When you're in posture, this focus and concentration is referred to as drishti (or gaze). When you fix your gaze on a steady point, you can increase your focus in a posture. Many times in class, instructors will ask you to focus on a spot on the floor in front of you, and never on your gaze in the mirror or (worse!) the person in front of you. This is because the floor is not going anywhere. It's steady, it's reliable, it's more grounded than anything else nearby. If you start gazing into your own reflection, you'll meet your eyes, and this will allow your gaze to wander. When your drishti wanders, so, too will your balance in the posture. Likewise, if you gaze at the person in front of you, if their mind wanders and they wobble, you, too, will wobble and lose your posture. If you're concentrating, it can quite naturally lead you to meditation.
So, where are some good places to focus your drishti? Of course, there's the aforementioned floor in front of you, but how about at the tip of your nose? That's not going anywhere, and you'll save yourself from wondering if that speck on the floor is dirt or a mark in the wood. What about Candle Gazing? This can still your mind and deepen your concentration. NO matter where you choose to focus your drishti, allow it to help you maintain balance...whether in posture or not.
Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens. -Carl Jung
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