All About Dristi

Asana Kitchen Podcast

All things Dristi, a Podcast is devoted gazing, an important aspect of Ashtanga/Hatha Yoga Technology. Themes include: **Summary of the 9 most common gazing points (right and left sides of Parsva Dristi constitute 9 points): 1) Angusthamadhye Dristi –Middle of the Thumb 2) Bhrumadhye Dristi—Between Eyebrows, Third Eye 3) Nasagre—Down the nose 4) Hastagrahe—Hand 5) Parsva—Side 6) Urdhva Dristi—Above, Up, Rising 7) Nabhi Chakra—Magical Navel Circle 8) Padayoragre—feet *Discussion of the physical science of Dristi ** The wisdom of considering the overall mechanics of your positioning instead of thinking only of focusing your eyes in specific direction or on a chosen part of your body. **Meet the challenge of maintaining an aligned spinal column and a sound head position as you work with the gazing point for each asana. **Practice as though the act of gazing originates at the base of your spine and therefore gazing comes from your center. **The merits of alternating between 3 basic head positions in each pose: 1) Head up 2) 2) Head level 3) Head down (Jalandhara Bandha-esque) in each pose. This means instead of taking each gazing point too literally, you use different head positions and looking places in order to better use your senses to perceive your body’s position in space. *Alternate definitions of Dristi to give a more symbolic, psychological, and spiritual interpretation of the technology. Definitions of Dristi and branching discussions include: **Vision, view, notion, theory, attitude, point of view—related having your vision or notion about the pose you are making and also extending your visions and notions to other aspects of your life. **Seeing with the mental eye, knowing, knowledge, intellect, wisdom---related to the confidence and boldness in expressing your pose or transition and also extends the knowledge or wisdom or intuition that you bring to larger, more meaningful choices that you make beyond your mat **Regard, consideration, care—Besides where you look, Dristi is about how you look-- the quality and care of your attention, the intention behind your effort, the depth and penetrative aspect of what you see or focus on **Discussion of the highest definition of Dristi using the Jain definition that says Dristi is simply “the right application of Faith”—also Dristi-gazing—seves to help you drive away wrong faith or wrong perception with right faith or right perception