Book excerpt: The Bhagavad Gita, the classic spiritual text more than five thousand years old, has often been called India's greatest contribution to the world. In these pages, Jack Hawley presents the essence of the Gita's teachings in a format accessible to modern readers. The book is organized into chapters that address five important questions spiritual seekers have been grappling with for millennia: Who am I? Why am I here? Who, or what, is the Divinity many call “God”? What is my relationship to that Divinity? Is it even possible to live a spiritual life, and if so, how? Each chapter begins with an introduction by Jack Hawley. The teachings from the Gita follow, arranged under headings relevant to today's seekers, such as “Being the Real You,” “Seeing Divinity in Ordinary Humans,” and “Finding Happiness.” The ancient wisdom of the Bhagavad Gita lives on, helping us today as it has helped countless millions of people through the ages.