Where you look you go

I'm a firm believer that we create our reality in a sense that the things we focus on are the things that happen, whether we are focusing on what we do or don't want.

Where we send our gaze is where our attention goes.

On a workshop this weekend I learnt more about Drishti (the gazing point) in Ashtanga yoga and how each pose has a Drishti associated with it. When you practice following this your mind is not allowed to wander off around the room because it is following your gaze, focused on these set points.The movement of yoga becomes more meditative as your awareness turns inwards. Being reminded of this has led me on to think about our gaze in a broader sense. 

I recently returned from a surf trip to Portugal where my partner and I spent most of the time messing around in the waves near the surf schools (because it was too big for us out back!). The one thing we could continuously hear the instructors saying was 'you go where you look!'. I have been told this countless times when surfing. I've also told my yoga students this, especially when trying poses like Crow - you know that if you look down you'll fall on your face! The exact same words were repeated in the yoga studio during the workshop on the Drishti.

The significance with this in all aspects of our lives are huge. From a physical perspective, your body will move in the direction of your gaze. When practicing sport whether weight lifting or shooting a hoop, you keep your gaze up and on the target otherwise you will fall over or not know where to aim for. So how do we forget this fact in day to day life? 

It's taken me a long time to realise that the thoughts that occupy our minds are the ones that become the reality, because these are the thoughts we are living. I guess this is where mindfulness / meditation / focus can help you to clear your mind, but I think it requires real understanding in order to conquer the power of our attention. It also requires strength - dragging your awareness away from the things that scare you is hard as it is natural to keep your eye on the enemy! But as with all things in life, there has to be balance. 

On the flip side, being able to focus on what you do want and really, truly believe in it happening... maybe that's where the magic begins...?!!