Drishti is something we sometimes hear in an Asana class, with reference to fixating the gaze onto an unmoving point, in order to easily facilitate physical balance. The Yoga Dristhi, however, is much more than a quick fix for a wobbly Asana. It is the Yogic perception – a state of carefully cultivate awareness of reality which enables a dedicated Yogi to start perceiving of the Truth. Yoga Maharishi Swami Gitanada explains that the Truth, of reality, through the prism of Yoga Dristhi is a state of Being, rather than a thing. The Truth as a state of Being – it is ultimately, the way Prana and Akasha combine, meld and flow into one another to create the essence of the Universe. I will, on a different occasion explore in more depth what Prana and Akasha are. Sufficed, for now, to say that these are the forces which existed, according to Yoga philosophy, at the beginning of the known Universe. Prana – the force of life, which permeates all living and non-living things and Akasha – the ether, the space in which the creation of the material world took place.
Attempting to practice Yoga Drishti, this vision of the intricate, mostly hidden in plain sight patterns of Universal forces – this brings a lot of sensations to my body and mind. But much like with the eponymous “Force”, it is “do, or do not – there is no try”! To see the world for what it is, instead of what the end result of someone's physical efforts are is a tricky business. It is a bit like walking through a forest and only seeing the shrubs and bushes, the undergrowth. Yet so many of us, completely unaware, only ever see that equivalent in our lives. Surrounded by people and circumstances which seemingly only drive us to take part in a game of materialistic survival – are we spiritually doomed if we don’t take charge and make a change? We can to shake off the superficial veil of vapid materialism of our society and start seeing our lives for the gifts they are. To be truly aware, we need to be aware of the harm we cause our very spirit by subscribing to the wealth-driven values, which are constantly advertised and sold to us.
Perception and conception are crudely put the external and internal influences of the surrounding world to our awareness. Sight, smell, touch, sound are the superficial facilitators of perception. What we see and touch more often than not dictates, in a matter of seconds our reactions. On an internal level, the myriad of impressions, past actions and sedimented emotions can create conceptions of pre-sent persons and situations in an instant.
In order to cultivate perception and conception in line with a Yoga Drishti path awareness is yet again a key ingredient. To be aware of instantaneous emotions and them to track back where in our past they stem might sound like an arduous process. It is, however, a vital necessity to building up a wholesome Yoga Drishti, free of false mental constructs. Another important ingredient in the Truthful Yoga Drishti is learning how to see and feel with our hearts. This might be quite the cliché expression but it has its root in reaching a level of awareness and control in the body, which enables us to recognize and respect the life flowing through and around us, and cherish it.
Cultivating a Yoga Dristhi – apperception of things, as they are – requires ardent alertness to the self. But is an awareness worth having. In a world where telling truth from lie becomes increasingly difficult, why not strive to cultivate an innate Knowing within yourself?
So next time a Yoga teacher entices you to “find a Dristhi”, why not look deeper inside you, instead of just at a point in front. Take each moment available to get closer to a state of awareness of what life really is.