Dristi

VOCABULARY

Dristi means view, opinion, gaze. Drishya means that which is to be seen. In classical yoga, this refers to prakriti, the comprehensive term for nature. Yoga Sutra 2.18 defines nature as having three constituent qualities: clarity or brightness (prakasa), movement or activity (kriya), and inertia (sthiti), also known as to Samkhya Dharsana, purity (sattva), activity (rajas), and obscurity (tamas).  Drashtri means seer, the term for the Self in its role as witness of the flux of psycho-mental phenomena.  Dridhata means firmness/steadiness, a result of the practice of asana. According to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, when the body has been purified, only water, salt and hormones are excreted through the skin. However, when the body is unclean, impurities are the result. It is thought that chemical hormones are released unnecessarily and therefore, should be rubbed back into the skin for reabsorption helping to rebalance the system and tone the nerves and muscles.

GAZING POINTS

The Upanishads describe three types of gaze during meditation…

• new moon (ama-dristi) with the eyes closed
• first phase moon (pratipad-dristi) with half-open eyes
• full moon (purnima-dristi), with the eyes wide open

Astanga Yoga practice teaches 8 types of gazing points in asana pratice…

1. NASAGRAI: Tip of the nose, center of ida and pingala nadis, used most frequently, as in Padmasana – also called Vishnu Dristi
2. BHRU-MADHYA: Ajna Chakra or Third Eye (up between the eyebrows), as in Urdhva Dhanurasana – also called Shiva Dristi
3. NABI CHAKRA: Navel, as in Adho Mukha Svanasana
4. HASTA-AGRA: Hand, as in Trikonasana
5. PADHYA-AGRA: Toes, as in Paschimottanasana
6. PARSVA DRISTI: Far to the left or right, as in Ardha Matsyendrasana
7. ANGUSTA MA DYAI: Thumbs, as in the first pose of Surya Namaskara
8. URDHVA DRISTI: Upward or internal as in Virabhadrasana

Shiva/Vishnu Dristi

Shiva Dristi is gazing at the third eye. Recommended for Kapha Dosha. Beginners should begin practicing this gazing point by looking upward to the sky, then eventually crossing the eyes at the the center of the forehead between the eyebrows, as long there is no strain. This gazing point is associated with moving one’s awareness out of the body developing lightness and illustrating the energetic quality of the inhale.

Vishnu Dristi is gazing at the tip of the nose. Recommended for Vata & Pitta Dosha. Beginners begin practicing this gazing point by looking downward at the earth, then eventually crossing the eyes at the tip of the nose, as long as there is no strain. This gazing point is associate with establishing grounding and illustrating the energetic quality of the exhale.

PRACTICES

GAZING POINT AND NEURO-MUSCULAR ACTION

To demonstrate the linkage of movement and vision, pick a spot on the horizontal plane, follow a gazing point (floating) across the horizon on the transverse plane, with/without thumb; do it again and separate gaze and movement (side-to-side), one after the other.

TRIANGLE

Open arms, move gaze from side to side, then go into Triangle and do the same thing, explain gazing downward is easier and releases the neck, gazing to the side is more challenging, gazing up is more advanced. Then, bring head to center and release it out of the pose. This is the coronal or frontal plane.

EYE EXERCISES

1. top R to bottom L and opposite – hold breath
2. clockwise and counterclockwise – hold breath
3. finger in front, gaze at it then switch to distance

PERIPHERAL VISION

Tai chi movement of arms around in circles with fixed gazing point on the horizon. This awareness exercise is designed to develop both one-pointed attention (ekagrata – yang) and the expansion of one’s peripheral vision (yin).