Well, since I titled one of these blogs The Downward Trend Continues, it seems only fair to call his one the reverse. And it's true. I think I've finally re-found my confidence. Some of it has to do with integrating new poses into my routine. In doing the new poses, I realize exactly how far I've come with the poses that I've been doing since the beginning.

My standing poses are solid enough that I have become aware of more basic alignment issues that impact me in any poses. Like the fact that my left foot really doesn't like to stay planted on the ground. It seems to be planted, but I've always wondered why on that side of Triangle, I sometimes have trouble with my balance. When we did Half Moon Pose, it was even more pronounced and I realized that the reason was that my whole body was ever so slightly leaned backward. And, after drilling that down a little further, I realized the reason for that was that the front part of my foot and my big toe were ever so slightly lifted up off the ground. So this week, that's been my focus. Jason's advice was to visualize a (painless) nail drilling my big toe into the ground. While it hasn't worked perfectly, it has helped. But more importantly, I realized that the ability to be so nuanced about my practice is a product of becoming more comfortable and more competent.

Some of the confidence has to do with going to class again. I've tried out a variety of different classes, and while they are not always easy, my sense of being out of place has definitely lessened. I wish I'd pushed past my class paranoia sooner. I think that I'd see more changes in my body if I had gone to class more, since yoga class is definitely more of a workout than my home practice. On the flip side, though, yoga on my own is something that I think will be more sustainable after this six months is over. While it has a workout component to it, much of the home practice is about centering my mind and body. My energy comes down a few notches and I let my mind rest, which is something that I rarely do in my life. And I like the feeling—so much that I know that after this "Yoga Makeover," I will unquestionably continue with my home yoga practice.