Meditations on Intention and Being: Daily Reflections on the Path of Yoga, Mindfulness, and Compassion

by Rolf Gates

Take the mindfulness of yoga off the mat and integrate it into every aspect of life with 365 inspirational daily reflections from acclaimed yoga teacher Rolf Gates.
 
Gates draws on twenty years of teaching experience to help readers—from experienced yogis to novices seeking a little tranquility—fundamentally reconsider their relationships with their minds, bodies, and the universe around them through self-reflection. 

Over the course of seven chapters, he explores Effortlessness, Nonviolence, The Spirit of Practice, Mindfulness, Compassion and Loving-kindness, Equanimity and Joy, and Intention and Being, giving readers the tools they need to effect positive changes in their lives.

Genres: Nonfiction, Spirituality, Meditation, Personal Development, Self Help

384 pages, Paperback

First published December 8, 2015

Reviews

[Elyse Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rolf Gates, has traveled around the world teaching and meeting thousands of people
interested in yoga.
I've personally had the pleasure to take a class from him myself... as he lives in Santa Cruz
With his wife and children.
As a yoga teacher for many years- it became clear to him as he listened to the ever-changing
needs of his students...that the initial phase in adoption of yoga by mainstream -
primarily a physical practice in Western Culture- that people are looking for something deeper.

Rolf Gates sees 'thousands' of people. He is with them in an environment where often inner
most truths surface. For all practical purposes, Rolf wrote this book to help support people actualize their intentions in the areas of health, happiness , love, laughter, and greatness.
In other words... 'going deeper'. Adding more meaning to our physical practice of yoga. Or... if not even doing yoga -- bringing the beneficial qualities from yoga to our every day lives with our families- employment- connections with others in the world. These practices and philosophies support us in being a better person. ( even if you never take a class on the sticky mat)

Rolf's book teaches how to live well and love well --
He teaches how to respond with wisdom & compassion - when feeling fearful and angry --
He teaches how to turn purity of the hearts intention into an authentic way of being.

In "Meditations on Intention and Being", Rolf Gates provides readers with an ancient set of instructions. The book is laid out in seven chapters....
offering teachings of the Buddha and Patanjali. He includes a discussion of nonviolence and the spirit of practice. He also makes a case that ethics and attitude offer an individual both personal freedom and the ability to live with purpose.

Intertwine with these instructions... Rolf shares about his personal life throughout the book.
Past experience with the military made him a passionate learner. Having 'fallen down' as a teenager with drugs and alcohol -twelve-step program - (he contended with what felt like a
permanently broken heart) ...but he got back up. The idea was to pour himself into a path of service sharing the love and beauty he found insobriety. He genuinely discovered a new enthusiasm for life.... And has never forgotten the 'joy' of his painful-addictive years 'taught' him.
After five years of being sober, he began working in residential facilities to offer treatment for adolescents with behavior disorders. He worked with many children that suffered PTSD ...and 'their' pain revealed the extent to which Rolf had not dealt with his own dramatic history and how it was affecting his life.
Yoga is where he went to sort things out.

Many years later...he continues to offer his kindness, generosity, vision, wisdom, inspiration, and leadership.

This is a beautiful book - of loving kindness- daily reflections- empowering practices of yoga-mindfulness-and compassion.
The book can be read from beginning to end...( which I did).... But it's so be picked up in the middle... and enjoy reading a daily essay.

Thank You to Knopf Doubleday Publishing, Netgalley, and Rolf Gates.

[Kelly]

Visiting this every morning after meditation was lovely. Some sections will resonate more than others, but so many really nailed a lot of what has been on my mind in regards to living yoga, as opposed to doing yoga.

[Artemisia Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the page-a-day book that I used for daily inspiration in 2023. I’d used yoga teacher Rolf Gates’ previous book Meditations on the Mat a few years ago in this way and found both books to be a wonderful way to begin my daily yoga practice. Once again, I was impressed by Gates’ candor as well as his earned wisdom as a person who seems to walk his talk in a very deep way. I was also delighted to see that this second book goes even deeper than the first. More testament to the power of a daily spiritual practice to promote one’s personal growth in a purposeful way.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful book that provides clarity and peace. This book has 365 readings so it can be read little by little but it also provides a blast of inspiration if you read it straight through. Will be a guide and reference for life.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book that collects the short meditations to be read every day throughout the year to reflect, with the help of yoga intended more as a form of philosophy thank one of gymnastics, on how we can become better people. Interesting but read everything below is rather boring, so I recommend you really read a meditation a day.

Libro che raccoglie delle brevi meditazioni da leggersi ogni giorno per tutto l'anno per riflettere, con l'aiuto della yoga inteso piú come forma di filosofia che di ginnastica, sul modo in cui potremmo diventare persone migliori. Interessante ma letto tutto di seguito risulta piuttosto noioso, quindi vi consiglio di leggere davvero una meditazione al giorno.

THANKS TO EDELWEISS AND ANCHOR FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

2018 Daily Inspirational Read
ends with the perfect New Year's Wish:
"May you be safe, may you be healthy, may you be happy, may you find your freedom, may you know peace, and may you walk through the world with ease."
#namaste 💖💕

[Brittany Castilow · Rating 5 out of 5]

“When I let myself off the hook everyone else came with me” 🤍✨ Rolf and his writing are so relatable. As a therapist I appreciate him sharing his journey with addiction and helping others through it.

[Sherry · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 * I am not a yoga person though this book made me want to be. I am a person who practices mindfulness and meditation and I found the principles of his yoga practice very much in keeping and in alignment with my own. I have started many daily devotional type books that inspire and encourage a spiritual practice but this is the first one I actually finished. Towards the end, it seemed he had less to offer and was more perhaps a wee bit self indulgent. I thought the sun and moon analogy began to make less sense as he utilized it in several of the latter writings. Otherwise this would have been a solid 5* read for me. I do believe I am going to do something I seldom do and just begin reading this again.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

The very fact that I actually read this whole book in a little over a year speaks volumes for it. It is easy to pick up a book to be read daily and much harder to find one that speaks to you over and over again, one that you actually feel leads you toward better, day in and day out. Gates weaves his story, the lessons from his teachers, and a vision of how a world can be into bite size reflections worthy of giving slow and steady attention. I am grateful for how I was taught by this book this past year.

[Fatimaeliza Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It’s a classic like his first. It reminds me so much of what it is like to be with him in person, learning from him. So having this book feels like a gift. It’s like enjoying a cup of tea with him and a meaningful conversation. It’s a book that takes time to digest, but one that you will come back to for inspiration for many years.

[Allie Jo Arendell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A daily reader...highly recommend in regards to Eastern philosophy, journaling, daily thought and intention practice. Mindfulness from behind the veil of well-know author, speaker and yoga teacher, Rolf Gates. Great book.

[Cherie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some sections I loved, many I found too self-indulgent. These are the collections of his talks before his yoga classes. I appreciate his brutal honesty at times - will be helpful to others.

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author has had an interesting life. I just couldn't relate to what he had to share about meditation or yoga.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful, inspiring book to follow Meditations from the Mat. Was blessed enough to take a weekend with Rolf Gates and am so happy to keep his wisdom close in his books.

[Crystal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't put it down. Every entry is full of inspiration and I'm looking forward to coming back to it again and again.

[Laura Woodyard · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another really insightful and peaceful read from Mr. Gates

[Maciek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not as good as the first one, but still worth reading

[Maryanne DeChambeau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, conversational writing style. Little snippets of wisdom from an interesting guy. You'll be at peace just reading it. I keep it next to my bed.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book filled with short meditations to read over the course of a year. They aren't dated, so you could start any time.

The author has the meditations grouped into sections like "mindfulness" and "nonviolence." A lot of the meditations come from the traditional Buddhist teachings; others are a bit more random- like the one about John Wayne. He works it into a interesting observation about how real people aren't all good or all bad (like in the movies), but it is still random all the same.

I noticed that the version I'm reviewing says Audio CD and I think that would actually be a better way to take in these meditations. I easily read through quite a bit of this book, but I think to work it in to a daily meditation practice, I would prefer listening to it. But maybe that's just me.

[Jessi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting read. I loved most of the meditations and even got some ideas for some new ones of my own. There are many that could be adapted for yoga classes or other group settings. I wish there had been a bit more background about meditation but maybe that is more in his first book which I haven't read. Definitely a book that could be read by beginners to expert level.

[Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is never finished, but like its companion Meditations from the Mat, it is meant to be lived and reviewed.
December 2018: I just employed selected chapters of this book throughout this year for thematic readings at the start of many of my yoga classes that I teach. Really wonderful.