Cold Exposure... It's all started in 2018, in October... And I just was following my heart...
I live about 15 min driving from Lake Ontario, Toronto, Canada. And I love to be by the water... Rivers, lakes, ponds... Seas, Oceans - these are all my elements!... Any time of the year, with any kind of weather, calm and mighty the water is always beautiful... All Mother Nature is Beautiful, and all her elements...
Well, since I like the open water, I also like to swim)) And now I like to swim any time of a year))... But it wasn't like this before... I used to liked to swim only in warm water, and if it's cold, nope, it definitely wasn't for me. I guess, many of You will understand me)) So, to swim, or even to take my cloth off in a winter time I even didn't think about. Always was waiting for a summer and sunny and warm days. 
But, at that year something happened to me. I started to meditate, to do some asanas..., was introduced to some medicine plants... well, spirituality came to my life, and... At that year since the  summer  I was coming to Lake Ontario pretty much every weekend. I was taking my guitar, and was playing there, usually by evenings, where there were less people there. Sound of waves, the night sky, calmness of the place - I just was there and I was high, high from the connection to Mother Nature, to My Soul...  
The summer came to an end, but we still had warm days, and I, like before, still was coming to the Lake... But, this is Canada, Toronto, and cold days started to change warm more often and often. But my Soul wanted that Show Must Go On, despite on the weather. And I was wondering - can I go through the winter here, by the Lake, like all these days..., can I keep the heat and summer inside me and be here, like before - only in a t-shirt and roller up pants, walking barefoot and to stay connected to this place, and to my Soul... So, I've started the quest! I was wondering, can I do it and... and it was like the opening a totally a new door..., what's behind it and what is waiting for me there... The days were colder and colder, sometimes rainy... winter was coming... And every weekend I was coming to the same spot, took off my jacket, my shoos, rolled up pants, and just was walking barefoot, recorded some videos, and... lots of positive emotions was filled my soul and my mind...









It was below zero degree outside and snow cowered streets of Toronto, and at the same time when other people was wearing couple layers of warm clothe and winter boots..., one crazy guy, at the park, by the lake, was walking barefoot only in a t-shirt and rolled pants... Cold didn't bother me anymore, I was free, and I felt Amazing!!! And also I felt hot inside! It's like some inner force woke up inside me, the force, which gave me lots of energy! Hormones of happiness, endorphin, dopamine, serotonin - there were so high, so I just wanted more and more of these emotions, these feelings!










But, it wasn't so easy, as it might seems... I mean... sometimes it was hard to go out..., and sometimes I just had (and still have to) force myself to go outside and to do cold exposure. Very often I just wanted (and still want) to stay home, just relax and do nothing... And that's okay, to do nothing and just relax,  in many cases, but not in this one. One part of me wanted to stay home, but the other one - I just had a strong call, the call from my soul... go out, do it! And I just couldn't resist and followed my ... heart, I guess...
One day it was so cold outside, around  -18C..., wow, truly, truly, when I got to the place, I wasn't sure that I can just take my winter jacket off... but, ... every time when I meeting this fear, I, kind of, putting  myself in some kind of trance..., and... after couple minutes of preparation, I was standing barefoot, in a t-shirt... enjoying the sunshine, in this freezing cold... And I was not frozen! I felt good! I did it, despite on my fears, my doubts, at the middle of the winter, in freezing cold








Days was getting warmer, the snow is almost disappear from the last year grass... the spring was here... I was getting vitamin D, standing outside in a park... Little suntan at the beginning of the spring... And I was grateful... Grateful to the winter for this incredible experience, grateful to my heart and soul, that I found this way..., the way of healing..., I was grateful to my mind and body, that despite of this extreme experience, I managed to go through this quest healthy and in a emotionally high state of mind... And, of course,  I was grateful to Mother Nature for this wonderful connection!
And at the beginning of the spring, I did a cold dip))) Well, just be careful here, guys, because I just jumped in a water..., and lost my breath..., probably because of the shock, I lost my breath for a about 20 sec... Since than I do cold plunge and cold swim carefully))) So, know you limits.... I was wondering, where is the limit for me, when I've started cold exposure..., well, at that first season I just broke one wall, and pushed my limits much farther...)))  








Next winter was coming, and I was ready)) And I went a bit further - I started to meditate in a cold, sometimes topless, sometime only in a roller pants and t-shirt... And it was totally new experience, with meditation... Just try it, because it just hard to explain)) 









And the third season..., the third winter, I started to swim regularly))) BTW, before that I didn't know about Wim Hof, I didn't know anything about cold exposure, breathing techniques, etc., I just was listening my heart and my soul... So the third season I found out about many groups of people, here, in Toronto and around, who swims in a winter time..., and it was fun to join them..., sometimes)) Because, usually, I swim by myself)) And that's how I became a polar bear)))  

And, about health. Going through the first, winter, I didn't get sick even a ones. Before, every cold season I was getting some viruses. My throat was sore couple time in a season... Yup, I did (and still do) some workouts, but it didn't save me then from the flu and other viruses... And, when I've started to do cold exposure - the sore throat was gone. I didn't get sick anymore..., until the year 2023... Truly, I don't know what happened, why my immune system wasn't so strong anymore... But, it only means, that I'm just a human, not a terminator, and it's okay to be sick sometimes..., but not for long and very seldom))) So, what else cold exposure gave me, you may ask... Again, it boosted my immunity a lot; speed up my metabolism (yup, it's possible))), I've started to tolerate cold weather much better..., and much more...))) I guess, I should just to make a video, how cold exposure helped me and many others on our life...))) 
Well, I guess, that's it here
and
Thank You, my Dear Reader, for Your time
And now here are couple of more stories about

                                   
                                   and