Richard's Spartan Coldfire Challenge

Description

Cheer on Richard as he faces the Coldfire Challenge. With temps of 37F (2.8C), wind, and slushy snow, he attempts to make a fire in an exposed location (that I chose). This challenge is less about skills than about mindset -- as we get cold and lose some of our functioning, it's easy to panic or get sloppy. Fire or no fire, the real "fruit" of this challenge is that it lets us get to know ourselves better and learn how we function under stress.

Hypothermia is highly dangerous, and an experience like this should only be undertaken under expert supervision. Do not try this on your own.

You can stand beside me as I make these videos by becoming a patron on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/rewilduniversity

Check out our online video course, "ReWild Your Mind", for many more methods of cultivating a clear, powerful, and positive mind-set. http://rewildu.com/online-courses/rewild-your-mind-online-course/

Visit http://rewildu.com/classes/ for unique educational opportunities in rewilding, wilderness skills, mindfulness, martial arts, primal fitness, and more.

Tags: Kenton Whitman,ReWild University,Human Rewilding,personal rewilding,mindfulness,how to,bushcraft,survival,wilderness survival skills,how to survive in the woods

Video Transcription

well it's about 37 degrees Fahrenheit and raining snow on the ground in some places perfect day to start a fire half-naked let's see if Richard will take on this Barton cold fire challenge today if you're ready for it [Music]

all right

I hope I don't even have to say it but of course

don't try anything like this unless you're under expert supervision it's highly dangerous to flirt with hypothermia the rewiring process needs to be done just so if someone gets too cold so it's not something to play with but if you do ever get a chance with for instance self wim hof certified instructor or search-and-rescue person it's an amazing experience to go slightly into hypothermia and see what it's like concept of this challenge is that when we can go slightly into hypothermia then I start to get in touch with what it's like to turn the function when we're compromised and that that first you know level of hypothermia it affects our mentality affects our dexterity and so we start to see some of our usual functioning collapse and that puts us into a situation are we gonna panic and rush fall apart or are we going slow down go call and figure out what tools we do have rather than dwelling on the tools that we have lost we don't I try to do this for myself once a year so I'm really familiar with the sensations of getting colder and I think it's really helpful in other areas of my life because then when I find myself compromised emotionally or physically in other ways I have a tendency to gravitate towards you know again what do I have rather than what I don't have how you feeling it's been good until he okay not anything nice

[Applause]

you

you

he's going to get some what we're gonna switch over to magnesium fire started and see if he can get it using that so he's gone to try to get some more punk wood he's I think getting to experience the real fruit of this challenge which is that it lets you get to know yourself in a pretty cool way you know what what it feels like to hit really hard situations where you're facing failure and how are you gonna pull through that and in the end it doesn't really matter whether the person succeeds or fails it's how much they get to know themselves during a process like this Wow warm they're ripping they're getting your stuff wet it's my what was it can't am I not superpower yeah oh you can use that if you want it's just cotton it's okay these are gonna flame for a fairly long time and pretty strong okay okay China Wow

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

[Music]

yeah I keep feeling it yeah keep the birch on ya nice Richard yeah oh my gosh matches in help [Laughter]

you

yeah do be careful