What did I learn after 50+ events with Wim Hof
How often does one get to work with someone who is regarded as a scientific breakthrough? When Wim was injected with a bacteria that should have made him sick. Wim decided that’s not going to happen. With breathing techniques and the power of his mind he changed the books forever. We are indeed capable of influencing our autonomous nervous system.
Lesson #1 - Fully in
Whatever you do, do it fully. This doesn’t mean only physically, but mentally. Your mind should 100% be on the task at hand. It basically means getting yourself into a flow state. A state where time and space disappear and your become one with what you’re doing. In Yoga, it comes close Samyama meditation.
Lesson #2 - Vulnerability = Strength
In this world, the lack of emotion seems to be a strength. A hero never cries, saves the world, is not scared, etc. But the real world is different. The hero faces all that rises within. Whether fear or jealousy, it is these emotions that shape the path to actually become a hero. In movies or games there always is a final boss. If you played Super Mario, you know that to save the princess you have to face Bowser. In real life, guess what? The final boss is yourself. After all the battles, challenges, etc. we come to face ourselves. It is there we have to be vulnerable, let go of the created ego and go beyond our beliefs. Facing yourself requires for you to be honest with yourself.
Lesson #3 - Life is an Art
I ask myself, why do we have emotions? Is it really only to survive? Does love keep us safe and indifference not? Is the purpose of fear simply to avoid it? I don’t think so. As cliche as it may be, the greatest songs written often are born because of emotional spikes in life. Adele’s Hello, came from a rough break up, to give an example. When I look at Wim I see an artist. An artist who simply expresses himself with the tools at hand; poetry, music, paintings, it doesn’t matter. The medium is simply a tool to express. Sometimes a poem works better than a painting. I learned that when you’re more in tune with who you are, your creativity is limitless. You don’t think inside the box…there is no box anymore.
Lesson #4 - It’s all in the mind
I always knew the power of the mind is the obvious secret in life. So many people before Wim told me this exact thing. But with Wim, it was like the cherry on the cake. The key to the Wim Hof Method, to me is not the breathing or the cold, but the mind. The breathing and the cold may open your eyes, but it is not something to depend on. Everything is within, in the mind. That is the real power.
Lesson #5 - Face your fears
Whatever you fear is what you must face. In movies, the hero face obstacles, each obstacles is bigger and harder than the previous. Why? When the character grows, obstacles grow too. I look at it like this; when you energy production levels up, the world provides an equal energy in response. These obstacles aren’t necessary negative. They simply are events that happen for you to respond to. We tend to be fearful of the new or the bigger challenges. Fear simply tells you where your growth is and shows you the path to your internal growth.
Lesson #6 - Have a vision
Most people don’t have a vision or think too small. Wim is the total opposite. When you have a clear vision, people will resonate with you and the vision will only get stronger. That’s how a vision can ‘take over’ the world. They call you crazy at first when you say you want to change the world, but they call you a genius when you change the science books.
Lesson #7- Love is all
Don’t let the world take your innocence. We’re all children. There was a time when we were truly innocent, pure, authentic. Things like war, violence, etc. seemed otherworldly. Why fight, when you can play together? Again, as cliche is it may be, love cures all. There is a reason why children are so incredibly creative, happy, full of energy and joy, they can unite a room simple by being. Maybe we should all look back to when we were young? The times when we simple were present.
Keep on breathin’
Sanjay