not a substitute for studying the Yoga Sutras, but a friendly on-ramp. We sometimes hand this to participants in our shorter 7-Day and 14-Day Yoga Retreats in Rishikesh who want a contemplative read for the flight home.
The defining text on Yoga Nidra — the systematic relaxation and sankalpa practice developed by Swami Satyananda. We integrate Yoga Nidra into the evening schedule of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh and teach the cueing methodology to trainees. Also the manual referenced during our Sound Healing & Yoga Nidra workshops in Rishikesh.
A clear introductory overview of Ayurvedic principles — dosha theory, dinacharya (daily routine), seasonal rhythms and food as medicine. Useful first read for students with no Ayurveda background. We touch on these concepts during the lifestyle modules of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh and go deeper in the 500 Hour Yoga TTC.
The encyclopedic version of the same author's introductory volume — covers herbology, marma points, panchakarma and constitution-specific protocols. Reference text for the Ayurveda elective in our 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh and for graduates who plan to integrate Ayurvedic counselling into their teaching practice.
A.G. Mohan — a direct student of Krishnamacharya — outlines the therapeutic application of yoga: case-based protocols for common conditions (back pain, anxiety, hypertension, insomnia). Essential reading for trainees in the therapeutic-yoga track of our 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh, India. Bridges the Krishnamacharya lineage and modern evidence-informed yoga therapy.
The Bihar School companion to A.G. Mohan's work — covers yogic protocols (asana, pranayama, kriya, diet) for over 70 common conditions. Excellent reference for trainees building their first therapeutic-yoga toolkit. Studied during the yoga therapy modules of our 300 Hour and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh.
The Yoga Alliance-aligned teaching methodology manual — sequencing principles, verbal cueing, hands-on adjustment ethics, class management and the business of teaching. Used as a primary text in the methodology module of our 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Rishikesh. Trainees on the 100 Hour Yoga TTC and 85 Hour Prenatal Yoga TTC also work through chapters relevant to their scope. The book most new teachers wish they'd read before their first class.
We will revert you as soon as possible. If you have not heard from us within 24 hours, please email us at contact@rishikulyogshalarishikesh.com.
The nearest domestic airport is Jolly Grant Airport (approximately 35 km away), while the nearest international airport is Indira Gandhi International Airport (about 250 km from Rishikesh). Both airports offer easy access to taxis and buses. If needed, you can also contact the school directly for a pickup.
You can travel to Rishikesh directly by train. The city has its own railway station called Yog Nagari Rishikesh (Code: YNRK). Tickets can be pre-booked directly through the IRCTC website. Upon arriving at the Rishikesh railway station, you can book a taxi to the school. However, if you do not find a suitable train to Rishikesh, you can take a train to Haridwar, which is just about an hour away. From Haridwar, cabs to Rishikesh are easily available.
Rishikesh is well connected by road to major cities across India. Both private and government-operated buses are available from different locations. You can also pre-book a cab via Uber, Ola, or local taxi operators for a convenient and comfortable journey.
Note: Whether you are arriving via airport, Rishikesh railway station, or Haridwar railway station, taxis to Rishikul Yogshala are easily available. For added convenience, you can also contact the school in advance to have a taxi arranged for your pickup.
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Rishikul Yogshala Rishikesh, Narayan Kunj, Jonk Village, Ram Jhula, Swarg Ashram, Rishikesh, Uttarakhand 249304
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