Day 6: The Eagle's Gaze | Weekly Yoga Classes

Guide students to a comfortable seated position on the mat, spine tall, eyes closed. Allow a moment of silence before beginning.

"Close your eyes. Sit tall. Let the body settle.

Today's practice centers on one of the most powerful -- and most overlooked -- tools in all of yoga: Drishti. दृष्टि. It means 'focused gaze.' But it is far more than just where you point your eyes. Drishti is where you direct your entire attention -- your awareness, your energy, your being.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras open with this truth: Yoga chitta vritti nirodha -- yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind. The mind is restless. It jumps from thought to thought like a monkey swinging between branches. But when the eyes are steady, something remarkable happens: the mind becomes steady. And when the mind is steady, balance becomes effortless. The body follows the mind, and the mind follows the eyes.

Today, every pose is an opportunity to practice Drishti -- not just with your eyes, but with your entire being. Every gaze is a meditation. Every moment of focus is yoga in action."

Set your intention:

"Where my eyes go, my mind follows. Today I choose to focus."

Opening breath: 3 deep breaths with eyes softly focused on a single point -- Nasagra Drishti, the gaze at the tip of the nose.

Breath 1: Inhale deeply through the nose, eyes gently focused on the tip of the nose (4 counts)... Exhale slowly -- feel the mind begin to settle (6 counts).

Breath 2: Inhale -- steady the gaze, steady the breath (4 counts)... Exhale -- let everything else soften (6 counts).

Breath 3: Inhale -- the gaze, the breath, and the body are one system (4 counts)... Exhale -- arrive fully into this practice (6 counts).

Brief Drishti exercise:

"Now, gently open your eyes. Pick one spot on the floor, about four feet ahead of you. A mark on the mat, a spot on the floor -- anything. Fix your gaze there. Do not blink. Do not look away. Simply stare at that one point for thirty seconds.

Notice what happens. The peripheral vision softens. The chatter in the mind quiets. The breath slows on its own. This is Drishti. This is the power of a focused gaze. This is what we carry into every pose today."

Hold the fixed gaze for 30 seconds in silence.

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a) Tadasana / ताड़ासन (Mountain Pose)

Story: We have stood in Tadasana on Day 1 as the foundation of grounding. We stood in it on Day 4 as the mountain before dawn. Today, Tadasana takes on a new meaning. Today, the mountain's power is its unwavering gaze. The Himalayas have watched entire civilizations rise and fall without flinching. Empires built at their feet, wars fought in their valleys, rivers changing course over millennia -- and the mountain never looked away. It never got distracted. Stand like the mountain today -- eyes steady, breath steady, body steady. This is the foundation of Drishti. In Tadasana today, we practice Nasagra Drishti -- gazing softly at the tip of the nose. This is one of the nine Drishtis in Ashtanga yoga, and it is the most inward-turning of the external gazes.

Instructions

Stand at the front of your mat, feet together with big toes touching, or hip-width apart for more stability.
Distribute your weight evenly across all four corners of each foot -- base of the big toe, base of the little toe, inner heel, outer heel.
Engage the thigh muscles slightly by lifting the kneecaps. Do not lock the knees.
Keep the tailbone neutral -- neither tucking nor tilting.
Roll the shoulders back and down, opening the chest.
Let the arms rest by your sides, palms facing inward toward the thighs.
Reach the crown of the head toward the sky. The chin is level.
Now the Drishti: soften the eyes and direct your gaze to the tip of your nose. You do not need to cross your eyes -- simply lower the gaze and let the tip of the nose come into soft focus. The world beyond becomes blurry. This is intentional.
Be completely still. Eyes steady. Breath steady. Body steady.

Breath Work

Inhale deeply and feel the body grow taller, the spine lengthening.
Exhale slowly and feel the feet root more deeply into the earth.
Breathe steadily for 5-7 full breaths. With each breath, notice how the steady gaze steadies the breath, and the steady breath steadies the body. These three -- gaze, breath, body -- form a single unbroken chain.

Hold: 1 minute.

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b) Trikonasana / त्रिकोणासन (Triangle Pose)

Story: On Day 2, the triangle represented the unity of body, mind, and spirit. Today, the triangle represents the three aspects of focus. The first point: Drishti -- where the eyes look. The second point: Dharana -- where the mind rests. The third point: Dhyana -- the complete absorption that follows when gaze and mind align. These three form the triangle of concentration. In Trikonasana today, you practice one of the most challenging Drishtis in all of yoga -- Urdhva Drishti, the upward gaze. You look up at your raised hand while your body is in an asymmetrical, extended position. The upward gaze tests your balance, your neck, your focus. It is easy to look straight ahead. It takes courage and training to look up.

Instructions

From Tadasana, step or jump the feet wide apart, approximately 3.5 to 4 feet. Arms extend out to the sides at shoulder height, palms facing down.
Turn the right foot out 90 degrees so the toes point to the front of the mat. Turn the left foot in slightly, about 15 degrees.
Align the right heel with the arch of the left foot.
Inhale and extend the torso to the right, reaching the right arm as far as possible over the right leg, lengthening the right side of the waist.
Exhale and hinge at the right hip, lowering the right hand to the right shin, ankle, or the floor outside the right foot -- wherever it reaches comfortably without collapsing the chest.
Extend the left arm straight up toward the ceiling, stacking the left shoulder directly over the right shoulder. Fingers are active, reaching upward.
Now the Drishti challenge: turn your head and gaze up at the left thumb. This is Urdhva Drishti -- the upward gaze. The eyes fix on the tip of the left thumb and do not waver.
Keep both legs straight and strong. The right kneecap lifts to protect the joint.
Open the chest toward the ceiling. The body is in one plane, as though pressed between two panes of glass.

Breath Work

Inhale to extend and lengthen the torso over the front leg.
Exhale to lower into the full expression of the pose.
In the hold: breathe steadily. The upward gaze may feel unsteady -- the neck may protest, the balance may waver. Breathe through it. Each slow, controlled breath steadies the gaze. Each steady gaze calms the breath. They support each other.

Hold: 30 seconds each side. Repeat on the left: turn the left foot out, right foot in, and extend to the left.

Modification: If looking up causes neck discomfort or makes balance too difficult, look straight ahead instead. Or look down at the floor. The gaze direction can be modified, but the quality of the gaze -- steady, fixed, unwavering -- should not be compromised. A steady downward gaze is better Drishti than an unsteady upward gaze.

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c) Virabhadrasana I / वीरभद्रासन (Warrior I)

Story: On Day 2, Warrior I was about the fierce devotion of Virabhadra. Today, the Warrior's power comes from focus -- specifically, Angushthamadhye Drishti, the gaze at the thumbs. As you raise your arms overhead in Warrior I, your eyes follow your thumbs upward. A warrior's greatest weapon is not strength but focus. Consider Arjuna, the greatest archer in the Mahabharata. When his teacher Dronacharya tested the students, he placed a wooden bird high on a tree and asked each one: "What do you see?" Yudhishthira said, "I see the tree, the sky, my brothers, and the bird." Bhima said, "I see the branch and the bird." But Arjuna said: "I see only the eye of the bird. Nothing else exists." That laser focus -- that absolute Drishti -- is what made Arjuna the greatest. Today, channel Arjuna. See only the thumbs. Nothing else exists.

Instructions

From Tadasana, step the right foot forward approximately 3.5 to 4 feet. The right foot points directly forward.
Turn the left foot out at a 45-degree angle, pressing the outer edge of the back foot firmly into the mat.
Square the hips toward the front of the mat. This requires drawing the right hip back and the left hip forward.
Bend the right knee to a 90-degree angle, stacking the knee directly above the ankle. The right thigh works toward parallel with the floor.
The left leg stays strong and straight, pressing through the back heel.
Inhale and sweep both arms overhead, palms facing each other, shoulder-width apart. Fingers are together and active, thumbs pointing toward the ceiling.
Now the Drishti: gaze up at your thumbs. This is Angushthamadhye Drishti. Tip the chin slightly up, fix the eyes on the space between the thumbs, and hold.
Draw the shoulder blades down the back even as the arms reach high.
Lengthen the tailbone toward the floor to protect the lower back.

Breath Work

Inhale as the arms rise -- the breath lifts the whole body.
Exhale as you sink deeper into the lunge -- the front knee bends, the hips lower.
In the hold: breathe powerfully while maintaining the upward Drishti. Feel the connection between the steady gaze and the stability of the pose. The eyes anchor upward; the body anchors downward. These opposing forces create strength.

Hold: 30 seconds each side. Step back to Tadasana, then step the left foot forward and repeat.

Modification: If looking up causes strain in the neck or dizziness, bring the hands together at heart center (Anjali Mudra) and gaze forward at eye level. The quality of the focus matters more than the direction of the gaze.

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a) Garudasana / गरुड़ासन (Eagle Pose)

Story: On Day 2, we told the story of Garuda's devotion to Lord Vishnu -- how the mighty eagle became the vehicle of the Preserver, carrying Vishnu across the cosmos. Today we go deeper into Garuda's origin story -- the story of his flight to heaven.

Garuda's mother, Vinata, was enslaved by her sister Kadru, the mother of all serpents. Kadru had tricked Vinata through a deceitful bet about the color of a divine horse's tail. The ransom for Vinata's freedom was impossibly high: the Amrit -- the nectar of immortality -- guarded in Indra's heaven by the most powerful gods in the universe.

Young Garuda, still untested, flew upward toward heaven. He fought through rings of fire that would have incinerated any other being. He defeated the celestial warriors sent to stop him. He faced Indra himself, king of the gods, and did not flinch. He seized the pot of Amrit and flew back to earth.

But here is the key to the story: Garuda succeeded not because he was the strongest. The gods were mightier. He succeeded because his focus was absolute. He saw only one thing -- his mother's freedom. Every obstacle, every wall of fire, every divine weapon was simply something between him and his purpose. That is Drishti in its purest form -- not just focused eyes, but focused being.

When you wrap your limbs in Eagle Pose, everything narrows. Your vision narrows as your hands come in front of your face. Your body compresses. Like Garuda folding his wings to dive with precision through the rings of fire, you focus everything into a single point.

Instructions

Stand in Tadasana. Fix your gaze on a single point at eye level -- a spot on the wall, a mark, anything. This is your Drishti. Do not lose it throughout the entire pose.
Bend both knees slightly, softening into the legs.
Shift your weight fully onto the left foot. Press the left foot firmly into the earth.
Lift the right leg and cross the right thigh over the left thigh, as high up as possible. Squeeze the thighs together.
If possible, hook the right foot behind the left calf. The toes of the right foot may wrap around to the inside of the left lower leg.
Extend both arms straight forward at shoulder height.
Cross the left arm over the right arm at the elbows. The left elbow sits in the crook of the right elbow.
Bend both elbows so the forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Try to bring the palms together, fingers pointing upward. If the palms do not reach, press the backs of the hands together instead.
Lift the elbows to shoulder height. The fingers point toward the ceiling.
Sink down slightly into the standing leg, as though sitting into a chair. The spine stays tall.
Hold your Drishti -- gaze between the hands, past the fingertips, to the fixed point on the wall. The hands may partially block your vision. Look through the narrow window between the forearms. This narrowed vision IS the practice.

Breath Work

Inhale to lift the elbows slightly -- creating space in the chest.
Exhale to sink deeper into the standing leg -- grounding through the compression.
The compression of the chest makes breathing challenging -- this is intentional. The wrapped arms restrict the ribcage. Breathe through the restriction with steady, controlled breaths. Do not take shallow, panicked breaths. Each breath is an act of focused will -- like Garuda pushing through the rings of fire, you push through the constriction with calm determination.

Hold: 30 seconds on the first side. Then unwind slowly, return to Tadasana, shake the legs gently, and switch sides: left thigh over right, right arm over left. Hold 30 seconds on the second side.

Modification: If hooking the foot behind the calf is not accessible, simply rest the toes of the top foot on the floor beside the standing foot as a kickstand. For the arms, simply cross at the elbows without wrapping the wrists -- a "self-hug" position works. The gaze point must be maintained even if everything else is simplified. A student with simple arms and a kickstand foot but an absolutely locked-in Drishti is practicing Eagle Pose with more integrity than someone with a full wrap but darting, distracted eyes.

Teacher's note: Walk the room during this pose and remind students: "The depth of the wrap does not matter. The steadiness of your gaze is the pose. If you can hold your Drishti for thirty seconds without wavering, you have done Eagle Pose."

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b) Vatyanasana / वातायनासन (Horse Face Pose)

Story: Vatyanasana is one of the more unusual poses in the yoga canon -- you will rarely encounter it in a typical studio class. It combines a half-lotus with a balance on one knee, and the final position is said to resemble the face of a horse. "Vatayana" means "horse."

In the Vedic tradition, the horse -- Ashwa -- symbolizes controlled power and mastery over the senses. The most important royal ritual in ancient India was the Ashwamedha Yagna, the horse sacrifice. A specially consecrated horse was released to roam freely for one year. Wherever the horse wandered, the king's sovereignty was claimed. But the horse was not truly wild -- it was accompanied by warriors and priests, guided without being forced. The horse represents the senses (Indriyas) -- powerful, capable of great movement and speed, but in need of guidance.

The Katha Upanishad makes this metaphor explicit: "Know the Self as the rider of the chariot, the body as the chariot, the intellect (Buddhi) as the charioteer, and the mind (Manas) as the reins. The senses are the horses, and the roads they travel are the objects of the senses." Yoga teaches us to guide those horses with the reins of Drishti and Dharana -- focused gaze and concentration.

Vatyanasana demands balance, hip flexibility, AND focus. The three must work together -- if any one falters, the pose collapses. This is the perfect embodiment of today's theme.

Instructions

Begin in Vajrasana -- a kneeling position, sitting on the heels, spine tall.
Carefully bring the right foot into Half Lotus: lift the right foot and place it on top of the left thigh, as close to the hip crease as possible. The sole of the right foot faces upward.
Pause here and breathe. Allow the right hip to open. If this position causes any pain in the right knee, use the modification below instead.
Tuck the left toes under, pressing the balls of the left foot into the mat.
Engage the core and slowly lift the left knee off the ground, rising up to balance on the left knee and the top of the left foot (the left shin remains on the ground for support).
Bring the hands together in Anjali Mudra (prayer position) at the heart center. Press the palms firmly together.
Find your Drishti -- a fixed point at eye level on the wall ahead. Lock the gaze.
Lengthen the spine upward. The crown of the head reaches toward the ceiling.
Hold the balance with steady breath and unwavering gaze.
For the advanced version: slowly raise the arms overhead, palms still together or shoulder-width apart, and shift the Drishti to Angushthamadhye (gaze at the thumbs).

Breath Work

Inhale to rise and lift -- the breath creates the upward energy.
Exhale to settle into the balance -- the breath anchors you.
Breathe steadily in the hold -- the balance is precarious, and the breath is your primary stabilizer. Each inhale creates space and height, each exhale creates stability and grounding. If you feel yourself tipping, before you move your body, first steady the breath. Then steady the gaze. The balance will follow.

Hold: 20-30 seconds each side. Lower slowly back to Vajrasana, release the Half Lotus, shake out the legs gently, and repeat with the left foot in Half Lotus, balancing on the right knee.

Modification

Level 1: Stay seated in Vajrasana with one leg in Half Lotus (or Figure-4 position). Simply sit and practice the hip opening. No balance component at all. Focus on the steady Drishti while seated.
Level 2: Rise up onto the knee but keep the fingertips on the floor on either side of the body for balance support. This allows you to practice the balance with a safety net.
Level 3: Perform the full pose but practice next to a wall. One hand can touch the wall if balance wavers.
If Half Lotus is not accessible: Instead of placing the foot on the opposite thigh, simply cross the ankle over the opposite thigh in a Figure-4 position while kneeling. This provides a hip opening without the knee strain of Half Lotus.

Teacher's note: Most students will be encountering this pose for the first time. Demonstrate clearly and slowly. Walk through each level of modification. Emphasize repeatedly that the Drishti -- the focused gaze -- is what makes this a Day 6 pose. The physical shape matters far less than the quality of attention within it. Give students permission to stay at Level 1 or Level 2 and still feel they are doing the practice fully.

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c) Natarajasana / नटराजासन (Dancer's Pose)

Story: On Day 3, Natarajasana was about the cosmic Tandava -- Shiva's dance of creation and destruction, the wild rhythm that births and dissolves universes. Today, we shift our gaze from the dance to the stillness within the dance.

Have you ever watched a classical Bharatanatyam dancer? In the most explosive, rapid-fire footwork, in the most dramatic expressions of fury or love, there is one thing that remains absolutely controlled: her eyes. The Drishti. In Bharatanatyam, eye movements are trained for years -- the eyes tell the story as much as the body. And in the most energetic sequences, the eyes are devastatingly precise. They do not wander. They do not panic. They land exactly where they intend to land.

This is the secret of Nataraja. Shiva dances so wildly that the universe shakes, galaxies spin, matter and energy rearrange themselves. But look at any statue of Nataraja -- look at the face. The eyes are perfectly calm. The point between the eyebrows -- the Ajna Chakra, the third eye -- is perfectly still. The body moves, but the awareness does not.

In Natarajasana today, find that still point. Your body may wobble. Your standing leg may shake. Your balance may come and go. But where are your eyes? Fix your Drishti, and everything else follows.

Instructions

Stand in Tadasana at the front of your mat. Before anything else, establish your Drishti: choose a fixed point at eye level on the wall ahead. Lock your gaze on it. This point will not change for the entire pose.
Shift your weight fully onto the left foot. Spread the toes, press the foot firmly and evenly into the mat.
Bend the right knee and lift the right foot behind you. Reach back with the right hand and clasp the inner edge of the right ankle or the top of the right foot. The grip should be firm but not white-knuckled.
Inhale and extend the left arm forward and up, reaching toward the ceiling at about a 45-degree angle. Fingers are together, palm facing inward.
Exhale and begin pressing the right foot into the right hand, kicking back and up. As the foot presses back, the chest naturally begins to hinge forward.
Simultaneously hinge the torso slightly forward to counterbalance the rising back leg. The torso and back leg move as one unit -- as the leg rises, the torso tilts.
Keep the Drishti fixed on your point -- do NOT look at the floor. The temptation to look down is strong. Resist it. Garuda does not look at the ground. The eagle's gaze is always forward.
Create a graceful arch from the extended left fingertips through the lifted chest, along the spine, through the back leg, to the pointed right foot. One continuous line of energy.
Keep the chest open and broad. Draw the shoulder blades together. The heart lifts forward.
The standing knee can have a micro-bend for stability -- it does not need to be locked.

Breath Work

Inhale to extend and lift -- the breath creates expansion and height.
Exhale to stabilize -- the breath grounds the standing leg and steadies the balance.
In the hold: steady, even breathing is your lifeline. If you start to wobble, do not panic. First, check your Drishti -- are your eyes still on the point? If they have drifted, bring them back. Second, check your breath -- has it become shallow or held? Restore it to slow, steady rhythm. Regain gaze and breath, and the balance returns on its own. This is the lesson of Nataraja: the eyes and the breath control the body, not the other way around.

Hold: 20-30 seconds on the left leg. Then slowly lower the right foot, return to Tadasana, pause for two breaths, and repeat on the other side: balance on the right foot, left leg lifts behind.

Modification

Use a wall: Stand an arm's length from a wall. The extended forward hand can touch the wall for support, allowing you to focus on the backbend and the leg lift without the balance challenge.
Use a strap: If you cannot reach the ankle behind you, loop a yoga strap around the top of the back foot and hold the strap with the same-side hand. This gives extra length and makes the pose accessible.
Stay upright: Do not hinge the torso forward at all. Simply hold the back ankle, press the foot gently into the hand, and focus on standing tall. The backbend can come later with practice. The Drishti is what matters today.

Teacher's note: Walk the room during this pose. Gently, quietly remind students: "Where are your eyes? Find your point. The pose begins and ends with the gaze." If a student falls out, encourage them to smile, re-establish the Drishti, and step right back in.

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d) Padahastasana / पादहस्तासन (Hand-to-Foot Pose)

Story: We have visited Padahastasana on Day 1 as a pose of humility (bowing forward to the earth) and on Day 4 as part of the Surya Namaskar flow. Today, Padahastasana introduces a new Drishti: Nabhi Drishti -- navel gazing.

Yes -- "navel-gazing" is a real yoga technique. The phrase that the Western world uses dismissively -- "Oh, he is just navel-gazing" -- actually comes from ancient yogic practice. In Padahastasana, when folded forward, the natural Drishti is the navel, the Nabhi Chakra. The navel center (Manipura Chakra) is considered the seat of personal power, digestion (both physical and emotional), and inner fire (Agni).

"Contemplating one's navel" in its original yogic context means turning the attention inward to the center of one's being. It is not an idle, distracted act -- it is a precise, deliberate act of introspection. Outer Drishti (where the eyes look) trains inner Drishti -- Antaranga Drishti -- the ability to observe your own thoughts, emotions, and reactions without getting swept away by them. In this forward fold, fold the body and fold the attention inward.

Instructions

Stand in Tadasana at the front of your mat, feet together or hip-width apart.
Inhale and sweep the arms overhead, reaching tall. Lengthen the entire front body.
Exhale and fold forward from the hip joints (not the waist). Lead with the chest, keeping the spine long as you descend.
Slide the hands under the feet, palms facing up, so that the toes rest on the wrist creases. The hands become a platform for the feet to stand on.
Inhale and lift the head slightly, lengthening the spine forward (a half-lift).
Exhale and fold deeply, drawing the forehead toward the shins. Release the head and neck completely -- let the head hang heavy.
Direct your gaze toward the navel. This is Nabhi Drishti. The eyes are soft, half-closed. You may not be able to see your navel directly -- that is fine. Direct the attention toward it. The intention of the gaze matters more than the literal line of sight.
Release any effort to pull yourself deeper. Let gravity and the exhale do the work.

Breath Work

Inhale to lengthen the spine, creating space between each vertebra.
Exhale to fold deeper, surrendering toward the legs.
In the hold: steady, quiet breath. Gaze toward the navel. Each exhale deepens the fold and the inner focus simultaneously. The outer fold mirrors the inner fold -- the body turns in on itself, and the awareness follows.

Hold: 30 seconds to 1 minute.

Modification: Bend the knees as much as needed -- even deeply. Place the hands on the shins instead of under the feet. The physical depth of the fold is not the point today. The point is the downward Drishti -- the turning of the gaze (and therefore the attention) inward. A student with bent knees and hands on shins but a truly inward-focused awareness is doing this pose perfectly.

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e) Ardha Dhanurasana / अर्ध धनुरासन (Half Bow Pose)

Story: Today's context for Ardha Dhanurasana returns to the most famous example of Drishti in all of Indian literature: Arjuna's test.

Guru Dronacharya had trained the princes of Hastinapura -- the Pandavas and the Kauravas -- in the arts of war. The day came for their final test. Dronacharya placed a wooden bird on a high branch of a distant tree and called each student forward, one by one. He asked each the same question: "What do you see?"

Yudhishthira, the eldest and wisest, said: "I see the tree, the sky, my brothers standing behind me, and the bird." Drona said, "Step aside."

Bhima, the strongest, said: "I see the branch and the bird." Drona said, "Step aside."

Duryodhana said: "I see the bird and its feathers." Drona said, "Step aside."

Then Arjuna stepped forward. Drona asked, "What do you see?"

Arjuna said: "I see only the eye of the bird."

Drona asked, "You do not see the tree?"

"No."

"You do not see your brothers?"

"No."

"You do not see me, your teacher?"

"No. I see only the eye of the bird. Nothing else exists."

Drona smiled. "Release your arrow."

The arrow flew true and struck the bird's eye.

That is Drishti. Not just looking -- but seeing only what matters, to the absolute exclusion of everything else.

In Ardha Dhanurasana, your body becomes the bow. The arm holding the ankle is the bowstring, pulled taut. The extended forward arm is the arrow, pointing at the target. The chest opens, the back arches, and the gaze fixes forward along the arrow-arm. You are the instrument of focus.

Instructions

Lie face down on the mat, forehead resting gently on the floor. Arms by your sides. Take two breaths to settle.
Bend the right knee and reach back with the right hand to clasp the outside of the right ankle. Grip firmly.
Extend the left arm forward along the floor, palm facing down, fingers together and reaching toward the front of the mat. This is your arrow arm.
Inhale and simultaneously lift the chest and the right thigh off the floor. Press the right foot firmly into the right hand -- this pressing action deepens the backbend and lifts the leg higher.
The left arm lifts off the floor as well, reaching forward and slightly up, like an arrow pointing at a distant target.
Keep the left leg grounded and engaged, pressing the top of the left thigh into the mat.
Now the Drishti: gaze forward along the left arm, past the fingertips, to an imaginary target on the distant wall. This is Arjuna sighting along his arrow. See only the target. Nothing else exists.
Keep the chest broad and open. The shoulder blades draw together.
The neck is long -- do not crunch the back of the neck. The gaze is forward and slightly upward, not sharply upward.

Breath Work

Inhale to lift -- the breath is what creates the lift. Feel the ribcage expand and the chest rise.
Breathe steadily in the hold -- each inhale opens the chest a little further, each exhale maintains the height without straining.
Exhale with control to lower down -- do not collapse. Lower slowly, with the same focus you used to rise.

Hold: 20 seconds on the right side. Lower slowly to the mat, turn the head to one side, rest for 3-4 breaths. Then repeat on the left side: left hand clasps left ankle, right arm extends forward. 20 seconds. Rest. Then repeat both sides once more -- 20 seconds each.

Modification: If the hand cannot reach the ankle, loop a yoga strap around the top of the foot and hold the strap with the same-side hand. Keep the lift small -- even a few inches off the floor is enough. The height of the backbend is secondary. The forward gaze -- the Drishti along the arrow arm -- is what matters. A small lift with a locked-in gaze is far more powerful than a high lift with wandering eyes.

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$f) Paschimottanasana / पश्चिमोत्तानासन (Seated Forward Bend)$

f) Paschimottanasana / पश्चिमोत्तानासन (Seated Forward Bend)

Story: We have practiced Paschimottanasana on Day 1 (as a pose of surrender) and Day 3 (as the stretch of the west -- the back body). Today, Paschimottanasana introduces the most subtle and most profound Drishti of all: Antaranga Drishti -- the inner gaze.

This is the final pose of the main practice, and it turns all of the outward focus of Eagle, Dancer, and Archer inward. In Eagle Pose, the eyes locked on a wall point. In Dancer's Pose, the eyes fixed on a spot ahead. In Half Bow, the eyes gazed along the arrow. All of these were external Drishtis -- the eyes looked at something in the outer world.

Now: close the eyes. The outer Drishti dissolves into inner Drishti. The ancient text Gheranda Samhita says that when the yogi closes the outer eyes and opens the inner eye, the true Self (Atman) is revealed. What do you "see" when the eyes are closed? You see thoughts arising and passing. You see sensation -- the stretch in the hamstrings, the compression in the belly. You see the breath moving in and out. You see yourself.

Paschimottanasana is often the last asana before meditation in traditional sequences, and this is why. It draws the senses inward. The body folds in on itself. The forehead descends. The eyes close. This is Pratyahara -- the fifth limb of Patanjali's eight-limbed path -- the withdrawal of the senses from the external world. Everything today has been building toward this moment.

Instructions

Sit on the mat with both legs extended straight in front of you, feet together, toes flexed back toward you.
Sit tall on the sitting bones. If the lower back rounds, sit on the edge of a folded blanket to tilt the pelvis forward.
Inhale and reach both arms overhead, lengthening the spine from the base to the crown.
Exhale and begin to fold forward from the hip joints, leading with the chest. Reach the hands toward the feet -- clasp the big toes with the index and middle fingers (Padangusthasana grip), or hold the sides of the feet, or reach past the feet if the flexibility allows.
With each inhale, lengthen the spine slightly forward. With each exhale, fold a little deeper.
Let the head release. The forehead moves toward the shins. Do not force it -- let gravity work.
Now: close your eyes. This is the key instruction for today. Let the external world disappear. Practice inner Drishti -- Antaranga Drishti. Turn the attention to the breath. Turn the attention to the sensations in the body. Turn the attention to the mind itself. Observe without reacting. Watch without judging.
Surrender into the fold. Stop pulling yourself deeper. Simply be here.

Breath Work

Inhale to lengthen the spine, creating space.
Exhale to fold deeper, releasing effort.
In the hold: CLOSE YOUR EYES. Practice inner Drishti -- observe the breath flowing in and out. Notice the sensations in the hamstrings -- is there pulling, stretching, warmth? Notice the quality of the mind -- is it busy, calm, restless, settled? Simply observe. Stay for a full minute, letting each exhale take you deeper without effort, without force, without ambition. The inner gaze sees everything and grasps at nothing.

Hold: 1 minute with eyes closed. Full stillness. Full silence.

Modification: Bend the knees as much as needed. Use a strap looped around the feet and hold the strap. Sit on a blanket. None of the physical modifications change today's practice -- the key is the closed eyes and the inner focus. A student sitting with bent knees, a strap, and deeply closed eyes in quiet inner observation is doing this pose at its highest level.

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Janu Sirsasana / जानु शीर्षासन (Head-to-Knee Pose) -- Gentle Seated Forward Fold (~2 minutes)

Instructions

From Paschimottanasana, keep the eyes closed. Bend the right knee and place the sole of the right foot against the inner left thigh. The right knee drops open to the side.
Turn the torso slightly to align with the extended left leg.
Inhale and reach the arms up to lengthen the spine.
Exhale and fold forward over the left leg. Hands rest wherever they reach -- shin, ankle, foot. No strain.
Let the forehead drop toward the left knee. Eyes remain closed. Continue the inner Drishti -- simply breathe and observe.

Hold: 1 minute on the left side. Then slowly rise, switch legs (left knee bends, right leg extends), and fold over the right leg for 1 minute. Eyes closed throughout.

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Bhramari Pranayama / भ्रामरी प्राणायाम (Bee Breath / Humming Bee Breath) (~5 minutes)

Story: Bhramari comes from "Bhramara" -- the large black Indian bee. This pranayama produces a smooth humming sound, like the steady drone of a bee circling a lotus flower. But the deeper significance of Bhramari connects to one of the most ancient concepts in Indian philosophy: Nada Brahma -- "the world is sound" or "God is sound."

The entire universe vibrates at a fundamental frequency. The stars vibrate. The atoms vibrate. The space between the atoms vibrates. The Mandukya Upanishad teaches that the syllable OM is this fundamental vibration -- the sound from which all other sounds emerge and into which all sounds dissolve. When you hum in Bhramari, you tune into that universal vibration. You create a resonance inside your own skull, your own chest, your own being.

The humming sound naturally draws the mind inward -- Pratyahara, the withdrawal of the senses. This is exactly where today's practice has been leading. Drishti -- the focused gaze -- was the visual path inward. Bhramari -- the focused sound -- is the auditory path inward. The eyes close. The ears close. What remains? Only the Self, vibrating in the silence beneath the hum. Both paths lead to the same stillness.

Instructions

Sit comfortably in Sukhasana (cross-legged) or Vajrasana (kneeling). Spine tall, shoulders relaxed, eyes closed.
Place the index fingers gently on the tragus -- the small flap of cartilage at the opening of each ear. Do not insert the fingers into the ear canal. This is a partial Shanmukhi Mudra (the mudra of closing the six gates of perception).
Take a deep, slow inhale through the nose. Fill the lungs completely.
As you exhale, gently press the tragus inward to close the ears and produce a steady, smooth humming sound -- "mmmmmm" -- with the lips closed and the teeth slightly apart. The hum comes from the throat, resonates through the sinuses, and fills the entire skull.
Feel the vibration. Feel it in the bones of the face, the roof of the mouth, the forehead, the chest.
When the exhale is complete, release the pressure on the ears. The fingers stay in position.
Inhale silently through the nose. Do not rush. Let the inhale be slow and full.
Exhale again with the humming, pressing the ears closed.
Repeat for 7-10 rounds.
After the final round, release the hands to the knees. Sit in complete silence for 30 seconds. Listen to the inner silence -- the resonance that remains after the last hum fades. This is what remains when all external sound stops. This is the silence beneath all sound.

The quality of the hum matters: The hum should be smooth, steady, and at a comfortable pitch -- not too high, not too low. Find a natural tone that resonates easily. The steadiness of the hum is a mirror of the steadiness of the mind. If the hum wobbles, the mind is wandering. If the hum breaks, the attention has fractured. This is real-time feedback. Use it. If you notice the hum becoming uneven, gently re-focus and smooth it out. This is Drishti for the ears.

Teacher's note: Bhramari is a deeply calming, sometimes profoundly moving practice. The vibration in the skull can release tension held in the jaw, the temples, the throat -- areas where many people unconsciously store stress and emotion. Some students may feel emotional during or after Bhramari. This is completely normal and healthy. Do not call attention to it. Simply hold the space. Let whatever arises be present without commentary. After the final round, let the silence stretch. Do not rush to fill it.

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Instructions:

Gently lie down on your back. Extend the legs, letting the feet fall open naturally. Arms rest by the sides, a few inches from the body, palms facing up.
Close the eyes. Let the weight of the body sink into the mat.
Release the jaw. Release the tongue from the roof of the mouth. Soften the space between the eyebrows. Let the eyes rest deep in their sockets.
Let go of all effort. There is nothing to hold, nothing to focus on, nothing to achieve.

Guided relaxation (Drishti theme):

"Today you practiced focusing your gaze -- outward on a point on the wall during Eagle Pose... upward at your thumbs in Warrior I... forward along the arrow arm in Half Bow... downward toward the navel in Padahastasana... and finally, inward, with eyes closed, in Paschimottanasana and Bhramari.

Outward. Upward. Forward. Downward. Inward.

You followed the gaze from the furthest point to the closest. From the external world all the way to the interior world. This is the journey of yoga -- from the outer to the inner, from the seen to the seer.

Right now, let all Drishti dissolve. There is nothing to focus on. Nothing to see. Nothing to find. No point to fix on. No direction to look. The practice is over. Simply be. Float in this spaciousness for a few moments."

Allow 1-2 minutes of complete silence.

Closing thought:

"The eagle sees what others miss -- not because it has better eyes, but because it knows where to look. Garuda flew through rings of fire with a single focus: his mother's freedom. Arjuna's arrow flew true because he saw only the eye of the bird. The Bharatanatyam dancer moves with wild energy, but her eyes never waver.

The secret is not concentration. Concentration implies effort, strain, forcing the mind to stay. The secret is knowing what matters. When you know what matters, focus is effortless. The eye does not strain to see the beloved's face. The ear does not strain to hear the child's voice. When the heart knows what it seeks, the gaze follows without effort.

Carry this clarity with you when you leave this room. In every conversation, in every task, in every moment -- know what matters, and your focus will be effortless."

Gentle return:

"Begin to deepen the breath. Wiggle the fingers and toes. Make small movements, returning gently to the body.

Draw the knees into the chest and wrap the arms around them. Rock gently side to side.

Roll to your right side into a fetal position. Rest here for a breath or two -- honoring this transition from stillness back to movement.

When you are ready, press yourself up to a comfortable seated position. Let the head be the last thing to rise.

Bring the hands together at the heart center. Anjali Mudra."

Close with Namaste:

"The focused awareness in me honors the focused awareness in you. Namaste."

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Day 6 of Yoga Class Series -- "The Eagle's Gaze" / गरुड़ की दृष्टि

Designed for mixed-level adults by a 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certified Teacher

All classes support temple expansion through volunteer instruction and community donations.