When I first started practicing yoga, I was drawn to the physicality of the practice.  As a long time dancer, I welcomed the deep stretching and the free form movement vinyasa style of classes offered.  The spirituality of yoga has a way of seeping in sometimes slowly over time and others it comes like a train barreling down the track.  Years ago I was in savasana when the teacher read an excerpt from Meditations From the Mat; Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga by Rolf Gates and the reading was so powerful because I identified wholeheartedly with his experience that I quietly sobbed (as best one can do in a room full of people) my way through savasana.  The book has been my companion since and over the years has been my go to reference for learning more about yoga philosophy specifically Pantanjali’s 8 Limbs of Yoga.  Rolf takes the 8 Limbs and writes 365 personal essays as offerings of explanations of each Limb through relatable, applicable examples of his own life experiences.

– Keegan White, ERYT500