Breathtaking Bali – How I stopped breathing in Bali to wake up more alive! Not Today Blog 2
I sometimes forget how grateful I should be that I can breathe. It doesn’t take a lot of practice to breathe, or does it? I never imagined I’d stop breathing for minutes one day – and later feel more alive than I’ve done in a long time.
Breathing in Bali Workshop – The Marcel Hof Method
24.08.2019, 3 A.M. I wake up to quickly jump under the shower and pack my bag – swimming trunks, t-shirts, shorts. An hour later my Bluebird taxi leaves from my place. I’m headed to Jakarta Airport.
Bali, when are you not going to be just a weekend getaway anymore?
11 A.M. I hop out of Sharp Edge Barber Kuta, Bali with a fresh skin fade. I order another Go-Jek to get to my bungalow for the weekend in Jimbaran.
A month before all of this, I had ordered early bird tickets for “The Marcel Hof Method” in Uluwatu, Bali. A workshop organized by The Yogi Lab. The Yogi Lab is a group of friends based in Bali, who dedicated themselves to “spirituality without the bullshit”. Through videos, social media posts, podcasts and events they share experiences using ancient techniques to level up in life.
Breathwork refers to any type of breathing exercises or techniques. People often perform them to improve mental, physical, and spiritual well-being. During breathwork you intentionally change your breathing pattern. There are many forms of breathwork therapy that involve breathing in a conscious and systematic way.
healthline
Don’t immerse your hands when ice bathing
The workshop took place at The Istana. This was the only appropriate location. Breathtaking views down the cliffs of Uluwatu. You could feel the energy in this place. Later that day a friend from back home replied to my Instagram story, asking me if I was at a wedding. When I said no, he went and replied “well, thanks for showing me the perfect location for my wedding, one day.”
Marcel Hof is the brother of Wim Hof aka “The Iceman”. Marcel, Wim and the rest of the Hof family were practising ice baths for most of their lives. A family tradition that now changes lives all over the world. Here in Bali, Marcel and his partner Anicha Vos were conducting their new workshop “The Marcel Hof Method”.
It was their first big workshop. Sharing 30 years of experience in 30 days was the motto. Why Bali? Months prior to the workshop Marcel helped Brian, a member of The Yogi Lab, to regain sensation in his fingertips. After an 8-minute ice bath with immersed hands, Brian had entirely lost feeling in his fingertips. He struggled to find a way to get it back. Soon Marcel contacted Brian and through Marcel’s breathing techniques, Brian was able to fully regain sensation in his fingers. That day they started planning a workshop in Bali.
Floating in the pool while holding breaths
I had some experience with breathwork. Every now and then I was doing the “THE O2 DAILY PRACTICE” from the O2 awakening crew. A 5-minute exercise you can do anywhere. But other than that, I never had the chance to really learn what breathwork was all about.
The workshop started with our first breathing exercise in the pool. Divided into pairs we all began breathing following the rhythm of Marcel’s drumbeat. Deep breaths in, short breaths out. Throughout the three-minute sequences, the breathing became faster and faster. Three minutes of intense breathing were followed by five deep and long breaths. After that, Marcel asked us to float on our backs on the water while our partners supported us holding us from below. For the next 1.5 minutes, I was holding my breath, floating on the water, eyes closed. I had the feeling as if I was flipping backwards at a slow, steady speed. Though, my head never immersed deeper into the water, nor did my legs lift. My feet felt light. My legs and hands were tingling. It occurred for the first time. Clear minded relaxation.
WTF man that felt good!
Breathwork and quantum hypnosis
We continued with breathing exercises laying down on yoga mats. The exercises varied from 3 to 10-minute breathing intervals. Each of them was followed by breath-holding. I never imagined that holding my breath for more than two minutes could be so easy.
Hannah, also her first time trying breathwork, later said that she felt the holding-your-breath parts were much easier than the breathing exercises themselves. I agreed. The breathing was intense. Deep stomach breaths were getting so fast that it was hard to keep up with the pace Marcel set with his drums. My hands cramped up and my legs were tingling. I couldn’t move both my hands and legs. Marcel had told us before that these things would come up and that we should fully surrender to the sensation.
People later talked about revisiting old memories during these exercises. I felt lightheaded but only experienced darkness. I didn’t drift off.
After these exercises, I felt so present. I can’t put into words what it felt like. I just knew I was here and had to worry about nothing and nobody but this event. And the people around me.
Anicha conducted quantum hypnosis sessions between each of the breathing exercises. During one of them, everything in my head suddenly turned white. Even though my eyes were closed, I could clearly see a huge white space. In the middle of all of it, I saw myself standing there in jeans and a polo shirt all by myself. I think what I saw at that moment was my true me, maybe. A raw me. Not influenced by anybody’s opinions. Not influenced by thoughts or views of others reflected on me.
I am pretty sure that I also fell asleep during one of these hypnosis sessions dreaming about the Harry Potter audiobook I was listening to at the time.
Crazy.
Four minutes in sub five-degrees water
It wouldn’t be a Hof Experience if there wasn’t a cold plunge. Huge ice blocks were floating in the jacuzzi already. I was in the first group. I was the only one who hadn’t done it before. I’ve been told that most of them had tried 2 and 3 minutes in the workshops the days before. Marcel announced 4 minutes for that day.
We warmed up with the Hof dance. A combination of breathing and moving your body. The breathing later turned into shouting. 5 minutes later we stepped into ice-cold water. We started collective chanting. The energy was crazy. I constantly needed to move my feet to cope with the tingling. The 4 minutes went by faster than expected.
Not gonna lie it was fucking cold.
Ecstatic dance, fire shows and cacao ceremonies
Marcel, Anicha and the Yogi Lab ended the day with a sharing around the firepit. People shared experiences of the day. Fears they could let go of. Memories that came up. The sharing was followed by a cacao ceremony. Again, something new for me. I learned that for centuries, ancient tribes like the Maya used cacao in ceremonies to unlock euphoric states and heal through the release of bad energy. Cacao is the food of Gods.
To round off the day, I took part in an ecstatic dance event. Every Saturday in August The Yogi Lab was hosting ecstatic dance events at The Istana. I can’t remember if I had ever danced before without a drop of alcohol. Haha. It didn’t even feel weird.
What an amazing day. My first experience immersing deeply into breathwork was a success on all fronts. The best part is that I will be able to do all these exercises at home. The power of collective meditation or breathwork or quantum hypnosis or even just cold baths is incredible.
Something worth experiencing.
Why not today
Start with a breathing exercise and listen to your body. Maybe it is just the right thing for you? To finally feel present again, to conquer stress, to regain focus, to explore yourself. Why not try and heal from within with one of many techniques.
Why not sign up for an event near you to get over the barrier.
-D
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