The Sacred and the Secular: Elizabeth Gilbert’s Meditation on the Mind
Elizabeth Gilbert’s reflection on the difficulty of subduing the mind draws from one of Hinduism’s most revered spiritual texts, the Bhagavad Gita. This 700-verse Sanskrit scripture is embedded within the ancient Indian epic Mahabharata.
The quote appears to be a paraphrase of a passage spoken by Arjuna, the warrior prince, to Lord Krishna. Their profound philosophical dialogue took place on the battlefield of Kurukshetra.
This invocation of Krishna’s wisdom found its way into Gilbert’s work as she grappled with fundamental questions about human consciousness, spiritual discipline, and the nature of the self. By referencing such an ancient and sacred text, Gilbert positioned herself within a long lineage of Western seekers who have turned to Eastern philosophy in their quest for understanding. Yet she did so with a distinctly contemporary voice that made these concepts accessible to modern, often secular readers who might otherwise never encounter such wisdom.
Elizabeth Gilbert was born on July 18, 1969, in Waterbury, Connecticut. She grew up in a middle-class family where her father worked as a commodities trader and her mother was a nurse.
Intellectual curiosity and a passion for storytelling marked her early life. These qualities would later define her career as a writer and cultural commentator. Gilbert attended New York University, where she studied political science.
Ancient Yoga Text Reveals Krishna’s Wisdom
Her true education came through voracious reading, extensive travel, and a relentless pursuit of experiences. These experiences deepened her understanding of human nature and the world at large.
Before becoming a household name, Gilbert worked unglamorous jobs. She worked as a line cook, a ranch hand, and a bartender. She would later mine these experiences for material in her writing. These early years of wandering and working shaped her philosophy that wisdom could be found not just in books or spiritual retreats, but in the ordinary details of lived experience.
Gilbert’s breakthrough came in 2000 with her memoir “Eat, Pray, Love.” This book recounted her year-long journey of self-discovery following a painful divorce.
The book became a cultural phenomenon. It spent over 150 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list and sold millions of copies worldwide. A major motion picture starring Julia Roberts followed in 2010.
What made the book so resonant was Gilbert’s refreshingly honest approach to spirituality and personal transformation. She did not present herself as having achieved enlightenment or complete understanding. Instead, she positioned herself as a seeker fumbling through fundamental questions about love, purpose, and meaning.
Her willingness to admit confusion and uncertainty made these traditionally esoteric subjects feel relatable to a broad audience. Particularly regarding meditation and spiritual practice, she owned her struggles openly.
However, this massive success also made her a lightning rod for criticism. Some accused her of promoting a superficial, commercialized version of spirituality. They argued she reduced complex philosophical traditions to consumer experiences available to privileged Western travelers.
From the most sacred ancient text of Yoga: Oh Krishna, the mind is restless, turbulent, strong, and unyielding. I consider it as difficult to subdue as the wind
The Bhagavad Gita quote about the mind’s restlessness became particularly relevant to Gilbert’s post-“Eat, Pray, Love” work and life.
In the actual text, Arjuna expresses his frustration with meditation and mental discipline. He compares the mind’s turbulence to the wind—impossible to control and perpetually in motion.
Krishna responds by acknowledging the difficulty. He insists that with practice and dedication, the mind can indeed be subdued. A wild horse can be tamed through persistent effort in much the same way.
Gilbert’s invocation of this passage reflects her own grappling with the gap between spiritual aspiration and spiritual reality. This theme has become increasingly central to her work.
In subsequent memoirs like “Committed” and her novel “The Signature of All Things,” she continued to explore how ancient wisdom traditions address modern psychological struggles. These struggles include the anxiety and restlessness that seem to plague contemporary life. This philosophical consistency has given her work a depth that extends beyond memoir into the realm of genuine spiritual inquiry.
Many casual readers don’t realize that Gilbert spent considerable time in Bali, Indonesia. She specifically studied Balinese Hinduism and Sanskrit with teachers and scholars. She did not merely vacation in tourist resorts.
She developed a serious meditation practice. However, she has been notably candid about the difficulties she encountered. Her mind raced. Her body ached. Her faith wavered.
How This Teaching Transforms Modern Meditation Practice
This honesty is crucial to understanding why she references the Arjuna-Krishna dialogue so thoughtfully. She wasn’t presenting herself as someone who had mastered the teachings of the Gita. Rather, she positioned herself as someone struggling with the same obstacles that Arjuna himself encountered centuries ago.
This authenticity became her signature approach to discussing spirituality. It distinguished her from other popular spiritual teachers or New Age writers who often adopt an air of attained wisdom.
Additionally, Gilbert’s background in journalism trained her in important skills. For years before her memoir success, she pursued journalism. This work trained her to ask probing questions and demand specificity and evidence. These qualities have made her spiritual exploration feel grounded rather than ethereal.
The cultural impact of Gilbert’s engagement with Eastern philosophy has been substantial and complex. The global reach of “Eat, Pray, Love” amplified this impact.
On one hand, she succeeded in bringing the Bhagavad Gita and yogic philosophy into mainstream Western consciousness. She introduced millions of readers to concepts like chakras, pranayama, and the practice of meditation. Most of these readers would otherwise never have encountered these teachings.
Libraries reported increased checkouts of translations of the Gita following the book’s publication. Interest in yoga and ayurveda surged among Western audiences.
On the other hand, some scholars