I recall when I was training in psychotherapy and counselling skills telling one of our course leaders that I was struggling to have the confidence to 'get it right' when it came to interpreting a clients' story. He turned to me and said that it was less a case of having the confidence to "get it right" and more of having the courage to get it wrong. I think this is a very interesting point. Confidence can often be a superficial mask we wear whereas courage comes from some place deeper. It is part of who we truly are, courageous beings who otherwise wouldn't be here.

I was asked to describe how the practice of yoga can help increase confidence so here is a little note I wrote:

The yoga postures (asana) challenge our stability, engaging deep structural support. An intelligent alignment of bones and optimum muscle tensions have a direct affect on our mental state as the soft tissue that link muscle to bone are connected also to the nervous system and brain. Once stability is established in the physical body the message is passed onto the brain.

The breathing practices (pranayama) in yoga, balance the two hemispheres of the brain so we feel neither fatigued nor over excited. We experience confidence at every level of our being: physical, emotional and mental and begin to trust the body's innate desire to support health.