As human beings living in a modern world, we live a life of comfort and luxury. If it’s cold, we turn the heater on with the click of a button. If it’s hot, the aircon goes on. We have layers of clothing that protect us from the harshness of the environment. But this is not part of the natural order. Technology is all about revising our natural lifestyle practices to have more comfort. We want everything to be easy and require less manual labour or effort. If you were to look at how humans lived even 100 years ago, you would realise that the challenges they faced built a sense of resilience that carried through in their work, their relationships and their day-to-day struggles. When everything becomes so easy, we set this as the benchmark of our capabilities and expectations. So when challenges arise, we simply don’t have the stamina or endurance to cope with them.
The Wim Hof Method is designed to take us out of our comfort zone and demonstrate our innate ability to adapt to extreme changes in our environment with the power of our mind. It is the combination of cold therapy, controlled breathwork and mental focus.
“The Wim Hof Method allows us to go deeper into the mind and body. It’s essentially, an incredibly powerful form of meditation.” -Clare Hudson
What is the Wim Hof Method? It is the process of practicing a series of breathing exercises integrated with meditation, then submerging your body in icy cold water while maintaining a calm and centred mind. What are the benefits of Wim Hof Method?
Cold Therapy
Proper exposure to the cold starts a cascade of health benefits, including the buildup of brown adipose tissue and resultant fat loss, reduced inflammation that facilitates a fortified immune system, balanced hormone levels, improved sleep quality, and the production of endorphins (the feel-good chemicals in the brain that naturally elevate your mood). Breathwork
We’re always breathing, yet we’re mostly unaware of its tremendous potential. Heightened oxygen levels hold a treasure trove of benefits, and the specialised breathing technique of the Wim Hof Method unearths them all: more energy, reduced stress levels, and an augmented immune response that swiftly deals with pathogens. Mental Focus
Both cold exposure and conscious breathing require patience and dedication in order to be fully mastered. Arm
ed with focus and determination you are ready to explore and eventually master your own body and mind. These three practices combined can help to:
Boost your immune system
Improve mental health
Alkalise your body
Increase sports performance
Relieve stress
Increase energy
Improve sleep
Improve workout recovery
Increase willpower
Boost concentration
Deal with depression
Reduce burnout
Relieve fibromyalgia
Relieve arthritis
Overcome MS
Relieve asthma
Relieve migraines
Improve creativity
Improve cold tolerance
Relieve autoimmune disease
Provide a natural anti-inflammatory
Offer COPD management
Offer post treatment for Lyme Disease Syndrome
Improve your mind-body connection
How do you practice the Wim Hof Method? The first phase of the technique involves thirty cycles of breathing - taking a powerful breath in and fully filling the lungs. Breathing out by passively releasing the breath, but not actively exhaling. Then repeating this cycle at a steady fast pace thirty times. The body may experience normal tickling vibrations, or light-headedness. There may be a rush of adrenaline. After completion of all the cycles of controlled hyperventilation, another deep breath is taken before letting it out completely. The next breath is held for as long as possible, followed by another full breath. This last breath is held for 15–20 seconds before finally letting go. One of the uses of the meditation is to generate inner heat and unlock what is described as coiled energy at the base of the spine (kundalini). The meditation seeks to activate the energy in the chakras across the body which can be channeled into an inner power that possesses our greatest potential. Breath retention and deep breathing are key components of the practice as it allows the energy to accumulate with each repetition, generating internal heat. Source
The Bottom Line:
Wim Hof himself understood that the more oxygen we can gather and hold in our bodies, the more powerful the body becomes. Through breathing deeply - oxygen levels in the tissues surge and adrenaline floods the body, granting strength that we did not realise we had.
Adrenaline increases strength, awareness, breathing rate, energy and body temperature. If you can control your adrenaline, you can control your body.
“When we interact with nature, miraculous things can happen. Whenever you go beyond the rigid patterns of thinking, challenging yourself, you can receive the bounty of experience from hard nature.” — Wim Hof
Join us on one of our upcoming retreats to receive your own personal, professional and guided experiences of the Wim Hof Method.