Confidence?

Many 'yoga teachers' believe in and preach about yoga (asana) practice can help to improve low self-esteem or to develop self-confidence. It makes people feel good about themselves and have higher self-confidence when they are able to perform certain asana poses that they couldn't perform before.

There's no doubt that yoga (asana) practice can help to improve one's self-esteem or to increase self-confidence, but this is not the objective of yoga practice at all.

Know that self-esteem or self-confidence is part of the characteristics or qualities of egoism. When the ego is eliminated, there's no such thing as improving self-esteem or to increase/boost/develop self-confidence.

When we know what is the ego and let go of this ego, we don't need any encouragements or compliments from anyone to motivate us to be doing what we are doing, or to be better, or to feel good about ourselves. We also will not be demotivated by not getting any encouragements or compliments, nor be determined by criticism or condemn.

Real yoga practice can be very uncomfortable for the egoistic mind, as it is about eliminating the ego, letting go of desires of wants and don't wants, craving and aversion. It's not about giving what the mind likes and wants, but it's stop giving what the mind likes and wants. And usually the ego will reject this type of yoga practice, as it is like asking the ego to 'retire' and be silent.

Om shanti.