Sebastien says

During the month of November, Hot Yoga Ibiza is offering students the chance to practice yoga for around 3€ per day. Have I got your attention?

This special price comes with conditions. Namely, you have to come to practice every day, for 30 consecutive days. We call it the 30-day Bikram Yoga challenge, which is a trend that’s been popping up in hot yoga studios around the world – in fact, we’ve even done it here in Ibiza before. You can read one of my students’ first-hand accounts of it here. Of course, every person’s experience will be different, but this gives you the feeling.

So what are the benefits to challenging yourself to a 30-day practice? Obviously the physical: if you want to lose weight, you will lose weight. If you want to tone up, you will tone up. If you want to increase your flexibility, you will become more flexible. If you want to improve your asanas, you will improve your asanas – although this is not the point of the challenge, it may be a good side effect of the practice. You may even find you grow about once centimetre taller, as your posture becomes straighter than it has ever been before.

Then there are also the mental benefits. Again, these all depend on your situation and experience, as the challenge affects different people in different ways, however some of the things you will definitely see are improved concentration, more clarity, the ability to make better decisions, a more relaxed feeling and less stress. You will find it much easier to reach the point of meditation at the end of the class – and this is the ultimate aim of yoga.

I like to think of the 30-day challenge as a medicine. A cure-all. Whatever condition or concerns you have, after you have practiced yoga for one and a half hours every day, seven days a week, for 30 non-stop days, you will see and feel an improvement. Whether it’s your weight, stress levels, a thyroid problem, chronic pain, energy levels – it will start to get better. Of course, you need to be committed to giving your best in each of the 30 classes – it’s not enough to just turn up 30 times and lie there in Savasana!

If you’re going to do it, do it well. Follow the rhythm of each day, and let your body begin to crave the practice – trust me, it will. 30 days of practice is an intense experience. There are highs and lows. There are going to be days when you don’t want to come to practice. You must. There are days when you’ll be tempted to skip a class. You cannot. There will also be days when you feel on top of the world, in love with yoga, in love with the experience. These are the days that make it all worthwhile.

Sure, there will be difficulties throughout your experience – it’s called a challenge for a reason! It may be your mind, trying to take control and telling you that you can’t do this. Yes, you can. It may be the body, because it’s feeling achy and sore. Discomfort is good – it means your body is changing. It may be your friends, trying to tempt you out to a party when you know you need to reserve your strength and energy for practice the next day. Stay strong – good friends will understand. Undertaking the challenge is your personal choice – and it’s just 30 days. The first days may feel slow, but you’ll be surprised how quickly it flies by once you get into the rhythm.

All of my own teachers recommend a 60-day consecutive period to build to the foundation of your practice when you start with yoga. But let’s start with 30 days and see how you go. This allows you to break any bad habits, it allows you to start listening and responding to what your body needs – for example, the more yoga you do, the more healthy fuel for your body you crave. You feel the effects of junk food slowing down your practice and you won’t want to reach for it any more. You become accustomed to the hot room very quickly.

If you regularly practice Bikram or hot yoga, even two or three times a week, I also recommend the 30-day challenge for you. It’s not just about building the foundation for newcomers, it’s about challenging yourself and building the mental strength and physical stamina to receive more benefits than you ever have before. Absolutely all students, no matter what level, can benefit from this seriously life changing experience.

There is no better time than now to commit to a 30-day challenge. As the season changes from summer to autumn, the practice will build and strengthen your immune system just as society begins to come down with colds and flu. The sun is setting earlier each night, so there is less temptation in Ibiza to be out and about on the beach or socialising. Rather than cocoon in front of the TV, come and join us in the hot studio every night. Starting from November 2, 2016 we embark on this 30-day challenge together – students are welcome to join up until November 10 at the special price of 99€ for 30 days. Your body, mind and spirit will thank you for it!