Tummo is a special meditation technique that increases body temperature. You can find out exactly how Tummo meditation works in this article.
Tummo means something like “inner fire” and refers to a type of meditation that uses a special breathing and visualization technique. Tummo meditation increases the body temperature and is said to have a very positive effect on the immune system. There are also spiritual aspects behind the technology.
What is Tummo?
Tummo meditation dates back to Tibetan monks in the 11th century. It is considered a tantric meditation and has its roots in Vajrayana Buddhism. Through Tummo meditation, monks were able to increase their body temperature, allowing them to remain shirtless in the snow for hours. Tibetan monks can use tummo to raise their body temperature enough to dry wet sheets. A 1982 study shows that Tummo meditation can lead to an increase in body temperature of over 8 degrees Celsius in the fingers and toes. This is the external goal of Tummo meditation.
The inner, or spiritual, goal of Tummo meditation is to extinguish negative feelings and thoughts through the resulting inner fire. The goals of Buddhist teachings are to free yourself from suffering and achieve enlightenment. Tummo is a Tibetan word meaning both “inner fire” and “wild woman”. The “inner fire” is activated through vase breathing and visualization.
Tummo Meditation: Health Benefits
Tummo meditation can have a positive effect on your body and mind:
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Strengthened metabolism: Tummo increases your body temperature. This should enable your body to better deal with cold and certain infectious diseases. Tummo is also said to have positive effects on high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmias.
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Greater ability to concentrate: Due to the combination of conscious breathing, focusing attention and imagination, you should be able to increase your ability to concentrate with Tummo meditation.
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Healthy for the psyche: Tummo meditation helps you focus on positive thoughts and feelings and improve your mood. One study found that increasing body temperature can relieve symptoms of depression.
Risks of Tummo Meditation
Tummo can have a very positive effect on your body and mind. However, you should still be careful. If you are a beginner or have had no experience with meditation, approach Tummo slowly. It can take years to master this meditation technique. Also keep in mind that Tummo meditation can often make you feel dizzy.
In order for meditation to work and to increase your body temperature, you need a lot of patience and practice. If you meditate in the cold without enough preparation or go ice bathing afterwards, you risk hypothermia. That’s why Tummo is more suitable for advanced users.
If you have asthma or another respiratory disease, you should first seek medical advice as to whether Tummo meditation is right for you. Meditation teachers also advise against the practice if you are currently pregnant.
Tummo Meditation: Here’s how it works
If you still want to try Tummo, it’s best to start at home in a quiet environment and at a pleasant temperature. But don’t put pressure on yourself if it doesn’t work: Tummo is very demanding and is more for people who are experienced in meditation. As mentioned, it can take years to truly master Tummo meditation.
You can follow the six steps in this guide:
- Sit upright on the floor in a comfortable position. The tailor or lotus position is suitable. Close your eyes.
- Imagine a hollow channel one centimeter thick between the bottom of your tailbone and your head and focus on the empty space inside. Your whole body also feels completely hollow, as if there are no organs left in it. Imagine that you are an empty vase.
- Breathe out deeply once and then breathe in and out deeply between 15 and 20 times. Breathe consciously in through your nose and out through your mouth. Your breaths don’t have to be rapid. Concentrate on powerful and deep breathing that transports breathing energy to your abdomen through the hollow channel – the so-called vase breathing: Hold your breath after inhaling and press it down into your abdomen. This creates a vase shape in the diaphragm area. You can place a hand on your stomach to help.
- Now imagine a fireball in the hollow area of your body just behind your navel. You supply this with energy with every breath and it becomes larger. After another 15 to 20 breaths, there is now a large imaginary fireball inside your hollow interior.
- After your last inhale, hold your breath for five to fifteen seconds. Then let them escape slowly. At the same time, you should feel the heat of the fireball spreading throughout your body.
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Now repeat steps one to five twice more to make the Tummo meditation more intense. At the beginning you should only do the meditation for two to six minutes. As you become more experienced, you can extend the time.
Remember that it takes a lot of practice and patience to get Tummo working. If you like meditation, it’s best to find an expert trainer to learn Tummo properly as part of a guided meditation.
Tummo meditation: These are the differences to the Wim Hof method
How does Tummo actually differ from the Wim Hof method? This goes back to the Dutch extreme athlete Wim Hof and combines breathing, cold and inner strength. The Wim Hof method or Wim Hof breathing is based on the basic principles of Tummo meditation. However, it is shortened by certain traditional aspects to make it more quickly applicable. The method also has little to do with the spiritual goal of destroying negative thoughts and has no Buddhist aspects whatsoever. Among connoisseurs, Tummo meditation is considered gentler. But the Wim Hof method also requires patience until you learn it.
Edited by Lea Hermann
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