Practice Spotlight

Have you ever noticed how easily your mind wanders during yoga practice? You might find yourself watching someone across the room, thinking about what’s next in your day, or wondering whether you’re doing a posture correctly.

One way to bring your attention back to your practice is through drishti, or a point of focus.

Whether you’re practicing Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha, or another style of yoga, giving your eyes a place to rest can help steady your mind. It can improve concentration, support balance and alignment, and encourage a more meditative quality throughout your practice.

In Ashtanga yoga, every posture has a prescribed drishti. There are nine traditional gazing points:

• Nasagrai: Tip of the nose
• Angustha Madhyai: Thumbs
• Nabhi Chakra: Navel
• Hastagrai: Fingertips
• Padhayoragrai: Toes or big toes
• Bhrumadhya: Third eye, between the eyebrows
• Parsva Drishti: Far to the right
• Parsva Drishti: Far to the left
• Urdhva or Antara Drishti: Upward, toward the sky or ceiling

Combined with steady breathing, drishti helps transform the physical movements of yoga into a moving meditation.

But you don’t have to memorize all nine gazing points to benefit from the practice.

If you’re unsure where to look, simply choose a point and allow your gaze to rest softly there. Ideally, choose something other than another person. Even in a led class, you can listen to the teacher’s cues without constantly looking toward them.

And while your eyes are focused, let your ears turn toward your breath.

Listen for evenness in your inhalations and exhalations. Notice whether there are moments when you tend to hold your breath or begin breathing more rapidly.

Your breath is telling you something. Perhaps you’re working harder than you realize, holding unnecessary tension, or simply need to slow down.

Listen, and respond.

The next time you step onto your mat, try giving your eyes somewhere to rest and your mind something to listen to.

Your body will thank you.