Wim Hof Method

[niggles]

I was recently introduced to the Wim Hof Method by a friend, I have been getting some very interesting results...

If you dont know about the Wim Hof method, its a form of breathing exercise/meditation popularised by this guy:

Wim Hof.

He has become famous for his ability to perform extreme feats of endurance, usually to do with resisting the cold.

He attributes his achievements to his breathing method. (He currently holds about 20 Guinness world records for various things like running marathon in subzero conditions wearing only shoes and shorts, sitting in ice up to neck for hours on end and being able to consciously control his immune system to some degree)

If you would like to see a Vice doco about him and his method it is here:

https://www.vice.com/video/iceman

 

I became interested as my friend claimed to have had amazing changes in his health since working with the breathing method each day - eczema and asthma apparently ceased to be a problem for him.

So I started doing the breathing, (I have shared a link to a free demonstration of how to start doing this below) and started to get some really interesting results right away.

Within a week of starting the course, i was able to hold my breath for 4 minutes 39 secs, without forcing it, it was easy. I started having cold showers as this is part of the technique...

Now just to be clear... I hate being cold. I am moving to warmer climates because i find the cold of winter in melbourne to be crippling.. if I am not rugged up my back seizes up and i am in pain for weeks. I cant stand being in cold water. i wont go swimming unless the water is above 28 degrees. So to have a cold shower is something i would never normally dream of doing. However with use of the breathing technique I have found cold showers to be quite tolerable  and after only 2 cold showers I had this realisation that all the pain i experience related to cold is actually just me reacting to the cold - not something the cold does to me .. and it is something I can choose not to do! So all of a sudden i no longer have to rug up in fear of having an injury! All it took was some breathing. (and a cold shower) My understanding is that this awareness and control of my physical reaction should be able to expanded to include my immune response.. it is possible I will be able to control my allergies and skin reactions!

Whenever I do the breathing it makes me feel extremely calm in a way I have only previously been able to achieve through using floatation tanks or long meditation sessions, but now can be achieved with 5 minutes of breathing.

So now I am embarking on the ten week course - I am still in the first week but I feel changes occurring already.

I have had some pretty amazing and beautiful out of body experiences doing longer deep breathing sessions.. have accessed some places I didn't think that I personally would ever be able to get to without the use of some mind altering substance.

I am really excited about all of this and feel like this technique has opened a whole new realm of possibilities for me.

 

Anyone else had any experience with this?

I would love to hear about it if you have!

 

Here is the demo video:

http://www.wimhofmethod.com/video-miniclass/

 

 

[simhanada]

The circular breath (in out with no break) is the foundation of the rebirthing technique developed by Leonard Orr in the 70s which I think they just call breath work these days.  Only they don't stop after 20-40 breaths but keep going till uncomfortable physical and emotional symptoms come up and they keep going till they dissipate.  

 

I did some training in this a long long time ago and one of the weekends had a focus on overcoming fear of the cold where we did this technique progressively ending out into the sea (during the middle of winter), two people doing the breath, looking at each other to keep the focus and motivation.  It was difficult till the moment my head went under and then it was a full body bliss experience.  That was unexpected because I had spent the prior week going for morning swims to gear myself up for it and didn't experience anything approaching that.  That week and weekend showed me that same thing you mention about how much of our reaction to cold is mind based.  Of course, thats easy to forget

 

Tibetan yogis have a practise called Tummo where through breath techniques (which can also involve long periods of breath retention) they're able to generate heat in the body and survive in low temperature conditions.  Good if you're in a cave or monastery in winter with no heating.  Besides the yoga/excercise he uses learning yantra yoga would be a good adjunct I think as they use techniques so you can get very specific about where and how you can hold the breath(in kumbhaka/vase breath)  in certain places as an aid for meditation.

 

I just had a go at the 1st bit of the WimHof and it definitely builds up charge in the body quickly.  I reckon I'll try it out and see how it goes.

 

I like that he's using yoga as part of his system.  As mentioned earlier the body can get very uncomfortable doing this kind of stuff so I like moving/jiggling/shaking to loosen some of the charge before going in again.  

 

[niggles]

yeah i am experimenting a little with te 'breath of fire' technique too, but kind of holding off on going into too many things at once, I want to see what I can achieve with the wim hof method by itself.. and im booked in for vipassana in a few months so i got a full plate  

I have experimented with a sort of similar thing maybe the breathwork you are speaking of.. things did get very intense and uncomfortable.. i dont mind that but i didnt really feel like i got much out of it (plus it was costing me a lot to have 'guided' sessions where i felt the facilitator really wasn't putting her heart into it) when i have done big sessions with the wim hof method, and just generally doing the practice.. i find it rather pleasant, it feels nice, and I feel like it is doing good things.

The big sessions do have some weird/intense/uncomfortable moments, but i can breathe through them into lovely spaces.

 

Another thing I like about WH is that he has gotten scientists to study him doing his thing, so they have a bunch of scientific backing for his methods. I have not yet made it through all the material, but it is interesting reading and experiencing.

 

[BedOSpines]

His course is dam expensive, I wonder if it's floating around somewhere? 

[courage]

In my own experience with working on transformation of the body I personally start with two differentiations that I'm aware of. That of cultivating the body in the higher light and that of cultivation in the bliss realms.

 

Sri Aurobindo & Mirra took a good look at this work with the higher light and made the criticisms a change of state was for all humankind, Earth and otherwise to complete this.

[simhanada]

16 minutes ago, courage said:

In my own experience with working on transformation of the body I personally start with two differentiations that I'm aware of. That of cultivating the body in the higher light and that of cultivation in the bliss realms.

 

Sri Aurobindo & Mirra took a good look at this work with the higher light and made the criticisms a change of state was for all humankind, Earth and otherwise to complete this.

 

What does any of this mean though?  break it down.

[courage]

Yeah I just am worried of speaking openly on things I am not 100% certain on, as it would cause offence.

 

I will speak openly however, keep in mind I may be wrong.

 

I just started reading castenandos book and he explained four soul types; light-good, dark-good, dark-evil and light-dark.

 

Light good may be something that initially looks humble, harmonious etc. but behind the scenes in a greater context is actually having a detrimental affect on our planetary body and macrocosm otherwise.

 

I cannot explain in detail how bliss cultivation represents the dark light, but I do know it is a form of darkness as it does not connect to original creator, it traps and as such inevitably represents a drain on our creation sector.

 

Dark-good may be something that works with the darkness through a higher context in order to save our creation structure and return it home into connection with original source.

 

In reference to Aurobindo and Mirra I was quoting an example of how difficult it is to be of the true light in this world. As that is the practice I take on and I am aware of its current situation.

 

Yeah appreciate being told if I'm not coming across.

I'm not saying that nothing of benefit can be utilised here, just that connection to original source is of vital importance.

 

I do not see any blame in this situation, however upon realisation forgiveness is a necessary process, for all.

Edited June 21, 2016 by courage

[courage]

As I have explained to the Buddhist community, I feel as though nirvana represents a rejection of the saviour, our creator on the soul level and as such absorbing into the void without a connection has catastrophic affects on our state of consciousness.

[simhanada]

19 minutes ago, courage said:

Yeah I just am worried of speaking openly on things I am not 100% certain on, as it would cause offence.

 

 

It didn't cause offence.  I'm not sure how it relates to the topic at hand though.  

 

Are you implying that we are fucking up our souls, planetary bodies, small baby animals and whatnot?  If so, that is kind of offensive that you are telling us that breathing and improving our physical/mental/emotional health is detrimental without a clear explanation why.  Maybe you need to consider what is being discussed and come in on a similar level.  

[simhanada]

23 hours ago, niggles said:

 

I have experimented with a sort of similar thing maybe the breathwork you are speaking of.. things did get very intense and uncomfortable.. i dont mind that but i didnt really feel like i got much out of it (plus it was costing me a lot to have 'guided' sessions where i felt the facilitator really wasn't putting her heart into it)

 

Sounds the same.  I felt like I got a bit out of it but that was a long long time ago.

 

23 hours ago, niggles said:

The big sessions do have some weird/intense/uncomfortable moments, but i can breathe through them into lovely spaces.

That's probably similar to what I was coming up against.  Yep, it passes

 

23 hours ago, niggles said:

Another thing I like about WH is that he has gotten scientists to study him doing his thing, so they have a bunch of scientific backing for his methods. I have not yet made it through all the material, but it is interesting reading and experiencing.

Yeah, its a big draw card.  In this day and age it inspires confidence in a system.  Also hes happy to put his abilities up for show and scrutiny which is great.

 

I'm in the inner south, close to the beach now.  If you want to come down and test yourself one morning in the ocean before you head north let me know

[niggles]

Courage: I dont really follow what you are saying, I think you are using a terminology that I am not familiar with.

 

simhanada: Haha! Thats a good idea. I have been thinking about maybe trying to hit the beach before I go. I used to grow up on the beach, down near sandringham. Fucking hated the cold water and the wind.. maybe I will have to try and do that

 

Bedofspines: I do believe I saw a copy floating somewhere, but it was very difficult to locate. Personally I am getting so much out of working through the course that I am happy to pay.

[courage]

I guess my first thoughts would be around where the bliss energy itself emanates from.

 

I walk the ancient path so see a lot of problems intuitively in restoring what once was.

 

I don't see any problems - personally, with the practices themselves as ways to connect to higher vibrational light.

 

I'm just looking at the reasons why I have criticisms with Eastern philosophy in regards to the reconnection of true light.

 

I guess my first thoughts would be around where the bliss energy itself emanates from.

Thoughts?

[courage]

Our sun would be the first local source.

[simhanada]

1 minute ago, niggles said:

simhanada: Haha! Thats a good idea. I have been thinking about maybe trying to hit the beach before I go. I used to grow up on the beach, down near sandringham. Fucking hated the cold water and the wind.. maybe I will have to try and do that

 

 

If you find the time just msg me.  I grew up in highett, a longer walk/ride to the beach but we were down at half moon every other day during the warmer months.

 

I'm now a quick jog from elwood beach or a short walk off the north road pier ;)  Someone was doing some cold training off the boat ramp there the other day, they didn't look like they were wimhofing!  Looked decidedly uncomfortable.

[simhanada]

7 minutes ago, courage said:

I guess my first thoughts would be around where the bliss energy itself emanates from.

 

I walk the ancient path so see a lot of problems intuitively in restoring what once was.

 

I don't see any problems - personally, with the practices themselves as ways to connect to higher vibrational light.

 

I'm just looking at the reasons why I have criticisms with Eastern philosophy in regards to the reconnection of true light.

 

I guess my first thoughts would be around where the bliss energy itself emanates from.

Thoughts?

 

 

I'm still not sure how this relates to the topic at hand.  My mention of full body bliss earlier was a description of a physiological experience.  I'm not particularly worried about where it came from.  It felt good.  How does an idea of true light relate to wimhof?

[courage]

It relates generally to the bliss experience of the ages.

 

I'm speaking broadly for all, as words have that manner of affect. It is never directed at you personally.

 

We can see a drain on our energy here through the violent manner in which the Earth is treated, through food production on a mass scale, mining etc. This inevitably affects the intrinsic interconnected nature of our universe, which is again a product of the beings moving through here who feed from the light.

[simhanada]

1 minute ago, courage said:

It relates generally to the bliss experience of the ages.

 

I'm speaking broadly for all, as words have that manner of affect. It is never directed at you personally.

 

We can see a drain on our energy here through the violent manner in which the Earth is treated, through food production on a mass scale, mining etc. This inevitably affects the intrinsic interconnected nature of our universe, which is again a product of the beings moving through here who feed from the light.

 

 

yeah, but, whatsit have to do with the Wim Hof method?

[courage]

Just checking out his soul type for public awareness and to help with understanding in general.

 

My thoughts would be dark light, as explained above. Wary about approaching that with absolute certainty thought.

 

Generally just go with my gut on these things.

 

Hope that explains things simhananda.

 

 

Edited June 21, 2016 by courage

[BedOSpines]

What might you be basing you decision on? Have you spoken to Wim Hof? Judging his sole type seems like quite a call to make, especially via some YouTube clips (assuming...). I think your hardly helping with understanding haha, It might be more useful to attempt the Wim Hof method first and reflect on your own experience aye? It's is a Wim Hof thread after all, I tried the breathing last night and had the best sleep I've had in a long long time, worth further investigation. BTW why do you assume were not connected to the 'light'? 

4 hours ago, courage said:

Just checking out his soul type for public awareness and to help with understanding in general.

 

My thoughts would be dark light, as explained above. Wary about approaching that with absolute certainty thought.

 

Generally just go with my gut on these things.

 

Hope that explains things simhananda.

 

 

 

[niggles]

On 21/06/2016 at 1:24 AM, Bedofspines said:

 I tried the breathing last night and had the best sleep I've had in a long long time, worth further investigation. 

 

 

 

Thats great to hear! I am glad you're finding it interesting, if you like i can give you some more info on the steps beyond the basic introduction you have seen.

Then you can become a superhuman also

 

[simhanada]

Cold snap about to hit melb.  Good training weather ;)

[Yeti101]

I'd be interested in looking at this as I have not-spectacular peripheral circulation; would be keen to see if I could even partially overcome this.

And I could totally handle being superhuman.

[niggles]

5 minutes ago, Yeti101 said:

I'd be interested in looking at this as I have not-spectacular peripheral circulation; would be keen to see if I could even partially overcome this.

And I could totally handle being superhuman.

He actually has a specific method of training for poor circulation to extremities in his training course!

[Zedo]

I had a look, and tried what I found last night. Breathing in deep and out quickly 30 times or so, then out and hold the breath. I found it made it a lot quicker and easier to relax and get to a different brain wave. Would be interested to do his coarse if it were open source. 

[Yeti101]

I found this overview on the web (attached) - it's worth a read, though (as always) I run a pretty sceptical eye over these things (not a reflection on Wim personally, that's just me). Definitely some very interesting physiological stuff going on though.

 

One thing to note is the difference between how the breathing method is described in the doc attached, and how some other websites talk about it: "The breathing technique is first and foremost premised on inhaling deeply and exhaling without any use of force!" I've read at least two second-hand accounts of the method that talk about exhaling quite forcefully. I've only been reading about this for a few days, but I think that the nature of the exhalation, in conjunction with different visualisation, could produce different results - this would be consistent with my extensive reading regarding g-tummo meditation (which started about 10 minutes ago) - the difference between forceful breath and gentle breath techniques perhaps?

2016wimhofmethod-revealed.pdf

2016wimhofmethod-revealed.pdf

2016wimhofmethod-revealed.pdf