You Don’t Need to Be a Yogi to Learn This
March 16th, 2021
In yoga, we often call upon something called a dristi, which translates to “focused gaze”. This may be a point on the wall, a spot on the carpet, or even a point within the body such as the belly button or the breath. The purpose of a dristi is to direct one’s focus in one direction, allowing the practitioner to find stillness in the mind and body, and balance in the pose. While a dristi is commonly applied to asana practices, or physical postures, this is a concept we can absolutely take off the mat and into our lives.
The human mind is amazing. It’s capable of a whole lot of good, and a whole lot of bad. Just look at history. Human brains put a rover on Mars, and figured out how to dive to the deepest depths of the ocean. We’ve also started countless wars and perpetuated incomprehensible violence on one another. Yes, the mind is a mighty powerful force. Be careful where you point that thing.
Without the mind being focused we tend to get busy in our heads and bodies. We lose touch with ourselves, our lives, and our relationships. We may feel dis-ease, anxiety, overwhelm, and chaos. This of course catapults into a plethora of physical ailments. Muscle aches, headaches, heart problems, sleep problems, respiratory problems, and more. These physical and psychological ailments then catapult even further into a host of issues such as medications, addictions, numbing; you name it. Where the mind goes energy flows.
When we find our dristi, we allow ourselves the opportunity to be in the present moment. We focus that mighty force in our heads, in a way that contributes to well-being. We honor our biology. We center, we balance, we focus and find ease even in the most challenging of circumstances.
Take a moment to consider where your dristi is, right now. Is it focused, or unfocused? Is it focused in a way that will bring you harmony and peace, or is it winding up the catapult? How can you intentionally focus it? A dristi can be found internally or externally. It may be on a task or a goal. It may be on a person, pet, a picture, or a song. It may be the body, or even better yet the breath. No matter where it lies, try to bring this concept of the dristi into your day-to-day focus, and into your work with clients. Notice what happens, when you intentionally focus that mighty, powerful force between your ears.
