Yoga Aktuell: Breathe like the Iceman

Wim Hof climbed Kilimanjaro in shorts. The Dutchman looks back on 18 Guinness Book entries and holds the World Record for the longest ice bath. Wim is the living example of what a human being is capable of, when he believes in himself and listens to his inner voice. In a severe existential crisis, he developed the Wim-Hof method - a combination of mental and physical exercises, breath work and ice baths. In this interview, he talks about Flow states, his experiences with yoga and the potential of the cold therapy in times of crisis.

Interview © YANA LA FAE

Yoga Aktuell: How does it feel to stand on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts?
Wim Hof: Honestly? It's fucking cold. You feel great and victorious. A lot of things come together because it's the end of a long road. The last time I was up there, I took a seventy-six-year-old man with me who was suffering from Lymes disease and had no mountaineering experience. After 31 hours we reached the top, in shorts. I wanted to show that such a thing is possible. That's why I did all those records. To show that it can be done. Because I am a human being, and what I can do should be possible for every other human being.

Why do we humans have such a great aversion to the cold?
This has grown evolutionarily. In the past, ice and cold were a life-threatening danger for people. These had to be avoided at all costs. Over time, this has shaped our genetics and the fear of cold has become ingrained in our brain stem. Although cold no longer has this meaning today, as we live in houses and have a different lifestyle than in the past, this is still in us. Yet cold is one of the most powerful things there is. With cold therapy we can regulate our thinking and the blood flow in the brain and even influence biochemical processes that help us overcome depression. That is yoga.

“Cold helps us regulate our thinking and the blood flow in the brain.”

— wim hof

What else does yoga mean to you?
Yoga means unity. It explains how to connect with your inner self. I did a lot of yoga for a while. I practiced asanas, also pranayama and pratyahara, and even learned Sanskrit to dive deep into yoga philosophy. It was wonderful. What Patanjali means by "yogas chitta vritti nirodha", however, I found very abstract. Over the years I have developed my own, more direct technique based on my yoga knowledge. I wanted to create something that was easily accessible and could be integrated into a modern life. When I started yoga, I was fascinated. But at that time, yoga was not yet scientifically studied. My motivation was to change this. I wanted to find out how the soul works, what the DNA does, how you can get to your own inner self and actively influence even the deepest parts of the brain. So, I tried many exercises and finally found out that the cold water brings you directly into a non-thinking state of mind. That too is yoga for me. In brain scans, we later showed scientifically that you can go much further into the depths of the self by bathing in ice water and doing breathing exercises every day than by doing mindfulness meditation for four hours a day for years.

By the "depths of the self" do you mean one's own subconscious?
It goes deeper than that. We have scientifically proven that through breathing exercises you can even access the most primitive part of the brain, the brain stem, and influence the autonomic nervous system. That was unthinkable until now. If we can control the breath, we can also have control over the neurotransmitters that our brain releases. Connecting with this part of the brain gives us control over our own flow and happiness. Then we can really follow our destiny. A person who follows his destiny has self-confidence. He is motivated and strives towards self-realization. Such a person does not fight wars.

Why is this not possible with the original yoga teachings?
In my opinion, the limitations are not in yoga itself, but in our modern western consciousness and lifestyle. We have changed, so our yoga also needs an update. First, we need more control over our mind and our thinking. Once that is achieved, we can follow the call of our soul. The combination of breathing and cold is the fastest in my opinion. My technique is something like a new, contemporary kind of yoga.

You developed your own technique in a personal crisis. Now we have another crisis, not a personal one, but a global health crisis. To what extent can holistic modalities like the Wim Hof Method support us in overcoming this crisis?
That's right - when I started my training, I wasn't doing well at all. My wife had taken her own life and from one day to the next I was alone with four children. I had to be mum and dad at the same time, create warmth, and often felt weak.
In a situation like that, you must use everything that is available to you as a human being. So, I breathed and went ice bathing. At that time, I was powerless. But when I used the technique regularly, I started to have a lot of energy. So now I share this technique with others. You know, when a person is depressed, they lose control. But no matter what depths life takes you through, you can always regain control. A good tool for this is a combination of cold and breathing exercises. It puts you back at the steering wheel of your life, and if you practice regularly, it helps you maintain control over yourself as well. The responsibility for my children kept me alive then, but the cold water cured me. That's why I do it every day.

How long do you bathe in cold water every day?
About thirty minutes. Sometimes shorter and sometimes longer. It depends on how I feel that day. That’s what it’s all about - feeling. With cold and breathing exercises, I stimulate the blood circulation in the body and the brain. That's what my training is all about: consciously controlling processes that are not actually conscious - or shouldn't be (laughs).

Herbert Benson* also researches the medical connection between body and mind. Do you know his "Flow Cycle"?
No, what is this?

Relaxing in the cold. Photo credit: Wim Hof. More information: www.wimhofmethod.com

The "Flow Cycle" says that you must go through four stages to create sustainable, or regular Flow experiences: first the struggling phase, in which you try something new in a disciplined way, even if it is unpleasant. Then comes the release. You pause and concentrate on something else. When you return, the Flow phase comes in. Suddenly everything runs by itself, more fluidly and you don't even notice how time flies. At the end, there is always a Recovery phase. This allows the brain to process what it has learned.
Flow experiences are neurology. Neurology without blockages. So are we able to do that? Yes. Without blockages, life flows on its own. It's the same with cold water. It's exhausting at first - even for me, and I do this often. When I swim the first seventy to seventy-five strokes, I have to push myself. After that struggle phase, I feel like like I can keep swimming forever. That is flow. That feels good.

There is something revolutionary happening in research now. I am part of a project with Elissa Epel, the co-author of the Nobel Prize-winning telomere research. We are studying how people can enter Flow states in a self-directed way. It's a whole new branch of science. It potentially shows how to optimize your performance, fight mental illness, and regulate inflammation in the body. It all sounds a bit superhuman, but I believe it is possible, and for each and every one of us. As part of human evolution, we must learn to expect more than mediocrity from ourselves and our bodies.

Apart from cold water and breathing exercises, what do you think brings a person into Flow?
Beliefs. Human intention is so powerful that it can even be used to control skin temperature. In brain scans we have shown that this can be done with pure willpower. Imagine, everything you are is constantly in motion. When you have a clear intention, you are at peace with life and with what you are doing, and then it works. When you are in harmony with nature, you will have flow experiences. It's really about focus.

What advice do you have for those who want to try your method but are extremely uncompfortable with the cold?
One of the most common causes of death in our modern western society is cardiovascular disease. If you have no tolerance for the cold, it may indicate a weak constitution. So you better do something about it because it is the best thing you can do for yourself. The cardiovascular system should be able to withstand cold showers of two minutes without any problems.

We already showed in 2011 that it is possible to regulate inflammation with breath work and cold. After many studies proving that it is possible to influence our autonomic nervous system, this insight is now also being anchored in research and scientific literature. Due to the pandemic, many people are feeling weak because they are afraid and notice the psychological consequences of isolation. Of course, the current situation also affects us neurologically, and we feel this in our immune system. It is a time of change and people need the knowledge of how to get back more into their inner strength. Our bodies are made to regulate all moods, illnesses, and energy levels. Those who recognize this have grasped yoga. And many people are ready for it now because of the pandemic.

What advice do you have for all those who feel powerless right now?
From birth, we humans can master the challenges that come our way. If you can control your thoughts, you can control your body. It is very simple. Start with daily cold showers for thirty or forty seconds and slowly increase until you reach two minutes. Take long breaths during this time and see how you are doing with this routine after a few weeks.

Thank you very much for this interview!

original article