What would you do if a near-death experience in a capsized, water-filled canoe offered you a sense of liberation like never before? For Roman Castilleja, the short answer at age twenty-nine was to drag his traumatized body into a new job days later and to forget the spiritual freedom found while underwater. The long answer involved a journey of rediscovering what matters in life after uncovering buried physical and emotional wounds and then, finally, finding healing and freedom in his innermost being.

In Rowing Home, Castilleja takes readers from Washington State to Texas as he recaps the highs and lows of rediscovering the spiritual truths that underpin life. Based on years of personal examination since his rowing experience, as well as spontaneous writings that began after reawakening his spiritual connection, Castilleja also provides dozens of accessible meditations about life's biggest mysteries, such as how to animate your soul, harness your ego, and face tragedies.

Born in Sunnyside, Washington, Castilleja shares his prose and poetry about spiritual growth at www.romancastilleja.com. He currently divides his time between the Pacific Northwest and Austin, Texas.