Dr. Alexander Levitov has conducted some fascinating research in Tibet.
He found that Buddhist monks who have trained for years are able to sit cross-legged, naked or nearly naked on icy mountains or in glacial waterfalls while meditating.
The practice is called tumo and these monks can do it for hours. Some can even be wrapped in a cold wet sheet while in a cold room and raise their body temperature enough to dry the sheet!
Dr. Levitov measured the monk’s body reactions when they began to meditate in the cold. Once the monks were in deep meditation, he found that their heart function improved, blood vessels dilated and brain activity increased.
A control group of volunteers just got colder.
Levitov said that the monk’s skin were actually hot to the touch.
So…since there are all kinds of benefits from meditating beyond meditating in the cold, you might want to experience it for yourself.
If you’ve never meditated or felt that it didn’t work for you, you can learn all about how anyone can meditate by reading my book Managing Your Stress in Difficult Times. You can click here to learn more.
He found that Buddhist monks who have trained for years are able to sit cross-legged, naked or nearly naked on icy mountains or in glacial waterfalls while meditating.
The practice is called tumo and these monks can do it for hours. Some can even be wrapped in a cold wet sheet while in a cold room and raise their body temperature enough to dry the sheet!
Dr. Levitov measured the monk’s body reactions when they began to meditate in the cold. Once the monks were in deep meditation, he found that their heart function improved, blood vessels dilated and brain activity increased.
A control group of volunteers just got colder.
Levitov said that the monk’s skin were actually hot to the touch.
So…since there are all kinds of benefits from meditating beyond meditating in the cold, you might want to experience it for yourself.
If you’ve never meditated or felt that it didn’t work for you, you can learn all about how anyone can meditate by reading my book Managing Your Stress in Difficult Times. You can click here to learn more.
(Reported The Virginian Pilot by Elizabeth Simpson, 4.21.13)
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