of vascular channels. The muscular tension of the vessels is optimized
through gradual cold exposure. They are optimized within 10 days of
gradual cold exposure. I teach people to be able to withstand ice water
in an afternoon, regardless of age and regardless of their condition. We
have the natural ability to withstand stress, but we’ve alienated from the
depth of our systems. Thus, we’ve become victims of burn-out, stress,
auto-immune diseases, and everything else. Those have derailed us be-
cause we were no longer the boss over our own chemistry.”
He emphasizes that he isn’t a superhuman; he can teach anybody to
do what he can accomplish. Really, he isn’t so special but his gift is in the
ability to teach. I ask him more about developing his skill as an acceler-
ated teacher. Then, I hear a story that I had not previously come across in
my research. It was a deeply affective insight into his origin and reveals a
sense of his deep-seated purpose that began with a challenging birth. His
voice grows more dramatic, nuanced, and emotional.
“I am one of a pair of identical twins. My parents never expected a
second child. So, I was still in the womb almost too late. I came out after
my mother, who was a very strong woman, prayed for a Cesarean. Just
before entering into the operating room, I was born in this cold hall.”
Wim continued the story, “I was born then like it was nothing, but
with this psychic imprint. She told me later all about this. I always felt
different than my identical twin, and I did all kinds of different things.
I feel it’s not about my genetics, it’s about what I did with it. So, now
I teach anybody can do it. But it took 45 years of me doing all kinds
of crazy stuff, 26 world records and many more challenges going into
nature and always like a crazy man and coming together with science.”
In 2007, the first scientific studies of Wim’s ability to be the boss of his
own physiology were done at the Feinstein Institute in NYC. Then in 2008,
outside the Rubin Museum of Art in NYC as part of the Brainwave Festival,
Wim publicly completed a cold exposure world record. He was monitored
by Dr Kenneth Kamler, a renowned expert in high-altitude medicine. Wim
recalls, “He said ‘If you can reproduce these results, the consequences to
humanity and mankind are enormous’. It was right then the mission [of the
Wim Hof Method] was born. A half hour later I got the call that my mother
had died. She had invoked the mission, and it was like a relief of the soul.”
The studies continue since Wim has no hesitation in volunteering his
body and his breath for science. In February 2017, Wim collaborated
with researchers Dr Otto Muzik and Dr Vaibhav Diwadkar at Michi-
gan’s Wayne State University. While wearing a cold water perfusion suit,
he underwent scans of both brain and body using Functional Magnetic
Resonance Imaging and Positron Emission Tomography.
Wim loves to use the term “non-speculatively,” and I understand the
joy he experiences with each scientific collaboration. His inspiration in-
creases with the accumulation of compelling results and their implica-
tions. Since his techniques have demonstrated an ability for people to
control systems in the body once thought to be outside of conscious con-
trol—including the autonomic nervous system, he says, “We are able to
tackle problems with regard to inflammation, which is the cause of many
diseases and plays also a role in chronic pain and depression – all those
things have led up to what I’m able to do now from science.”
In 2014, a study was published in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences that corroborated both Wim’s ability to consciously
regulate his immune system response as well as his ability to successfully
teach the method to others so that they also demonstrate this ability. One
of the authors of the study, Matthijs Kox, is a researcher at Radbound
University Medical Center in the Netherlands, where this work was
done. He investigates immune system responses and how the nervous
system affects the immune system.
One of the ways that they test immune system response is through expo-
sure to a bacterial toxin, produced by Escherichia coli (commonly known
as E coli). When Wim was exposed, he experienced fewer symptoms of
the inflammatory immune system response. Then 24 volunteers entered
the study: 12 in the control group and 12 recruits trained by Wim Hof
in his method. Upon exposure to the bacterial toxin, the Method trained
volunteers demonstrated measurably lower markers of inflammation
(and even increased levels of the inflammation-lowering protein inter-
leukin-10). The researchers noted higher levels of adrenalin in volunteers
after utilizing the breathing techniques. While they do suggest these are
still preliminary results, they affirm what Wim insists. His methods can
be taught and they have the ability to modulate our physiology.
The implications may be wide-ranging. After all, Wim is acutely aware
of the avalanche of depression in the modern world and how much peo-
ple need real solutions to real problems within the self.
He says, “This is a possible technique for those who suffer from not
being able to activate feel-good hormones in the case of trauma, derailed
brain activity, or grief. This is a way to bring them back to a sense of
control and to feel relief instead of terror. So, the real terrorist that we
are tackling is to be out of control in the mind.”
According to Wim, the ultimate aim isn’t the world record, it is the
ability to be the conscious boss of our own physiology. His extreme an-
tics and passionate public activities push the boundaries. “The real con-
trol is having a mind enabling us to become happy, strong, and healthy!
Because we are the boss over our hormonal system. It is the pharmacy
and we are the doctor ourselves. Our mind is the doctor.”
The more time I spend with him, the more that I see Wim is truly liv-
ing his dharma, his purpose, in spreading the message. “We gotta bring
back the belief that we are all equipped with the tools to become happy,
strong, and healthy. We are all equipped with the ability the be the mas-
ter over our mind. It’s just here, just awaken! That is what we do with
yoga, which is union and connection. We awaken people to the belief
that we are able to tackle depression through addressing inflammation,
which is the cause of many diseases.”
I am inspired by his affirmations of self-reliance and self-empower-
ment. “Non-speculatively, we go for happiness, strength, and health for
everybody! It’s not about being Laird Hamilton, me, or anything like the
‘super people.’ It’s love and we share it.”
When I ask Wim to share inspiration to yoga practitioners, he says,
“Break the chain that we are not able to believe that happiness, strength,
health and love are available to us all. Suda prem – pure love, it is
there. We are able to transform our destiny of the soul right here right
now. Create a unified field of consciousness and bring it out. Be the radio
and bring out good music. For everybody.”
Wim is tireless in his message and his purpose, “I won’t stop until we
have a world of happy, strong and healthy people. I will NOT stop!!!!”
After we embrace goodbye, I walk through a park in the hills of Los
Angeles where we met, and hear the cheers of a few dozen teacher train-
ees who have just taken an ice bath. They break out in song to the loud
strum of Wim’s acoustic guitar, and the loving cup of my heart runneth
over. Wim’s voice and message linger. “We bring people back to the
belief that life has it all. Then, so-called miracles happen! After years of
depression, people feel great. Is this a miracle or is this love? I call it Life.
Because Life is miraculous! I didn’t invent it, I just follow it.”
For more information about the Wim Hof Method, watch demonstrations on his
website (wimhofmethod.com) and on YouTube (one of my favorites is a 20-minute
demonstration Wim does with Lewis Howes). Online courses in the method and an
app are available. Wim Hof’s workshop schedule is also found online. He will be at
Wanderlust Hollywood on Saturday, November 4. wimhofmethod.com. Find certified
Wim Hof Method teachers in your area (there are some excellent official teachers/prac-
titioners in LA) on: wimhofmethod.com/overview-official-wimhofmethod-instructors
Shiva Baum is a record producer and peak performance coach. With an expertise in
sacred mantra chanting, he is the head of music programming for the world renown
yoga music festivals Bhakti Fest and Shakti Fest. He lives in Topanga Canyon. Find
him on Facebook.
Lulu Berton collaborated with him on this story; Lulu is a wellness leader and
published author: luluwellness.com