Have you ever heard about the Wim Hof Method?

I heard about it while looking through the list of events at The Psychedelic Society when the lockdown first began. These guys are the best when it comes to alternative, subconscious, inner self-discovery events. I’ve participated in many and if you’d like to give it a go, check out the upcoming ones here.

The founder of the method, Wim Hof, appears to be somewhat of a superhuman. He holds 26 official Guinness World Records for enduring low temperatures, including climbing the Mount Kilimanjaro in two days (it typically takes 6-8 days) while wearing only shorts and shoes. My favourite is the image of him meditating on the snow, half-naked. It’s not a fake – people refer to him as The Iceman.

I’ve been particularly interested in all things breathing since starting yoga five years ago. In yoga, the branch dedicated to all the breathing techniques is called Pranayama, which means “breath control”. There are lots of different techniques, which you can read about here. They all aim to generate body heat and concentration, and to bring more oxygen to blood and to the brain.

I watched an interview with Wim Hof and Russell Brand and it was love at first sight. He sounds absolutely wild, his energy and passion are unbelievable. I was immediately drawn to his blue eyes. They have a ferocious spark but at the same time there’s something comforting about them.

I decided to sign up for a Wim Hof workshop with Heather, a trained instructor on the technique. At first it was a bit awkward as the events are now held via Zoom, but Heather is a star and managed to ease everyone in. It felt like we were doing it face to face, and I strongly recommend you guys to give this a go as she does it every week. You can book here. I had no clue that after this workshop online, the method would become an integral part of my life. 

The Wim Hof Method
The Wim Hof Method is a regime of special breathing and cold baths, alongside meditation. It’s based on the principle that “over time, we as humans have developed a different attitude towards nature and we’ve forgotten about our inner power” and the ability of our body to adapt and survive extreme temperatures.

The founder learned to withstand cold, heat and fear by subjecting himself to the bitter conditions of nature. “Because we wear clothes and artificially control the temperatures at home and at work, we’ve greatly reduced the natural stimulation of our bodies […] Because these deeper physiological layers are no longer triggered, our bodies are no longer in touch with this inner power”, which can be reawakened by stimulating these physiological processes. Our body needs environmental and physical stress and oscillations to invigorate our nervous system.

You don’t need to be a superhuman like him, though. The method, based on three pillars, is easy to learn and caters to everyone.

1) Cold Therapy
The first pillar is increasing exposure to cold, through showers and ice baths. “Wearing clothes all the time, we are destimulating the natural elements in our body,” says Wim Hof. “Yet we have three times the world’s length of vascular channels inside of us, and they are composed of millions of vascular muscles. If they are not stimulated with cold and heat, the system gets weaker.”

2) Breathing
The second pillar is the breath. We take it for granted, as we automatically breathe every day all the time. However, conscious breathing has a tremendous potential to enhance our physical and mental wellbeing, resulting in: “more energy, reduced stress levels, and an augmented immune response that swiftly deals with pathogens.”

Breathing is a two-part process: inhaling to bring oxygen to the lungs and exhaling to expel C0_2. When the brain senses too much C0₂ in the bloodstream, the chest tightens, vision blurs, and every muscle clenches hard. That’s when we need to take a deep breath. At the physiological level, it’s the body that wants to expel the C0_2.  It might sound counterintuitive, but you can test it yourself. Take a deep breath and hold it until you feel the urge to breathe again. Then release a little bit of air. With less C0₂ in your lungs, you will see that you can hold your breath longer. That’s because you’ve removed a potential poisonous waste product from your body and your nervous system has turned down the alarm bells.

This is a way to trick your nervous system into extending the amount of time that you can hold your breath, and is the first training technique to build on.

3) Commitment
The third pillar is “the foundation of the other two: both cold exposure and conscious breathing require patience and dedication in order to be fully mastered.” Creating habits, particularly healthy ones, needs time and commitment. It’s up to us to be constant and be masters of our bodies and minds.

Scientific evidence
To further prove that his method works, Wim Hof himself has gone through several scientific studies to test and verify his abilities. In one study, he volunteered to be injected with Endotoxin. The response is usually flu likes syntoms, but Wim didn’t react, if not with a light headache. They thought that he might be a human anomaly, but he actually trained some other students who were able to fight Endotoxin as well.

Getting Started
If by now you’re intrigued, you can start with small steps to see the first benefits. Make sure to practice the breathing exercises in a safe environment, and please don’t attempt this if you are pregnant.

If you then wish to know more/dig deeper, you can attend a workshop, buy a course or read the book “What doesn’t kill us” by Scott Carney, an American journalist who met with Wim Hof before he was “The Iceman”. Or perhaps swim in ice to take it to the next level.

Cold showers
Fortunately, I’ve never been too scared of cold. Growing up close to the mountains, I would often be out in nature and swim in cold rivers or lakes. However, turning on the cold water in the shower doesn’t have the same charm. The start is painful, and you start gasping as soon as cold water drips on your skin. It’s a normal body reaction. This is when you need to focus on your breathing and try to slow it down. Think about warm things, like a sunny day on the beach. Visualisation and concentration are key here.

Again, this will be painful at first but the improvements are fast. I started with 15 seconds and after just a month I can now “easily” withstand two minutes. Cold tones up the muscles, the skin becomes stronger, and everything inside the body naturally benefits from it. It’s an incredible vascular fitness workout.

Breathing exercise
To work on your breathing, you can start with a guided round of breaths with Wim Hof. It’s ten minutes in total.

 First, you need to establish a baseline. Take a deep breath, time yourself to see how long you can hold it, and write it down. Then begin the exercise:

• Preparation: sit or lie down comfortably on the floor, preferably with empty stomach before breakfast
• Power Breaths: Take 30-40 full-lung breaths, filling first the belly, then diaphragm, lungs and bring it all the way up to the head. The inhalations should be forceful and powerful, but the exhalations should be natural. Keep the pace quick and steady with your eyes closed. You might feel light headed, see colours or feel tingling sensations. Don’t worry, that’s normal.
• Exhale and Hold: After completing the round, take one more full-lung breath and let it out completely, but without force. Start the timing, and hold your breath with your eyes closed until you feel the sensation to gasp.
• Recovery: Take a half-lung inhale and hold for about 10 seconds.

These three steps form one round. Do a minimum of three rounds for full effect, and notice the difference yourself.

My journey has just begun. I love it so much that I’ve decided to start a proper course and learn more, so I might integrate it with the Reiki in due course.  I found mesmerising how our body and mind are so intrinsically connected, and how they can both heal themselves.

The Wim Hof method is an unbelievable tool for wellbeing and healing, and it can improve your daily life. It’s not just my personal opinion, it’s a scientific fact. I’ll leave you with the choice.

Stay well and stay connected (and take a deep breath in),

Carlotta

//

“If we always choose comfort, we never learn the deepest capabilities of our mind or body” – Wim Hof