Drishti comes from a Sanskrit word meaning “gaze” or “view.” Many think of it as describing the position and placement of your eyes during an asana practice. This is certainly part of it: Focusing your gaze can help focus attention, since your mind tends to follow your eyes (e.g., if your eyes wander over to the person on the mat in front of you, suddenly that’s what you’re concentrating on). But YogaGlo’s David Harshada Wagner, who teaches meditation, yoga, and “no bullshit spirituality,” points out that as with most yogic concepts, there’s volumes more to the meaning of drishti than just eye placement. Your gaze is also your vision in a larger sense: It pertains not just to what we see on the mat, but also what we see in the world as we move through it.
When you fix your gaze, it sends a message to your muscles and nervous system to align your body accordingly. Here’s how it works:
- Enhanced Muscle Coordination: For instance, in Warrior II pose, setting your eyes on your front fingertips sends signals to your muscles to engage correctly, which helps lift your back and shoulders into proper alignment. This results in a more robust and stable posture.
- Improved Balance: In balancing poses like Tree Pose, concentrating on a spot on the floor acts as an anchor. This steadies your stance and minimizes wobbling. Over time, this visual focus promotes muscle memory and ingrains balanced postural habits.
- Proprioceptive Feedback: Over repeated practice, the proprioceptive feedback—awareness of your body’s position—strengthens. This ingrained sense of alignment keeps your form correct, even outside of your yoga sessions.
By incorporating Drishti into your routine, you essentially train your body to adopt and maintain proper postural habits, which can translate into improved posture in everyday activities. Explore Glo’s classes to practice with a focus on Drishti.
Understanding the Two Main Categories of Drishti in Yoga
In yoga practice, Drishti refers to focused gaze techniques that enhance concentration and alignment. There are two primary types: Bahya Drishti and Antar Drishti.
Bahya Drishti (External Gaze)
Bahya Drishti involves focusing on an actual, external object within your line of sight. For example, during various asanas (postures), you might fix your gaze on a point such as a spot on the wall or your big toe. This technique, commonly utilized in Ashtanga Yoga, employs nine specific Drishti points to help maintain balance and alignment. By concentrating on these external points, practitioners can improve their focus and stability.
Antar Drishti (Internal Gaze)
Antar Drishti, on the other hand, is a more advanced technique that requires you to visualize an object within your mind’s eye, such as at the Ajna Chakra (the third-eye center). This internal gaze can be directed towards imagined entities like a candle flame, the Om symbol, or a spiritual figure. With regular practice, Antar Drishti can help transcend mundane distractions, leading to heightened inner awareness and deeper states of meditation.
By integrating these Drishti techniques into your yoga practice, you can cultivate both heightened external focus and profound internal awareness.
Learn more about integrating Drishti into your practice.
What are the Nine Drishti Points Used in Ashtanga Yoga?
Ashtanga Yoga incorporates nine specific Drishti points, or focal points, to enhance focus, alignment, and inner awareness during asana practice. Here’s a detailed look at each:
1. Between the Eyebrows (Bhrumadhya Drishti)
Bhrumadhya Drishti, also known as the “third eye gaze,” is a focal point situated between the eyebrows. In yoga and meditation practices, this drishti is used to channel attention inward, aiding in the awakening of the Kundalini energy. This inward focus invites heightened awareness and deeper concentration.
Common Poses for Bhrumadhya Drishti:
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Meditative Poses: It’s frequently employed in seated meditation postures such as Sukhasana (Easy Pose) and Padmasana (Lotus Pose). This helps practitioners delve into a meditative state more efficiently.
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Balancing Postures: In poses like Vrksasana (Tree Pose) and Garudasana (Eagle Pose), focusing on the third eye can enhance stability and balance.
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Forward Bends: Poses such as Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend) and Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend) use Bhrumadhya Drishti to facilitate introspection and calming of the mind.
Employing Bhrumadhya Drishti across these various postures not only deepens your practice but also aligns your mind, body, and spirit to promote overall well-being.
2. Tip of the Nose (Nasagram Drishti)
Nasagram Drishti refers to the specific gaze point directed at the tip of the nose. This focal point is integral in various yoga practices to enhance concentration and maintain balance.
Nasagram Drishti is particularly common in the following poses:
- Four-Limbed Plank Pose (Chaturanga Dandasana): Here, focusing on the tip of the nose helps to stabilize the body and deepen mental focus.
- Upward-Facing Dog Pose (Urdhva Mukha Svanasana): Utilizing this drishti in this pose aids in maintaining spinal alignment and enhances the engagement of core muscles.
By directing the gaze to the tip of the nose, practitioners can improve their mindfulness and internal harmony within these poses.
3. Navel (Nabhi Chakra Drishti)
Nabhi Chakra Drishti refers to focusing your gaze towards the navel, which is the location of the Manipura Chakra. This focus point plays a significant role in yoga practice by anchoring the mind and helping maintain proper alignment.
Significance of the Manipura Chakra
Located at the navel, the Manipura Chakra, or the solar plexus, is associated with personal power, self-esteem, and transformation. Directing your gaze to this area during certain yoga poses helps in channeling your energy towards these attributes. It enhances concentration and brings about a deeper awareness of your body’s core.
Common Yoga Poses Utilizing Nabhi Chakra Drishti
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Downward-Facing Dog (Adho Mukha Svanasana)
- Enhances core stability
- Promotes proper spinal alignment
- Deepens the stretch and increases focus
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Forward Fold (Uttanasana)
- Aids in maintaining balance
- Encourages a deeper stretch in the hamstrings
- Helps in aligning the spine correctly
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Plank Pose (Phalakasana)
- Strengthens the core muscles
- Keeps the body in a straight line
- Enhances concentration on maintaining form
How to Practice Nabhi Chakra Drishti
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Shift Your Gaze
- Always ensure to move your head gently to bring your attention to the navel.
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Engage the Core
- Draw your awareness inwards and engage your abdominal muscles while practicing this focus.
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Breathe
- Maintain smooth and steady breathing to hold the Drishti without strain.
By integrating Nabhi Chakra Drishti into your practice, you can deepen your poses, enhance your core strength, and cultivate a focused mind.
4. Hands (Hastagram Drishti)
Hastagram Drishti refers to focusing your gaze on your hands or fingertips. This technique is instrumental in maintaining balance and enhancing the depth of your practice.
Common Poses Utilizing Hastagram Drishti:
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Arm Balances
- In poses like Crow Pose (Bakasana) or Handstand (Adho Mukha Vrksasana), directing your gaze to your hands helps stabilize and align your body.
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Standing Poses
- During poses such as Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II) or Extended Side Angle (Utthita Parsvakonasana), focusing on your hands can intensify the stretch and keep you grounded.
By incorporating Hastagram Drishti into these and other poses, you can maintain better focus, balance, and alignment throughout your yoga practice.
5. Thumbs (Angushthamadhyam Drishti)
Angushthamadhyam Drishti refers to the yogic practice of focusing the gaze on the thumbs. This technique helps to cultivate concentration and mindfulness within various yoga postures.
Common Poses Utilizing Angushthamadhyam Drishti
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Warrior Poses: Directing the gaze towards the thumbs in Warrior Poses enhances the uplifting energy and intention of the posture.
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Upward Salute (Urdhva Hastasana): This drishti is also beneficial in Upward Salute, aiding in maintaining balance and a sense of elongation.
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Eagle Pose (Garudasana): In Eagle Pose, focusing on the thumbs can help with stability and mental clarity.
Utilizing Angushthamadhyam Drishti in these poses can significantly improve your practice by fostering a deeper sense of focus and alignment.
6. Toes (Padayoragram Drishti)
Padayoragram Drishti refers to the focal point at the toes. This technique involves directing your gaze towards your toes, and it plays a crucial role in enhancing both physical and mental equilibrium.
Common Poses Utilizing Padayoragram Drishti
Padayoragram Drishti is particularly beneficial in various forward-bending poses. Some commonly used poses include:
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Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend):
- Helps to deepen your stretch.
- Provides better balance.
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Paschimottanasana (Seated Forward Bend):
- Encourages relaxation and stability.
- Enhances focus.
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Prasarita Padottanasana (Wide-Legged Forward Bend):
- Aids in maintaining balance.
- Improves alignment.
By focusing on your toes during these poses, you ensure a more stable and concentrated practice. Incorporating this drishti can greatly refine your overall form and mental clarity in yoga sessions.
7. Far to the Right (Parshva Drishti)
Parshva Drishti, also known as the “gaze to the far right,” is a focal point technique used in yoga to extend the gaze rightward. This intentional gaze aids in enhancing spinal alignment and concentration during practice.
Parshva Drishti is particularly useful in various twisting poses. By focusing the eyes far to the right, practitioners can deepen the twist and improve stability, making it a valuable tool in poses like:
- Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana): This classic seated twist benefits greatly from Parshva Drishti, allowing for a more intense spinal rotation and helping to keep the chest open.
- Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana): Employing Parshva Drishti in this standing twist helps in maintaining balance and enhances the overall twist.
- Bharadvaja’s Twist (Bharadvajasana): Another seated twist where gazing far right can assist in elongating the spine and achieving a deeper rotation.
Using Parshva Drishti correctly not only enhances the physical benefits of these poses but also fosters a meditative state by anchoring the mind and body through a steady gaze.
8. Far to the Left (Parshva Drishti)
Parshva Drishti refers to the “gaze far to the left.” This drishti is integral for achieving a balanced and thorough stretch during certain yoga poses. By directing your gaze far to the left, you can enhance the twist and engagement in your practice.
Common Poses Featuring Parshva Drishti:
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Twisted Chair Pose (Parivrtta Utkatasana):
- As you perform this pose, twist your torso and look towards the far left to deepen the stretch and improve spinal alignment.
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Half Lord of the Fishes Pose (Ardha Matsyendrasana):
- In this seated twist, turning your gaze to the left helps in maximizing the spinal twist and enhancing the stretch among the intercostal muscles.
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Revolved Triangle Pose (Parivrtta Trikonasana):
- During this standing twist, directing your gaze far left can aid in maintaining balance and ensuring proper alignment through the hips and shoulders.
Employing Parshva Drishti not only aids in maintaining focus but also contributes to the overall effectiveness of these yoga poses by stretching various muscle groups comprehensively.
9. Up to the Sky (Urdhva Drishti)
Urdhva Drishti translates to “gazing upwards” and serves as a focal point in yoga practice. This technique involves directing your gaze towards the sky, helping to expand your awareness and cultivate a sense of infinity.
Common Poses Utilizing Urdhva Drishti
- Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1): In this powerful standing pose, Urdhva Drishti helps maintain proper alignment and enhances stability by preventing the upper body from leaning forward.
- Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana): This challenging balance pose benefits from the upward gaze to keep the neck and spine elongated, promoting better balance and concentration.
Using Urdhva Drishti in these poses not only aids in physical alignment but also fosters mental clarity and focus, enriching your overall yoga practice.
In poses such as Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1) and Half Moon Pose (Ardha Chandrasana), the Urdhva Drishti involves lifting the gaze upward towards the sky. This helps with alignment and balance, bringing a sense of expansiveness to the practice.
Using these nine Drishti points in your Ashtanga Yoga practice can significantly enhance your focus, alignment, and inner connection.
Try Glo’s Ashtanga Yoga classes to practice these Drishti points.
How Drishti Enhances Balance and Alignment in Yoga Postures?
Drishti, the practice of focused gazing, plays a pivotal role in both physical and mental aspects of yoga. By providing a steady focal point, Drishti helps synchronize the mind and body, which is crucial for maintaining balance and alignment in challenging postures.
Physical Stability
When you fix your gaze on a specific point, it aids in stabilizing balancing poses. For instance:
- Warrior II: By directing your eyes towards your front fingertips, your back and shoulders engage correctly, lifting your posture and improving alignment.
- Tree Pose: Staring at a fixed spot on the floor grounds your stance, reducing wobbles and helping you find equilibrium.
These small shifts in focus signal your muscles to support your body in maintaining proper form, leading to more effective and stable poses over time.
Mental Focus and Inner Awareness
Beyond the physical benefits, Drishti draws your attention inward, enhancing mindfulness and inner awareness. This deep focus helps you tune into your body’s alignment:
- Enhanced Mind-Body Connection: With a steady gaze, your mind is less likely to wander, encouraging a deeper state of concentration.
- Mindfulness: As your senses turn inward, you become more aware of subtle shifts in your body, allowing for real-time adjustments in posture.
Proprioceptive Benefits
Focusing your gaze triggers proprioceptive signals, which are essential for body awareness:
- Postural Adjustments: Over time, these signals help your body create ingrained patterns, making proper alignment more intuitive and automatic.
- Muscle Coordination: Gaze points guide muscles to work in unison, harmonizing your entire body around the focal point.
Incorporating Drishti into your yoga practice not only enhances your ability to balance and align physically but also fosters a deeper, meditative state of mind.
“Drishti is one of my favorite Sanskrit words,” he says, “and one that is often misunderstood. Or, at the least, I find us is often under-understood. With the prevalence of asana practice in the last 20-30 years, a yoga student often only hears the term drishti in the context of the placement of ones vision during the performance of a physical yoga practice. Along with awareness of breath and the gross placement of limbs and spine, the yogi can also refine practice by paying attention to where he or she looks.”
So that’s the classic definition. But Wagner points out that how and where we look guides us through life in a much larger sense, because our minds follow what our eyes do. “One of my hobbies is precision police-style motorcycle riding,” he says. “We learn to maneuver giant 750 pound police Harleys through seemingly impossible obstacle courses and avoid accidents in part by having control over our drishti. The huge bike follows wherever you put your eyes. This is true for life too, and the ancient yogis knew this.”
Discover more about how Drishti can enhance your yoga practice on Glo.
Steps to Deepen Your Focus in Meditation Using Drishti
Understanding Drishti
Drishti, the practice of focused gaze in meditation and yoga, helps anchor the wandering mind. By directing your sight to a singular point, you can achieve heightened concentration and introspection. Let’s explore the steps to deepen your focus through Drishti.
Step-by-Step Guide
1. Choose Your Focal Point
Select a singular point for your focus before you begin meditating. This focal point can be your breath, a candle flame, a symbolic image, or even an internal point like the third eye center.
- External Options: Holding a gentle gaze on a flame, image, or object.
- Internal Options: Visualizing the third eye center or picturing a symbol in your mind.
2. Maintain a Gentle Gaze
If you opt for an external focal point, ensure your eyes rest softly on it. Avoid any strain, keeping your gaze light and relaxed. Steady your breath as you hold this gaze to invite peace and calm.
- Soft Eyes: Keep your eyes relaxed, without tension.
- Steady Breathing: Breathe naturally, allowing relaxation to deepen.
3. Direct Your Focus Inward
Minimize distractions and bring your complete attention to the chosen point. Distracting thoughts will arise, but gently guide your mind back to the present and your focal point without judgment.
- Reduce Distractions: Find a quiet space and settle comfortably.
- Mindful Redirection: Gently return your focus if your mind wanders.
4. Deepen Your Focus
Once your Drishti is established, try to deepen it further. Release subtle tension from your eyes and forehead, and breathe deeply to soothe your nervous system. Imagine narrowing your field of attention as if looking through a tunnel, immersing fully in the present moment.
- Relax Eyes and Forehead: Let go of any tension.
- Deep, Natural Breaths: Calm your body and mind.
- Narrow Focus: Imagine a tunnel vision, concentrating only on your focal point.
By following these steps, you can enhance your meditation practice, find greater inner stillness, and cultivate a deeper, more focused state of mind.
Enhance your meditation practice with Drishti on Glo.
How Drishti Facilitates the Journey from Dharana to Dhyana?
Drishti, rooted in Sanskrit, translates to “view,” “gaze,” or “point of focus.” In the realm of yoga, this concept acts as a cornerstone for guiding practitioners from intense concentration, known as Dharana, to a deeper, meditative state called Dhyana.
Enhancing Focus Through Drishti
When practicing yoga, directing your gaze to a specific point helps anchor your attention. This focused vision minimizes distractions and sharpens mental clarity, laying the groundwork for Dharana, which is all about sustained concentration.
Transitioning to Meditation
As you consistently hold your Drishti, the mind begins to quiet. The continuous, unwavering focus gradually leads to a state of effortless concentration. This natural progression helps transition the mind from Dharana into Dhyana, where meditation becomes more profound and uninterrupted.
Broader Implications of Drishti
While Drishti is instrumental in achieving this meditative state, its applications are versatile. Depending on your yoga practice or spiritual journey, its meaning and use can adapt to support your unique intentions.
By incorporating Drishti into your practice, you create a pathway that transforms concentrated effort into tranquil meditation, enriching your overall yoga experience.
Going even a step further, Drishti is about how we see the world as we navigate it. Our vision – both of ourselves and what we choose to set our sights on in the grander scheme – is all drishti. ‘In the Sanskrit texts, drishti refers not just to our gross vision, but to our overall vision of the universe,’ says Wagner. ‘Drishti, in this sense, means our understanding, our outlook, our way of seeing.’ He says that long before drishti referred to the placement of the gaze in asana practice, the term, first mentioned in the Yoga Vasishta, described one’s relationship with the universe.”
With practice, it can lead to profound clarity and insight about your true nature and purpose. You see the universe for what it is, and inch closer to the ultimate state of mind, or Patanjali’s Eighth Limb of Yoga: Samadhi. This journey of understanding and perception is integral to yoga, offering a pathway to deeper self-awareness and universal connection. It’s not merely about where you look, but how you look and what you see in the broader context of existence.
Drishti bridges the gap between the physical act of focusing the eyes and the spiritual act of focusing the mind. By refining your drishti, you refine your consciousness, moving towards a state where clarity and insight become natural states of being. This holistic approach underscores the transformative potential inherent in the disciplined practice of drishti, guiding you to a more enlightened and purposeful life
How Drishti Can Help You Achieve a Niruddha Mind State?
Drishti, when practiced regularly, offers a transformative journey from an Ekagra (one-pointed) mind to a Niruddha (completely controlled) mind. Here’s how:
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Focus and Concentration: Drishti techniques sharpen your ability to concentrate, enabling the mind to remain fixed on a single point. This one-pointed focus (Ekagra) is the first step towards mental discipline.
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Enhanced Clarity: By focusing your gaze, Drishti helps clear mental clutter. As your mind quiets, you begin to see things more clearly, both in your internal and external worlds.
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Deepened Self-Awareness: With sustained practice, you develop a heightened sense of self-awareness. This awareness is crucial for identifying and controlling distracting thoughts, which is essential for achieving a Niruddha state.
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Step-by-Step Progression:
- Initial Phase: Start with simple Drishti exercises to train your eye and mind coordination.
- Intermediate Phase: Gradually incorporate Drishti into your meditation or yoga practice, extending the period of focused attention.
- Advanced Phase: Engage in prolonged Drishti practice, aiming for extended periods of unbroken focus to steady the mind completely.
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Holistic Integration: Combine Drishti with other mindfulness practices such as breathing exercises (Pranayama) and meditation. This holistic approach encourages the unification of mind and body, accelerating the transition to a Niruddha mind.
Through these steps, Drishti not only fosters intense concentration but also cultivates a deep, serene self-awareness. This journey from Ekagra to Niruddha ultimately grants you a sense of tranquility and mastery over your thoughts.
By embracing Drishti, you align yourself with a path that fosters love, wisdom, and inner peace. It becomes a cornerstone of your practice, guiding you through both the highs and lows of life with a centered, focused mind.
What are you focused on? If you’ve been spending too much time staring at the negative things, how can you refocus?
Start your journey with Drishti and transform your life with Glo’s classes.
Alice G. Walton, PhD is a health and science writer, and began practicing (and falling in love with) yoga last year. She is the Associate Editor at TheDoctorWillSeeYouNow.com and a Contributor at Forbes.com. Alice will be exploring yoga’s different styles, history, and philosophy, and sharing what she learns here on the YogaGlo blog. You can follow Alice on Twitter @AliceWalton and Facebook at Facebook.com/alicegwalton.
