23 Reasons to Love the Bhagavad Gita - And how to apply them to life, on and off the yoga mat.

I’ve just finished reading the Bhagavad Gita - A Walk through for Westerners, by Jack Hawley as part of my final 150 hours of Yoga Teacher Training — and I can honestly say, I wish I’d read it 30 years ago.

This sacred text feels timeless and deeply human. It speaks to the heart of yoga: how to live with awareness, courage, compassion, and balance. The more I read, the more I understood why it’s often called India’s greatest gift to humanity. You don’t need to be a scholar or philosopher to appreciate it — the Gita meets you exactly where you are.

The Bhagavad Gita is a small but powerful section of a much larger ancient Indian text called the Mahabharata.

The Mahabharata is one of the world’s longest epic poems — over 200,000 shlokas (Sanskrit poetic verses) — telling the story of a royal family divided by conflict, exploring themes of duty, destiny, love, and the human struggle between right and wrong.

The Bhagavad Gita — which means “Song of the Divine” — appears right in the middle of this great epic. It’s a sacred dialogue between the warrior Arjuna and his charioteer Krishna, who is revealed to be a divine guide. The story unfolds on the battlefield just before a great war. Arjuna is filled with doubt and sorrow, questioning his purpose and the path ahead. In response, Krishna shares timeless teachings on life, action, devotion, and self-realisation.

Although the Gita is only 700 shlokas long, it holds the essence of yoga philosophy and continues to guide and inspire millions of people around the world today

Here are twenty-three reasons why I love it, and why I think you might too.

1. It meets you where you are

The story begins on a battlefield — a symbol for life itself. We all face moments of doubt and decision, and the Gita reminds us we’re not alone in them.

2. It’s about living your truth

The Gita’s central message is dharma — doing what feels right and true for you. It invites us to move with purpose, not perfection.

3. It teaches effort without pressure

“Do your best, then let go.” This timeless teaching of karma yoga reminds us that our worth isn’t measured by outcomes — only by sincerity.

4. It puts love at the heart of everything

Love, in the Gita, isn’t a feeling — it’s a way of being. Every act done with awareness and care becomes sacred.

5. It’s open to everyone

There’s no prerequisite to begin. No matter your age, background, or flexibility, the Gita (and yoga) welcomes you fully.

6. It balances mind, heart, and action

The Gita blends jnana yoga (knowledge), bhakti yoga (devotion), and karma yoga (action). We need all three — just as our practice blends movement, breath, and stillness.

7. It reminds us to see the divine in all

To look for goodness in others — and within ourselves. Every person, every body, every breath holds light.

8. It teaches calm in the chaos

“Be steady in success and failure.” Life flows through highs and lows; yoga and the Gita help us stay centred through both.

9. It makes ancient wisdom feel modern

Though thousands of years old, the Gita speaks beautifully to today’s challenges — stress, uncertainty, self-doubt, and change.

10. It celebrates simplicity

A simple offering — a flower, a breath, a kind act — is enough when it’s offered with love. That’s yoga.

11. It connects the spiritual and the everyday

The Gita isn’t about escaping life; it’s about living with awareness, right here in the middle of it all.

12. It helps us rediscover purpose

When life feels cloudy, the Gita asks, “What really matters?” Yoga gives us the space to listen for that answer.

13. It invites self-understanding

Through practice, reflection, and breath, we begin to know who we truly are beneath the noise.

14. It offers inner freedom

By letting go of the need to control or achieve, we open to peace — on and off the mat.

15. It fosters compassion

It encourages kindness toward all beings, reminding us that every person is doing their best from where they stand.

16. It inspires transformation

The Gita reminds us that change — even deep, healing change — is always possible.

17. It honours surrender

Surrender doesn’t mean giving up. It means softening into trust — in life, in the process, in yourself.

18. It makes mindfulness simple

Each action, each breath, each movement in yoga can become an act of awareness.

19. It offers hope

No matter where we begin, there is always a way forward — a new start, a fresh breath.

20. It celebrates the journey

There’s no rush to “arrive.” The Gita teaches patience — that every step, every class, every breath counts.

21. It makes practice a prayer

Your time on the mat can become a living conversation with the divine — through breath, balance, and presence.

22. It reminds us to love ourselves

The same compassion we offer others belongs to us, too. The Gita’s wisdom and yoga’s practice both guide us home to that truth.

23. It’s timeless

Thousands of years old, yet still alive. Each time you open it, or step onto your mat, the message feels new.