The Mirror & The Gaze

Looking in the mirror can be challenging and I know a lot of people struggle with it. The mirror is there to assist with finding the right alignment but it can be very difficult
to switch off the inner critic and look at ourselves, as we are.

Directing the focus of the eyes to control the attention in yoga is called Drishti. The practice of Drishti is a technique for developing single-pointed concentration of attention. It works by directing the gaze at a specific point, with a soft focus.

For balancing postures, where you are looking at the mirror, this could be at your third eye, throat chakra or solar plexis. For a posture such as triangle where you are looking upwards, the gaze is at the tips of the fingers. For a posture such as balancing stick, where you are looking down, the gaze is four feet ahead of you on the floor. Keeping the gaze looking upwards keeps your energy up and within, rather than draining away and becoming scattered.

"You'll never find the rainbows you're looking for if you're looking down"

Control and focus of the attention are fundamental principles in a yoga practice. By using specific points for the direction of your gaze you cultivate a deeper level of concentration, improve your alignment and tune into your body, creating much greater self awareness. By fixing the gaze on an unmoving point, you also become more stable and balanced in your postures.

The real power of Drishti is that it takes the focus away from the outer self and towards a more internal place, quietening the mental noise and with it that negative inner voice. You've heard the expression "Where your attention goes, your energy flows" and fixing the gaze focuses the mind and draws the energy inwards, so that your practice becomes a moving meditation.

"There's nothing more difficult than looking into your eyes and speaking the truth"

When you restrict visual focus to one point and your attention isn’t scattered all over the place, it’s much easier for you to notice the internal mechanisms of your mind and be able to observe, rather than react, to them. It's a truly powerful and empowering technique and by practising this way your thoughts become clearer and your mind begin to slow down.

Still, soft gaze..... Equals a still soft mind, which is willing to explore your practice, rather than becoming hard, ridged and mechan