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365 Daily Meditations for On and Off the Mat: A Year in Hot Yoga
"This book pleasantly bridges the gap between the obvious and the esoteric. I like that the meditations require a little bit of thought, but you don't wonder, 'What's he talking about?' like so many meditation books. Simply meditating on the meditations is enough." — 42Yogis
Presenting a year's worth of daily meditations inspired by the challenges and graces of a hot yoga practice, this guide highlights the connections between life as experienced both on and off the mat. Each inspirational meditation draws from the principles of the hot yoga system, offering jewels of wisdom and perspective that can be easily applied to everyday life.
In his tender and often hilarious style, Scott Ginsberg understands that the hot room is where we confront our weaknesses as well as celebrate our strengths. The wisdom we learn in those exchanges, from our own bodies, our instructors, and our classmates, is never finished evolving and deepening. The more we practice, the more we learn a new mindset of openness and acceptance, one that we strive to incorporate into our daily lives outside of the studio.
Presenting a year's worth of daily meditations inspired by the challenges and graces of a hot yoga practice, this guide highlights the connections between life as experienced both on and off the mat. Each inspirational meditation draws from the principles of the hot yoga system, offering jewels of wisdom and perspective that can be easily applied to everyday life.
In his tender and often hilarious style, Scott Ginsberg understands that the hot room is where we confront our weaknesses as well as celebrate our strengths. The wisdom we learn in those exchanges, from our own bodies, our instructors, and our classmates, is never finished evolving and deepening. The more we practice, the more we learn a new mindset of openness and acceptance, one that we strive to incorporate into our daily lives outside of the studio.
368 pages, Paperback
Published November 15, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 7, 2017
Read this review and more on my blog, uncovered-books.
I received a free copy of 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am not sure what I was expecting when I went into 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat, but what I got was a hilarious yet thought-provoking read.
Whilst not for a beginner to meditation, 365 Daily Meditations will provide you a daily question that you can either meditate on or just discuss with friends and family. Ginsberg presents the daily question for you to meditate on by giving an anecdote on how he either was forced to ask himself this, or how he experienced it. He tells us through his experience with Bikram Yoga how these questions, and his own answers have made him grow as a person as well as helping his yoga practice.
I will give a few examples of what is inside 365 Daily Meditations as Ginsberg does have some words of wisdom.
‘Your posture is perfect; it just looks different than everyone else’s.’ – page 69
‘Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that is measured matters.’ – page 198
‘Yoga is like daily existence; it’s unpredictable and ever changing, but it’s better than the alternative.’ – page 349
Even if you do not think meditation is up your alley, 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat will still give you some very thought-provoking ideas and would certainly make for an interesting group discussion.
I received a free copy of 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.
I am not sure what I was expecting when I went into 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat, but what I got was a hilarious yet thought-provoking read.
Whilst not for a beginner to meditation, 365 Daily Meditations will provide you a daily question that you can either meditate on or just discuss with friends and family. Ginsberg presents the daily question for you to meditate on by giving an anecdote on how he either was forced to ask himself this, or how he experienced it. He tells us through his experience with Bikram Yoga how these questions, and his own answers have made him grow as a person as well as helping his yoga practice.
I will give a few examples of what is inside 365 Daily Meditations as Ginsberg does have some words of wisdom.
‘Your posture is perfect; it just looks different than everyone else’s.’ – page 69
‘Not everything that matters can be measured, and not everything that is measured matters.’ – page 198
‘Yoga is like daily existence; it’s unpredictable and ever changing, but it’s better than the alternative.’ – page 349
Even if you do not think meditation is up your alley, 365 Daily Meditations For On And Off The Mat will still give you some very thought-provoking ideas and would certainly make for an interesting group discussion.
December 10, 2017
Thank you to Dover Publications, Ixia Press, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This book is a great read, not just because it relates to hot yoga and provides 365 daily mediations with start date January 1, it can be useful to you whether you practice yoga or not.
I like that the author, Scott Ginsburg, uses his own experiences and that of others in hot yoga studio to address issues that we all can relate to, such as struggles to stick to our new year resolutions to exercise and how we do not exercise because of frivolous reasons , such as not having fancy gear and equipment, how we start new experiences with so many preconceived ideas instead of just diving in, realizing that yoga is practice and that every journey is different, self-acceptance, finding gratitude in everything. This sharing of the experiences makes us realize that we are more similar than we are different.
Each calendar day, has it own page and starts with an short anecdote, life lesson, and end with a question for the reader to mediate. I found the questions also great for daily journaling, for those who enjoy that practice. Great and meaningful reflections.
The set -up of this book makes it easy for the reader to take a short time out of busy schedule for selfcare and self-reflection, just a small page a day.
I really like the book and will make use of it starting January 1. It will make a great Christmas gift and interesting coffee table book. I highly recommend it.
This book is a great read, not just because it relates to hot yoga and provides 365 daily mediations with start date January 1, it can be useful to you whether you practice yoga or not.
I like that the author, Scott Ginsburg, uses his own experiences and that of others in hot yoga studio to address issues that we all can relate to, such as struggles to stick to our new year resolutions to exercise and how we do not exercise because of frivolous reasons , such as not having fancy gear and equipment, how we start new experiences with so many preconceived ideas instead of just diving in, realizing that yoga is practice and that every journey is different, self-acceptance, finding gratitude in everything. This sharing of the experiences makes us realize that we are more similar than we are different.
Each calendar day, has it own page and starts with an short anecdote, life lesson, and end with a question for the reader to mediate. I found the questions also great for daily journaling, for those who enjoy that practice. Great and meaningful reflections.
The set -up of this book makes it easy for the reader to take a short time out of busy schedule for selfcare and self-reflection, just a small page a day.
I really like the book and will make use of it starting January 1. It will make a great Christmas gift and interesting coffee table book. I highly recommend it.
November 27, 2017
*A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley and I'm freely giving my honest review.*
When I started this book I thought it was going to be instructions in yoga and meditation but that’s not what it is. The author presents you with a daily question that you can meditate to, and he also shares of his or people from his studio experiences and what it does to your quality of life.
It was a well-presented book that makes it easy to start at the beginning and follow through with a daily question. This book I would like to have on my shelf because it makes you reflect on your life and the questions makes it easier to focus on one area of your inner self.
Although I expected something and got something else I think this was well worth the read and recommend it if you are in the beginning of trying out meditation or yoga.
When I started this book I thought it was going to be instructions in yoga and meditation but that’s not what it is. The author presents you with a daily question that you can meditate to, and he also shares of his or people from his studio experiences and what it does to your quality of life.
It was a well-presented book that makes it easy to start at the beginning and follow through with a daily question. This book I would like to have on my shelf because it makes you reflect on your life and the questions makes it easier to focus on one area of your inner self.
Although I expected something and got something else I think this was well worth the read and recommend it if you are in the beginning of trying out meditation or yoga.
August 18, 2021
This book breaks the barrier between East and West.
Spiritually, this book provides unlimited lessons that help navigate North American yoga reality that we must learn to live and breathe through. Too often yoga books present a spirituality based in ancient Indian philosophies presenting concepts that are challenging to apply to the North American psyche. This book is different -- more real.
Each of the author’s 365 random thoughts give a tangible insight. I could sense in the writing the “hurry up and calm down” that is the reality of yoga today. We run to class, stop long enough to enter our hearts and minds through our yoga moving meditation but once savasana is completed, it is hurry up and go time again.
I loved this book and the practical insights I gathered. I would have enjoyed practicing yoga with the author so as to have been a part of his yoga journey.
Spiritually, this book provides unlimited lessons that help navigate North American yoga reality that we must learn to live and breathe through. Too often yoga books present a spirituality based in ancient Indian philosophies presenting concepts that are challenging to apply to the North American psyche. This book is different -- more real.
Each of the author’s 365 random thoughts give a tangible insight. I could sense in the writing the “hurry up and calm down” that is the reality of yoga today. We run to class, stop long enough to enter our hearts and minds through our yoga moving meditation but once savasana is completed, it is hurry up and go time again.
I loved this book and the practical insights I gathered. I would have enjoyed practicing yoga with the author so as to have been a part of his yoga journey.
October 10, 2017
I enjoyed reading through these daily meditations. I am not a a committed yoga participant, but so enjoy it occasionally and these meditations and words of wisdom were both enlightening and enjoyable. Considering the words or suggestions could give many a good boost of encouragement in daily life whether active practicing yoga or not.
I received this book free for the purpose of providing an honest review.
I received this book free for the purpose of providing an honest review.
June 22, 2025
The good: If you practice a yoga style other than hot yoga, the book still applies.
The bad: While I liked the "title" of each daily meditation, I did not like what the author had to say. What he wrote usually wasn't interesting or relevant.
This is not my favorite daily meditation related to yoga. Judith Hanson Lasater has a better one.
The bad: While I liked the "title" of each daily meditation, I did not like what the author had to say. What he wrote usually wasn't interesting or relevant.
This is not my favorite daily meditation related to yoga. Judith Hanson Lasater has a better one.
February 1, 2018
This book is a nice way to start the day. A brief reading, and a thought provoking question to apply throughout the day.
January 27, 2024
Author has a good personality and the there are some nice practice insights among the
365 entries.
365 entries.
December 18, 2017
I enjoyed this book and the insights. It makes you think. The fact that he is sharing insights from the Bikram Yoga style of Yoga interested me most. It is one I've considered. After reading his insights, and his take on it, as well as his take away, I am more interested than I had been.
If I had one sadness or worry from reading this book it was that though I enjoyed the book, just as I would get into a section or an insight, it would pause or stop. I wished the flow had been a bit more seamless and the story had continued more.
If I had one sadness or worry from reading this book it was that though I enjoyed the book, just as I would get into a section or an insight, it would pause or stop. I wished the flow had been a bit more seamless and the story had continued more.
May 6, 2018
The 365 meditations can be used as mantra during the yoga practice or during the meditation sessions.
January 2, 2019
The publisher was kind enough to provide me with a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own and honest.
I want to start by saying that I have never done hot yoga in my entire life and given that I have a syncope disorder where I pass out if I get too hot I never will. I have done yoga though, and I practice daily meditation. You do NOT need to do hot yoga to benefit from this book. The daily reading provides valuable insight for everyone. They are a short read that is easy to incorporate into your morning routine. The one line meditation focus gives you something to think about not only for a few minutes but throughout the day as well. I often found myself reading back on other day's meditations so I could remember what other things I should be thinking about. The layout of this book is perfect for those that are short on time but want to include daily meditations and mindfulness into their day. No hot yoga required!
I want to start by saying that I have never done hot yoga in my entire life and given that I have a syncope disorder where I pass out if I get too hot I never will. I have done yoga though, and I practice daily meditation. You do NOT need to do hot yoga to benefit from this book. The daily reading provides valuable insight for everyone. They are a short read that is easy to incorporate into your morning routine. The one line meditation focus gives you something to think about not only for a few minutes but throughout the day as well. I often found myself reading back on other day's meditations so I could remember what other things I should be thinking about. The layout of this book is perfect for those that are short on time but want to include daily meditations and mindfulness into their day. No hot yoga required!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews