Drishti

Drishti means "focused gaze" or "vision" in Sanskrit. In yoga, it refers to directing your eyes to a specific point while holding a pose or moving through a sequence. This external focus helps quiet mental chatter, improve physical balance, and cultivate inner awareness—preventing your eyes (and mind) from wandering.

Unlike simply "looking" at something, drishti is a soft, steady gaze that's both focused and relaxed. It's not about straining or staring—it's about creating a single point of attention that anchors your entire practice.

In Ashtanga Yoga, there are nine traditional drishti points used in different poses to enhance alignment and energetic flow. Each serves a specific purpose:

In class, teachers will often cue drishti by saying things like "Find your drishti," "Gaze at your thumb," or "Soften your gaze forward." The key is to keep your eyes steady but relaxed—not straining or squinting. Your gaze should feel like a gentle anchor, not a rigid fixation.

The quality of drishti matters as much as the direction. A soft gaze allows peripheral vision to remain active while maintaining focus. This creates a quality of alert relaxation—present and focused, but not tense.

The principle of drishti extends beyond physical yoga practice. In daily life, where we direct our attention shapes our experience. The scattered attention of constantly checking phones, multitasking, and reacting to every stimulus is the opposite of drishti—and it fragments our sense of self.

Practicing drishti on the mat trains a capacity for focused attention that can serve you everywhere: in conversations, in creative work, in moments of difficulty. The steadiness cultivated through focused gaze becomes a steadiness of mind that you carry with you.

Find yoga classes that teach alignment, balance, and focused attention through drishti practice.