Stories, Texts, & Poems In Yoga

Commonly Known And Not So Commonly Known, Or Read, Suggested Yogic Texts*

*DISCLAIMER: Always read everything with discernment of place, time, sentiment, author, and so forth…noting, for example, that due to historical occurrences that shape the minds and psyches of people over time, the Vedic Age had a very different view of women’s place in society, and even reality, than later periods in history. Even today, to take our example further, many women–globally and (possibly for you) locally–do not enjoy much of the social freedom and reverence that women in Vedic times experienced. Views and opinions change with time and collective and individual psyches.

Please, therefore, read everything with the intention of discovering unchanging Truths based on any shared understandings’ validity verified from your direct (undistorted) experience gained from insight/knowledge through practice/lived awareness, free from historical context. Fortunately, in this realm of study, most direct texts (especially the ones listed below when read in translated and not just interpreted forms) offer primarily, or entirely, undistorted expositions or explorations of Truth, so you can relax while you focus on simply understanding/verifying.

• The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali – 196 Aphorisms On Yoga Sciences and Practice
• Yoga Vasishta (Full Text) and The Yoga Sara (The Essence of Yoga Vasistha) – For Those Who Have Developed Dispassion For The World As They Rise Out Of Ignorance And Transition To Enlightenment
• The Siva Samhita – A Passionate Dissertation on Renunciation
• The Brahma Sutras – 555 Aphorisms On Vedantic Knowledge
• The Bhagavad Gita – An Epic (Part Of The Larger Epic Mahabharata) Discussing Yoga Sciences/Understandings And Its Application To Difficult Lived Experiences (Like War/Fighting For What Is Right)
• Hatha Yoga Pradipika – Most Popular Instruction On Hatha Yoga Practice – Discusses Pranayamas, Shatkarmas, Asanas, Mudras, And Samadhi
• Light On Yoga – “The Bible On Modern Yoga” – Discusses Asana, Bandha, Kriya, Pranayama
• Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha – Discusses The Topics In The Title And More
• The Vedas (Rig-Principles Of Creation, Sama-Songs, Yajur-Mantras, Atharva-Daily Practical Application Of Knowledge)- Books Of Songs/Hymns Composed of Mystical Revelations Expounding the Knowledge of Higher Wisdom And The Human Connection To The Spirit World
• Panchatantra– Book Of Animal Fables With Philosophical Lessons (For Children And Young Adult Introduction To Some Yogic Concepts/Principles)
• Upanishads – Philosophy On Life/Self
• The Gheranda Samhita – Yoga Philosophy
• Any Book That Serves As The Cornerstone For Any Spiritual Sect On Earth, In Its Essence And At Its Core, Contains Yogic Wisdom To Varying Degrees (From The Abrahamic Religions To Lesser Practiced Sects Of Spirituality), But Please Be Mindful Of Our Opening Disclaimer At All Times While Reading Any Text That Falls Into This Category With The Intention To Gain Undistorted Knowledge.

Contextual Timeline

• Vedic Era (4000-1500 B.C.E) | “Ancient Period”:

  Rig Veda | Sama Veda | Yajar Veda | Atharva Veda

• Pre-Classical Era (700-500 B.C.E) | “Vedantic Period”:

  Upanishads | Bhagavad Gita

• Classical Era (~400 B.C.E-200 C.E) | “Patanjalic Period”:

  The Yoga Sutras Of Patanjali | Yoga Vasishta | Panchatantra

• Post Classical Era (1400 C.E-1500 C.E) | “Tantric Period”:

  Hatha Yoga Pradipika | Brahma Sutras | The Siva Samhita | The Gheranda Samhita

• Modern Era (1800s-Now) | A Period Of Spreading Knowledge To The West | “New Age Period”:

  Asana, Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha | Light On Yoga | Autobiography Of A Yogi, Etc…

A Few Posts To Review

What Are The Yoga Sutras?

What Are The Yoga Sutras?

Song Of Life | Upanishads Excerpt [Video]

Song Of Life | Upanishads Excerpt %5BVideo%5D

The Eight-Limbed Eightfold Path Summarized: As Outlined In/By The Yoga Sutras

The Eight-Limbed Eightfold Path Summarized: As Outlined In/By The Yoga Sutras

Sutra Studies Guide And Work Course