ashtanga.yoga

Reference

The nine gazes, mapped

Each pose has one place for the eyes. 63 poses, in series order, coloured by where they look.

Sūrya Namaskāra

Standing

Seated

Finishing

Closing

Tap a gaze to light its poses. Tap a pose for its name.

नासाग्रnāsāgra

the tip of the nose

nāsā, nose + agra, tip. Nose-tip.

The book prints nāsāgre.

nāsāgra: 33 poses

  • Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana
  • Pādahastāsana
  • Prasārita Pādottānāsana A
  • Prasārita Pādottānāsana B
  • Prasārita Pādottānāsana C
  • Prasārita Pādottānāsana D
  • Daṇḍāsana
  • Pūrvottānāsana
  • Marīcyāsana B
  • Bhujapīḍāsana
  • Kūrmāsana · Lino Miele and Gregor Maehle teach bhrūmadhya.
  • Supta Kūrmāsana · Lino Miele and Gregor Maehle teach bhrūmadhya.
  • Garbha Piṇḍāsana
  • Kukkuṭāsana
  • Baddha Koṇāsana A
  • Baddha Koṇāsana B
  • Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana A
  • Supta Koṇāsana
  • Setu Bandhāsana
  • Ūrdhva Dhanurāsana
  • Sālamba Sarvāṅgāsana
  • Halāsana
  • Karṇapīḍāsana
  • Ūrdhva Padmāsana
  • Piṇḍāsana
  • Matsyāsana
  • Uttāna Pādāsana
  • Śīrṣāsana
  • Ardha Śīrṣāsana
  • Baddha Padmāsana
  • Yoga Mudrā · Yoga Mala (p. 126): bhrūmadhya.
  • Padmāsana
  • Utpluthiḥ

भ्रूमध्यbhrūmadhya

between the eyebrows

bhrū, eyebrow + madhya, middle. Brow-middle.

The book prints brūmadhye.

bhrūmadhya: 0 poses

No Primary pose is given this gaze in the book.

  • Sūrya Namaskāra A · Yoga Mala (pp. 140–144): bhrūmadhya on the odd counts, nāsāgra on the even.
  • Sūrya Namaskāra B · Yoga Mala (pp. 140–144): bhrūmadhya on the odd counts, nāsāgra on the even.
  • Kūrmāsana · Lino Miele and Gregor Maehle teach bhrūmadhya.
  • Supta Kūrmāsana · Lino Miele and Gregor Maehle teach bhrūmadhya.
  • Yoga Mudrā · Yoga Mala (p. 126): bhrūmadhya.

नाभिचक्रnābhicakra

the navel

nābhi, navel + cakra, wheel. The navel-wheel.

The book prints nābhou.

nābhicakra: 2 poses

  • Sūrya Namaskāra A · Yoga Mala (pp. 140–144): bhrūmadhya on the odd counts, nāsāgra on the even.
  • Sūrya Namaskāra B · Yoga Mala (pp. 140–144): bhrūmadhya on the odd counts, nāsāgra on the even.

हस्ताग्रhastāgra

the hand

hasta, hand + agra, tip. Hand-tip. The book says the middle fingertip.

The book prints hastāgre.

hastāgra: 5 poses

  • Utthita Trikoṇāsana
  • Parivṛtta Trikoṇāsana
  • Utthita Pārśvakoṇāsana
  • Parivṛtta Pārśvakoṇāsana
  • Vīrabhadrāsana B

पादयोरग्रpādayoragra

the toes

pādayoḥ, of the two feet + agra, tip. The tip of the feet. The book says the big toe.

The book prints pādāgre.

pādayoragra: 17 poses

  • Pārśvottānāsana
  • Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, then pārśva
  • Ardha Baddha Padmottānāsana
  • Paścimottānāsana A
  • Paścimottānāsana B
  • Paścimottānāsana C
  • Paścimottānāsana D
  • Ardha Baddha Padma Paścimottānāsana · Nāsāgra is also taught.
  • Triyaṅga Mukhaikapāda Paścimottānāsana
  • Jānu Śīrṣāsana A
  • Jānu Śīrṣāsana B
  • Jānu Śīrṣāsana C
  • Marīcyāsana A
  • Nāvāsana
  • Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, then pārśva
  • Ūrdhva Mukha Paścimottānāsana
  • Paścimottānāsana

पार्श्वpārśva

to the side, right

pārśva, the side, the flank.

The book prints pārśvayoḥ, right.

pārśva: 4 poses, each practised on both sides

  • Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, after pādayoragra
  • Marīcyāsana C
  • Marīcyāsana D
  • Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, after pādayoragra

पार्श्वpārśva

to the side, left

pārśva, the side, the flank.

The book prints pārśvayoḥ, left.

pārśva: 4 poses, each practised on both sides

  • Utthita Hasta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, after pādayoragra
  • Marīcyāsana C
  • Marīcyāsana D
  • Supta Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana, after pādayoragra

अङ्गुष्ठमध्यaṅguṣṭhamadhya

the thumbs

aṅguṣṭha, thumb + madhya, middle. Thumb-middle. The book says the thumb tip.

The book prints aṅguṣṭhāgre.

aṅguṣṭhamadhya: 2 poses

  • Utkaṭāsana
  • Vīrabhadrāsana A

ऊर्ध्वūrdhva

upward

ūrdhva, raised, upward.

The book prints ūrdhve.

ūrdhva: 2 poses

  • Upaviṣṭa Koṇāsana B
  • Ubhaya Pādāṅguṣṭhāsana · Lino Miele's sheet says antara.

Reading the map

The gaze is the book’s: Aṣṭāṅga Yoga Anuṣṭhāna, which lists nine, with pārśva once for each side. The names are this site’s; the book’s own spelling is beside each. A pose with two gazes carries both, and counts under both.

The assigned gaze is the one you hold. Within a vinyāsa the eyes move — the Score shows it breath by breath. Where another teacher differs, the note says so; it is not a correction. Full counts and grips are on the outline.