Whether you practise yoga and run or just run, you can apply Patanjali’s Yamas and Niyamas to running.

The Yamas and Niyamas are often seen as ‘right living’. The word ‘Niyama’ often translates as ‘positive duties’ or ‘observances’, and are thought of as recommended habits for healthy living and ‘spiritual existence’. They’re traditionally thought of as practices concerned with ourselves, although of course we can think of them as affecting the outside world too. We can take them as a guide of how to act towards ourselves too.

There are five Yamas and five Niyamas listed in Patanjali’s Sutras: Ahimsa, Satya, Asteya, Brahmacharya, Aparigraha, Saucha, Santosha, Tapas, Svadhyaya, and, Isvara Pranidhana.

So let’s go forth and apply these to running.

• Ahimsa (non-harming or non-violence): We can all feel frustrated when our fitness, our running, doesn’t progress as quickly as we’d like. Remembering Ahimsa throughout our training guides us to let go of thinking negatively about our body; accepting ourselves completely – no matter how strong or fast we are at this moment. Non-violence in the physical sense here means we don’t push ourselves over the edge; of course we challenge ourselves in order to grow, leaning in to that sometimes scary edge, but never pushing ourselves to the point of harm. By respecting our boundaries and listening to our bodies, our training becomes sustainable and a way to really learn about ourselves. When we let go of clinging to the expectations of what we ‘should’ be able to do, and stop scolding ourselves with harmful thoughts, our body responds by working with us, not against us. We can open to the fact that the body is a pathway to freedom, not a road-block!

• Satya (truthfulness): How many times have you ignored or pushed past an injury or limitation? It’s this dishonesty with ourselves that can often cause physical pain. Running is here to serve our bodies and minds, not harm our joints and ligaments – so each time we run it’s important to have complete honesty with what we actually need in that very moment. On a physical and emotional level, we change all the time, so fixating upon one way of training isn’t always going to work out. When we can get the ego-mind out of the way (you know, the one that tells us we should be able to run faster, or longer) this offers us a way to see past our conditioned, ever-changing and un-true ways of thinking, and uncover a more pure and beneficial way of treating ourselves on all levels.

• Asteya (non-stealing): The moment we feel a sense of ‘lack’ in life; desire, want and greed arises. We begin to look for something to fill that ‘empty’ sensation, and often feel as though everyone else has what we want. Lack, insecurity, wanting, feeling incomplete, essentially it all boils down to feeling like there’s something missing. We already are enough within ourselves. Do you push yourself beyond healthy boundaries in your training because you’re afraid of not being good enough? Even subconsciously, there’s usually a little part of us that starts out with the best of intentions, but then about half-way through a run, begins to tempt us towards pushing, instead of focusing on how it feels. When we continually focus on pushing ourselves just a little too far over that edge, we rob ourselves of being able to be present with ourselves for exactly the way things are in that moment. Whenever those feelings of lack, want or desire arise, practise using the mantra ‘I am enough’ and see how it affects your life.

• Brahmacharya (right use of energy):  Brahmacharya leads us to consider how we actually use and direct our energy. Brahmacharya also evokes a sense of directing our energy away from external desires, you know, those pleasures which seem great at the time but are ultimately fleeting, and instead, towards finding peace and happiness within ourselves. Consider for a moment where your energy is most directed. A lot of our energy may also be spent on trying to present ourselves as someone we’re not in order to please or impress others, or maybe we direct our physical energy towards endlessly pushing ourselves to be fitter, stronger or skinnier. In order to be the best version of ourselves and to use our energy in the right way, we need first of all to listen to what our bodies need. By becoming aware of our energy levels and really listening to what we need, we can take action to ensure we feel at our very best. You may notice that if you’re feeling down, nothing helps more than going for a run – and happiness is actually a proven immune-booster too! To make the most of our energy, we can enhance our health and well-being with the right movement for us at that time; if you’re accustomed to running even if you’re tired or sore, maybe your body needs restoring, allow some time for a yoga class. If you always run on the road, maybe hit the trails. Your body is always talking to you; listen and see what it has to say. Think about where you’re directing your energy – is it helpful or hurtful?

• Aparigraha (non-greed or non-hoarding): It’s not the destination, it’s the journey. Let your concern be with action alone, and never with the fruits of action. Do not let the results of action be your motive. We should never concern ourselves with the outcome, we should only concern ourselves with what we’re actually doing right now as we work towards that outcome. So often we worry if we’ll be successful enough, or ‘good enough’ when we put our hearts on the line to show the world what we’re made of, that we forget why we started in the first place. Progress is encouraging, but it doesn’t need to be the only reward. The sheer joy of running is the greatest reward in itself. Realizing how freeing it is not to have a specific goal we must achieve, but to simply move our bodies, feels good. If we run for the love of running, without forcing or pushing ourselves beyond our edge, the body will unfold naturally.

• Saucha (cleanliness in body and mind): Keeping running clothes, shoes and accessories washed, in good condition and easily accessible is a good idea. Eating healthily and organically is considered ‘cleanest’ for us. If foods contain lots of preservatives, additives, and pesticides, our bodies have to work hard to detoxify and eliminate these unnatural chemicals before even being able to absorb the goodness from what we eat and drink. Remember that ‘you are what you eat’, so the cleaner our food is, the cleaner we’re going to be inside and out. It’s just about having awareness of what we’re consuming, and making conscious choices to enable us to live healthier and happier. Our minds are very powerful, and what we choose to do with them has the ability to make a big impact. An ‘impure’ thought might come in the form of  judging yourself for not achieving a goal. You are also what you think.
• Santosha (contentment): Whether its losing weight, getting a PR, or qualifying for Boston, there’s that niggling thought of “I’d be happier if” …in our minds. Now having the urge to want to grow and expand our minds and push ourselves just a little towards a goal isn’t a bad thing at all – it just becomes bad when we base our entire sense of peace and happiness upon this. Santosha or ‘contentment’ doesn’t mean idly sitting back and relinquishing the need to do anything. It simply means accepting and appreciating what we have and what we are already, and moving forwards from there. This is a difficult practice indeed; it is in our nature to want more, to not let ourselves rest until we’ve satisfied some temporary urge. But we do have to consider what goals are really important to our life, our world and our wellbeing, not to look outside of ourselves for happiness, but to realize that peace and happiness lies within. There will always be further to go and more to explore. The good news is, we have a lifetime to run. Constantly chasing after a feeling, a physical possession, or a person can become exhausting after a while. Yes, of course we’ll experience temporary joy or happiness once we’ve conquered what we wanted, but how long does it really last? Once we’ve reached that place of temporary peace, we ultimately become very attached to this feeling, and fight to keep hold of it, eventually leading to sadness again until we find that next goal to make us ‘happy’. We have a habit of waiting to ‘be ourselves’ until we’ve accomplished this never-ending to-do list of things that will make us ‘better’.
• Tapas (discipline, burning enthusiasm): Tapas can mean cultivating a sense of self-discipline, passion and courage in order to burn away ‘impurities’ physically, mentally and emotionally, and paving the way to our true greatness. Tapas doesn’t have to mean being solemn and serious though, this fieriness is what gets our heart pumping, heightens our desire for personal growth and reminds us of how much we love running! First of all, ‘discipline’ doesn’t strictly mean pushing ourselves harder in a physical sense. Sometimes just getting out the door for a 10 minute run is difficult enough! For some, it’ll mean working on strength. Tapas is an aspect of the inner wisdom that encourages us to run even when we don’t feel like it, even though we know how good it makes us feel! Making the decision to go to bed a little earlier so you can wake up early to run is Tapas; not drinking too much or eating unhealthy foods because you want to feel good in your training is Tapas; ‘burning’ away the negative thought patterns and habits we often fall in to, is Tapas. Working with core strength is a surefire way to tap into that sense of ‘fieriness’ stoking the ‘agni’ or inner fire. The core is where our Manipura Chakra lies, and this energy centre governs our sense of self-confidence, inner strength, willpower and self-discipline.
• Svadhyaya (study of the self and of the texts): It’s probably fair to say that the more we realize what we are not, the closer we come to realizing who or what we truly are. By studying ‘the self’ and recognizing our habits and thought processes, we realize how much of what we do and think is far from who we really know we are. The small self judges, criticizes, fears, conditions, and, doubts. By paying attention to, or ‘studying’ our ‘self’, we become more aware of the things we do that harm us, and also those which serve us and bring us closer to the true Self. By deepening our own knowledge and understanding of running by continuing to read, research, be curious about it, we cultivate our own practice of svadhyaya. While yes, reading about running and all its different aspects is beneficial, it doesn’t make very much difference unless we reflect upon it. When reading something about running, we can meditate upon how it resonates with us, whether it bears any resemblance to our own experiences, and therefore apply it to our own lives. Having a lot of books and information is one thing, but fully understanding and living what we learn allows our running to become more a part of our lives. The way in which we train is actually very reflective of the way we practise life. When we’re hitting the pavement or the trails, there’s nowhere else to hide. The daily distractions of phones, chores, emails, and TV are no longer there to take our minds away from ourselves. We actually have to pay attention. This can be a little intimidating at first, and running can sometimes reveal more about where our problems are rather than how perfect we are – which as we know, is very good for destroying the ego.
• Isvara Pranidhana (surrender to a higher self): We’re advised to ‘surrender’ to this Supreme Being or higher self, which in essence means cultivating a deep and trusting relationship with the universe, and making each action an offering to something bigger than us. There is an underlying idea that something bigger, more profound and pure exists other than ourselves – we simply let go, devote everything to a higher power and completely devote our actions to whatever we consider that higher power to be. It’s the end of a long day, and you’ve laced up your shoes ready to head out the door for your run, when you know deep down that your body could have really benefitted from a yoga class. Halfway through your run, you notice your body really needs to rest, but there’s a little voice in the mind that says ‘keep going, don’t be weak’. If we continue to push past our edge – instead of leaning into it – our training is no longer serving our bodies, and isn’t sustainable.  Knowing when we need to rest shows a huge amount of understanding of ourselves, respect for our bodies, and allows our practice to support us for a lifetime. The practice of surrendering here requires us to acknowledge that we can do our very best in each situation, but we can’t really do any more than that; realizing this essentially allows us to fully engage and be present in what we’re doing, bringing all our energy to that moment and experiencing it fully just for what it is. Whether it’s surrendering to a moment of difficulty or a moment of joy, surrendering the results of our actions, or simply learning to trust in the universe a little more; each time we do choose to surrender, we move closer to freedom.

If we are to really benefit from running, it has to expand beyond paces and finishing times. When this happens, it’s not just our bodies that get strengthened, but our minds and hearts as well. From that state of being, we move ever closer towards wholeness, connectedness and unity, and start to not just run, but live and breathe it in each and every moment.

In my run clinics many questions come up, but I’m always sure to cover the major topics of apparel, form, cross training, injuries and nutrition.

Apparel

The most important point in choosing apparel is having the right tool for the job. That means performance wear that is breathable and moisture wicking. Garments made out of fabric labeled Breath Thermo, Polypro, Coolmax, Drifit, etc, are best (including socks). Just say “no” to cotton. Cotton is not usually a good fabric, especially for those who perspire a great deal. The cotton will absorb the sweat, hold it next to your skin and increase the weight you must carry during the run. This has also been a cause of chafing. Depending on the season either a hat to shade your face in the warmer months or a toque to keep the heat in during cold weather runs. Also consider sunglasses and sunscreen year-round.  Proper sports bra (not too old), proper shoes (not too old, properly fitted at a running store) – don’t pick by colour and a good rule of thumb is to dress like it’s 10 degrees warmer.

Form

Avoid over-striding. Over-striding is when your foot lands too far out in front of your centre of mass when you run. This creates a braking force that you must overcome to propel yourself forward. It also encourages you to land hard on your heel with a straight knee. This increases impact which may increase your risk of injury.

Run like you’re protecting your favourite potato chips between your thumb and index/middle fingers. This keeps you from making fists which creates tension in the arms and shoulders. It also unnecessarily uses up energy. This leads me to my next point; relax where you can, “let the meat hang”.

Avoid lifting the knees too high. This applies to most running such as long distances or easy runs. Sprinters will lift their knees high because the explosive action helps them move fast.

Don’t cross the arms in front of the body. Lateral motion doesn’t transfer to forward motion and it comprises your momentum and running economy. It also causes excessive rotation of your torso, hips, and spine, which can strain your back. Arms propel forward but also aware of pulling arms back. And open up the chest.

Systematically check in with your head, neck, shoulders, chest, stomach, back, hips, thighs, knees, lower legs, ankles and feet looking for tension, fatigue or pain. Each body region is relaxed as it is checked.

Cross training

• Resistance/weight training, build up that posterior chain, core and don’t forget upper body

• Could narrow down your focus to running specific exercises such as bird dog, dead bug, single leg calf raise, bulgarian split squat, planks, glute bridge (single leg even), Romanian deadlift, lateral lunge and step ups.

• Cycling and swimming are good/different cardiovascular exercises to cross train with.

• Stretch, yoga, self myofascial release (SMR).

• Rest days and massage.

Injuries

Pre-hab over re-hab. That means it’s best to prevent injuries before they start. Reasons people get injured include: doing too much, too soon, such as miles, speed or weights in the gym and not incorporating rest days. Improper or worn-out shoes can affect your gait and cause injuries.

Kinds of injuries include:

Chafing (skin rubbing against skin or clothing). You can try to prevent chafing with such products as BodyGlide, Vaseline, powders, or deodorant on such areas before you run.

Blisters caused by friction. Fix: Drain the blister using a sterilized needle, the cover with a tight, clean bandage. Wear moisture wicking socks to prevent. Black toe nails (it’s simply a bruise under the nail). Keep nails short but it could be ill fitting shoes, running down hill or an increase in mileage. Eventually toe nail will die and fall off replaced by a new toenail. Thankfully you can cover up with nail polish or gel nails 🙂

Achilles Tendonitis (back part of foot) and causes include shoe rubbing, improper shoes, overpronation or supination of foot. Runner may ice, rest, avoid hills, stretch, Aspirin or ibuprofen or orthotics.

IT Band syndrome (connective tissue that runs outside leg from hip to knee, pain may be felt anywhere along this line). Causes include running on uneven surface (shoulder of the road), Q angle (greater for women it’s the angle from hip to knee). If this becomes a problem for you do incorporate stretching or gentle SMR. Plantar Fascistis (bottom of the feet) which could be anatomy of your foot, improper shoes or poor running form. Runner may ice, rest, stretch or SMR.

Shin splints (lower leg pain caused by small tears in the leg muscles at their point of attachment to the shin, tender small bumps may be felt either side of shin bone). Causes include tightness in posterior muscles, running on hard surfaces, improper shoes or toe running. Recommended is icing, reduced running, Aspirin/ibuprofen, avoid hills, run on softer surfaces and stretching.

Runner’s knee (felt under the knee cap or both sides of the kneecap). Causes include poor form, weak thigh muscles, muscle imbalance, running on banked surface. Runner may rest, ice, temporarily avoid activities that put weight on bent knee, Aspirin/ibuprofen, stretching, strengthening or orthotics.

Stress fractures (cracks caused by repeated impact). Most common in foot but can be in leg and even pelvis. To prevent be sure to incorporate rest days, eat a nutritionally balanced diet and fuel your active body.

Nutrition

A healthy training diet:

1) Provides abundant amounts of whole grain products, vegetables and fruits

2) Contains moderate amounts of protein and fat

3) Limits (not eliminates) less nutritious food such as higher-fat snack foods, sweets and alcohol.

Water is a critical nutrient for runners to focus on. It’s essential for regulating body temperature, transporting glucose and other nutrients to cells and, removing waste products. It is recommended that you drink 2 L of water a day – this DOES NOT account for prolonged activities such as running. Therefore you need more than 2L per day. Caffeinated drinks and alcohol will also take away from your daily amount of water because they dehydrate you.

Eating at the wrong time or choosing the wrong kind of foods before running can produce GI issues such as nausea, vomiting, stomach ache and diarrhea. Different people tolerate eating before activity differently, and experimentation is important for finding the exact combination of foods and timing that works best for you. Many people will have difficulty tolerating the following kinds of foods before a run: high sugar foods, high fiber foods, high fat or protein foods.

Eating well after exercise can help to speed your recovery. Think carbs, the body is primed to replace its glycogen stores ie. fruit, bagels and be sure to hydrate!

“When women get together as a group, it is immensely powerful,” Annie Lennox.

So true, yet why don’t we see this? Because our culture pits women against each other. Womens’ value is weighted primarily on how they look; and finding a partner is central to one’s life meaning. This equals competition, and in fact it encourages women to dislike and disconnect from “pretty” women because they will “steal” their man. These women become threats and cannot be trusted. All of this hurts women and does not unite.’’

The following are excerpts from the 13 Original Clan Mothers by Jamie Sams:

“…the Planetary Family is restored when the women can feel safe anywhere and anytime. When this occurs, the nurturing of children’s dreams is taken care of by women who have become extensions of the Earth Mother and thus Mothers of the Creative Force. Through the nurturing of healed women, the spiritual health and well-being of the next seven generations is assured.”

“The Sisterhood grows strong when every woman sees every other woman as an equal part of the whole. There is no room for pecking order in a circle of women… every woman is asked to do her part by developing her gifts, talents and abilities. Each woman is acknowledged for the work she contributes to the whole. She leads through example. Each woman is required to face the limitations, fears and challenges within herself and to heal those parts of her self in order to become the living personification of her personal vision.”

“When each woman honours herself, more raw, creative energy is available to be used by the whole to affect changes in the way humankind reacts to life. When women are no longer lost, asking others to tell them what they should do or how to live, there will be great changes in our world. The support of other women who have walked the same path is paramount. This kind of support is based in truth and delivered with caring – without projections or judging one another. That kind of support is healthy and productive, when other women create a safe space in which to share personal thoughts and offer alternatives in a respectful way. The Sisterhood always supports every woman who is willing to surmount her own challenges in order to grow.”

“One way we can balance the male and female sides of our nature is through developing our skills, putting ourselves out in the world in order to make a difference in the lives of others we encounter. Through example, we can show others how to love unconditionally, be their personal best, drop the need to control or belittle, and show compassion.”

“To gather the gifts – and to develop them as our own – we must see other women as role models. This is not to put the women who have developed a certain gift on a pedestal, because they too are human and will fall. Every human being is perfect in her or his imperfections and has a right to learn through trial and error. In admiring how another woman uses the gifts she has developed, we can then see how she handles situations in her life. It may not be how we would do it ourselves, but it gives us one alternative to look at without judging it as right or wrong. Being the observer of several women who have certain gifts that we want to develop within ourselves can give us a multitude of new ideas and ways to approach life.”

“We are only as accomplished as those we choose as our role models or teachers.”

“Today, there are many ways to find role models. We can find the information or resources we need through books, seminars, schools, or libraries. We can make it our priority to develop new ways to look at our lifestyles and our environment. We can develop skills through sharing or helping another accomplish a task. We can ask that the right person or situation be put in our paths so we can observe alternatives. Everything in life is our teacher and everything is alive. The discovery of that aliveness is the adventure that life offers us on a minute-to-minute basis. Our main task is to be aware of every moment in order to take advantage of the opportunities presented.”

“Observing and listening, making sure we understand, and then taking action is the balanced path to developing any talent or accomplishing any goal.”

“We gather the gifts of women when we allow all persons to make their own choices about who and what they want to be and then allow them to find a path that suits their personality and unique way of learning those skills. The purity of the loving feminine principle is based in unattached guidance giving proper boundaries and at the same time providing a fertile ground for developing the seeds of potential.”

“We can no longer separate the female and male principles within ourselves, because one without the other will leave us stranded on the shores of the future without the means to become our personal visions. Gathering the gifts of women and bringing those gifts home to our hearts means acknowledging both sides of our nature and investing both sides with goodness. Negative judgements will divide the natural marriage of our thoughts (feminine) and actions (masculine) that gives us the abilities we need to accomplish our goals.”

“Every human being who accomplishes the task of becoming her or his personal vision will become a role model for others, whether she or he is aware of it or not. The more gifts we gather and the more skills we develop, the more enlightenment we are able to share with others.”

We need to push back and stop going along with the idea that our worth is found in our appearance in order to change the world and make things better for all of us. Unite and deliver your gifts to the group, work together to make this beautiful earth a peaceful home for everyone.

Pace your return to exercise, doing enough to stay within your energy reserves so as not to cause a

flare-up of symptoms.

A delicate balance has to be found between doing too much and not enough.

Consider exercising when there is literally no sign of any symptom. That is, when you feel 100 per cent back to normal.

Another option is graded exercise therapy, where activity is incrementally increased to improve exercise tolerance.

On the My Alberta Health website the recommendation is: “Pace yourself carefully as you recover so you don’t make your symptoms worse, get injured, or have any new symptoms. Stop and rest if your symptoms get worse during or after exercise. If you have any questions about exercise after COVID-19, feel worse or more tired the day after exercise, or have a racing or irregular heartbeat, talk to your healthcare provider or visit the Rehabilitation Advice Line on albertahealthservices.com

The 3 Ps in this case are:  Pace, Prioritize (When energy supplies are limited, you may need to make sure that the energy you use is spent on activities that are the most important to you. It may also be useful to identify what activities in your day are ), and Plan (When planning your day or week, spread your activities out rather than trying to fit them all in one day. Think about when your energy levels may be at their best and therefore completing high energy tasks at this time).

Some young people who had been infected, have said it may have been had overexertion too soon in their recovery that may triggered long Covid.

Long COVID so far has been defined as the presence of signs and symptoms that develop during or following COVID-19 which continue for 12 weeks or more. 

Typically, it is referred to as acute COVID-19 until four weeks and ongoing COVID-19 from four to 12 weeks. 

Most common symptoms after 6 months include fatigue and brain fog.

Other common symptoms: shortness of breath, chest pain or tightness, insomnia, heart palpitations, dizziness, muscle pain, joint pain, depression, anxiety, loss of appetite, a high temperature, cough, headaches, sore throat, changes to sense of smell or taste, and, rashes.

Slowly try to reincorporate exercise if you are feeling better. Because long Covid can manifest in different ways, individuals may need to tailor their programs.

For every person, long Covid is different so there’s probably never going to be a one-size-fits-all recommendation for exercise.

For many long Covid patients, experiencing worsening symptoms after exercise, which is sometimes called “post-exertional malaise,” is not uncommon.

This is a novel virus, and it may take years until we understand the true long-term impacts on those who have contracted it.

There is no one size fits all for the recommendation to return to exercise, you really need to listen to your body.

Physical activity doesn’t need to be complicated. A simple daily walk can lead to big changes including; losing weight and maintaining a healthy weight; prevent or manage various conditions including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, cancer and type 2 diabetes; improve cardiovascular fitness; strengthen bones and muscles; improve muscle endurance; increase energy levels; improve mood, cognition, memory and sleep; improve balance and coordination; strengthen your immune system; and, reduce stress and tension.

Not bad for a daily stroll. “For how long” you ask?

Adults, including seniors, should accumulate at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week. You can divide that up into what ever works for your life and schedule. That might even mean doing two or three short bursts of exercise over the course of one day if you don’t have a big block open to do it all at once.

“But,” you say, “I have too much to do.”

How about ‘stacking your life’? That might mean that while you walk you; window shop, learn a language, pick up garbage, rehearse a speech, catch up on your favourite podcast or music, call a friend or better yet meet a friend for a walk and catch up; walking meeting, walking meditation, audio book, solve problems, think creatively, brainstorm, daydream, write, pray, practice gratitude, photography, run errands, walk the dog, support a charity, learn history, body weight exercises, connect with kids, or explore a new area. Phew! Just listing that is cardio.

The best part is all you have to do is step outside your door. And there is no bad weather, only bad clothing.

Last tip: keeping a record of how many steps you take, the distance you walk and how long it takes can help you see where you started from and serve as a source of inspiration.

The Bhagavad Gita, “The Song of the Lord” or “Lord’s Song” is the best known of all the Indian scriptures written in 400-300 B.C.E.

The Gita, as it’s commonly called, opens on a battlefield. On the eve of combat, Prince Arjuna loses his nerve and asks his charioteer, Krishna, what to do. Krishna is an incarnation of God. Arjuna becomes Everyman, asking the Lord himself the perennial questions about life and death. Thus it’s not an external dialogue, but an internal one. Questions about the meaning of life and our deepest self.

Arjuna faces the immediate prospect of killing relatives and honoured teachers. The Gita is the struggle between right and wrong. The war within, the struggle for self-mastery that every human being must wage to live a life that is meaningful, fulfilling and worthwhile. He has lost his way on the battlefield of life and turns to find the path again by asking direct questions to his spiritual guide. Krishna replies in 700 verses of sublime instruction on living and dying, loving and working, and the nature of the soul.

Arjuna is essentially a man of action, renowned for his bravery, nobility, and skill in the arts of war. But now he is forced to ask questions about life and death. Sri Krishna begins by reminding Arjuna of his immortal nature which is more important than the passion world. Arjuna formally asks Krishna to be his spiritual teacher or guru.

It’s a poetic, practical text/manual for daily living. The struggle is between two halves of human nature, and choices are posed every moment. We have no choice about the fighting; it is built into human nature. But we do have the choice of which side to fight on. We strive like Arjuna, to do what is right. The whole world is a battlefield. The individual soul is Arjuna.

Thus the Gita places human destiny entirely in human hands. We shape ourselves and our world by what we believe and think and act on, whether for good or for ill.  In the Gita, yoga refers primarily to disciplining the mind.

To ensure he will focus his devotion on Krishna at the hour of death, Arjuna makes a practice of remembering him continually now. If he makes his mind one-pointed in meditation and learns to focus his being on Krishna, then naturally at the time of death he will think of nothing else. Otherwise, in the chaos of death, he will panic and lose his way. Krishna describes in detail what happens to consciousness at the moment of death.

Krishna leads Arjuna step by step to an understanding of the real purpose of his life – to know who he is and to know also who Krishna is.

“When your mind, which has been tossed around by conflicting opinions, becomes still and centred in equilibrium, then you experience Yoga. After being tossed back and forth by so many conflicting views, slowly you are pushed up and up. One day you rise to the heights. Then you’re no longer tossed between these dualities or differing opinions – for and against, good and bad. When your intelligence is shaken by the conflicting opinions of others don’t get upset over it, because you know the truth. Just accept their opinions as mere words. You simply feel, “Yes, that’s what they feel. Let them feel that way.” It may appear to be conflicting, but you give the freedom to others to think the way they want and say what they want. The enlightened person is not affected by that.”

The war chariot is the body; the five beautiful horses are the five senses; and the reins that control the horses are the Buddha or intellect. If that intellect, the discriminative faculty, is in the hands of the conscience, which is God in you, then your chariot runs well. If the soul or desirous mind sits behind and simply follows what the conscience says, it will always be successful. That’s the allegorical meaning behind the Gita.

Mahatma Gandhi based his daily life on the Gita from his 20s on. The essence of yoga is be good, do good.

The whole story is in the Mahabharata. The Gita leaves off as Arjuna goes into battle. By the end Arjuna’s side emerges victorious. But almost every man of fighting age on both sides has been slain.