We stood in a large circle in the shadow of the ice wall behind us. Arm in arm, feeling the cold, shivering slightly, but all participants were full of energy. As a cohesive unit, we sat down in the water up to our shoulders. I closed my eyes and felt empty darkness that slowly began to dissolve. A cycle of energy and warmth unfolded from my pelvis up to my head to finally a scream. All around me I heard several of them simultaneously, full of release, joy and power. My toes had gone numb, and I could hardly feel my fingers. Hand in hand, we walked out of the river with small, careful steps. Everyone had a smile on their lips, upright and energetic posture included.
We stood on land shortly after in bathing suits, again in a circle, warming up our bodies with side-to-side movements. With each exhale, everyone shouted “Hu Ha Hu Ha.” In between, a deep inhale and the upper body was rotating from side to side with deeply bent knees. The collective moved faster and faster, creating more and more heat in the icy bodies. We hugged each other and put on warm clothes with trembling hands. Every face I looked into seemed content. We left the river and made our way back. On the way, we formed a tunnel of hands and each walked through it once. “You are beautiful, powerful, you are loved,” words that the open heart and soul could now fully absorb.
Not too long ago, I landed in Sydney for my semester abroad. While exploring the house of my shared apartment, I discovered something I never expected would change my life. A white freezer, and in front of it a small stool. Out of curiosity, I lifted the lid and it was just water with floating chunks of ice inside. Why would anyone put a broken freezer in their house that was iced over?
After a week, I met my roommate at the time, Johannes Egberts. Johannes is a “Wim Hof Method Instructor.” This means, quickly explained, that he motivates people to ice bathe, and instructs breathing exercises – all according to the method of the crazy Dutchman Wim Hof. Johannes and I became friends and I participated in many of his events. Before our acquaintance I had always been cold, now I could sit in an ice bucket for up to five minutes. I would never have thought myself capable of that because due to thyroid disease, cold had always been a big enemy. I realized that this is where the Wim Hof method could possibly bring relief and be the key to a healthier, strong and happy body.
Thus, during my time in Sydney, I tried to absorb as much about the method as I could. Along the way, I met Kiki Bosch, an incredibly inspiring woman with vast knowledge of alternative healing and the power of nature. She formed a loving counterpart to Johannes, who passed on his motivation through strength and a loud voice; Kiki, on the other hand, encouraged a new way of life with fascination and an eye for recognising something special in everyone. The two Wim Hof instructors teamed up to give a workshop together in Sydney.
I found myself – lying on a yoga mat – guided by the voice of Kiki and Johannes to slowly close my eyes. The Wim Hof method consists of three steps, which were also gone through during this workshop.
Johannes began to lead us into the first round, “Full in and let go!” Supported by powerful music, I inhaled deeply through my nose, expanded my diaphragm, and opened my mouth to let out some air. 40 to 50 breaths to maximum breath holding. After the first round, I was able to hold my breath for more than a minute.
In the body, there is a balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the normal state. By holding the breath, more oxygen flows into the system and the carbon dioxide level decreases. As soon as we start holding our breath, the balance slowly returns, after a while the carbon dioxide level is higher and the urge to finally inhale sets in. With more practice and rounds, the ability to hold your breath longer increases.
We completed five more rounds and after the last one, images popped into my head. Colours, geometric patterns, and even some images of the beach and water. Suddenly it was all over, I started to move my fingertips and toes and came back to a sitting position. I felt relaxed and very awake.
The workshop continued and we came to the second pillar, cold exposure. We learned that it offers numerous health benefits. It has been proven to be an effective tool for improving mood and curing depression, boosting the immune system, and a voyage of discovery into the performance of the body and mind. Scientists also found that cold speeds up metabolism reduces swelling and muscle soreness, and can help fight inflammation. Autoimmune diseases are caused by inflammation, and inflammation in turn is triggered by stress. My brain continued to spin as I analyzed my lifestyle and the stress in my daily life. People who take frequent ice baths or cold showers could improve the quality of their sleep and be more focused. Benefits range from higher energy levels to relief from symptoms caused by autoimmune disease.
By now my concentration was gone. All I wanted to do was take my first ice bath. There I was, standing in front of a small pool with ice cubes and a little floating yellow duck with a scary “1 degree” display on it. I have never liked the cold. It causes me pain and just feel uncomfortable. But well, as long as you never try anything new or face your fears, you’ll never know, let alone get out of your comfort zone. “In you go,” Johannes said, and I got into the pool. Huh, cold, I started shivering and hyperventilating slightly. I told myself to go with the feeling and not judge it. Yes, it feels cold, but without labelling it as good or bad. I stayed in the water for two minutes, had goosebumps, and red skin, and shivered a bit, but was super energized.
I felt encouraged to have stepped out of the comfort zone and taken the plunge into the ice. This could introduce the third pillar of the method, willpower. To stop just automatically steering the body through everyday life, but to take control of the body and mind. To become healthier, happier, and more content, and to deal with stress and conflict.
After everyone got in, we had a cup of cocoa and shared what we had experienced during the day. For me, it was a new awareness of my body. I can go out in the cold, my body can warm up, and my mind and breath can maneuver me through any challenge.
We drove back to Sydney, and the next day I went to university and work. I began to incorporate cold exposure into my daily life. Switching from nice hot showers to cold ones is pure willpower.
As incredible opportunities kept popping up here in Australia, I received a message on the morning of December 8 that I could volunteer at Wim Hof’s event in Sydney. I knew there would be many friends and familiar faces there, but it didn’t seem realistic to be there until now.
1200 people were waiting outside the door. Wim greeted the people and went back inside to prepare for his performance on stage. People walked into the hall and spread out their yoga mats in front of the stage. Each area included a small group of volunteers as well as a Wim Hof teacher.
The band began to drum loudly and Johannes entered the stage. He clapped his fist over his heart and radiated energy that I could feel from the first time I met him. “We are the tribe, we are the tribe”. The crowd, now fully motivated and excited, began banging on their hearts in rhythm to Johannes. A party atmosphere was spreading. Then Wim Hof came on stage.
Wim is not just a crazy guy who climbs Mount Everest wearing only shorts, sits in an ice tub for two hours or runs a half marathon barefoot in the Arctic Circle, breaking 21 Guinness World Records. He is a biohacking master who shows the world what the body is capable of and how to become aware of the state of mind. Through his extensive training for over 40 years, he can control his breathing, heart rate, and blood circulation and withstand cold temperatures. He likes to say that nature is his only teacher.
The extreme performances caught the attention of the media and scientists around the world. They were curious to find out how he could endure the cold for such a long period and if he could tap into his autonomic nervous system. After all, Wim had claimed to be able to control parts of the body that we are told we are incapable of, such as the immune system, heart rate and blood circulation. At first, the public seemed very sceptical, but Wim was able to prove his abilities on a scientific level. After an experiment called the “Endotoxin Study,” he presented evidence that he was able to control his immune system to a certain degree.
Wim Hof has been called the “Iceman,” but he said that anyone can learn how to better control their body parts. He teaches people how to approach it with his method. He took 18 young men to Poland to teach them his techniques. To show the scientist who followed the whole trip and training that anyone can affect the immune system at will. He performed breathing exercises with them, hiked up Poland’s highest mountain in freezing -30 degree weather wearing only shorts, and dipped into ice-cold lakes. In the end, each man was ready to try the experiment with the injection of e-coli bacteria. Every single participant was able to pass the pathogen through the body without an inflammatory response. This was a breakthrough in science that led to new discoveries in the medical literature, alongside a small picture of Wim in shorts.
And this fascinating 60-year-old was sitting in front of me at the table at dinner after the event. He was blowing a horn, singing, and creating a childlike, fun atmosphere. Wim seemed a bit tired, but very focused after the big event. He walked 1200 people through his method and planted a little seed in them about how to navigate the body and mind through life to stay healthy, strong and happy.
I can only recommend you give the method a try for yourself.
Written by Zoe Levit 
Experiences, expeditions and education to unlock your potential, open your heart and let your breath set you free.
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