07/22/2025
Drishti (दृष्टि) in yoga refers to a focused gaze or visual point of concentration. It’s a key part of asana (posture) and dhyana (meditation) practice, and is used to help cultivate concentration (dharana), inner awareness, and presence.
“Drishti” means sight, vision, or point of focus. It isn’t just physical seeing, it’s also about inner focus and directing your mental attention.
Purposes of Drishti:
-Improves concentration (mental focus stays anchored)
-Aids alignment and balance (especially in poses like Tree Pose or Warrior III)
-Shifts energy inward (helps move from external distractions to internal awareness)
-Supports breath-movement coordination in practices like Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga
Drishti vs. Just Looking:
Drishti isn’t staring or straining, it’s a soft, steady gaze. You may not be sharply "seeing" what you're looking at; it’s more about direction than clarity.
Integration Tip:
Try this in practice:
During balancing poses, keep a steady drishti to anchor your focus.
In flowing sequences, match the movement, breath, and gaze.
During meditation, use drishti to minimize mental wanderings.
In arm balancing poses or inversions, shift gaze forward or upwards to make it more challenging.
Explore and keep practicing.
✨🙏🏾✨
