Jay Shetty & Wim Hof ON Breathing Exercises

In this episode of On Purpose, Jay Shetty sits down with legendary breathwork pioneer and extreme athlete Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman. Famous for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures and for pushing the boundaries of human biology, Wim Hof has spent decades developing a simple yet revolutionary method that combines breathing, cold exposure, and commitment.

What if the key to unlocking your full physical, emotional, and spiritual potential was already inside you?

In this episode of On Purpose, Jay Shetty sits down with legendary breathwork pioneer and extreme athlete Wim Hof, also known as The Iceman. Famous for his ability to withstand freezing temperatures and for pushing the boundaries of human biology, Wim Hof has spent decades developing a simple yet revolutionary method that combines breathing, cold exposure, and commitment.

His mission is to help people heal from anxiety, grief, disease, and self-doubt and reconnect with their purpose. Hof shares with Jay Shetty his extraordinary journey, groundbreaking research, and applicable tools that prove every human is capable of far more than they believe.

Born with a Mission

Wim Hof shares with Jay Shetty that his purpose was instilled at birth. As the unexpected second twin, his mother, fearing for his survival, made a divine plea to God, promising to make him a missionary if he lived. Hof believes that his mother's promise etched a mission into his very soul. From a young age, he felt disillusioned by a world filled with suffering, pollution, and indifference. At twelve, he began to explore the fundamental elements of nature and human potential unconsciously.

Over time, Hof's experimentation with cold water and deep breathing brought him clarity, control, and a profound connection to what he describes as the divine. He explains to Jay Shetty that the same religious institutions his mother once revered now seek out his teachings, integrating the Wim Hof Method into their esoteric spiritual practices. According to him, doing it makes the inaccessible accessible by bringing God back, not in theory, but in practice.

The Wim Hof Method

Wim Hof characterized his method to Jay Shetty as simple, effective, and scientifically validated. It revolves around three pillars:

Breathing exercises
Cold exposure
Commitment

Through his work, Hof has demonstrated that humans can exert influence over the autonomic nervous system, the immune response, and emotional regulation. Moreover, research shows that trained participants were able to temporarily influence inflammatory responses under lab conditions. A study conducted in 2014 observed participants injected with E. coli bacteria.¹ Those trained by Hof exhibited none of the usual symptoms like fever, nausea, or vomiting, in stark contrast to the control group.

What began as a practice that took ten days to teach, Hof now says, can be learned in half an hour. He strongly believes in the democratization of wellness by giving people the necessary tools to heal themselves fast and effectively.

The Power of the Breath

Jay Shetty and Wim Hof agree on the importance of breath in everyday life. Whether in sports or spiritual practices, breath is universally acknowledged as the key to performance and emotional control. When Jay began his journey in the monastery, a monk told him to pay attention to his breath, as it is the only thing that will accompany him from birth til death. So, if you learn to manage it, you can manage any emotion.

Wim Hof's exercise involves taking 30 full breaths (in and out), then exhaling and holding. The technique is even more powerful if practiced on an empty stomach. He explains that his method helped others increase their physical strength (from fifteen to forty push-ups). He told Jay Shetty that taming your breathing is a gateway to energy, emotion regulation, and peak physical performance.

Additionally, Hof warns that breathing doesn't need to be overly structured. There’s no need for nasal-only breathing or complex yogic techniques; just breathe fully in and let go. He is convinced that simplicity is the greatest sophistication. The goal is to break past the conditioned mind and touch the silent, powerful self that lies beneath.

Emotional Regulation and the Science of Surrender

Wim Hof explains to Jay Shetty how breathwork is also the answer to anxiety, stress, and emotional dysregulation. In his view, emotional suffering is the result of biochemical imbalances and nervous system dysfunctions that can be rebalanced through his method. Hof claims that a simple breathing session leads to physiological changes: carbon dioxide is expelled, blood becomes alkaline, and adrenaline floods the system, mimicking the hormonal effects of extreme experiences like bungee jumping, all without moving a muscle.

When implementing breathwork, Hof told Jay Shetty that adrenaline spike circulates through the spinal fluid, flushing the brain and heart with five times more blood. Hof believes his method helps clear the body of modern stressors. They concur that our bodies have the built-in power of healing, surviving and thriving, yet modern society has forgotten how to access it. Wim Hof asserts that anxiety is the body’s way of asking for a reset, a cleansing.

Why Discomfort Leads to Freedom

Jay Shetty and Wim Hof discuss modern society’s aversion to discomfort. Our modern lives are structured for convenience and ease, yet distress is what builds strength and resilience. Hof adds that real comfort is a false sense of security that often leads to illness and emotional instability. Only by consciously engaging with stress (like through cold exposure) can we become equipped to handle life’s inevitable challenges.

Hof warns, “If you don’t go to the cold, the cold will come to you.” He shares with Jay Shetty how even 80-year-olds who’ve never experienced an ice bath have successfully stayed submerged for ten minutes with the right guidance. Moreover, he believes that the cold forces surrender, and with it, the emergence of true willpower, confidence, and self-control.

Willpower as a Muscle of the Mind

Wim Hof describes willpower as the internal sense of control. He believes it to be rooted in physical adaptation rather than thoughts. He explained to Jay Shetty that the body adapts quickly when exposed to cold, usually within the first two to three minutes. By having the body adjust to discomfort, the mind receives access to deep inner resources that otherwise will remain inaccessible.

Hof shares a story of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in shorts with a 76-year-old man suffering from Lyme disease. Not only did the man summit in 31 hours, something even experienced climbers rarely achieve, but his illness seemed to have disappeared. The secret was true motivation and belief. Hof insists that everyone is capable of this kind of transformation if they’re willing to commit.

The Cold as a Portal to Peace

Hof’s own discovery of the cold came during a restless youth filled with philosophical searching. He told Jay Shetty that nothing could calm the inner chatter until he stepped into freezing water. He was astonished to find out that the cold instantly silenced the noise. From there, Wim Hof began breathing deeply and slowly, which allowed him to stay in the water longer and to enter states he had only read about, described in ancient yogic texts.

Jay Shetty and Wim Hof agree that the esoteric doesn’t need to be complex. Feeling is understanding. They explain that breath and cold unlock a part of the brain responsible for fantasy, creativity, empathy, and trust, all measurable on brain scans, which Hof has demonstrated under lab conditions.

Grief and Healing

Wim Hof opened up to Jay Shetty about the tragic loss of his wife to suicide. He explained that no therapy could ease his pain, and he realized that the cold water was the only thing that helped him through these challenging times. It silenced his grief for brief moments, enough to allow healing to begin. From there, Hof built a life of love, purpose, and energy for his four children. Today, their global movement is part of that legacy, and he believes his wife remains with them in spirit.

Scientific studies now confirm that breathwork can help people process complex emotions, such as grief, PTSD, and anxiety, not over weeks or months, but over the course of a single afternoon.² The practice involves different breathing techniques that help you gain control over your nervous system and, consequently, your life.

Purpose and Finding Divinity

Jay Shetty and Hof delve into the spiritual aspects of the Wim Hof Method. Hof insists that the breath and the cold (when practiced with commitment) lead to a state of surrender, where you can encounter God or a higher power. According to Hof, it is not a philosophical or theoretical higher power, but rather one that embodies unconditional love and is accessible to everyone. He believes the goal of life is to live completely and that the soul is indestructible.

Wim Hof told Jay Shetty that he is now collaborating with top religious institutions, including the Catholic Church, to integrate his method into sacred practices. He wants every human being to reclaim their autonomy, their health, and their joy, especially in a world overwhelmed by disease, stress, and disconnection. Hof emphasizes the importance of recognizing your strengths, insisting that you are capable of so much more than you can think. He added that you are stronger, wiser, and more resilient than your mind allows you to believe.

Hof invites the listeners to try his method for seven days. Breathe on an empty stomach in the morning or take a cold shower. Pause for a moment and allow yourself to experience what’s already inside you. This practice doesn’t cost anything. It doesn’t require advanced tools. It's just you and your body, your breath, and your willingness to step into discomfort. This way, you can reclaim your purpose.

More From Jay Shetty

Listen to the entire On Purpose with Jay Shetty podcast episode “Wim Hof: Do THIS 10-Minute Breathing Exercise And ACTUALLY Lower Your Risk of Disease And Calm Your Anxiety” now in the iTunes store or on Spotify. For more inspirational stories and messages like this, check out Jay’s website at jayshetty.me.

‍Disclaimer: The practices described are based on personal experiences and preliminary research. They are not medical advice, nor are results guaranteed. Individual outcomes vary, and some claims are still being studied. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before beginning any new health, wellness, or therapeutic practice.