How are you holding up?
There is a fine line these days, especially at this time of year, between staying “productive” and doing the work we need to do without burning out, becoming exhausted, or overwhelmed.
What do the ancient teachings of yogic philosophy have to say about this?
Even though times are vastly different now than they were thousands of years ago in ancient India, the teachings remain relevant nonetheless. Human problems are human problems.
One of the most beloved texts in Indian philosophy, the Bhagavad Gītā, is a spiritual dialogue nestled within the larger epic of the Mahābhārata. The setting is dramatic: a great warrior, Arjuna, stands on a battlefield on the eve of a family war.
As he pauses between the two armies (each filled with relatives, friends, and teachers), he is overwhelmed and frightened. One army upholds duty and righteousness, and the other is driven by selfish ambition. But both sides have people that Arjuna loves and respects, including his guru, who ended up on the opposite side.
Seeing the destruction about to unfold, and knowing people will die, he breaks down. He sinks into his chariot, throws aside his bow and arrows, and declares he wants no part of the war.
This becomes a teaching moment when Arjuna’s friend and charioteer, Kṛṣṇa (who is, as the text reveals, an avatāra of the Divine), steps in to guide him.
One might imagine Kṛṣṇa comforting Arjuna and encouraging him to escape the battle. But he doesn’t. Instead, he urges Arjuna to rise, gather himself, and do his duty. It is his dharma—his sacred path.
At its essence, this is not a story about war. It’s a story about the inner conflict we all face when life demands something of us that feels overwhelming or impossible.
After encouraging Arjuna to do his duty as a warrior, he tells him to channel the effort into devotion.
This core teaching is a principle that could prove useful even in our modern day:
Make your work an offering.
“Whatever you do, whatever you eat, whatever you offer or give away,
and whatever austerities you perform — do that as an offering to Me.”
— Lord Kṛṣṇa (BG Chapter 9, Verse 27)
Strictly speaking, classically, it means dedicating one’s efforts to God. But it can also point to anything you experience as sacred, meaningful, or bigger than your individual striving.
Making work an offering is not about bypassing difficulty or pretending hard things are pleasant.
Work as an offering is about shifting the orientation of effort. Instead of forcing ourselves through tasks out of obligation, fear, or pressure, what happens when we orient around devotion, service, or meaning?
Could this be an antidote to our modern-day overwhelm?
A modern story that illustrates this clearly comes from a monk in India who taught children at an orphanage. The subject was ordinary—geography or something like that. One might not consider that deep spiritual work.
Yet each day, before entering the classroom, the monk paused and bowed at the door. Someone once asked him why he showed such reverence “for just children.” His response: He saw his teaching as an offering, and he regarded the students as divine equals he was serving.
This reorientation is radical. It equalizes us. It reminds us that worthiness isn’t something earned through accomplishment, and that meaningfulness isn’t reserved for grand gestures. It shows us that our work and endeavors can be approached as sacred offerings.
What once felt like a burden may begin to feel like devotion. Effort becomes the path, rather than the obstacle.
It doesn’t mean pushing through at all costs, though. Even in the Gītā, Kṛṣṇa is clear that any action that harms the body or disturbs the mind is not healthy or helpful. In yogic terms, such action is adharmic or misaligned.
The blended advice is this, and how we might approach it: Hold boundaries, honor body and mind, and still offer work to something considered sacred. Aim to let go of fixation on outcomes.
Perhaps that lightens the load. Am I sold on this yet? I don’t know. But I think it is an approach worth exploring, especially when so many other options seem unsustainable, and just more advice that feels like another form of overwhelm itself.
With love and gratitude.
Oṃ śānti śānti śānti
Om Peace Peace Peace
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