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An Ice Cold Splash of Reality
Why. Just why.
So were my thoughts as I held on, clinging to the rope tied to a bucket of ice cold water hanging just a couple feet above me, wondering if maybe it won’t be so bad. Right?
Wrong. The shock. The cold. The tingles going all the way to my bones. Teeth clinched, I let out a shout, a scream filled with all that tied me to my reality and with that, there I was. Anew, alive, feeling every part of my body and present to nothing but that very moment.
A week ago I had the best vacation I’ve had, well since last year. But still, one of the greats. I came back renewed, refreshed and with findings about myself and life that I could not have gotten otherwise. Exaggeration? Nope. Truly, I feel that my life and sense of being changed.
This feeling was the culmination of many activities but the most key one was undoubtedly waking up before sunrise and going through a thermal circuit or as most would know it, switching from a sauna/hot tub to an ice cold plunge.
During my stay at Grail Springs, a wellness centre in Bancroft Ontario, I had the pleasure of attending a lecture led by Tanya Mahar. Tanya has been studying meditative practices for a big part of her life and that weekend she was kind enough to share some of her learnings with us.
A key part of the latter was about our relationship to pain or discomfort. Remember the last massage you’ve had — remember the first? A massage can be painful but we love the pain. Getting a tattoo is too but we understand why and we still choose to. Yet life gives us discomfort or pain often and it is tough when it is not of our choosing.
The first time I plunged in cold water, my body resisted and screamed. My mind panicked. Why was I doing this to myself? Yet soon after I felt a rush of calm. Acceptance set in and slowly I felt good. I felt my muscles relaxing, almost enjoying the feeling. Heading back into hot right after had my body screaming in joy. That is not an exaggeration either.
The shock remained a few times. Yet soon, after the 3rd time, I knew what to expect and panic made way for excitement. I loved the feeling. Gone was the pain — then came the longing. For more, for exhilaration, for what came after. Needless to say, I spent a considerable amount of time at the circuit, exploring my own relationship to discomfort and what lied beyond.
There are other areas where you may ask the same questions — Why am I doing this to myself? It may be waking up at 5am. It could be a very tough work out. Heck, it could be experiencing a hot and cold shower early morning. I will challenge you though, why not go through it? Just what lies beyond?Who is the you who feels not discomfort in the act but a renewed sense of aliveness?
