BEATE PROSKE
"I was immediately enthusiastic when my friend Wiebke from Stuttgart visited me here in the Black Forest and invited me to join her for the cold experience in the Wutach. My confidence that we wouldn't plunge headlong into the cold waters was strengthened, as Wiebke was in the middle of her training in the Wim Hof method.
So on this sun-drenched day at the end of May, I packed my swimsuit and, on Wiebke's advice, a thin sweater, which I would probably need despite the pleasant temperatures. Beforehand, I had a thousand questions and even a few concerns about the cold. I listened intently to the planned procedure while we looked together for a suitable entry point on the banks of the Wutach. Aha: we were not alone. Sun-seekers were also joining us on the long bank, but there were only a few in the water. I'm supposed to dive in up to my shoulders in swimwear? I was freezing just thinking about it. My curiosity and my personal incentive to leave my warm shower comfort zone pulled me out of these negative thoughts. My friend's advice that our bodies are evolutionarily designed for the cold also helped me to stick with it.
A suitable small streambed was quickly found. Wiebke gave me all the important instructions in a relaxed manner and prepared me for the upcoming cold experience with gentle warm-up exercises according to the Wim Hof method, the so-called 'Horse Stance'. 'It's important to expose yourself to the right amount of cold, especially at the beginning, and that you are generally healthy,' Wiebke continued. Daily cold training, for example by taking cold showers, lays a good foundation.
Mentally strengthened by targeted affirmations, Wiebke convinced me with a smile that I wouldn't need my towel placed close to the shore after the cold bath for the time being. Secretly, I wasn't entirely convinced and the towel stayed put. Then I was ready for the big entrance: it felt like 40 pairs of eyes were staring at us, all wanting to know whether we girls would really get into the cold water.
Honestly, it was amazing. What's more, happiness hormones flooded my body and a happy smile spread across my face in a completely natural way. Again, we moved with flowing movements to help the body get up to temperature. There was a slight tingling sensation in my fingertips. A completely normal body reaction. I hadn't been this mindful and aware of my body sensation for ages. I was beaming, wide awake, fresh and it just felt fantastic. It's hard to describe what was going on.
I slowly started to feel cooler and it was my turn to reach for a sweater. Happy and enriched by a wonderful life experience, I knew immediately: that wasn't the last time."
Biohacking Bad Dürrheim
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