Three Teachings of The Gita Applied to Daily Life

The Bhagavad Gita is an ancient Yogic text which imparts wisdom ever-relevant to modern yoga practitioners seeking yoga, career, parenting and general life advice.

For me the Gita is a call to action, to live life purposefully and fully. A reminder that spiritual life isn’t separate from our day to day living. 

The Gita predates Christianity and its spiritual teachings unfold on a battlefield in northern India as Prince Arjuna confronts his own confusion and inner demons while preparing for battle against his cousins, to fulfil his princely duties. Krishna appears to Arjuna to counsel him during this difficult time.

At first, I shunned the Gita because the symbolism of war was hard for me to stomach. Over time I began to understand this battle as one which is an inner battle, and Krishna is simply Arjuna’s wisest self speaking to him.

Here I share three key teachings of the Bhagavad Gita relevant in modern times.

1. Action without attachment to the fruits of your efforts

This is ever relevant to me in practice, parenting and work.

In yoga practice it is common to have a specific goal, perhaps a posture we want to be able to do, a way we wish to feel or an injury we want resolved. Because yoga is not a quick fix we become easily frustrated when we don’t see the fruits (outcome) in our desired timeframe. This is often when people quit, or give up, because the outcome of our practice is not something we can control. Refining yoga postures, improving our wellbeing or developing self knowledge is deep unfolding that occurs over many years. There is no quick fix or controlling the outcome.

When it comes to our relationships with friends, partner, children or colleagues we generally expect a certain reciprocity from others. Reciprocity is important in healthy relationships, however often we are unconsciously transactional in how we engage with other people. Mostly, it is the unvoiced expectations of others that harms our relationships. When it comes to the fruits of our actions in relationships and at work it is essential to either drop our expectations, or make them clear.

2. You do you!

It is the human condition to compare, and often we look to other people so we don’t need forge our own path and purpose in life. Whether it is how someone else approaches their yoga practice, parenting style, relational style or vocation it is essential to remember that’s their path not yours. Our path and purpose in the GIta is referred to as our ‘Dharma.’ The Gita teaches us it’s better to do your own Dharma imperfectly than someone else’s perfectly. Your path and purpose is incomparable to anyone else’s,  it is unique. 

Whether you compare your yoga posture capabilities to another’s, or are living out your family expectations rather than forging your own path, the Gita reminds us to be authentic. You do you!

3. Inaction is a form of Action

Even though the Gita encourages us to release the fruits of our actions, Krishna makes it clear inaction is a form of action in itself. What does this mean? It means doing nothing is still doing something. I have thought for a long time spiritual  communities and individuals with dedicated spiritual practices may struggle with integration. Often spiritual practices are world denying or world escaping, aspirants seek transcendence and essentially bypass everyday matters, problems and injustices. Our upcoming everyday blessing retreat will inspire you to bring the sacred into everyday matters. 

Integration and figuring out how our practice relates to our life can be a challenge for yoga practitioners. Sometimes our practice is a way of avoiding day-to-day matters, such as how to communicate in relationships, advocate for ourselves at work, or contribute to overcoming systemic injustices. It is important to ask “how does what I learn on my mat relate to my life, work and relationships?” Taking wise action as an employee, parent or friend is important to our spiritual practice.

Enduring wisdom 

The Gita has immense wisdom to share for modern yoga practitioners. If you feel like you’ve lost your way in practice, or have a burning life question this conversation between Arjuna and Krishna can help you tune into the advice your wisest self may give you.

If you love yoga philosophy our memberships include an online library of not just yoga classes, but philosophy and psychology talks.

The texts of yoga provide enduring inspiration for my practice and in our classes we regularly explore teachings form the key texts of yoga.

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