Not a meditation thread
 

Over the years I've often dabbled in meditation but after a few weeks it would fizzle out. I think I become 'chill' and then subconsciously check out from continuing the process. I know you only really reap the rewards when done longer-term.

Like most people, I find it a struggle to not think about anything for ten or twenty minutes. I know there are other techniques such as not trying to fight thoughts, but simply not exploring them, however...

I found something much better. Breathing exercises. In particular, the Wim Hof breathing technique. I do it every morning as soon as I get up between 5 and 5:30.

For me, not only does it feel great, but I like that it's more physical and active than trying to sit thinking about nothing.

I highly recommend it.

https://youtu.be/tybOi4hjZFQ

Yep, I've been doing Wim Hof method more-or-less every day (usually mornings, sometimes lunch) from Around May 2020, as 100% home working gave me more time to reflect on my habits. Meditation was becoming increasingly boring and difficult to do, so I went to this instead. I've even been doing WHM outside in the coldest times of winter months, along with cold showers (post workout).

It doesn't really make me feel massively more chill TBH, and had no real effect on interactions/socialising etc. However it does generally take the edge off in the mornings. As such I often use WHM combined with other reasons, like being outside to get some sunlight. This week I've attempted WHM in squatting posture to counterbalance the amount of sitting I do most days. Unsurprisingly as squatting for 15 minutes on end is pretty painful, my breathing does suffer, but whatever.

Z

That's awesome you've been doing it for two years. I only discovered it last summer. I was crippled with anxiety after my sister died and I was in need of a physical intervention that absolutely did not involve medication.

I do believe it helps with things like anxiety and stress, but I also believe it can only be beneficial long term. For one thing, I'm much more likely to stick to it over the long term than boring meditation, and that in itself is a positive in my book. I wouldn't do it if I didn't like it.

I think it's a great way to start the day. I also did it in the afternoon the other day when I took my first microdose. It resulted in mild physical distortion after the exercise was completed. It wasn't negative, it was just enough to know that it was obviously due to having dosed that day. Because that hadn't happened before.

I'm not keen on the cold shower stuff.

Ah sorry to hear about your sister bud. I guess anything that normalises ones emotions will help.

Although I've been doing it for almost 2 years, I don't really feel like it actually had a long term effect on my emotions, other than making me far more apathetic at talking to anyone... though that could just as easily be attributed to home working. Though WHM combined with intermittent fasting (specifically skipping breakfast and lunch) has definitely made me sharper in the mornings, especially if I've slept badly.

As WH says, I would have thought that "getting high on your own supply" would be enough lol. Having said that, I assume that psilocybin has a different mode of action to cannabis (which is supposedly what WHM effects), so do things feel more pronounced?

Z

Thanks, man.

I just think it's a really energizing way to start the day. It's also definitely good for releasing stress and anxiety. I don't suffer from those much, but now and again I do, and doing ten minutes with Wim helps immediately. I try to recommend it to people but you know what people are like - yeah I'll "get around to doing that", then never do.

I'd never heard that Wim quote, so it makes sense now. I didn't know what you were referring to.

I've only dosed three times and at this point, I've found that on dosing days I feel peaceful, relaxed, and mellow. I'm doing it for the longer-term benefits too. It's supposed to open up new neural pathways and make you better at life in the areas you decide to focus on. For me, that will be at least productivity, creativity, reading more, and wasting less time.

I'm excited about my dose in a little over an hour at 8 am (my dosing days are Monday and Thursday) because today I'm upping the dose from 100mg to 150mg.

It might be too high but this is how you find your sweet spot.

I meant to respond sooner but work often blocks my access to this website, and increasingly :/

Anywho, an odd thing I've noticed with WHM is that on mornings where less in general is bothering me (e.g. it's warm and sunny, not sleep deprived, nothing is generally pissing me off) my breath retention time is longer. Have you noticed that too?

Squatting + WHM unsurprisingly worsens my breath retention time, but that's unfortunately what a sedentary lifestyle does for you, despite exercise :/

Z