Into the Cold: My Wim Hof retreat experience
How 3 days in the Rocky Mountains impacted my life
One month ago, I went to Colorado for a Wim Hof Retreat— and I don’t feel like I’m being dramatic when I say that it was a life-changing experience. In this letter, I’ll share a bit of the “what and why,” how the experience impacted me, and how you can find out more for yourself.
Who or what is Wim Hof?
To the unfamiliar, Wim Hof is a Dutch man who realized early in life that one of Mother Nature’s harshest attributes— cold— was his greatest teacher. Through cold exposure, he learned to control his mindset and his breath to satisfy his most basic need to keep his body warm, as well as to improve his ability to manage daily life, his health, and to achieve things that no human ever has before.
His central goal: To use the modalities of cold exposure, breath work, and mindset (collectively referred to as the Wim Hof Method) to help other people become happy, healthy, and strong. Today, Wim leads a rapidly growing community of Wim Hof Method certified instructors to create an impact on humanity— two of which led our retreat.
Why I went
My friend Christine from Nourish The Littles shared that she was doing something crazy and planning on going to this thing… and it called to me. That’s the best way for me to put it. I had this vision of how I wanted to be as a human… Flowing with creative energy. Uninhibited. Fully present. Resilient. Connected. Purposeful. Part of a tribe… and this felt like the perfect opportunity to manifest that and grow in that direction. It was the simplest, “yes.” So I decided to go on the spur of the moment, and booked my trip only 10 days before the retreat.
What we did on the Wim Hof Retreat
The retreat spanned 3 full days and 4 nights, set in a rustic lodge on a huge resort in the Rocky Mountains. Here’s how we spent our time:
Practiced cold exposure
The setting wasn’t picked by accident— January in the Rocky Mountains was the place to practice cold exposure (iykyk). We started gradually with a short barefoot walk in the snow, followed later that day by a cold plunge in pools right outside our lodge. On the second day we went to a nearby river (which was covered in 6 inches of ice) for another, much colder, cold plunge. And on the third day, we crowned the experience with a long snow shoeing expedition in minimal clothing (it was sunny out, so I actually didn’t find that experience too challenging— just plain joyful).
Practiced breath work and meditation
We worked on breath work and meditation techniques every morning to help us manage the cold exposure, cultivate a place of resilience in daily life, and to process whatever we had going on internally. This, believe it or not, was the most challenging thing for me. Being tough? Old hat. Being vunerable? DAMN. The cold was not challenging for me (I won the titles of “snow angel” and “double dipper” if that tells you anything)… but the breathwork cracked me wide open. There was something about the vulnerability of doing guided breathwork in person, the meditative state it brings about, and the energy of all of us doing it together that brought about mindset shifts, releases, and clarity that I didn’t fully expect.
Your body and mind can do some interesting things during breathwork. I experienced a buzzing sensation in my hands, emotional releases (crying lol), inspirations and imagery coming to mind, temporary ringing in the ears, and full body trembling— but not all at once, so don’t get too weirded out. The key is to calmly observe what the body does and surrender to all of it; it’s all normal and it all has a purpose.Created a tribe
Never have I felt so bonded to a group of people I had just met. We did hard things together, we lifted each other up, we played together. We all showed up to this thing with the intention to tap into our deeper authentic selves, and as a result we got to know each other quickly and all felt seen and loved. This is definitely the most cherished part of the experience for me. I felt like a child the whole time… Fully authentic, wholeheartedly present, conscious, curious, and joyful. I felt seen, supported, held, and loved— not just by the friends I already had there, but by every single human there. We had so much fun just being our silly selves together and forging friendships.
Learned a resilient and positive growth-oriented mindset
Our minds have a deeper impact on our lives than most of us realize... Much deeper. Our thoughts are what make up our choices, our habits, our personalities, and ultimately, our lived realities. When you’re in an icy river, you have to choose your thoughts carefully. You can decide how you perceive the cold; is it painful and scary, or is it a way for you to connect fully with your body and learn control? Likewise, you can choose how you think about anything. That’s the lesson the cold teaches.
Balanced the uncomfortable with great comforts
One thing I loved about this retreat was our ability to savor it. Our days were not fully booked with back to back activities and seminars. There were a few agenda items each day, but they were spaced between deeply nourishing meals and unscheduled time to just process, rest, and/or socialize and play. And not all of the agenda items were difficult or transformative; they also included trips to the sauna and local hot mineral springs. This made the trip thoroughly enjoyable.
My key takeaways
One month later, I can say that there have definitely been lasting changes in my mindset and habits.
Before the trip, I had a terrible habit of scrolling endlessly on social media every evening. It’s hard for me to admit, but I was wasting at least an hour a day. I was always ashamed after doing it, and couldn’t understand why I struggled so badly to get it under control. Well… I noticed after returning that I went weeks without the slightest impulse to zone out and scroll. After spending some time thinking about it, I realized that I had been experiencing the impulse to zone out in order to numb some emotions I had been suppressing; I have since brought up and processed those feelings as I started living more authentically, so the impulse went away. Now, when I experience it again, I’ll recognize the root cause and look for what I need to process instead of seeking out a way to avoid it.
I have also become more open to changes and opportunities. I attribute this to my newfound commitment to prioritizing authenticity and growth over comfort.
Moving forward, I’m leaning on my breath as my best tool for mindfulness and resilience. I learned that we should be breathing deep and slow as a baseline— roughly 6 seconds in and 6 seconds out. I don’t necessarily plan to do the Wim Hof Method of breathwork daily, but I do plan to get into it on a somewhat frequent basis; I’m thinking at least once a week is a good place to start.
I’m nurturing connection in every area of life— with my humans, with the Earth, with my breath and body.
I’m remembering what it feels like to be surrendered to my fullest authenticity, and living fully in.
Go down the rabbit hole
Baseline breathing: 6 seconds in, 6 seconds out, through the nose if possible for you
Wim Hof Method breathing: 30 very full breaths finished with a full exhale, followed by an extended breath hold until you feel the urge to breathe, a recovery inhale, and another 15 second hold, all repeated 3 or 4 times.
Do not practice this method while operating a vehicle or any other machinery, or while in or near water!!! If you want to do it, do your research first and do it in a safe place while lying down or seated. Like I said before… your body and mind can do some interesting things while doing breathwork.
Read more about Wim Hof and the Wim Hof Method
Recent research on how cold exposure impacts women’s hormones
Have you ever tried the Wim Hof Method, cold exposure, and/or breathwork? I would love to hear about your experience!