by Tina Russo Lancey, CYT, R-AYF, R-CYAMT
The primary time a yoga teacher advised me to seek out my Drishti, I used to be confused, to say the least. Nobody had ready me for any of the Sanskrit phrases I heard. Utilizing logic, I figured something ending in “asana” was the pose we had been going to maneuver towards. This was a easy deduction. A Drishti although? I had no thought the place or what to search for within the room. It will take a number of extra courses earlier than I understood what we had been doing, the place to seek out my Drishti, and the way necessary this may be in my apply.
So allow us to begin with the phrase itself. In its easiest type, Drishti means sight. The thought behind “discovering your Drishti” is to focus your gaze. In yoga, we attempt to use a tender gaze to assist us focus. So does one simply look wherever and focus earlier than softening the eyes? Effectively, you possibly can, nevertheless, there are 9 kinds of Drishti’s in Ashtanga yoga and eight acknowledged in Hatha yoga.
- Angushthamadhye Drishti gazes on the center of the thumb. It’s utilized in Solar Salutations, Chair Pose, and Warrior.
- Bhrumadhye Drishti gazes on the third eye (between the forehead). It’s used on an inhale as you come out of Standing Ahead Bend and used throughout Downward Going through Canine and Upward-Going through Canine.
- Nasagre Drishti gazes on the tip of the nostril. It’s utilized in Mountain Pose, 4-Limbed Employees Pose, Warrior Pose, and Standing Ahead Bend. Wheel Pose and Handstand are additionally poses the place we use this Drishti.
- Hastagrahe Drishti gazes on the palm of the hand or the information of the fingers. It’s utilized in Prolonged Triangle Pose.
- Parshva Drishti gazes to the aspect (left or proper). It’s utilized in Seated Twist Pose, and Standing Hand to Toe Pose.
- Urdhva Drishti gazes upwards. It’s utilized in Large-Angle Seated Ahead Bend, Warrior II Pose, and Boat Pose.
- Nabhicakre Drishti gazes towards the navel. It’s typically utilized in Downward Going through Canine.
- Pādayoragre Drishti gazes towards the toes and is utilized in Seated Ahead Bend (and any twisting variations.
After we are targeted on our gaze, we will settle the thoughts, and never lose focus when issues are transferring and altering within the room round us. This improved focus can join us deeper in our apply with thoughts and physique. Whereas every Drishti mentioned right here has an related point of interest utilized in sure poses, you should utilize different objects as effectively. Be conscious of your eyes when training any of those Drishti’s, and know closing the eyes can be a approach to join and focus.
For a deeper understanding of using a Drishti, here’s a e-book we suggest. It’s one in all my most well-liked Ashtanga Yoga books and it’s by David Swenson: Ashtanga Yoga: The Observe Guide Hardcover – Illustrated, August 20, 2007*
*Disclosure: A number of the hyperlinks on this article are affiliate hyperlinks. Because of this, at zero price to you, I’ll earn an affiliate fee should you click on by the hyperlink and finalize a purchase order.
