Favorite Books
These are the books and other resources I've found to be the most informative, helpful, and effective (listed in alphabetical order) relating to Ayurveda, stress management, holistic health, and increasing overall well-being and happiness. You may or may not agree with me, but at least it's a starting place for your continued explorations for living a better, happier life. Enjoy!
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Planetary Herbology , by Dr. Michael Tierra
This is the book I've used the most when looking up the energetics of herbs. Michael Tierra has studied American Indian herbalism, the traditional oriental healing systems of China and India, and has studied with Dr. John Christopher. He is one of the best known and respected herbalists today. This book is an herbalist's dream - giving the information for over 400 medicinal herbs, including: the energetics, the meridians affected, the parts of the herb used, it's active constituents, it's properties and it's uses.
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The Yoga of Herbs: An Ayurvedic Guide to Herbal Medicine, by Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad
This is another great reference book about more than 250 herbs. This book has a lot of background information about Ayurveda, explains the doshas in detail, discusses herbal energetics and properties, and the management of individual physical constitution. I use this one almost as much as the Planetary Herbology book. |
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Ayurveda: a Life of Balance, by Maya Tiwari
This is one of the most interesting books about Ayurveda I've ever
read. Written by a Vedic nun who used to have a successful design
career in New York and was forced to reexamine her life when she was
diagnosed with cancer, this book gives you an indepth "feel' of what a
balanced, back-to-basics life is like based on Ayurveda's simple wisdom.
Her
story is a profound testament to the healing power of balanced living,
and also contains a lot of practical information, including recipes,
and how to organize your kitchen to get the most benefit from your
food.
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The Ayurvedic Cookbook, by Almadea Morningstar
This
is a wonderful resource for anyone interested in learning the basic
concepts of Ayurveda and how to apply them to the demands of modern
life. In addition to general info about Ayurveda and easy to prepare recipes, she includes the history of Ayurveda,
detailed information about the three elemental body types (vata, pitta,
kapha), how to balance your constitution, and how to strengthen your
digestion. The author also discuss the best way to prepare your
kitchen for cooking Ayurveda menus, how to cook in accordance with the
seasons and how to plan meals. This is a wonderful book to have in the kitchen, as well as its "sister" book,
Ayurvedic Cooking for Westerners, by Almadea Morningstar
The
first part of the book covers the same information as the first book,
but the recipes take Western recipes and give them an Ayurvedic
treatment. There is more detailed, indepth discussion about differences
between the Western and traditional Ayurvedic dietary approaches. If
you want to incorporate Ayurvedic principles in your diet, but find
that you're cooking for others with a strictly Western palate, this is
a handy book to have. You can take a classic Western recipe and make it
so it is more harmonious with your physical constitution and those of
your family and friends.
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The Complete Book of Ayurvedic Home Remedies� by Vasant Lad, B.A.M.S., M.A.Sc.
Use
this book at many levels -- for information on how to approach common
ailments, as a guide for safe, easy detoxification protocols that can
be done at home, for a clear explanation of the doshas and other
Ayurvedic concepts. There's a lot of information in this book, and it's
clearly presented and well-organized. This book is one of the books
about Ayurveda I recommend most to my clients for use at home.
Dr.
Lad is a world-reknown expert on Ayurveda (and the teacher of my
teacher, Candis Cantin). Born in India, he served three years
as the medical director of the Ayurvedic Hospital in Pune, India. He
currently serves as the director for the Ayurvedic Institute in
Albuquerque, New Mexico. |
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The Four Agreements, by don Miguel Ruiz
This
is a great little book, written in plain, common-sense language by a
true Toltec Shaman about an approach to life that will spare you a lot
of grief if you follow the principles. The four agreements are: don't
take things personally, always do your best, be impeccable with your
word, and don't make assumptions. The principles of The Four
Agreements are readily applied to
everyday life... it's like a manual on how to get along with people
with the least amount of trouble.
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The Four Elements of Change, by Heather Ash Amara (forward by Vickie Noble
You can overcome your resistance to change and achieve your highest
potential by using the simple practices you will discover in The Four
Elements of Change. Heather Ash weaves together a synthesis of the most
powerful tools from many spiritual traditions, including European
shamanism, Toltec wisdom, and Buddhism to support us in achieving our
highest potential.
The transition between living within familiar
boundaries and living large often depends on a conscious use of the
four elements: Air - the Mental body and perception; Fire - Spiritual body and
cleansing; Water - Emotional body and openness; Earth - Physical body and
nourishment. Heather Ash is the founder of the Toltec Center of Creative Intent
in Berkeley, CA and the creator of nationwide SpiritWeavers programs,
designed to support spirit-based community. She studied and
taught extensively with don Miguel Ruiz, author of The Four Agreements,
and is a Mentor in his Eagle Knight lineage.
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Pocket Guide to Ayurveda, by Candis Cantin Packard
This is a concise, yet easy to understand
guide to the ancient healing philosophy of Ayurveda. Written by Candis
Cantin Packard, a professional herbalist and Ayurveda Lifestyle
Counselor. Travel size - take it with you to the grocery store as a handy reference,
or when you're on the road. Full of practical suggestions on how
to approach common ailments and how to select food and lifestyle best suited to you. Candis studied with Dr. Vasant Lad, and is an acclaimed artist, Ayurvedic practitioner, and a founding member of the Herbalist Guid. I'm proud to say she was my teacher in this area of study.
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Relax & Renew, by Judith Lasater
This
lovely book focuses on Restorative Yoga to help nourish the body's
energy, unwind from a stressful day, and enhance well-being. Clear
descriptions of how to prepare for and do the postures, background
about the effects of stress and how yoga can help, with many photos to
help you learn how to do these postures. The book includes: a general sequence of supported yoga postures and breathing techniques to heal the effects of chronic stress; programs for back pain, headaches, insomnia, jet lag, and breathing problems; a special section for women during menstruation, pregnancy and menopause; and practical suggestions that help you prevent stress and live more fully in the present moment.
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Yoga for Your Type: An Ayurvedic Approach to your Asana Practice, by Dr. David Frawley and Sandra Summerfield Kozak, M.S.
This book has
everything you need to integrate the ancient wisdom of Ayurveda with
your yoga practice. Multiple photos on every page, a detailed and clear explanation of
how the asana affects the doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha, and an excellent explanation of the basic concepts of Ayurveda. |
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Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, by Robert M. Sapolsky
The best book I've ever read that describes the mechanisms of stress and the effects (both short and long term) on the body. Filled with bits of odd and interesting information, personal anectodes, and clearly written information about cutting-edge research -- this is a key book for our times. I believe history will peg this era as one where stress generated many chronic diseases. This is a must-read if you want to understand the effects of stress, and enormously entertaining.
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