How Freezing Winds Can Teach You to Let Go

On a gray afternoon in Poland, wind whipped across the ridge of Mount Śnieżka. Wim’s group had climbed through freezing rain, and among them was Michel, a carpenter who’d come searching for calm.

As the gusts grew stronger, Michel’s usual composure gave way. His legs shook, tears welled in his eyes, and he stumbled into an old customs hut. There, Wim enveloped him in a steady hug. By the time they descended, Michel whispered, “I was talking to my mother all the way down.”

The shock of wind unearthed emotions too long buried. That day, in the rawness of the cold, Michel didn’t just weather the storm—he unlocked a channel to his past and released decades of unspoken sorrow.

Wim might be wrong, but it seems nature’s mirror reflects our hidden burdens. Science tells us the periaqueductal gray governs our pain, yet here we see cold working as an emotional bridge, guiding us into healing.

Arrange a safe spot by chilly water or wind and start with deep, steady breaths. When you step into the cold, breathe into the intensity and let any emotion bubble up. Afterward, warm up and jot down what surfaced—tears, memories, insights. This ritual turns raw elements into a path for release and growth. Try it this weekend.