I teach a bunch of classes in public libraries. I love teaching in libraries because I can reach people who wouldn’t necessarily ever go to a yoga studio. They feel the library is more welcoming and more their style. In support of the overall mission of libraries, I always include a reading in these classes. Sometimes I choose a selection of a longer work but I like poetry because it’s a complete short thought. I try to choose poems that support the theme of that day’s practice. This is a list of many of the poems from the second half of 2018. I hope these poems support your yoga practice and inspire you.
Poems to support your yoga practice:
To My Child by Fu Tianlin from Women of the Red Plain.
Adventures in New Testament Greek: Nous by Scott Cairns from Compass of Affection: Poems, New and Selected – This is a lovely yoga poem as it’s about embodied breath
The Chase by Rupi Kaur from The Sun and Her Flowers
A Thought When Noon is Hot by Harley Graves
Priceless Gifts by Anna Swir from The Poetry of Impermanence, Mindfulness and Joy
Taking the Hands by Robert Bly
A Thanksgiving Meditation by Naomi King from the Unitarian Universalists Association
Selections from longer works to support your yoga practice:
A selection from the Inspiration and Aspiration post from the Zen Habits blog
A selection from Life’s Journeys According to Mister Rogers: Things to Remember Along the Way
Readings from Light on the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali
If you’d like to review other compilations of readings from my library classes see:
Poetry for Yoga Class Readings
If you want to read my original work, look for Water Yoga, coming July 2022.
*This post contains Amazon affiliate links. Books purchased through these links cost you the same amount. I will get a tiny commission that I use to support my yoga book habit. Thanks for your consideration.