Nathan Bangs, founder of Yoga Tampa Bay and the Rasa-Lila Fest, created the community event on Facebook that has over 100 people across Tampa Bay committing to practice yoga five days a week, for nine weeks.

“Building the yoga community in Tampa Bay has always been a passion of mine. I started the 60-Day Yoga Tampa Bay Challenge to pull the community together with one goal in mind: Unity."

This challenge is a perfect opportunity to give you the gift of yoga. You can take a class at a studio or you can practice at home. Yoga is an ancient art form that melds with all races and religions. It helps us understand ourselves better and then it helps us live in the world with more peace for ourselves and each other.

The yoga community in Tampa continues to grow. Practicing yoga several days a week will have a big effect on your life. Dedicating yourself to a 60-day challenge might seem hard, but a daily practice is a goal you can strive for that will yield both success and reward. 

As a student and teacher I’ve witnessed the potential that yoga has to create balance in our lives. Ultimately, the practice teaches us how to maintain our energy and create harmony.

To do the challenge, all you really need is honor. The challenge is based on the honor system. If you cheat, ultimately, you’re only cheating yourself. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to encourage your whole family to commit to a healthier lifestyle. The more we can do together as a family thatis active and healthy, the better.

So here are 5 tips to help you dive on into your practice and succeed in this community challenge.

1. Buy an affordable yoga mat.  Clean the mat with warm soapy water
   and let the mat dry in the sun. This will take the slickness off the new mat.  When you are done write your name in permanent marker on the back.
2. Read about yoga.  These 3 columns I wrote may help you get around the mental and physical road blocks during this challenge: Home Yoga Practice is an Exercise in Overcoming Resistance, Yoga Helps Feed Our Creative Genius, and Yoga 101: Staying Safe and Using Yoga to Heal.  
3. Start a Yoga practice journal in a notebook or online. Take it with you when you practice. You may find it cathartic to take 5 minutes each day you practice to reflect about your practice. At the end of the 60 days, you’ll have a full record of your experience. You are more likely to stay committed if you add this step, it keeps you more connected to the experience.
4.  Don’t be hard on yourself. If you need more of a restorative or gentle practice, then try one. You don’t have to sweat in a power or vinyasa style class for it to count. Do what you need each and every day.
5. Accept and be content each time you step on your mat. Being content in your body, mind and spirit and I know you will succeed!

Join the event, and log in weekly with your update. At the end of the challenge upload your photo in a Yoga Tampa Bay Facebook Album with the rest of the 60 day winners! Have a great week!

Joining in on the fun there are a number studios offering this challenge to their students:
60-Day Rasa-Lila Fest Yoga Challenge by Nathan Bangs
60 Day Garden of the Heart Yoga Challenge by Cheryl Chaffee (Sarasota)
60-Day Gaya Jyoti Yoga Challenge Diana Hacker Reed & Kathy Kowalski  (Spring Hill)
60-Day YogaEastOrlando Yoga Challenge Michelle Battle Owens
60-Day Yoga Downtown Tampa Challenge by Francine Messano

Namaste!