WHM AT-A-GLANCE

Three Pillars of Daily Practice

BREATH 

1  While seated or lying down, take 30 to 40 full conscious breaths: Breathe fully in to the belly and the chest, then letting go, without force. 

2  On your final exhale, let the air out and hold it out for as long as you can without discomfort. Listen to your body and don’t force it! 

3  When you feel the urge to breathe again, take a deep breath in, hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Then release and relax. 

4  Repeat the steps above two or three more times, paying attention to how you feel and adjusting your breath as needed. 

5  Rest in this elevated state until you are ready to move on with your day. Alternatively, use the energy you just generated for your morning workout or yoga practice. Experiment with what feels right for you. 

Congratulations! You just influenced key drivers of your health, increased your vitality and focus, busted your stress, reduced inflammation factors, and optimized your immune system.

MIND 

Your post-breathing practice state is the perfect time to program your mindset. Try this: 

1  Before you get up from your breathing practice, bring up a thought in your mind like “Today I’m going to stay in the cold shower for 15 more seconds than yesterday,” or “I feel happy, healthy, and strong.” 

2  Reflect on this thought and notice how your body feels. 

3  If you identify any inner resistance to your intention, just keep breathing steadily until you feel an alignment between your body and mind. 

With practice, your sense of your inner experience, or interoception, will sharpen, allowing you to more consciously observe and control your body and mind.

COLD 

1  At the end of your warm shower, turn the water to cold. 

2  If you like you can start by first putting your feet and legs, than your arms, then your full torso under the water. 

3  Do NOT do the WHM Basic Breathing Exercise while standing in the shower. 

4  Gradually extend your exposure every day until you can handle two minutes in the cold. 

5  If you are shivering when you get out, try the horse stance exercise.

Success! You just improved your metabolic efficiency, regulated your hormones, further reduced inflammation, and are enjoying the endorphins and endocannabinoids released in response to the cold.