At Stoned Crystals we are always seeking new practices to add to our toolkit of meditation and wellness rituals. We recently met with ‘The Iceman’ Wim Hoff who you most certainly would have heard of before. He has set a staggering 26 Guinness World Records for extreme sports challenges that in science’s eye have deemed him ‘Superhuman’.
Wim has translated some of the basics of Yoga and qigong into his own practice called the Wim Hoff method which is a combination of :
- Breathing (for instructions, scroll further.)
- Mindful meditation on the body through basic Yoga poses.
- Conditioning in the cold at home through gradual exposure to cold showers or cold baths.
Wim is the first to bring his record setting feats to science for analysis as well as the mass media. Not only that he has trained completely normal people by following his breathing techniques were also able to do things science had deemed to be ‘Superhuman’.
After the death of his wife, Wim was left a single father to three children and uncovered these techniques to bring peace into his life.
Although the cold conditioning is certainly not for the meek, the breathing is a relatively simple process which we have combined with meditation that anyone can do anytime and anywhere. Once you have mastered the practice and understand how to use it safely at home you can use it in places such as the car when feeling a touch anxious or stressed. This practice takes only 5 minutes and will instantly prove physical results.
The Breathing Technique
(in Qigong it’s called the Cleansing Breath as it cleanses your energy).
- Take 30 deep breaths using your diaphragm. Breathing through the nose or mouth is ok as long as you get the oxygen in your lungs. Don’t take timid breaths as you won’t be getting enough oxygen in. Don’t force the air out as that’s hyperventilating.
- At the 30th breath, breath in deeply and exhale calmly and hold your breath for as long as you can comfortably.
- When you need to breath take a breath in and hold for 15 seconds.
Repeat this process 3 times initially at least once a day 5 days a week. We personally find it invaluable anytime we need to bring calm back into our space.
See the full article on Vice ICEMAN.
*Footnote: “The similarities between Indian Yoga and Chinese qigong is not mere coincidence. Yoga is probably even older than qigong and may have influenced its development. Statues of yogis sitting in lotus posture can be seen as early as the … tenth-fifth to twentieth centres B.C.” Quote from The Way of Qigong – The Art and Science of Chinese Energy Healing.