the original cold therapy in ICEland
The Cold Plunge Followed by The Steamy Plunge
I’m a firm believer that whenever venturing into new territories, we should try and adopt the local customs and traditions as much as we can while being there. Experiencing the place “like a local” and trying to understand the meaning behind their customs. Acclimatising to the “place’s rhythm” - tuning in.
Cod liver oil is a morning booster for the people here. Due to the little exposure to light and sun in the winter months, a Vitamin D deficiency can easily develop and Icelanders are counteracting this by having cod liver oil in the mornings! We tried building it into our morning routine while there… we managed but let’s say it’s a “when in iceland” kind of thing only! In my case, at least. Not as bad as I would’ve imagined. It’s fishy… it’s just the texture you need to get use to.
Cod Liver Oil Morning Shot
The main “wellness experience”, if we may call it as such, that we really leaned into was the cold exposure. What more exciting place to dive deep into such a healthy practice than in ICE land - just on the edge of the arctic circle?!
Cold exposure is something quite common nowadays - but going through the experience surrounded by such an otherworldly setting takes it to another level - especially from a meditative point of view. Those mountains rising around us, the sunlight cast against the peaks and the shadows formed below… the crisp air, the freshness, the steam rising above… it’s a magical experience.
We experimented with the “viking ritual” as well - alternating ice baths with hot saunas or steam baths. Acclimatising the body - building resilience to the elements. Becoming adaptable.
The cold became a theme throughout our stay here in the north, and it was integrated into our daily routine through different immersions:
walking barefoot in the snow
walking straight into a blizzard at night and feeling the cold wind and snow beating against our faces
walking barefoot in the freezing ocean
full body plunging into ice (head too!)
A natural cold plunge in the lake behind the music studio. They broke through the ice to make this happen.
It wasn’t simply being exposed to “a couple of minutes, in-and-out experience” but rather we built a relationship with the cold - we learned to embrace it, we learned to allow it to elevate and elate us. To see beyond its initial apparent “harshness” and rather form a connection with it. I feel as though we went beyond just a “wellness experience” and truly broke through a boundary some of us had (I for one have never been a fan of the cold but this has softened me).
Even the alternation with the geothermal heated steam baths further sweetened our relationship with the cold. It’s beautiful how strong contrasts can put things into perspective. Needless to say, after this several day “cold training”, once we got back the Mediterranean climate beginning of February felt like August in full bloom.
Afterall… it’s all about the mindset. Mindset, presence and awareness. Being there, in the moment, and observing what is happening without letting emotions take over but rather taking the time to just be, to experience, to transcend. To feel aLIVE.
Plunging with a view… the northern lights!