The Healing Cold

For much of my adult life, I have not fully allowed myself to enjoy the cold. I have seen myself of more of a summer person. In part because of my LOVE for swimming in the ocean. How could I possibly continue to live in New England winters when I couldn’t be in the ocean!? I also quite enjoy being out in the sunlight, feeling nourished and livened by the sun’s beneficial rays. In the past, I struggled with “dis-ease” in my body and mind through the darker months and anticipated the longer days and more sunlight to be my savior.

I started to pray for a way to love and appreciate the winter, and to actually THRIVE through it. My prayers were answered and my perception began to shift. I started to understand that when there is less sunshine outside, I had to dig even deeper into myself to find the sunlight within!

For years, I had heard about the benefits of cold showers and ice baths. Ronnie has been inspired by Wim Hof and his teachings for about 5 years and has been since been taking daily cold showers. I have been thinking over these years thoughts like “oh, i couldn’t do that,” or, “that’s not for me.”

In early fall, a friend started sending me all sorts of information on the Wim Hof Method. As synchronicity would have it, there was a free 10 day online course that I embarked upon to really get this practice going for me. When I learned how truly healing the cold water was, I had to give it a try, as I would go to almost any extreme to heal my body. I live on the Atlantic Ocean. This is a resource and a passion that I can actually use as a tool for boosting immunity in the winter months! The winter game has officially been changed for me.

This ritual is truly all about the breath, which felt like home to me, and a perfect companion to my yoga practice. The breathing has an ability to activate a part of the brain that we have lost touch with since we have become domesticated. Our modern day creature comforts have lead us astray from our innate, wild nature. My beloved Ringing Cedars of Russia book series (definitely more on that in a later post.) and the teachings of Anastasia also gave me the ability to believe that all of this was possible for me to incorporate into my life.

Some benefits of cold water therapy are that it reduces inflammation, alleviates anxiety and depression in a short amount of time by activating the parasympathetic nervous system, it boosts your willpower and confidence, assists in strengthening the immune system, it increases energy, metabolism and weight-loss, heals the fascia system, and activates the cannabanoid system. Cold water therapy has been known to assist in the healing of cancer, auto-immune and chronic disease. All of this provided by NATURE for FREE! How DIVINE!?

*My new Sunday morning self-care ritual- YOGA followed by 2 minute minimum dip in the ocean or cold water source.

*Ice baths 3-4 times per week. Followed or preceded by body brushing to activate the lymphatic system.

*Daily breathwork and YOGA practice.

*Activating the light WITHIN when the outer light starts to dim.

-Photo taken at Lighthouse Beach in Annisquam, Gloucester on a rainy Sunday afternoon in late November-