Tummo represents a technique performed within meditation to sustain, and in some cases, increase your natural body temperature keeping you immune to the effects of a cold climate.

This is a technique I learned in the winter of 2010, and since then, have not only mastered, but have also taught it to others.

This ancient practices dates back nearly 900 years in Tibet. You can observe videos of monks sitting outside in very cold conditions, wearing no shirts, and stay within a harmonized state of meditation.

With research, you can also see people dumping freezing cold water on these monks and they would remain in meditation, completely unharmed by it.

The Tummo technique was something that was extremely fascinating to me so I decided to begin trying it. When the heat was off, the house I was staying in would get bone-chilling cold. I turned the heat off and waited a couple of hours until the room was at about six degrees Celsius. I removed most of my clothing and sat inside this freezing cold room.

The technique I was receiving in meditation involved being seated in a comfortable posture and consciously breathing: filling the lungs very slowly, pausing for a moment, and emptying the lungs slowly. As I did this, I imagined I was a glass bottle with a cork. As I breathed in, I imagined all of the air coming into this bottle. As I paused, I imagined the cork being placed on the spout of the bottle. As I breathed out, I imagined the air inside the body turning to hot steam filling the entire bottle inside. I did this for approximately 5-10 minutes.

As I continued with this visualization, my body felt extremely warm inside. I could feel the cold air around me, but it wasn’t affecting me at all. There were no goose bumps on my arms and I was not shivering. I was able to achieve the Tummo technique on my first try through meditation.

The next day, I stepped outside wearing only a tanktop and shorts where the temperature outside was about two degrees Celsius (typical temperature in early December in Vancouver, BC). I performed the same meditation as I did the day before and, within less than 10 minutes, I was perfectly comfortable sitting outside in the freezing cold not bothered by elements: no goose bumps, no chills.

Since that day, during the cold seasons, I’ll occasionally go into the Tummo state and feel brilliant warmth inside.

Do I and a select few others who have demonstrated Tummo have some type of super power?

What if I told you that anybody can do the Tummo technique?

It’s true.

I have instructed others on how they can keep their bodies warm during the cold seasons, and the results have been amazingly encouraging. Through visualization, posture and the breath, you are directing the chi within you to sustain your inner warmth.

Others have been able to increase their body heat while in a cold environment. If you are considering developing this, the primary aim is to maintain the warmth within your body as you are in meditation practicing Tummo and below are the two videos that I have done speaking about and demonstrating the Tummo Technique that you may find helpful.:

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Learning and developing the Tummo technique can become a great resource for meditation.  This can certainly save you money on your heating bill, but more importantly, it is showing you the ability you have to manage your own inner energy.

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Author:  Brad Johnson

Apprentice Editor:  Anna Rogers / Editor: Travis May

Image:  Wikimedia.org – Tanumanasi Los seis yogas de Naropa Tumo Tummo