I am frequently asked to recommend books on yoga, and I must confess, after “Light on 
Yoga”, I am usually at a loss for another. I know Buddhist books galore. Because the Buddhist teachers don’t have to deal with yoga postures, they can get right into the causes of suffering and the path of liberation, the keys issues in any spiritual practice. Adyashanti is my favorite in this regard, but Pema Chodron, Joko Beck, Lama Surya Das and John Kabatt-Zinn all are highly articulate guides to the challenges of the spiritual path. I love yoga poses and hatha yoga practice, but all too often the the essence of yoga has been lost in the details of the physical practice.
Richard Freeman, another cosmic member of the 1950 club, gets this deeply. A highly accomplished student and teacher in the Patabi Jois tradition of Astanga Yoga, Richard has produced a beautifully written guide to the spiritual side of the yoga tradition, “The Mirror Of Yoga”, that clearly and carefully describes a fully embodied approach to awakening and self-realization. With chapters on the origins of yoga, hatha yoga, Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, the Bhagavad Gita, Tantra, and more, “The Mirror of Yoga” is full of subtle insights and delightful nuggets culled from Richard’s years of personal practice and self study. This is not a new book, as it came out in 2010, but I just came across it this summer. (Shout out to Eddie and Yoga Soup in Santa Barbara, where I keep finding inspiring books.) There are no instructions on trikonasana or janu sirsasana, but a wealth of insight into how to explore these postures, any other poses, or any other situation in your life that may arise. Thank you Mr. Freeman,