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A Beginner's Guide to the Roots of Yoga
How to create a more authentic practice
A Beginner's Guide to the Roots of Yoga
How to create a more authentic practice
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Description
A practical and accessible guide to incorporating traditional yoga into a modern practice, by an Indian yoga teacher and educator.
Yoga in its traditional form is a practice focused on inclusivity, inner work and peace. But the yoga that is practised today in the West has got a little lost along the way. In this accessible beginner's guide, Indian yoga teacher Nikita Desai brings us back to the authentic roots of this ancient practice.
In A Beginner's Guide to the Roots of Yoga, Desai unpicks the complexities of the modern yoga space. Moving away from the focus on physical poses, expensive outfits and Instagram-perfect bodies, she delves into traditional resources to show how yoga can help your mental and spiritual wellbeing.
With a range of enlightening essays, she explores why change in the industry is vital, before centring key yogic texts, philosophy and history in a digestible manner to give us a basic understanding of the origins of yoga. Desai then guides us through integrating these foundations into our current practice both on and off the mat, so you can enjoy the benefits of the tradition while helping to make yoga today a more inclusive and diverse space.
A Beginner's Guide to the Roots of Yoga is the perfect jumping off point for anyone wanting to make their practice more authentic.
Table of Contents
How to use this book
A note on Sanskrit
Part 1: Why we should aim for an authentic yoga practice
1 – Problem 1: The emphasis of physicality in modern yoga
2 – Problem 2: Cultural appropriation in modern yoga
3 – Problem 3: Commercialisation in modern yoga
4 – Problem 4: The lack of diversity in modern yoga
Summary
Part 2: The foundations of yoga and a (very brief) history
1 – A brief timeline to the history of yoga
2 – The roots of yoga
3 – Significant literature in yoga
4 – Significant gurus of yoga
5 – The colonial history of India and the British ban on yoga
Summary
Part 3: Integrating authenticity into your practice
1 – Three key yogic teachings
2 – Types or styles of Yoga
3 – Traditional yoga: The four key margas
4 – Traditional yoga: Hatha yoga
5 – A note on chakras
6 – Traditional yoga: Ashtanga yoga
7 – Limb 1 – Yamas – Our nehaviours
8 – Limb 2 – Niyamas – Self Ooservations
9 – Limb 3 – Asana – Physical postures
10 – Limb 4 – Pra?ayama – Regulation of breath
11 – Limb 5 – Pratyahara – The influence of our senses
12 – Limb 6 – Dharana – Concentration of the mind
13 – Limb 7 – Dhyana – Meditation
14 – Limb 8 – Samadhi – Pure awareness
15 – Yoga Nidra – A practice for deep relaxation
16 – Studying yogic texts/scriptures
Part 4: Continuing your journey
1 – 10 next steps
2 – My hope for the future
3 – Resources
References
Acknowledgements
Index
Product details

Published | May 06 2025 |
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Format | Paperback |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 240 |
ISBN | 9781399411103 |
Imprint | Green Tree |
Dimensions | 234 x 153 mm |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |