This Week's Drishti

Drishti
(the point of focus, where the eyes gaze)
Meditations on Yoga from Gregg

Our practice at the Lab deepens daily and I strive to share my observations about our path throughout the week. What I am beginning to see is a narrative from class to class and I try to share my translation of that narrative here through Drishti.

This last week we found ourselves working with more in depth visualizations. Here at the Lab we begin and end our classes with meditation and during the opening mediations we set the standards of breath and focus for the session. We allow ourselves to settle into a vibrant breath that we can sustain through the practice. We then visualize ourselves engaging in this breath for the duration.

This visualization lays a strong foundation, not only for the breath but also for other beneficial aspects of our practice. It heightens our connections to our intention and to the people and causes we dedicate our practice to. This also assists us to keep a stable rate of oxygenation and temperature throughout. Though we experience variations of intensity in the physical body during our practice, sustaining the breath will sustain the overall intensity.

At the end of practice, as we enter savasana, our closing meditative asana or pose, we revisit our visualization. As we release our breath we walk our minds through our practice and visualize our breathing without judgment. We again experience our practice and increase our awareness by doing so. This practice also allows the body to more fully process all the information we have given it through the session. It also gives us an opportunity to engage in a full expression of gratitude to and for ourselves. By revisiting our practice we realize exactly how much we have benefited and how grateful we are for giving ourselves the gift of yoga.