Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Mind over matter

When I was a 12 year old kid, I came across a book which talked about autogenic training. It had a list of six simple mind body exercises, which even a 12 year old (a bit weird 12 year old admittedly) could understand.

The six phrases used by autogenic practitioners are (with some slight variations):

1. My arms and legs are heavy...
2. My arms and legs are warm...
3. My heart is calm and regular...
4. My breathing is calm and regular...
5. My abdomen is warm...
6. My forehead is cool...

The book talked about Tibetan monks who do shamanic energy work have a grading test up in the mountain peaks wherein a series of standardised sheets, soaked in freezing water, is placed on their naked bodies. They dry them out! The heat rising from the tummy is ironically called "Tummo".

It talked about the oldest culture on Earth, the Koi-San Bushmen who struggle to survive modern racist violence in the Kalahari, have the same training. They call the "boiling" energy in the belly "N'om".

It talked about how in the nineteenth century two scientists called Vogt and Brodmann of the Berlin Neuro-Biological Institute discovered that some of their patients were able to put themselves into semi-hypnotic states. They also discovered that this condition had a positive, healing effect. Patients who were able to calm and relax themselves were far less likely to need medical attention than patients who were continually feeling harassed and anxious.

In the 1930s a German psychiatrist rediscovered the work of Vogt and Brodmann. Impressed by it he decided to investigate the therapeutic possibilities of this type of self-hypnosis.

Eventually he called the approach ‘autogenics’ and it became known as ‘autogenic training’.

For a 12 year old who was into Flash Gordon and Superman, this was like discovering that there is a way to learn how to fly. I read the book so many times and I remember spending hours practicing it every evening when I went to bed. Eventually, like all 12 year olds I found more interesting toy, and I stopped doing the autogenic training exercises, but I never forgot the feeling of your body heating up, becoming very, very heavy and empty. And I never stopped reading and learning about the mind body connection.

This was the first time that I came across the “mind over matter” concept and what it can do. Since then I came across many techniques that utilize this concept and many examples of people who are able to perform seemingly superhuman tasks by using these techniques. And here is one of my favorites.

Meet Wim Hof the Ice man.

Wim Hof is a Dutch world record holder, adventurer and daredevil, commonly nicknamed the Iceman for his ability to withstand extreme cold. He holds nine world records including for the longest ice bath. Wim broke his previous world record by remaining immersed in ice for 1 hour 13 minutes and 48 seconds at Guinness World Records 2008. Hof describes his ability to withstand extreme cold temperatures as being able to turn his own thermostat up by using his brain.

Wim is probably the first TEDx speaker to do his presentation in his shorts. Neither has another speaker ever spent 80 minutes on stage… and that covered in ice from neck to toe! That’s exactly what happened here today, astonishing every single person in the packed Stadsschouwburg. Wim wished to demonstrate how he can influence the hypothalamus (so called “body thermostat” ) and suppress the flammatory marks in his blood. According to Wim, he has the ability to do this because he is in balance with nature. “Nature is our teacher,” were the words that got an applause before he stepped into a box and was covered in ice.

Prof. Maria Hopman Maria Hopman, MD, PhD, FACSM, is a medical doctor interested in cardiovascular regulation and adaptation to exercise training and inactivity/deconditioning in humans.

She stepped on stage to try to explain how Wim can be exposed to ice for so long. They did an experiment with Wim, and, surprisingly enough, it showed that his core body temperature didn’t drop more than half a degree, whereas his outer body temperature drops significantly. His heart rate hardly increased (the expected reaction), yet he managed to double his metabolism.

Maria Hopman gives three possible explanations:

- Tummo meditation, a technique mostly practiced in Asia that produces heat
- Training in being exposed to the cold (Wim has done it for years)
- Genetic advantages

No final answer is given because more research is needed, so the mystery of the Iceman remains. Moderator Jon Rosenfeld did ask why Wim does this: “The cold is my warm friend… My mission is to show that everybody, by their mind, can reach more depth within themselves, and that we all have healing power, an inner doctor. Go back to that inner power and heal yourself.”

Here is the TED talk presentation that the above paragraph talks about. there are hundreds of other videos showing Wim’s achievements on the internet.

Wim is now teaching his technique to anyone who wants to learn it. Here is his official website if you want to learn more about what he does.