Drishti in Sanskrit means, focused gaze, vision or sight. It is the yogic practice of concentration to implant focus during the practice of - asana (pose), pranayama (breathing) and meditation.
Drishti helps the yogi to withdrawal from the earthbound senses in order to rise to a ‘higher sense’ of awareness. Drishti is a gentle and soft gaze, rather than a hard pressed stare.
Every asana (pose) is accompanied by a drishti cue where the focus is 1) on a specific spot on the body or 2) in a specific direction.
In Ashtanga Yoga, each asana (ah-sah-nah) is associated with 1 of the 8 focused gazes.
You might find in your studies that there are 9 focused gazes and not 8 as stated in Ashtanga Yoga, with the ‘right’ and the ‘left’ (parshva drishti) seen as distinctly different as up and down, up (urdva drishti) and the big toe as down (padagra drishti).
The 9 Drishti’s are:
1 – Tip of the nose – Nasagra or Nasagre Drishti
2 – Up to space – Urdva Drishti
3 – Third Eye – Brumadya or Bhrumadhye Drishti
4 – Tip of the middle finger – Hastagra or Hastagrahe Drishti
5 – Tip of the thumb – Angushta or Angusthamadhye Drishti
6 – Right Side – Parshva Drishti
7 – Left Side – Parshva Drishti
8 – Navel – Nabi or Nabhicakre Drishti
9 – Tip of the big toe – Padagra or Padayoragre Drishti
In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, drishti is most closely connected to the 5th, 6th and 7th limbs of ‘The Eight Limbs of Yoga’.
The 5th (Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses)
the 6th (Dharana - concentration)
and the 7th (Dhyana - meditation).
The Eight Limbs of Yoga are in Sutra II.29, which means Book 2 Verse 29. There are 4 books of the Yoga Sutras are rolled into one book, which is on this website.
We use drishti in two (2) ways:
1) Focusing on a specific spot on the body or in a specific direction helps to find and maintain balance during asana (poses).
2) Focusing an aid to help guide our awareness inward. This helps to steady the mind, and remove distractions so the intended concentration is fully realized.
Where your mind goes, attention follows. In other words, where energy goes, attention flows.
Here are some examples of drishti:
NASAGRA DRISHTI - rests at the tip of the nose. This drishti should be developed slowly. Do not rush the process. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Chapter I. 46) states . . .
(Chapter 1. 46) Place the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh, and grasp the toes with the hands crossed over the back. Press the chin against the chest and gaze on the tip of the nose. This is called the Padmasana, the destroyer of the diseases of the Yamis.
I tried to find a picture of BKS Iyengar with him holding the nasagra drishti in Padmasana but could not. So just use your imagination.
The eyes may be closed, but this teaching will not be found in any sacred texts. Eyes closed during nasagra drishti tends to be less stressful for beginners. It’s also easier to hold this drishti for longer periods of time with the eyes closed.
Nasagra drishti is also used during inversions like - adho mukha vrksasana (handstand), sirsasana (headstand) and backbends like chakrasana (wheel pose), as well as in seated meditation poses like padmasana.
Other asana using nasagra drishti - chaturanga dandasana (four-limbed plank pose), urdhva mukha svanasana (upward-facing dog pose), viparita karani (legs up the wall), dhanurasana (bow pose), bhujangasana (cobra pose), tadasana (mountain pose), paschimottanasana (seated forward bend pose), salabhasana (locust pose), utthan pristhasana (flying lizard pose), vrikshasana (tree pose), ustrasana (camel pose), chakrasana or urdhva dhanurasana (wheel pose), utthita tadasana (star pose), virabhadrasana (warrior one pose), baddha konasana (butterfly pose), ardha navasana (half-boat pose) and more . . .
2. URDVA DRISHTI (UP) -
Asanas using Urdva Drishti - parivrtta trikonasana (revolved triangle pose), ardha chandrasana (half moon pose), parivrtta parsvakonasana (revolved side angle pose), bitilasana (cow pose), camatkarasana (wild thing pose), matsyasana (fish pose), utthita parsvakonasana (extended side angle pose), parighasana (gate pose), eka pada rajakapotasana (one-legged king pigeon), parivrtta janu sirsasana (revolved head to knee pose), shanti virabhadrasana (peaceful warrior pose), simhasana (lion pose), anjaneyasana (crescent moon pose), ardha purvottanasana (crab pose or reverse table top), ardha dhanurasana (half wheel pose), ardha ustrasana (half camel pose), parivrtta kapotasana (revolved pigeon pose), purvottanasana (upward plank pose) and more . . .
3. BRUMADYA OR BHRUMADHYE DRISHTI (THIRD EYE) - which is 30 degrees up and in between the eyebrows.
Asanas using Bhrumadhye Drishti - utkatasana (chair pose), savasana (corpse pose), vajrasana (thunderbolt pose), gomukasana (cow face pose), ashwa sanchalanasana (equestian pose or runners lunge), padmasana (lotus pose), sukhasana (easy pose), bhadrasana (gracious pose), virasana (hero pose), supta baddha konasana (reclining bound angle or forgiveness pose), balasana (child’s pose), uttana shishosana (extended puppy pose or heart melting pose), svarga dvidasana (bird of paradise), dandasana (staff pose or seated tadasana) and more . . .
4. HASTAGRA OR HASTAGRAHE DRISHTI - tip of the middle finger.
Asanas using Hastagrahe Drishti - utthita trikonasana (extended triangle pose), virabhadrasana 3 (airplane or warrior three pose), virabhadrasana 2 (warrior two pose) and more . . .
5. ANGUSTHAMADHYAM DRISHTI - rests on the middle of the thumb, between the thumb nail and first joint.
Asanas using Angusthamadhyam Drishti are: utkatasana (chair pose), urdhva hastasana (upward salute), and virabhadrasana I (warrior one pose) and more . . .
6. and 7. PARSHVA DRISHTI - to the right or left side.
Asanas using Parshva Drishti are: matsyendrāsana (lord of the fishes pose), ardha matsyendrāsana (half lord of the fishes), bharadvajasana (seated twist pose), vasisthasana (side plank pose), parivrtta ardha chandrasana (revolved half moon pose), supta matsyendrasana (supine twist pose), parivrtta utkatasana (revolved chair pose), parivrtta anjaneyasana (lunge prayer twist), janu sirsasana (extended hand to knee pose), pasasana (noose pose) and more . . .
8. NABI OR NABHICAKRE DRISHTI - looking at the navel
Asanas using Nabhicakre Drishti are: adho mukha ahvanasana (downward facing dog), halasana (plow pose), salamba sarvangasana (should stand pose), marjariasana (cat pose), setu bandha sarvangasana (bridge pose), baddha viparita kurmasana (bound inverted tortoise pose) and more . . .
9. PADAGRA OR PADAYORAGRE DRISHTI - Tip of the big toe.
Asanas using Padayoragre Drishti - uttanasana (standing forward fold), navasana (boat pose), ardha navasana (half boat pose), ardha sirsasana (half headstand), akarna dhanurasana (archer pose), ardha hanumanasana (half splits pose), ubhaya padangusthasana (double big toe pose) and more . . .