Gita – The Heart of Yoga

The Bhagavad Gita, meaning Divine Song) is perhaps yoga’s most important ‘forgotten text’ – The Gita is the heart of yoga!

The Bhagavad Gita is the Heart of Yoga

By Isaac Bentwich M.D.

I vividly remember my yoga teachers training course thirty-four years ago. It was an intensive, month-long course, that was to become a life-transforming experience for me. Morning meditation sessions at dawn, as a pale sun lazily rises over the sleepy, majestic desert scenery. Long, sweaty yoga classes that push your body to its limits. Communal meals of simple, wholesome food that tastes amazing because you worked your butt off. And the laughter, and supportive sharing, over a late-night cup of herbal tea, reluctant to retire for a short, deeply fulfilling night’s sleep, in simple, somewhat austere rooms. I loved it all.

The only thing I really hated about the course were the daily Bhagavad Gita classes. Like many others, my initial attraction to yoga was physical. I loved the calm aliveness that my body felt — flexible, toned, and strong — when practicing my asanas. I was ‘ok’ with a bit of meditation but didn’t care much for the philosophy and mythology that the Gita seemed to convey. And so, I dozed off in the lectures, joked about the Indian quirks, and waited impatiently for the classes to be over. Yet it is the Gita, that eventually became my great Love, and opened a door for a profound change in my life.

Gita (formally Bhagavad Gita, meaning Divine Song) is perhaps yoga’s most important ‘forgotten text’. All of the masters who have brought yoga to the West — from Yogananda and Vivekananda to Iyengar and others — viewed the Gita as a capturing the true essence of yoga. Yet until recently, the Gita remained somewhat obscure. Perhaps because yoga was initially perceived mainly as a form of physical exercise and relaxation. But for those interested to extend their practice ‘beyond the mat’, the Gita provides a tantalizing view of what yoga — in its broadest sense — is really about: a powerful set of methods, empowering you to undergo deep inner-growth and transformation.

Yogananda said, “Gita is India’s scripture of scriptures, the one book that all masters depend upon.” B.K.S. Iyengar, broadly recognized for introducing modern yoga to millions in the Western world, proclaimed the Gita as “the most important authority on yoga philosophy.” And Yogi Amrit Desai, another one of the pioneering masters who brought yoga to the West and founded Kripalu Yoga, the largest yoga retreat center in North America, says “Gita will awaken the hidden wisdom within you and create profound shifts every step of the way in your life.” Strikingly, Gita has also captivated and inspired many of the world’s greatest creative minds — scientists, thinkers, musicians, poets, and spiritual teachers. From Beethoven to Leonard Cohen, from Gandhi to Deepak Chopra, from Carl Jung to Robert Oppenheimer (‘father’ of the atomic bomb), from Emmerson and Thoreau to Will Smith and Julia Roberts.

Gita is the heart of yoga.

It is an ancient, practical guide for happiness, meditation, and spiritual personal growth, which invites you to an inner journey to your own Self. The text is a dialogue between a disciple, Indian prince Arjuna, and his master, Krishna, who is his friend, charioteer and… God incarnate. The dialogue takes place in what appears to be the least likely of settings. Not in serene nature or in academia’s lofty halls, but in the chaotic, messy middle of a violent battlefield. Which, when you come to think of it, is actually perfect.

You see, this is not a story about some historic battle in some far-away land. It is a story about you. You are the Princess or Prince, and this is your story, and the story of your ever-changing daily ‘battlefields’ — those at work, in relationships, in parenting, in creativity, in the spiritual search, and in attempting to balance all these. For it is in the midst of your daily ‘battlefields’ that your heart truly opens to change, to inner growth, and that you seek wisdom. Gita’s dialogue between Prince and Master — echoes your own dialogue with the inner voice of your soul, and any wise masters you meet on your path.

I fell in love with the Gita for its simple directness, its practical, compassionate approach, and the way it integrates yoga’s three major paths — of Action (Karma), Devotion (Bhakti) and Wisdom (Jnana). It became enmeshed in my life, and I ended up spending twelve years translating it in poetic form. Reading the Gita, meditating on it, practicing it — you do get the feeling that it was written specifically for you, and that it addresses, and helps you cope with, the current challenge in your life, or drama-of-the-day.

I also loved how it integrates with my yoga practice, extending it ‘off the mat’. In our asana practice, we learn how to relax our body into the pose, how to focus our attention inwardly, and how to let go of our competitive, judgmental mind. Gita teaches us how to similarly relax our mind, not just our body; and how focusing our attention inwardly and relaxing our habitual judgment and competitiveness — helps us navigate life more effectively.

Today, Gita’s wisdom seems more relevant than ever. Recent #MeToo revelations, yet again, of power and sexual abuse by prominent yoga teachers — is devastating. We turn to yoga seeking not only a relaxed, well-toned body but also a safe and uplifting environment, where we can grow spiritually. And so, such betrayal of trust and of yogic values tears the very fabric of what yoga is for us. Gita offers a firm foundation on which we can safely ‘build’ our yoga practice. As students, as seekers — Gita provides an unequivocal, crystal clear description of the conduct, and motivation, of a teacher worthy of our trust. It also constantly reminds us that ultimately, our spiritual growth and our happiness are within and do not depend on any teacher, guru, or religion. As teachers — it keeps us humble, disciplined and committed. In awe of the lofty yogini/yogi ideal that the Gita so beautifully describes, and working together, with our students and yoga community, as we pursue our individual spiritual journeys.

Gita’s magical melodiousness lets you tap its intuitive Wisdom. Here’s a verse I love, which seems to capture Gita’s practical wisdom:

“Lift yourself by yourself, O Prince, And let not yourself flounder low; You, yourself are your only friend, As well as your very worst foe.”

You will also enjoy Isaac Bentwich, MD: The Ageless Wisdom of The New Gita and Spiritual Values and The Bhagavad Gita

About the Author

Isaac Bentwich M.D. is a medical doctor, longtime yoga and meditation teacher, and author of Gita: A Timeless Guide for Our Times (Harmonia, June 2019). Visit NewGita.com for more information.