(Part 2) Best products from r/yoga

Warning: wall of text. For realz. I'm not sure I've ever gotten this close to the 10k character limit before. And because I wanted this to be useful both for you and in general, it may meander a bit. I am ABSOLUTELY open to adding to this (w/in 1k characters) to get things I've missed. Let's make a list, people!

Finding the right one for you, given that you are already teaching, is going to be different than for someone else, but only in that your list will look different. But making a list- a list of your strengths and weaknesses- should be something that most people thinking about training should be doing.

You may also find that to get the absolute most from your training that you need to reframe your approach to one that covers concepts but also bolsters your outside study. My hope for my second YTT (I had been teaching for 3 years) was to address gaps I knew existed and to make for a more cohesive body of knowledge, giving me the chance to address anew topics that were either not on my radar or I was not yet at a place to soak in at the time of my first training.

It's probably fair to argue that anyone unable to make a list of their strengths and their gaps in knowledge is not yet ready to choose a training. Not that they're not ready for YTT, but that they need to do more self-study on what there is to know so as to build a list of gaps. For people looking at doing a training that don't know what that is, simply looking at the suggestions here for books will give an idea about the fact that there are Sutras, and a Pradipika, as well as the numerous resources about alignment and anatomy. From there, comparing the 200hr requirements for YA and some syllabi will further allow someone to consider what other gaps they need to address.

For the people answering the gaps question with, 'I don't know anything about anything outside of asana'... I'd suggest that you start reading, and focus on finding teachers you connect with whose syllabus is solid. Know that it's quite likely that you will need to do a significant amount of work outside of your 200hr (and that those already possessing the information you are lacking have probably already had occasion do to that work.) You'll learn more from teachers you connect with. I'd only suggest intensives for those with an incredibly solid base of knowledge (I'd been practicing for over 10 years, and though the training itself was an intensive, it was followed up by a practicum in which we did our observations/assisted classes, and our practice teaching). I'd only suggest trainings abroad/you'd travel to with a similar base, unless you already know that teacher well.

For you I'd suggest a list of your strengths, your weaknesses... and your passions. Those things that, even if you consider them to be strengths, that you are passionate about and hope that you get more information about.

I'd suggest taking that list and, again as objectively as possible, determine how many of those things are reasonable to expect in a 200hr training. I think this is probably most important for the last item on that list. You'll want to consider that the things you are passionate about and want to learn more about, given that you are already teaching, may well be outside of the scope of a 200hr training for you to really gain depth.

Keep in mind that as you well know, many 200hr trainings are impacted most noticeably by the fact that they don't set the bar as high as you and I would expect to allow those 200 hours to actually focus on training amazing teachers.

So... with your list in mind (I tried to keep it both general enough that others will find it useful but also address things specific to where you're at)...

• What are the requirements of the training? Do they have requirements? (Hint: They should!) Understand that trainings that don't have baseline requirements are then forced to start from the ground up, which directly impacts the amount of valuable information you will receive.
  
• Do you connect with the vibe of the studio or, in the case of an apprenticeship, the people you'll be learning from?
  
• Do you respect their level of knowledge?
  
• How many people are in each class? Is there a limit? Is this what you imagined?
  
• How many trainings do they do a year/have going on at once?
  
• How many teachers are involved, and how available are they to you throughout?
  
• How do they handle missed hours? (Yes, it's reasonable that at a certain point you're charged extra for contact hours you need to make up. Start doing the math and you'll quickly understand why.)
  
• How much teaching will you be doing as part of the training? At what point? Doing what? Who is observing?
  
• Are you expected to be practicing with a wide variety of teachers during your training?
  
• What other activities are you expected to be doing during your training?
  
• Is the opportunity to observe/assist available/required?
  
• Are you ok with the fact that these people are human beings with flaws and they may not live up to whatever lofty ideals you would like to project on them? (This is most certainly for newer students, but as someone with a long practice history, I found myself having to ask, 'does this person have information that I want/need/do they have enough experience to add to what I have already learned?' - it kept me focused on waiting for the right training.)
  
• Is this a training that will address your gaps in a meaningful way?
  
• How do they approach adjustments? (This is important if you come from an adjustment-heavy lineage and the trainers feel it's wrong to touch people, for instance- and can be an issue vice versa if you are not willing to be open to learning the value of adjusting and whether there's a way to do so that takes into account your feelings about consent/contact.)
  
• How much emphasis is there on the 8 limbs/spirituality? Is this in line with where you are right now? Example: my 500hr was with someone that was a direct disciple for nearly a decade. It had a huge impact on what he taught and how. Had this been the case in my first training it would not have been something I was ok with. For my 500hr it was a perfect fit.
  
• How do they approach ethics? I'd ask specifically what they teach here. If it's a glossing over, honestly I'd ask why. This may be something that longtime teachers don't think as much about covering situationally and in-depth, because for them it's so... common sense. Don't discount those people out of hand, but perhaps suggest that discussion about potential issues is invaluable and that you as a student would find it very useful. I highly recommend this book, though when I first encountered it, as one of the above people, initially felt that it was silly and SO very obvious: https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Yoga-Exploring-Teacher-Student-Relationship/dp/1930485174 - the reality is that as new teachers it's important to think ahead toward how you'd handle the questionable situations you will likely eventually encounter.
  
• Are you ok with the training being a little lighter on the items you are already strong in, if that training also meets your gaps?
  
• Do you realize that as a 200hr training it really is a foundational training, and for someone already teaching, it may be a good amount of review?
  
• Are you open to the notion of 'making your own depth' - be that asking the next question, or doing additional reading based on the topics or concepts covered? Keeping in mind that there's a limit to the time that can be spent in class on topics broader than the intended scope, good teachers will suggest or do some digging for suitable suggestions.
  
• Is some sort of trauma-sensitive training covered or offered?
  
• How much is accessibility discussed?
  
• How is anatomy covered? Is functional anatomy part of that conversation?
  
• Especially for long-time practitioners and those already teaching- are you willing to practice beginner's mind?
  
• Also for those long-time people- do you want to do a training focused on your primary practice? Or do you want to branch out?
  
• Have you considered how you'll respond/handle information that is different- be it a little or fully at odds- with what you have already learned?
  
  
  Other things to consider:
  
  
• Are they excited about training teachers?
  
• What do they love about offering TTs?
  
• Are they open about what they cover?
  
• Can they speak to why/how they have set up the training the way they have? (Example: I cover accessibility because I have training specific to it and it's something I am passionate about.)
  
• If you ask about the program's strengths, can they tell you what and why?
  In short... ask about the program with some direct but open-ended questions. The answers should give you some insight into what's important or at least some opening to ask the questions that will get you to those answers.
  
• Are they open to questions/have they left some time in the syllabus for the specifics of their group?
  
• Should you be looking for a class, or an apprenticeship?
  
  edit 1- a word
  

I'll elaborate a bit on "comfortable seat" meaning asana as I think it's related to the direction of the conversation.

From what I understand approx 5,000 years ago the meditating sages were restless and their bodies were aching from sitting in meditation for long periods of time. The sages decided to develop a set of physical poses and breathing exercises to prepare their bodies to sit in meditation for long periods of time. Thus asana was born. This method (of physical exercise) was designed to help them sit in cross-legged meditation for extended periods. So in that sense asana is a form of exercise, but yoga encompasses much more than just these asanas. Hatha has eight limbs, asana being the third. Above asana are the Yamas and Niyamas. Yamas are morals: compassion/non violence, honesty for example. Niyamas are personal obersvances: Purity, contentment for example. To keep it short yoga in this eight limb path is the process to achieve Samadhi, union w/ the divine, enlightenment. The goal of yoga (if you can view from a goal oriented perspective) is to reach enlightenment.

Why did they have it right? Well this is more of my opinion. The world is rather fucked, has been for awhile. People kill each other because of differences in who they believe is our creator / G.O.D. and to access resources. Yet if we worked together we might see that honoring different gods and having different traditions of spirituality is really fine. How can we know and name all that is god? How do we know we are correct and our neighbor is not? How do we know the true god, while others are confused? We can simple accept each other and let each worship in their own way. Further, with education, peaceful intelligent innovation, and friendly competition we can find a way to give all beings clean water, grow plant based foods for all humans, create shelters for all who want them. The world is abundant. Resources are abundant. Technological developments can be made to share the available resources where-ever there are human populations.

Yet yoga wasn't a practice of the masses in India. As mentioned above it was part of preparing to sit in meditation and was taught to the Brahmacharyis as part of their lives of devotion and study of the divine. A few masters: Sivananda, Paramahansa Yogananda, Yogi Bhajan (to name a few) tried something different. They saw the world needed yoga. They saw that the masses everywhere needed yoga (needed peaceful approach to life). They all eventually were drawn to the LA (hollywood) area of California, some leaving India against their teacher's suggestions with the clothes on their backs and a few dollars in their pockets. They recognized that the part of the globe where I was born (CA) is a hub for innovation, a place of open-minded views, somewhere w/ influence over the world. And this was true. Fast forward about a century and we still have wars. There is so much hate. I think that much of the hate for others (differing in religion, culture, sexual orientation, gender) stems from hating the self. Our deepest hate is self-hate, and we, as a species project it to others because that is easier. With yoga we practice compassion and non-violence as the very first step. We practice morals and personal observances as a way to better ourselves and better the world wide human community. When westerners, those lost souls who manifest their destiny by wiping out native tribes across 1,000s of miles of land, who fight world wars to control resources and assert that their christian patriarchal culture is dominant, practice yoga and embrace the teachings their lives change dramatically for the better. They begin to look inward, to study and practice to better themselves, to become more peaceful beings. Many become yoga teachers and travel the world teaching yoga. That has become a reality. Yoga is available world wide, often taught by people of western decent. This isn't to say that yoga teachers aren't people of all races and cultures from all over the world. But if you look closely at the current leading/famous teachers, they are westerners. The masters were right in that the world needs a path to peace. They were right to recognize that Americans were lost and traveling forward in the wrong direction. They were right to go against 1,000s of years of tradition and their teachers to say that yoga is not just for the few who devote their lives to the pursuit of enlightenment; it is instead a useful tool that any human can benefit form. Yet westerners are a physical culture, we are on the move, we produce, create, do. It's hard for westerners to stop doing, to practice non violence and sit in meditation. But oh, these asanas, these movements that help our bodies be healthy, this is something we relate to... So, asana has become what most people think of when they think of yoga. Almost that asana is what yoga is. Really that is okay. We can start w/ asana. We can get as many people as possible doing this weird yoga thing because ultimately they are practicing yoga and self discipline even if only w/ a narrow approach. As the love of asana deepens many find the true nature of yoga and embrace the other limbs. Asana is the door that western culture takes into the realm of yoga.

Edit:
http://www.sivananda.org/publications/books.html
I suggest The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga by Swami Vishnudevananda, a devote of Swami Sivananda and the founder of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers and Ashrams world wide, named for his teacher, master Sivananda. To put my money where my mouth is I will transfer you bitcoin to purchase a used copy of this book which is available on Amazon used for approx $6USD.

https://www.amazon.com/Complete-Illustrated-Book-Yoga/dp/0517884313 It appears that much of the book (excluding asana) is visible on amazon without buying it.

Edit 2: I wrote much of this from memory. If I got part of the history wrong I humbly apologize. If I offended anyone in discussing Westerners, Americans, Christians, Patriarchy, ect. please excuse my words. I myself am a westerner. I am American (yet I apologize and am deeply embarrassed and ashamed by the current presidential administration). I speak from experience regarding self hate. I practice yoga and offer the above only as a means to better myself and others and do not intend to offend anyone as I speak in generalizations and opinion.

I love this book for understanding the physical practice
http://www.amazon.com/The-Key-Poses-Yoga-Scientific/dp/1607432390/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1396563465&sr=8-2&keywords=yoga+pose+books

For the ethical/discipline base of yoga, this is a short, easy, and really helpful read. Non-harming, non-clinging, etc.

http://www.amazon.com/Yamas-Niyamas-Exploring-Ethical-Practice/dp/0974470643/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396563657&sr=1-1&keywords=the+yamas+and+niyamas+by+deborah+adele

For the pure philosophy, I'm a fan of this book on Tantra(where yoga came from). It's overwhelming the first time through, but there is so much powerful knowledge locked up in here
http://www.amazon.com/Tantra-Illuminated-Philosophy-Practice-Tradition/dp/0989761304

This is a great book on mindfullness with some applicable meditation techniques framed for the modern day, but it's all based on ancient teachings

http://www.amazon.com/Search-Inside-Yourself-Unexpected-Achieving/dp/0062116924/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1396563508&sr=8-1&keywords=search+inside+yourself

Also, the Chakra system is fascinating and Anodea Judith offers some guided meditations. This book is really helpful and accessible

http://www.amazon.com/Wheels-Life-Chakra-System-Llewellyns/dp/0875423205

And, diet. This book helped me shift my diet in a way that's been extremely helpful
http://www.amazon.com/Eat-Taste-Heal-Ayurvedic-Cookbook-Modern-Living/dp/0976917009/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1396563932&sr=1-1&keywords=eat+taste+heal

These have been some of the most influential books in my practice. Hope they help!

I know you said one, but I'm going to recommend two books as a totally comprehensive study. The first is Light on Yoga because it's a complete compendium of all the asanas you'll ever want to do with step by step instructions. However there a no modifications in the book itself.

For that, I highly recommend Your Body Your Yoga by Bernie Clark. (https://www.amazon.com/Your-Body-Yoga-Alignment-Skillful/dp/0968766536/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1486140527&sr=8-1&keywords=your+body+your+yoga)
It's an extremely thorough explanation of body mechanics and is enlightening for figuring out how and why your body moves and how to listen to make sure your modifying asanas so they work best for you.

Between the two, you'll have an understanding of asana and how to make them work for you. If you're savvy, you should be able to get both books slightly used, or even new for about $20 (check abebooks.com and amazon 3rd party sellers).

Lastly, if you're truly on a budget and can't afford to get both at once, or want to preview the books before you buy, check out your library. Even if they don't own the books, you should be able to request them through interlibrary loan. This is what I did, I think I borrowed over 20 books over the course of 3 months and eventually settled on the two I mentioned above as a "complete" home yoga library that I use regularly.

I think Jillian is great for people who arent so much interested in the "spirituality" aspect. She might move fast for some people but if you're familiar with working out, you'd be fine.

Rodney Yee would be easiest to find in a Target. I'm not a huge fan but I know tons of people who swear by him. (there's a whole Gaiam line that probably would have Sean Corne and stuff)

Also, Yoga Journal's Beginning Yoga Step by Step: Session One - Three (amazon link)

Also, you could try a yogavibes or yogaglo subscription. They might even have like a 15 day trial for free. You'll have to enter in your CC info but I've done it before with yogavibes (I think) and they are easy to discontinue and dont hassle you to sign up. They have a lot of better quality yoga vids than youtube would.

Sadie Nardini and Esther and Tara Stiles are my youtube go tos. Esther can be boring though (sorry, my opinion!). Tara Stiles vids run short (like 5 minutes long) and she's super flexible so it's hard to know what a good modification is.

My go to bet would be Jillian's DVD: Yoga Meltdown.
$8 on amazon.
Here's a 25 min sample (YouTube link).

You might like the ashtanga sequence. It has a pretty good emphasis on strength and upper body compared to other styles, and it's widely popular so lots of good information is floating around. I'd recommend starting out with at least a class or two from a studio, and then you might like to check out a practice guide like Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual or The Power of Ashtanga Yoga if you prefer more or less the same thing with a woman modelling the poses. Both have lots of useful information, I refer to David Swensons book quite often for my daily practice.

Ramayana: The Divine Loophole by Sanjay Patel is a gorgeously illustrated Hindu myth.

The Mirror of Yoga by Richard Freeman is a great exploration of all things yoga.

And I would love to get this book of gorgeous yoga photographs called Michael O'Neill: On Yoga, The Architecture of Peace

Congratulations. While not every practice is great, the best sessions get even better.

Take at least a few classes, it is really hard to know what you're doing in terms of alignment until an instructor corrects you. In a similar vein, I think everyone should work slowly through a book that describes each asana in great detail. It might take ten or fifteen minutes to translate what the book says into physical posture, you might only work through one or two poses per practice, but you really learn it. I'm not a huge fan of Baron Baptiste's style, but Journey into Power has great descriptions of the asana. Dynamic Yoga is another book with great descriptions of the poses.

Most studios have mats you can borrow, but you will still want something of your own. At your level, any 1/4" thick mat will do. If you've got Prime, you can have one of these on Tuesday. Personally, I like to use a hand towel to reduce slipping and occasionally mop off my face. Sure, you can use whatever workout towel you use under your hands or even get a cotton hand towel at a discount store, but I went ahead and spent $10 on a genuine Yogarat hand towel (I'm also a cheapskate and use it to tie up my mat for travel rather than a bag or strap). If you aren't doing hot yoga (such as Bikram), there's no point in a mat-sized towel because it won't stick right without being just slightly damp.

Namaste!

for me there's never been only one that stood out, but here's a few of the best:

by far one of the easiest to understand and best interpretations of the classic 7000 year old yoga text of Patanjali:

[The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali by Swami Satchidananda] (http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Sutras-Patanjali-Swami-Satchidananda/dp/1938477073/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1407625341&sr=8-1&keywords=patanjali+yoga+sutras)


The father of modern yoga and the Guruji of B.K.S. Iyengar and Patabi Jois:

Krishnamacharya: His Life and Teachings

Also a must read:




The Hatha Yoga Pradipika

This video is pretty easy, and it's an hour routine. Super, super relaxing.

That's great that you were able to stick with yoga because I personally would have been very turned off by that kind of approach. Ultimately, it did embarrass you though and I think that teacher could have handled it better. There are ways to adjust students without pointing out they are doing something wrong and subsequently embarrassing them. My favorite yoga teacher always demos poses she sees us " doing wrong." She will also say things like draw your belly button into the back of your spine, or shoulders parallel to the floor, etc. Those cues may help. It also eliminates any embarrassment because she is not singling out just one person.

Some of the things I have heard my teachers say that really made me stick with yoga:

• There is not right or wrong way to do yoga
  
  
• Adjustments do not mean you are doing a pose wrong, it is also to guide you deeper into a pose
  
  
• Accept that where you are right now is exactly where you need to be
  
  
• The success of yoga does not lie in the ability to perform postures but in how it positively changes the way we live our life and our relationships.
  
  
• All that matters is you made it to your mat and have taken time out of your day to honor yourself
  
  I think your intentions are good. But, please try to be more compassionate towards "'complete' beginners/students who are confused" who "don't know poses." People show up to their mat for many different reasons. And for me it is my safe place, away from my anxiety and stress of the day, a place I feel that no one is judging me and I can just be. If I want to do a chinstand, I will damn well do it because it is for ME and no one else.
  
  
  I had a similar teacher to you when I was fat, overweight, and could barely hold crow. Needless to say, I never took her class again. What worked for you may not work for others so please keep that in mind. It is easy to judge the flaws of your students, especially beginners, but try to put yourself in their shoes.
  
  Give them some credit for showing up to their mat.
  
  
• Guide them into being proficient yoga practitioners both MIND and BODY.
  
  
  Yoga is not just about performing postures, it is also how your practice translates into your life. Being mindful, being able to breathe through stressful times in your life (similar to when you are in difficult poses), and being present in your life.
  
  If you have the time please read this book by Baron Baptiste: http://www.amazon.com/Journey-Into-Power-Baron-Baptiste/dp/0743227824

I don't know this DVD and don't have scoliosis, but Elise is great. She co-owns the local Iyengar studio, teaches specialized back care classes, and offers workshops nationally. If you have questions or run into problems, I can almost guarantee that she'll do her best to clarify things by email.

Yoga for Scoliosis, either from Amazon or from [Elise's own site] (http://www.ebmyoga.com/store?id=3).

Light On Yoga has been enormously influential for me. A wonderful resource even for non-Iyengar people.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0805210318/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1407672746&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Yoga Anatomy has some of the most detailed illustrations of asanas I've ever seen and includes a huge amount of alignment information.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1450400248/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1407672879&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

Lastly, my personal favourite is The Power of Ashtanga Yoga. It could be argued that other books have more asanas or more detailed descriptions (see above), but this book is my favourite because it helped me figure out what it means to be a young westerner practicing an ancient tradition from India. It also helps that the author is very open about the challenges she faced in her practice, which is refreshing and encouraging when I work on mine. Highly recommended.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1611800056/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?qid=1407672988&sr=8-1&pi=SY200_QL40

For a beginner I would recommend a 1/4" thick mat that's pretty thick and comfortable. it won't kill your hands and legs while learning the basic poses.

http://www.amazon.com/YogaAccessories-TM-Extra-Density-Phthalate/dp/B000PUHFQW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1376686065&sr=8-2&keywords=yoga+mat

my favorite yoga mat (though more expensive) is the Jade yoga mat. It's slightly thinner but has better grip technology and texture for harder poses...less opportunities to slip.

http://www.amazon.com/Jade-Harmony-Professional-Yoga-Midnight/dp/B000EC9LMM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1376686234&sr=8-1&keywords=jade+yoga+mat

I found that because my depression was accompanied by a lot of social anxiety, beginning with some yoga videos was most helpful. While I was doing my counseling and on my anti-depressants, I slowly added in some routine yoga time each day.

Personally, I really liked Ashley Turner's videos when I first began my practice. I found that they really helped with my anxiety and depression.. and would even lessen some of my insomnia symptoms: http://www.amazon.com/Element-Yoga-Stress-Relief-Flexibility/dp/B00429C1W0/ref=pd_cp_mov_1

Good luck. The best thing I've learned from doing yoga is that even our experiences that seem the most permanent and stable are temporary. Hope the darkness clears for you soon.

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-The-Iyengar-Silva-Mehta/dp/0679722874/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1410819855&sr=8-1&keywords=yoga+the+iyengar+way

This book contains courses that you can do at home. I realized that I'd rather do some yoga everyday rather than 2-3 1.5 hour classes per week. I'm currently doing the Beginner course (12 weeks) and each lesson takes me about 20 to 30 minutes to complete. For further example, the General Practitioner and Intermediate courses run for 18 months. In addition, the pictures and descriptions are awesome. It's a sustainable form of practice for me. I'm really happy with it!

Edit: Yikes, I just noticed you asked for videos and not book recs. I'll leave this here nonetheless in the off chance that it's helpful.

I got this one when it was still $10... Fantastic, sturdy bag w/3 zipper pockets and a water bottle holder, still a great deal at $15. Love it.

my best friend is also a yoga instructor and she absolutely love this book http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Yoga-Reasons-Theres-Nothing/dp/0060533390/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1323228316&sr=8-1

Here's a few more ideas for you:

• Theracane (use several times a day, as recommended by book in next bullet point)
  
• The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook
  
• Dry needling (in some states a PT can do this; in other states an accupunturist can approximate this, or a sports medicine doctor can do it)
  
• The Mind-Body Prescription - I know this sounds like mumbo-jumbo, but there's truly some good evidence that trigger points are partially/largely a physical response to psychological issues. When nothing else works, I highly recommend keeping an open mind and trying this out - I thought it sounded ridiculous, but after years of pain it cured my inability to use my right hand at work (for a mouse) in just a week. Lots of success stories from programmers here.

I am by no means an expert. I only started practicing myself a couple months ago. But I think simply by regularly practicing yoga your flexibility will increase.

You could try Yoga for Stress Relief and Flexibility. I haven't done that DVD but I have another one from the Element series and I really love it. In the one I have the teacher gives modifications for poses if you can't do them fully yet. Some days I am feeling more limber and I can do the full pose other days I take advantage of those modifications.

I would recommend a Yin yoga practice once or twice a week. I use this program: http://www.amazon.com/Yin-Yoga-Foundations-Quiet-Practice/dp/B000B5871I/

There is a hip series in there that works very hard on the pelvis, and a spine series that goes after the hamstrings as well. I find that these long stretches have been great for me. However, be warned that they can be quite gruelling the first few times. This work will free up your hips and teach you what are just the natural ranges of your body.

Warrior series will also be good, but you have to really work on the extension of the rear leg and the pelvis position and your alignment. Over time this will help you, especially in combination with the yin. If you're in the correct alignment you will feel a significant stretch across the front hip of the rear leg - focus on pushing through the rear heel. Crescent pose might work but you might find that without the anchored heel you cannot get the pelvis where it needs to be.

As for downward dog, it just takes a long time and you shouldn't try and force it. It's more important to have a straight back and work the pelvis than it is to have straight legs and your feet flat. Get the first part right with bent knees and then you can try to straighten your legs.

The pelvis/hips are difficult to get into. I found that a mix of deep stretching (address the symptom) combined with work to strengthen/equalize the musculature (address the cause) was the way to fix it.

Calling /r/nimblenumbus ...how would you feel about this? I'm going to throw out Happy Yoga by Steve Ross, just because I own it already and it's such a joyful little book. It's been a few years since I've read this, but it's a very lighthearted approach to yoga and a fun read. I'm open to absolutely anything though.

I'm a yoga teacher so I feel like I should totally be able to answer your questions, but since I don't actually know a whole lot about scoliosis (even though I know people that have it)... I can only suggest to you a book and a DVD.

I would also suggest an Iyengar class if you're interested. Iyengar is the yoga for modifications and alignment. Dare I say they know their anatomy and special needs cases better than anyone else.

Yea, you can buy Paul Grilleys DVDs and he guides you through a practice pretty nicely. He also explains what yin yoga is on the tutorial part. I definitely recommend it. http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000B5871I/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/180-4104451-2543555

I started yoga for back pain and one of the things I realized is that back pain is often linked to lots of different areas of the body. Of course I can't relate to your back pain, only speak from my own experience which was not injury, but posture related. Edit I saw below you said you had a spinal fracture, so do take this advice with a grain of salt..just speaking from my own experience.

But I found that having tight ham strings and hips contributed to my back pain but then I had tight hamstrings because of issues with my quads, etc. Basically everything is connected and I found it important to take a holistic approach. So I would suggest not only focusing on upper back but doing full body work with an emphasis on your upper back.

But I would recommend (in addition to cat cows):

• Extended child's pose (one addition I use is to grip the ground with my palms, extend and then pull using my upper back muscles..you get a very good pull across your upper back)
  
• Down dog and up dog
  
• Low cobra
  
• Extend opposite arm and leg from hands and knees (dunno if this pose has another name)
  
• Warrior 3 (if your back is up to it..can be a bit intense)
  
• Hollow body position
  
• Locust pose
  
• Puppy dog pose
  
• Feet up the wall
  
  And then I highly, highly recommend getting a theracane (https://www.amazon.com/Thera-Cane-JMAS5000-Massager/dp/B000PRMCJU/ref=sr_1_1_s_it?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1479620918&sr=1-1&keywords=theracane). You can work on problematic trigger points much better in your back. I use this every day.
  
  Edit 2: Let me also suggest Mobility WOD. https://www.mobilitywod.com/. Not yoga related but may give some good info

I use these YogaRat Hand Towels

I handwash them after each class since they dry quickly enough. Honestly though, if you just use a regular hand towel, it'll work about the same. If I forget to wash my YogaRat, I use grab a regular handtowel and never had a problem. A regular handtowel might actually be more cushion for your hands if you need/like that.

Rodney Yee's dvds are good. I've been using Nicki Doane's Beginner Ashtanga Yoga dvd and I think it's a nice introduction.

There are also lots of recommendations in the FAQs: here, here, here, and here

You should try going to a few classes though so a teacher can check your alignment, or at least get a book that has detailed descriptions of the poses, like Yoga the Iyengar Way.

I had typed out a pretty long unfriendly response about how I feel about expensive yoga clothes. I deleted all of it.

Yoga, like any sport, you usually get what you pay for in equipment. The more expensive stuff uses natural materials and someone like manduka will stand behind their product whereas a no-name brand on the internet probably won't.

this is what i use. It is nothing fancy, and it isn't made out of recycled anything. I needed it quickly and I've been using it over a year. It's larger, and an odd color (which I like).

My favorite however is a towel on the grass. Unfortunately I don't get to do that as often as I'd like.

I don't really know about anything early. Patanjali never wrote about Chakras in the Yoga Sutras, as far as I can remember. Yoga (not asana practice, but the full philosophical system) and the Chakra psychological system are different ways of looking at things, but can definitely be integrated.
A great book is "Eastern Body, Western Mind" by Anodea Judith for the Chakra system. We studied it in my Yoga Teacher Training.

EDIT: I accidentally l ft out a letter.

Good book recommendations in the comments here! The following was one of the first yoga books I read, and I am recently rediscovering it in Kindle format, but you can still get the paperback. Based on what you are looking for, you may find it useful:
The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga

If you dont mind a little anatomy, i suggest the key poses of yoga . It was (and still is) an eye opener for me. Not really a set of sequences for every day, but a very good source to look at yoga from a little different perspective

The Key Poses of Yoga is a great resource.

EDIT: And also Hatha Yoga Illustrated.

You should recommend Donna Farhi's book on teacher student relationships to her. I'm sorry you're dealing with this and hope that your yoga practice provides a structure of support for remaining compassionate towards your body and mental state.

Yes you're both consenting adults, but she is providing a professional service in a community/culture where overstepping sexual boundaries are a relatively frequent issue. I think we can all agree a teacher making a move on us, no matter how welcome or not, colors our perception of the studio and what we are there to learn. Not to mention it can affect the experience of the other students around us. Some studio owners have stricter rules about this than we know.

Students may not realize it, but teachers learn (or should learn) about this topic during their trainings and it is a lifelong endeavor. Anyone who deals with an imbalanced transactional relationship (teachers, therapists, counselors, doctors/nurses/EMTs, bartenders, etc.) has to face appropriate boundary setting and also how to manage students' potential lack of boundaries. It's a difficult but educational process.

This book has a pretty in depth breakdown of poses, and a philosophy section, and a bunch of sequences in the back. We used it in my college yoga class.

Yoga: The Iyengar Way: The New Definitive Illustrated Guide https://www.amazon.com/dp/0679722874/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_zwCjybMJSWGQH

Do you mean the 8 Sutras of Patanjali? http://www.expressionsofspirit.com/yoga/eight-limbs.htm
If this is what you were thinking of I highly recommend the following book: http://amzn.com/1938477073

Elise Browning Miller has studied scoliosis for many years and trains yoga therapists in how to work with scoliosis. She has a DVD available: http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Scoliosis-Elise-Browning-Miller/dp/B000AB0Z4A and a book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000N5CFHS/ref=dp_olp_0?ie=UTF8&condition=all for when you're ready to buy some reference materials.

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Sutras-Patanjali-Swami-Satchidananda/dp/1938477073


This is the one I have and referred to in teacher training. I like it.

The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali

Yoga Your Home Practice Companion (Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre)
http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Companion-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centre/dp/1405349182

Yoga Mind & Body
http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mind-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centrehttp://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Mind-Sivananda-Vedanta-Centre/dp/0789404478/

The Complete Illustrated Book of Yoga
http://www.amazon.com/The-Complete-Illustrated-Book-Yoga/dp/0517884313

My suggestion would be finding DVDs or books at the library. If you have the time, do reading on yoga sequencing or the Ashtanga Primary Series, the latter of which is very physically demanding (yet meditative) and should keep you occupied for several years. There also exists books on yoga and depression.

Good luck on your journey. I'm using yoga to treat anxiety problems and it's working wonders.