RELAX: A Meditation Retreat with Wim Hof Style Breathwork

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For someone who talks so much about meditation, I’m not very good at sitting still or quieting my mind! But when I use certain breath techniques--like the one I'm showing you today--the game totally changes.

Today I'll be guiding you in three rounds of breathing-- 30 big, powerful inhalations followed by a two-minute breath hold. If you can't hold for that long, no worries! Continue the inhalations until we start the next round. It's all about getting super oxygenated and then relaxing.

This guided "meditation retreat" is inspired by Wim Hof, the Dutch motivational speaker and extreme athlete known as The Iceman, and this teachings on breathwork. I've also borrowed inspiration and ideas from Convergence Lifestyle's Rob Lenfestey, who creates excellent Youtube in this same vein. 

Music Credit: "Lunar Waves" by Rob Lenfestey his Youtube Channel where his music and his own guided meditations can be found.

Rob's website is here!

 

In this episode:

• 10-minute intro describing the style of breathwork, how I use it, and what you can expect.
• The guided breathwork begins at around 11 minutes.
• Begin by lying down comfortably, perhaps with legs elevated. Sitting is good too, especially for the third round.
• Take it at your own pace. Breathe when you need to.

Round 1:

In the first round of breath, I sometimes have an exaggerated feeling of blood pumping through my  veins. It’s a good feeling! If you’re just starting out, or you haven’t done it in a while you may have temperature changes in your body-- that’s totally normal. The important thing here is just to be safe go at your own pace! The top priority is that you begin to calm your nervous system. Don’t hold your breath beyond what is comfortable. The key is to activate your parasympathetic nervous system, and not aggravate your sympathetic nervous system, but you can’t do that if you’re holding your breath too long.

If you can't do the entire 2-minute hold, just take extra breaths and catch up with us on the next round!

Round 2:

And this brings me to round two, which is one of my favorite points of the breath work and that’s when I start feeling the pay off of that deep breathing. When you stop and simply relax into the breathhold, some magical things can begin to happen! This second breathhold usually feels VERY still and peaceful. But please breathe when you feel the need.

 

Round 3:

At this point you may want to sit up and sway with the music. This is the most pleasurable of the rounds, especially during the final breath hold and the last inhale! Enjoy the stillness.