Books to ease you into darker nights.

1/ Robin Rothenberg – Restoring Prana

Anyone interested in Pranayama as taught in the classical texts (Patanjali, Hatha Yoga Pradipika etc) would do well to read this. This book is a bit of a bible for me and, along with the Oxygen Advantage, changed how I teach breath. It covers Buteyko breathing and the crossover with classical Pranayama, the health risks of dysfunctional breathing, and how breath is poorly taught in most yoga classes.

 

 

2/ Steven Pressfield – The War of Art

Steven Pressfield is one of the most inspirational people alive. His life has been a journey of coming up against “resistance” – things in our shadow that sabotage our efforts. You can’t help but be moved by his story and the conclusions he reached. If you don’t want to read the book, check out his interview with Rich Roll on the RRP.

 

 

 

3/ David Goggins – Can’t Hurt Me

Okay, so he’s a tough guy. But I have learned more from David Goggins than probably anyone else. Sometimes the message comes in an unlikely form! Former Navy Seal and ultra-athlete, he believes anything is possible and pretty much achieves anything he puts his mind too. If you don’t want to read, check out RRP.

 

 

 

4/ Max Fisher – The Chaos Machine

So, we all know that social media is changing society, the way we vote, and the way we think. But do you realise to what extent? This book is an in-depth look at social media, the lack of accountability by the big companies, how the algorithms work, and why it’s as addictive as a narcotic. Trust me, you will be far more careful about your social media use after reading this!

 

 

5/ Stephen Guise – How to be an Imperfectionist

I am the sort of person who has struggled with being anything but perfect. I’ve always known it was a curse not a blessing, and this book certainly confirmed that. It’s not the best written book, and the author spends way too much time talking about his lack of love life. However, there are some interesting points and if this is something you also suffer from, then I would highly recommend it.