Drishti Hindi Movie Free 18
Alke Stilwell
When we get caught up in the outer appearance of things, our prana (vitality) flows out of us as we scan the stimulating sights. Allowing the eyes to wander creates distractions that lead us further away from yoga. To counteract these habits, control and focus of the attention are fundamental principles in yoga practice. When we control and direct the focus, first of the eyes and then of the attention, we are using the yogic technique called drishti.
The increasing popularity and influence of the Ashtanga Vinyasa method of yoga, taught for more than 60 years by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, have introduced drishti to thousands of practitioners. On a simple level, drishti technique uses a specific gazing direction for the eyes to control attention. In every asana in Ashtanga, students are taught to direct their gaze to one of nine specific points.
In Urdhva Mukha Svanasana (Upward-Facing Dog Pose), for instance, we gaze at the nose tip: Nasagrai Drishti. In meditation and in Matsyasana (Fish Pose), we gaze toward the Ajna Chakra, the third eye: Naitrayohmadya (also called Broomadhya) Drishti. In Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog Pose), we use Nabi Chakra Drishti, gazing at the navel. We use Hastagrai Drishti, gazing at the hand, in Trikonasana (Triangle Pose). In most seated forward bends, we gaze at the big toes: Pahayoragrai Drishti. When we twist to the left or right in seated spinal twists, we gaze as far as we can in the direction of the twist, using Parsva Drishti. In Urdhva Hastasana, the first movement of the Sun Salutation, we gaze up at the thumbs, using Angusta Ma Dyai Drishti. In Virabhadrasana I (Warrior Pose I), we use Urdhva Drishti, gazing up to infinity. In every asana, the prescribed drishti assists concentration, aids movement, and helps orient the pranic (energetic) body.
The bhakti yogi uses drishti in a slightly different way, constantly turning a loving, longing gaze toward God. Through imagination the vision of the Divine appears in the form of Krishna, and the whole world becomes prasad (holy nourishment). In both cases, drishti provides a kind of enhanced yogic vision that allows us to see past outer differences (asat, in Sanskrit) to inner essence or Truth (sat). If we remove ignorance through these practices, we can then see through deception and delusion.
Practicing drishti not only helps to improve concentration and alignment during asana practice, but it can also heighten mental clarity off the mat. Drishti can be interpreted as a philosophical concept, relating to an individual's point-of-view, intelligence and wisdom. As such, drishti involves conscious seeing, through which the individual looks past the screen of prejudiced beliefs to understand the nature of the true self. In this sense, drishti can help practitioners to connect with higher levels of consciousness.
Sometimes you might choose a point of focus in the room to help you balance- a weird spot on the wall, your mat, etc. which is not technically a drishti, but it is helping you maintain your posture and (hopefully) your breath. Try to choose a spot that is not moving. If you focus on another person, and they fall out of a pose, you might fall out too.
A Sanskrit dictionary defines drishti as sight or seeing, a glance or a look, aim, or attention. In astrology, drishti refers to a planetary aspect. Those that are more direct are considered stronger. In Ayurvedic practices, dristhi is the name of the center of the retina and, in yoga, it is the gaze itself or the point of focus. Drishti is both with and without form, and can be physical and visual, or may refer to the focus or point of view of the mind.
As a gazing technique, drishti focuses the eyes to focus the mind. Our eyes, like each of our senses, are a window through which we allow in distraction or the door of perception through which we mindfully experience the world around us.
For example, in adho mukha svanasana, or downward-facing dog, one is instructed to gaze at the navel, nabhicakre dristhi, while in virabhadrasana 1, or warrior one, the eyes look up, urdhva drishti.
While yoga asana is a physical practice for guiding the movement of energy or prana in the body, the mind too has this power to guide pranic energy. Thus, through the intentional placement of where we hold our gaze, drishti supports not only physical alignment but encourages self-awareness through mindfulness by aligning our inner winds.
By concentrating our focus to see clearly how we see, not only what we see, we realize how much of our ordinary view is clouded by our memories, prejudices, judgments and thoughts. Through drishti this veil of illusion is lifted and we see clearly that all is changing, malleable, and divine. The world is perfect exactly as it is, and we are intimately interconnected with it.
When working with drishti in your yoga class, find a balance between single pointed focus and a soft, easy gaze. If you find yourself staring, straining the eyes, or not blinking, go easier. Remember that the goal is not a fixed seeing of the object, but to steady the activity of the mind.
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