Why is the Bhagavad Gita so Important for Yoga Teachers?

The Bhagavad Gita is an incredibly important text for yoga teachers due to its profound wisdom and practical guidance on living a balanced, purposeful life. It’s often seen as a perfect allegory for the challenges we face in our everyday lives, offering timeless solutions that are just as relevant today as they’ve always been. For yoga teachers, the Gita provides invaluable insights into how to navigate life’s ups and downs, both for ourselves and for our students. Here’s why it’s so essential:
Guidance for Living
The Gita offers a strategy for living well, giving answers to many of the problems we encounter in life. Presented as a dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer, Krishna—who represents the individual soul and the higher Self, respectively—it explores how to deal with life’s challenges and achieve liberation. This guidance is incredibly valuable for yoga teachers, as we are often helping students deal with their own struggles and seek meaning in their lives.
Understanding the Human Psyche
The Gita is a journey through the human psyche, carefully explored by Krishna. It explores the nature of the mind, emotions, and ego, providing insights into how they can lead to suffering and how to overcome these challenges. Common issues like anger, frustration, grief, and despair are addressed. This understanding is especially important for yoga teachers, as many students turn to yoga as a way of managing their own mental and emotional difficulties.
Dharma and Purpose
The Gita emphasises the importance of discovering one’s dharma—our true purpose in life. It teaches that by living in alignment with our swadharma (true nature and purpose), we can achieve fulfilment and make a meaningful contribution to the world. For yoga teachers, this concept is vital, as we help students on their own paths of self-discovery and growth, encouraging them to find and live in alignment with their deepest calling.
Practical Application
The Gita is not just a theoretical text; it’s also a practical manual for dealing with the emotions and problems we all face. Krishna provides clear instructions on how to overcome obstacles, control the mind, and find inner peace. For example, the last 18 verses of Chapter 2 describe the qualities of a person of steady wisdom, with advice on controlling the senses, managing desires, and understanding the root of anger. This practical guidance is invaluable for yoga teachers, as it helps us support our students in managing their emotions and cultivating inner peace.
Inspiration and Motivation
The teachings in the Gita inspire us to rise above our limitations and tap into our potential for greatness. It encourages the idea that we are all born to experience more than we often imagine. By studying the Gita, yoga teachers can not only understand the deeper philosophy behind yoga, but also inspire their students to embark on their own journeys, motivating them to strive for their best.
Connection to the Higher Self
At the heart of the Gita is the dialogue between Arjuna (the individual soul) and Krishna (the higher Self). This theme of connecting with the higher Self is central to Dru Yoga, which aims to unite individuals with their higher potential. Understanding this dynamic is crucial for yoga teachers, as it helps guide students on their own spiritual journeys and aids in building a deeper connection in the student-teacher relationship.
Timeless Wisdom
The message of the Gita is timeless and relevant, addressing challenges that have always been part of the human experience. The teachings in the Gita are never outdated and continue to provide wisdom for navigating life’s struggles. For yoga teachers, this wisdom is essential in helping students on all levels of their being, empowering them to face life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence.
The Being of Steady Wisdom
The Gita describes the qualities of a “man of steady wisdom,” who remains undisturbed by lust, fear, and anger, and is not elated by good fortune or cast down by misfortune. This figure provides a goal for yoga students and guidance for teachers. Learning to control the reactive mind and calm the restless waters of the mind is an essential lesson, one that helps both teachers and students cultivate steadiness and inner peace.
In Summary
The Bhagavad Gita is a vital text for yoga teachers because it offers profound insights into the human condition, provides practical guidance for living a meaningful life, and serves as a source of inspiration and motivation for both teachers and students. It helps us understand the philosophy and purpose behind yoga, and equips us with the wisdom to guide our students on their personal journeys. The Gita is a powerful tool for self-reflection, a guide through personal struggles, and an essential resource for any aspiring Dru Yoga teacher.