Sitting in icebath for 2 minutes 30 seconds
Breathing is the only thing that is always with us every moment of the day. It connects our body with our mind.
But most of the time we don’t even know it’s there. We are never taught how to use it.
Last Sunday I took my first Wim Hof Method workshop. Known as the Iceman, Wim holds world records in to cold exposure. He’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts, and ran a barefoot half marathon in the Arctic Circle. He also developed the Wim Hof Method to share with humanity the ability for all of us to control our bodies and minds to achieve extraordinary things (watch this).
Wim Hof Method
For 3 hours on Sunday, a group of us spent learning breathing techniques and reaching a subconscious I didn’t know existed. Our instructor was a former cop who dedicated his life after service to bringing breathing and yoga to police departments. Now he teaches the Wim Hof method and guided us through breathing in unison.
Then came the ice bath. Our mission was to make it to 90 seconds or up to 2 minutes. To see how well we could implement the breathing we learned while thrown into an extreme environment.
We gathered next to the ice tubs as each of us took turns. We held space for each other, sending each other energies and good vibes that we could endure the cold.
Soon enough it was my turn. Not wanting to give my body time to back out, I told myself, “Fac si facis,”. Latin for, “do it if you’re going to do it.” Without thinking any further, I immersed myself straight into the tub and closed my eyes.
Darkness emerged behind my eyelids. I was no longer aware of my surroundings and didn’t care. Fight-or-flight mode had activated. The voices around me were drowned out by my own breath. Nothing else mattered.
My arms and legs were screaming like pins and needles but my face got really hot. I had never tried so hard to focus on breathing and keep it under control. It consumed all of my energy.
“90 seconds!” Someone yelled. I heard the person in the tub next to me climb out, but I told myself I could make it to two minutes.
I went deeper into my own subconscious. It was like I was an explorer venturing into an unknown part of my body. I was getting to know parts of myself I didn’t know were there. Parts that could only be accessed through full concentration of the breath combined with extreme cold exposure.
“Two minutes!” I fluttered my eyes open and climbed out clumsily because my body was so numb. Then I joined the others who were warming back up through movement.
All 30 people made it to 90 seconds or more. It was a beautiful example of humanity.
For those who struggled, someone from the group crouched next to the tub and made eye contact with them, guiding their breath. Sending them energy. Reminding them they have someone who believes in them. Who understands the struggle and is willing to be with them the entire time.
There was trust, love, and connection. From complete strangers!! None of us knew each other, no one knew what we did for work, or for fun, or our political beliefs, or our backgrounds. The common thread was just helping one another overcome a fight-or-flight situation. Nothing else mattered.
If only we could experience this throughout more moments of our lives.
When you’re deep in your own consciousness during the ice, there is no ego. It’s just about believing in the power already vested in you. That if you believe you can do it, you can. And you can help others do it too.
Controlling your breath and mind in an environment of stress like an ice bath is practice for the next time we are thrust into a situation of shock, pain, stress, or anxiety. It’s practice for life. It prepares us when inevitably something unexpected happens to us.
It reminds us that if we have clear intentions, we already carry within ourselves the power to do what we set our minds to.
Round Two
Three days after that first ice bath, I got an email that they were putting out the icebath for an hour and anyone could come. Off I went.
But this time, I hadn’t had the 3 hours of breathing practice prior, and of course right before my turn they added a fresh bag of ice… But I got in and somehow I was able to make it to 2 minutes and 30 seconds.
It still felt like an eternity, but I’ve lived for 25 years in this body and it wasn’t until this experience that I got to explore depths of myself I didn’t even know where there. I’m excited to continue the growth and see if little by little I can last longer in the ice.
So, next time you’re taking a shower, try turning on the cold water. Or if you’re around a cold lake or ocean, try taking a plunge. Or maybe you just take a breathing lesson through an app or at a yoga studio (Wim Hof’s app is a great place to start). Get curious, maybe try an icebath if you can.
Seek moments of discomfort because that’s where the magic of growth happens. Right there in the thick of it is when you get to know yourself and what you’re made of.
Thanks for reading, stay cool!
❤️ 🥶 Maria
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