If you stepped into my bedroom you would see them sprawled across my room in various states of highlighting, dog-earedness, underlined or simply laying open. I am not one to begin a book and read it straight through without starting another along the way. I have realized over the years that I am an integrator, I do not like to separate knowledge into distinct categories. I believe all information is valid to all parts of life and I like to mix, match and compare what I am reading at any given time. When my involvement in yoga began to deepen I realized how many amazing books on the subject exist. From classics like Autobiography of a Yogi to the newest releases that seem to come out weekly there is a lot of yoga reading to do. In periodic blog installments I will cover books that I have read and recommend to yogis at any level of practice. These are books that have impacted me and I hope they do the same for you.

The first yoga book that moved me profoundly was written by Boston based Vinyasa teacher Rolf Gates. Meditations from the Mat was published in 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, making it a rather recent entry into the yoga canon. However, in the decade since its publication Rolf’s book has gained wide acclaim and is very often sold in yoga studios nationwide. There are many reasons why Meditations has earned attention but foremost is that it comes directly from Rolf’s heart. He covers his unique personal history in the book though this information is interspersed within the larger philosophical text and arc of the book. Rolf structures his book in chapters that are based on the “Yamas” and “Niyamas”  from Patanjali’s Ashtanga Yoga system. The Yamas are essentially things you don’t want to do as a yogi and the Niyamas are practices of right living. Gates’ has a wonderful ability to translate these ancient teachings to the modern world of the working man and woman. He relates his experiences as an adopted child, high school athlete, soldier, alcoholic, addictions counselor, and yoga teacher to communicate how Patanjali’s work is relevant to you and me. The chapters are divided into a total of 365 sections, one entry for each day of the year making the book easily accessible and applicable to any moment in your life. You can sit down and read a “month” at a time or take the book in chunks, using each entry to contemplate and reflect. Gates also starts each entry with quotes from all walks of life, Einstein to Pearl Jam. Meditations from the Mat is an indispensable book for the modern yogi.