From the Gita to the Grail: Exploring Yoga Stories and Western Myths

by Bernie Clark

What is the meaning of Shiva dancing on a dwarf named Avidya? Why does Vishnu sleep upon an endless snake? To what did the Buddha awaken? What do we mean by soul? The practice of Yoga has become quite common and popular in the West; however, the stories of Yoga are still strange to Western ears. What do these ancient symbols mean, what are they trying to teach us, and how should we incorporate the knowledge skillfully into our Western lifestyle? By looking at the myths of Yoga along with the stories that have influenced Western culture, we are presented with opportunities to select the best of both worlds, and create new maps to help guide us through the uncertainties of modern living. Stories are fun! Important stories guide us and educate us; they create mental models which work at an unconscious level to help us navigate through our modern society and govern our reactions to the ups-and¬downs of life; they provide meaning and purpose for our life; and our stories entertain and entrance us. In this book, Bernie Clark looks at the spiritual stories found in the West that create a base map for our lives and then looks at the stories found in the East to see how they could improve our base maps. The stories offered are mix of light¬hearted and enjoyable, and deep and profound. The importance of stories East and West are illustrated through the model proposed by the great 20th century mythologist, Joseph myths, or stories, serve four great functions - the mystical, the cosmological, the sociological and the psychological function. The stories chosen illustrate these four functions of mythology and show how we can take these stories into ourselves to create a deeper experience of life. This book is indexed making it very easy to navigate. You may find that, with a proper introduction, mythology will catch you. Joseph The Power of Myth

Genres: Nonfiction

546 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally managed to finish reading this chunky monkey over the Christmas period and into the first days of 2026.
From the Gita to the Grail by Bernie Clark is a deeply contemplative and rewarding exploration of the shared spiritual language that runs beneath Eastern and Western traditions. With clarity, humility, and quiet wisdom, Clark traces resonances between the Bhagavad Gita, Christian mysticism, and the Grail myth, revealing how seemingly distant traditions speak to the same inner journey of transformation, devotion, and ethical living.

What makes this book especially compelling is its balance between scholarship and lived experience. Clark does not force connections or flatten cultural differences; instead, he honours the integrity of each tradition while gently illuminating their shared concerns — the nature of duty, surrender, suffering, compassion, and the call toward inner awakening. His reflections invite the reader not only to think, but to feel their way into these teachings.

The writing is calm, accessible, and reflective, making complex philosophical and theological ideas approachable without oversimplifying them. This is not a book to rush through, but one to sit with, return to, and allow to unfold slowly. It offers nourishment for both the intellect and the spirit, particularly for readers interested in comparative spirituality, myth, yoga philosophy, or contemplative practice.

From the Gita to the Grail ultimately reminds us that across cultures and centuries, human beings have asked the same profound questions about meaning, service, and the sacred. Clark’s work is a thoughtful, generous guide across those landscapes — and a book that leaves a lasting impression long after the final page.

I do have disagreements with a few of his thoughts and I'll address them here:
page 135-- in regards to puberty and ritual "For girls this change happens distinctly and suddenly; for boys it is a long, drawn out affair. It is for this reason boys need a ritual more than girls do."
My reply: This comment is misognystic. Tell me you have never truly experienced being a woman without telling me.
I find this quote narrow minded and ignorant of the female body and the drawn out difficulties girls face during puberty and right up to the menopause-- it is more drawn out than what boys experience as they do not bleed every month for the rest of their life (plus the physical changes and complications that come with that). Often, once puberty hits, girls and women go unheard and told that their menstrual cycle is dirty and shameful and our breasts are oogled at by boys and men who are taught we are mere objects--- therefore rituals are just as important for young girls given not only what we go through but also what boys are taught to devalue us. If rituals were put in place to honour a girls and womens bodies, perhaps the world would be a better place and there would be less male violence? Girls need rituals for their menarche and the emotional/hormonal transitions that come with it EVERY MONTH, which by that logic, is more drawn out than what boys go through-- often what women go through is less celebrated and silenced, even in medical institutes women are told "Oh its just women's problems" whereas men are listened to and given treatment. I'd argue that it is GIRLS in need of rituals more than BOYS. Or at least given equal respect?

Page 137-- "But in the modern west, growing up takes longer and longer."
My reply: Not true, many western families kick their adult children out of the family home between ages 18-25 and are expected to suddenly be an adult the moment they are 18. I was one of those young adults, my mother was saying "You are 16 now, you get a part time job or you get out." In the West it is considered weird if your adult child isn't independant by their late 20's--have a job, at uni, know how to drive a car, have your own rented place in a shared house somewhere and only seeing your parents on occassion.... However in the Med and the East, many adult children (especially unmarried men) are coddled and allowed to stay at home with the parents right into their late 30s and 40s and then when he gets married, the wife is expected to care and mummy him --thus breeding a plethora of "man-babies" who are stuck like glue to their family of origin. How do I know this? I've lived in Cyprus and I have a lot of friends from mediterranean, Hindu and Middle Eastern countries.

page 223-- "The Islamic empire were DISCOVERING the scientific and philosophical legacies of Greece and Rome."
My reply: This one made my angry because it is again biased, ignorant and Eurocentric. As a History student with a lot of knowledge about Persia and the Middle East, actually it was the other way round. The Greek and Roman world was heavily inspired by Persian innovation, philosophies, spirituality, mathematics, science, astronomy and the arts. Zoroanstrianism is the mother religion of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Persian text heavily influenced the Medieval west and their obsession with Alchemy and astronony. The Greeks and the Roman's were the ones DISCOVERING the scientific and philosophical legacies of Persia and the Arab world. A lot of things considered Greek innovation and invention was stolen from Persian creation and intelligence.

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book as part of a course I was taking on meditation and the history of yoga. Bernie presented sections of it as part of a power point during the course. His presentation was very faithful to the book. I found both to be endlessly interesting and appreciated the way he worked his way through the timeline of history, providing context to so many things by explaining what else was going on and how they were related to other events happening in the world at that time. However, as this is a survey of thousands of years of history, I found that many of the theories were dealt with in a simplistic way and that the author chose to recount almost everything from a single point of view. He was clear that he was recounting only some of the possible maps of experience, but I would have appreciated more information about different theories and interpretations of texts.

[Niki Walters · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is fucking incredible. Fascinating. Like every single word was chosen in artistry. I am even more obsessed with Bernie Clark than I thought possible. Please note this took me two years to read and was a lot to digest before I was ready, just kept putting it down. I will definitely keep rereading this one 🙌

[Courtney Riggan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really interesting read. Love that it was stated various maps will suit us at different times, and there's no 'right' or 'wrong' map, just what is and isn't useful to you at present.
I'm more familiar with Western myths, stories, and ideas, so learning about the Eastern side of those things was very much appreciated.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an ambitious project, the comparison of Eastern vs Western mythologies and how that is reflected in cultural differences. Bernie Clark tackles it admirably. There are parts that are quite compelling and some just too dense for me, evidenced by the months it took me to finish it.

[Uschi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another book I'd never made it through without my book group. Bernie needed help on the Women's chapter. It's a deep dive and he leaves the best for last.