How to Balance in Yoga Poses
Understand the purpose of eye focus, or drishti, in yoga., Practice eye focus in standing yoga poses., Try to maintain your drishti in balancing yoga postures.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Understand the purpose of eye focus
Ancient yogis developed the technique of drishti by noting that when you are in a pose, your attention usually follows where you place your eyes or your gaze.
When you fix your gaze or drishti on a certain, single point, your mind can block out distractions or external objects and you can be fully present in a pose.
Focusing your drishti can allow your mind to go into a deep state of concentration, thereby allowing you to remain still and calm.
There eight specific drishtis, or eye focus points, in yoga.
Each drishti is suggested for different yoga poses to enhance your focus and balance.Nasagrai Drishti:
This is when you focus your gaze at the tip of your nose.
Doing Nasagrai Drishti when you are in Upward Facing Dog or Standing Forward Fold pose can help you maintain proper alignment and balance.
Angusta Ma Dyai Drishti:
This is when you focus your eyes on your thumbs, such as in Warrior I Pose or Eagle Pose.
Nabi Chakra Drishti:
This is when you fix your gaze at your navel, such as in Downward Facing Dog.
Pahayoragrai Drishti:
This is when you gaze at your toes, such as in seated forward bends or any standing twist poses.
Hastagrai Drishti:
This is when you gaze at your hands, such as in Triangle Pose and Warrior II Pose.
Parva Drishti:
This is when you focus your eyes to one side, such as in a seated spinal twist.
Urdhva Drishti:
This is when you gaze upwards, towards the sky or ceiling.
This drishti is used in Warrior Side Angle Pose, Balancing Half Moon, and Prayer Twist.
Naitrayohmadya Drishti:
This is when your gaze comes from your third eye or the middle of your forehead, rather than your eyes.
This drishti is used in Fish Pose, Upward Forward Fold Pose, and Reverse Warrior II Pose. -
Step 2: or drishti
It is important that when you focus your drishti in a yoga pose, you do not strain your eyes.
Keep your eye muscles relaxed and your gaze soft.
You can try to focus your gaze when in standing yoga postures that require balance, such as Warrior Pose, Triangle Pose, and Mountain Pose.In Warrior Pose and Triangle Pose, your drishti should be focused on your hand, known as Hastagrai Drishti.
In Warrior Pose, this means focusing your gaze on the hand in front of you and in Triangle Pose, this means focusing your gaze upward, at the hand that is pointed towards the ceiling.
In Mountain Pose, you should keep your drishti straight ahead at an unmoving spot in front of you. , When you are in balancing yoga postures like Tree Pose, Half Moon Pose, and Dancer Pose, it can help to keep your drishti focused on a specific part of your body or on an unmoving spot in front of you.
As well, when you are in arm balancing poses like Crow Pose, Side Plank Pose, and Four Limbed Staff Pose, your drishti or gazing point is very important, as you need to be calm and focused in these poses to remain balanced in them.In Tree Pose, your drishti should be fixed on an unmoving spot in front of you or up towards your hands, also known as Hastagrai Drishti.
In Half Moon Pose and Dancer Pose, your drishti should be focused towards the ceiling, also known as Urdhva Drishti.
In arm balances like Crow Pose or Four Limbed Staff Pose, your gaze should be fixed on an unmoving spot just ahead of you. -
Step 3: in yoga.
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Step 4: Practice eye focus in standing yoga poses.
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Step 5: Try to maintain your drishti in balancing yoga postures.
Detailed Guide
Ancient yogis developed the technique of drishti by noting that when you are in a pose, your attention usually follows where you place your eyes or your gaze.
When you fix your gaze or drishti on a certain, single point, your mind can block out distractions or external objects and you can be fully present in a pose.
Focusing your drishti can allow your mind to go into a deep state of concentration, thereby allowing you to remain still and calm.
There eight specific drishtis, or eye focus points, in yoga.
Each drishti is suggested for different yoga poses to enhance your focus and balance.Nasagrai Drishti:
This is when you focus your gaze at the tip of your nose.
Doing Nasagrai Drishti when you are in Upward Facing Dog or Standing Forward Fold pose can help you maintain proper alignment and balance.
Angusta Ma Dyai Drishti:
This is when you focus your eyes on your thumbs, such as in Warrior I Pose or Eagle Pose.
Nabi Chakra Drishti:
This is when you fix your gaze at your navel, such as in Downward Facing Dog.
Pahayoragrai Drishti:
This is when you gaze at your toes, such as in seated forward bends or any standing twist poses.
Hastagrai Drishti:
This is when you gaze at your hands, such as in Triangle Pose and Warrior II Pose.
Parva Drishti:
This is when you focus your eyes to one side, such as in a seated spinal twist.
Urdhva Drishti:
This is when you gaze upwards, towards the sky or ceiling.
This drishti is used in Warrior Side Angle Pose, Balancing Half Moon, and Prayer Twist.
Naitrayohmadya Drishti:
This is when your gaze comes from your third eye or the middle of your forehead, rather than your eyes.
This drishti is used in Fish Pose, Upward Forward Fold Pose, and Reverse Warrior II Pose.
It is important that when you focus your drishti in a yoga pose, you do not strain your eyes.
Keep your eye muscles relaxed and your gaze soft.
You can try to focus your gaze when in standing yoga postures that require balance, such as Warrior Pose, Triangle Pose, and Mountain Pose.In Warrior Pose and Triangle Pose, your drishti should be focused on your hand, known as Hastagrai Drishti.
In Warrior Pose, this means focusing your gaze on the hand in front of you and in Triangle Pose, this means focusing your gaze upward, at the hand that is pointed towards the ceiling.
In Mountain Pose, you should keep your drishti straight ahead at an unmoving spot in front of you. , When you are in balancing yoga postures like Tree Pose, Half Moon Pose, and Dancer Pose, it can help to keep your drishti focused on a specific part of your body or on an unmoving spot in front of you.
As well, when you are in arm balancing poses like Crow Pose, Side Plank Pose, and Four Limbed Staff Pose, your drishti or gazing point is very important, as you need to be calm and focused in these poses to remain balanced in them.In Tree Pose, your drishti should be fixed on an unmoving spot in front of you or up towards your hands, also known as Hastagrai Drishti.
In Half Moon Pose and Dancer Pose, your drishti should be focused towards the ceiling, also known as Urdhva Drishti.
In arm balances like Crow Pose or Four Limbed Staff Pose, your gaze should be fixed on an unmoving spot just ahead of you.
About the Author
Marilyn Long
Marilyn Long is an experienced writer with over 23 years of expertise in lifestyle and practical guides. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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