Digging into Drishti

What is Drishti?

We hear it every class – set your eyes on a fixed point in the room and soften your gaze. Your Drishti, or gaze, refers to where you place your attention. This doesn’t necessarily mean a physical gaze, but it can begin there, and it is meant to help you concentrate and focus on your practice. But how can you master the perfect Drishti for you?

Personalise Your Drishti

The answer: there is no “one-size-fits-all” Drishti for every person or even every pose.

For example, your focus point in Warrior II could be your forward-facing fingertips or another point in front of you, whereas in downward-facing dog, it could be the back of your mat or the back of the room. The key to an effective Drishti is to focus on whatever point feels comfortable to you: home in on that one spot and clear your mind of any distractions.

Benefits of Drishti

We know that your Drishti helps you concentrate on our poses, but there are several other benefits to incorporating this gaze on your mat. Drishti helps you move into our poses safely and more deeply, working you toward True North alignment.

For example, a Drishti toward the ceiling during twisting triangle will maintain the direction of your rotation, increase your stretch, and deepen the pose. A Drishti straight ahead of you in eagle will help you stay upright and stable. A Drishti toward your toes in child’s pose will release your neck and relax the backside of your body.

Drishti also helps calm your nervous system, allowing your body to focus on what’s essential in the moment and letting go of anything that doesn’t serve you. We’re constantly surrounded by stimulation and distraction; sometimes a soft gaze or inner focus is all you need to calm your mind. This same principle can be applied off your mat and incorporated into your daily life.

What Does Drishti Mean to You?

We sat down with RYS teacher Bharat and asked what Drishti means to him on and off his mat.

“To me, Drishti means to stay in the present moment and do the thing.” If you’ve ever taken Raj’s class, you know how adamant he is on motivating us to “do the thing” – he does the same for himself! Whether it’s crow, headstand, all six wheels, or simply getting to the studio on a rough day, Raj uses his Drishti to guide him through the journey into power with strength and determination. It’s important to remember that Drishtis can be used anytime, anywhere – not just during your practice. For example, taking a few moments to home in on one point during a stressful workday can help recenter your thoughts and focus on the single task at hand.

We asked Raj how he incorporates Drishti off of his mat.

“I use Drishti in my everyday life when I need to reset and refocus. If life is going in all directions, I can focus on one point for one minute to stay in the present moment. My Drishti keeps me from worrying and projecting forward…. I stay present.”

Using Drishti on and off your mat can bring a new perspective to your practice and your life.

By taking the time to focus and “just be”, your body will relax, your mind will be clear, and you’ll be free of anything that doesn’t serve you in the present moment.

Join us for a Yoga Teacher Training course at Raj Yoga School in Dharamshala and Goa.

You will be led through a Journey into Power class, completely blindfolded, to find your inner Drishti. Sign up online HERE!