01 · INWARD
Nasagrai
Tip of the nose
A soft, inward gaze that reduces peripheral distraction and helps attention settle with the breath.
Often explored inSamasthiti, backbending transitions, and many forward-facing postures.
Ashtanga Yoga Fundamentals · Drishti
The gaze that turns movement into meditation.
Drishti is the intentional placement of the eyes during practice. It steadies attention, supports balance, and helps gather breath, body, and mind into one experience.
8
traditional drishtis
Soft
not rigid, crossed, or strained
Integrated
with breath, bandhas, and movement
What is drishti?
Drishti is not staring. It is a place for attention to rest.
In Ashtanga Yoga, every posture has an intended direction for the gaze. The eyes remain relaxed while attention is gently gathered toward one point.
When the eyes stop searching the room, the mind has fewer places to go. Drishti can make balance feel steadier, transitions more deliberate, and the entire sequence more inwardly focused. It is one of the traditional supports of the practice alongside breath and bandhas.
01
Steady the eyes
Give visual attention one simple destination instead of allowing it to wander.
02
Quiet the mind
Reduce comparison and distraction so awareness can remain with breath and movement.
03
Refine the practice
Use the gaze as an organizing thread through posture, balance, transitions, and stillness.
The visual map
Eight drishtis. One purpose: presence.
Pārśva means “to the side.” The gaze may travel right or left depending on the posture, but it remains one of the eight traditional drishtis.
The eight traditional drishtis
Where the eyes rest—and what that direction encourages.
The exact visual target matters, but the quality matters just as much. Keep the eyes quiet, the face relaxed, and the breath uninterrupted.
02 · INWARD
Bhrumadhya
Space between the eyebrows
The gaze lifts toward the brow center without aggressively crossing the eyes. It is associated with concentration and inner observation.
Often explored inSelected finishing postures, seated stillness, and meditation.
03 · EXTEND
Angustha Ma Dyai
Toward the thumbs
Following the thumbs organizes the line of attention through the arms, upper spine, and space above the body.
Often explored inUtkatāsana, Vīrabhadrāsana A, and movements with the arms reaching overhead.
04 · CONNECT
Hastagrai
Hand or fingertips
The eyes follow the hand to strengthen coordination and make the relationship between gaze, spine, and reaching arm more deliberate.
Often explored inUtthita Trikoṇāsana and other postures in which the hand completes the line of the pose.
05 · ROTATE
Pārśva
To the side · right or left
The side gaze accompanies rotation in either direction without asking the neck to forcefully turn beyond what the rest of the spine can support.
Often explored inTwisting postures and balances in which the chest and attention turn toward either side.
06 · CENTER
Nābhi Chakra
Navel
Directing the gaze toward the center of the body gathers attention inward and reinforces the relationship between the trunk and breath.
Often explored inAdho Mukha Śvānāsana, where the gaze turns toward the navel.
07 · LIFT
Ūrdhva
Upward
The eyes lift without compressing the back of the neck, supporting an open and spacious quality through upward-reaching shapes.
Often explored inPostures and transitions in which the chest and visual field naturally rise.
08 · GROUND
Pādayoragrai
Toes or feet
The gaze travels toward the feet, helping the practitioner remain oriented and inwardly attentive during folding shapes.
Often explored inPaścimattānāsana and other forward folds in which the feet form the visual endpoint.
The quality of the gaze
Focused does not mean forced.
Drishti should help the nervous system settle into the practice—not create more tension. The point is steadiness with responsiveness, not rigid fixation.
✓
Keep the eyes soft.Allow the focal point to remain clear without gripping around the eyes or brow.
✓
Let the breath lead.If the gaze causes breath-holding or facial tension, reduce the effort.
✓
Respect the neck.The eyes can direct attention without forcing the head beyond a comfortable range.
✓
Return without judgment.Losing the gaze is not failure. Coming back is the practice.
Too much drishti?
Forcing the eyes to lock onto a point can create tension through the brow, jaw, face, and neck. If the gaze feels sharp or uncomfortable, soften it. Drishti is awareness—not strain.
Too little drishti?
When the eyes continually scan the room, attention often follows. A steady visual anchor can reduce comparison, improve balance, and make it easier to remain present with your own practice.
“
When the eyes become quiet, the practice begins to turn inward.
For newer students
You can begin using drishti in your very first class.
You do not need to memorize all eight drishtis before beginning Ashtanga. Drishti is introduced progressively, just like the sequence itself.
First, learn the shape and breath.
Become oriented in the posture and make sure you can breathe comfortably.
Then, give the eyes one destination.
Your teacher can identify the intended gaze without expecting perfection.
Notice what changes.
Observe whether the posture feels steadier, quieter, or more internally connected.
Let consistency do the teaching.
Understanding becomes more refined through repetition—not through forcing it all at once.
Continue learning
Explore the other foundations of Ashtanga Yoga.
Learn through practice
Drishti makes sense when you experience it in your own body.
At The Yoga Shala, the traditional foundations of Ashtanga are taught through individualized, practical guidance. Beginners and experienced practitioners receive support appropriate to their body, experience, and pace.
