Dristhi

Dristhi literally means “perception”. Dristi is the specific point to look when practicing Yoga. Looking to the Dristi focus the mind, and brings concentration inwards.

“When we meditate we lock our optical nerve. When we look the optical nerve the whole head is lock, your mind stops varying. The Dristhis that lock the optical nerve are: brow point, tip of the nose, chin. The eyes close looking at the chin and then eyes are 9/10 closed looking to the tip of the nose it is the safest of all.

When this happens mind body and soul are in line by physical control the subconscious mind releases all kind of thoughts. When you have a negative thought goes horizontal, and when you chant a mantra goes up, changing negative into positive. That’s how you consume your subconscious mind, and when the subconscious mind is empty the conscious mind is clear and you don’t have nightmares.”  -- Yogi Bhajan

Our goal when practicing Yoga is to look inside ourselves, listen to the bodily functions, and disengage from the outside world.

Guruji has written that the Dristi is interconnected with the breath and the number of Vinyasa. Odd numbers of Vinyasa or inhalations, where the head moves upward are linked to the third eye, and even numbers of Vinyasa, or exhalations, where the head moves down are linked to the tip of the nose.

Looking up to the body (anything overhead including the third eye) has an expansive effect on the body. Looking down (particularly nose or navel) keeps the attention inwards, and stable.

The most common Dristi is the nose, nasagrai dristi, and it is connected to the root lock, or Mula Bhanda.

The nine traditional points are:

• Nose or nasagrai dristi
• Upwards or urdhva dristi
• Third eye or ajna chakra dristi
• Hand or hastagrai dristi
• Thumbs or angustha madyai dristi
• Right side or parsva dristi
• Navel or nabi dristi
• Foot or padayoragrai dristi

TIPS

• There is not Dristi given when moving between asanas, instead the gaze should be kept low and focus internally.
• During the practice is not advisable to look around.
• In downward facing dog the dristi is the navel, but if this makes the spine hunch look instead to the nose.
• In most of the forward bends the dristi is at the foot, but if this creates too much tension in the neck instead look at the nose.
• If looking at the nose makes you cross eyed, or gives you a headache, instead maintain the gaze at the same direction this will keep the concentration.