Nasikagra Drishti (Nose Tip Gazing)

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Nasikagra Drishti (nose tip gazing) is a mana mudra (head mudras).

How to do Nasikagra Drishti – Nose Tip Gazing

It may be difficult at first to focus the eyes on the nose tip. To overcome this, hold the index finger up at arm’s length from the eyes and focus the gaze upon it.
Slowly bring the finger towards the nose, keeping the gaze steadily fixed upon it.
When the finger touches the tip of the nose, the eyes should still be focused on the finger. Transfer the focus of the eyes to the nose tip.
Eventually this method becomes superfluous and the eyes readily fix on the nose tip at will.

Sit in any comfortable meditation posture with the head and spine straight.
Rest the hands on the knees in chin or jnana mudra.
Close the eyes and relax the whole body.
Open the eyes and focus them on the nose tip.
Do not strain the eyes in any way.
When the eyes are correctly focused a refraction of light, forming a V is seen just above the nose tip.
Concentrate on the apex of the V.
Become completely absorbed in the practice to the exclusion of all other thoughts.
After a few seconds, close the eyes and relax them before repeating the practice.
Continue for up to 5 minutes.

Physical – on the muscles of the eyes, and on relaxing them completely between rounds.
Spiritual – on mooladhara chakra.

Nasikagra drishti may be practised at any time of day, although ideally it is performed early in the morning or late at night before sleep.

Nasikagra drishti is an excellent technique for calming anger and disturbed states of mind. Although the eyes are open, the aim of this practice is to create introspection. Open eyes should not be aware of the outside world. Focusing them on the nose tip concentrates the mind.
This mudra develops the powers of concentration and induces meditative states. It takes the practitioner into the psychic and spiritual planes of consciousness.

People suffering from glaucoma should not practice this mudra. Those with diabetic retinopathy or who have just had cataract surgery, lens implant or other eye operations, should not perform nasikagra drishti without the guidance of a competent teacher.
Those suffering from depression should avoid this practice.

The word nasika means ‘nose’, agra means ‘tip’ and drishti means ‘gazing’. Another name for this practice is agochari mudra, which comes from the Sanskrit word agocharam, meaning ‘beyond sensory perception’, ‘unknown’ or ‘invisible’.
This mudra, therefore, enables the practitioner to transcend nonnal awareness. Symbolically, in nasikagra drishti the bridge of the nose is related to the spinal cord. At the top is the eyebrow centre, ajna chakra, while at the bottom is the nose tip, mooladhara chakra. Just as shambhavi mudra aims to activate ajna chakra by gazing at the eyebrow centre, nasikagra drishti aims to activate mooladhara chakra by gazing at the nose tip.