Taking cold showers: a trend on the rise

Now the modern world is catching up to another Gurmat principle, after finding out that tobacco is injurious to health. The article below mentions benefits of taking a cold shower in the morning; something that Gursikhs knew all along.

The article mentions that blood circulation increases with cold water and at the time of cold shower, blood rushes towards internal organs but what the article does not mention is that when our body gets hit by a wave of cold water 3 to 5 hours before sunrise, tsunami of Naam force gushes upwards. Naam Abhyaas happens automatically and prepares the mind for a solid Amritvela. Cold water Ishnaan in Canada is just out-of-world experience and this is one thing that we miss, when we go to India. In Punjab, "Ishnaan karan da poora svaad nahi aunda" because the water is not cold enough. I guess this feeling is unique to us Torontonians, others won't understand our "Aal-Pataal" talk.

Kulbir Singh

[www.yellowpages.ca]

Taking cold showers: a trend on the rise

Taking a cold shower every day is beneficial in many ways, according to health and fitness experts.

Taking a cold shower is usually seen as some kind of punishment, especially when it’s the result of a bathroom plumbing problem, but did you know that getting under a cold shower can help your circulation, help you sleep better, and help prevent injuries?

It’s all true. In fact, in certain parts of the world, dousing young children with buckets of ice-cold water is seen as a therapeutic health practice! Even though there is plenty of evidence to show the health benefits of taking a cold shower, it can take some time for your body to get used to it.

A mood improver

The science of the cold shower happens mostly in the brain. (That is, your brain’s neurotransmitters handle the information that the shower is colder than usual, so we’ll start there.) Taking a cold shower stimulates the secretion of noradrenaline in the brain, which is known to boost mood, help fight off depression in many forms, and reduce feelings of stress in the body. This means you’ll start the day in the right frame of mind. Taking a cold shower can also promote the production of testosterone, the hormone that helps stimulate muscle growth. So, taking a cold shower can also help make you stronger!

Circulation

Taking a cold shower can also help improve your blood circulation. For instance, when taking a hot shower, the blood goes to the skin to protect it, whereas with a cold one, the blood rushes to the internal organs to protect them—and that’s a much longer trip for your blood. More blood circulated to the area of the organs can help them function more efficiently throughout the day. Some experts also believe that taking a cold shower can elevate blood glucose, thereby suppressing the appetite and helping raise body temperature.

Adapting

If you decide to try a bit of cold shower therapy, it will initially feel a little uncomfortable. Just as when starting a new exercise regimen, leaving one’s comfort zone is always a little shocking. That’s okay, because you will get stronger and more resilient, and soon your body will not only have adapted to the new temperature, but it will crave the cold water. To start, a number of experts recommend a progressive transition to cold showers from warm ones. To do so, begin showering normally, and by the middle point of your shower, start to turn the temperature down a little bit at a time, until your body is no longer comfortable. When the water is cold, take deep breaths to control any shivering and to help maintain a consistent body temperature. Do this for a couple of minutes for three days, after which you start the cold water a little earlier each day, until your entire shower is taken under cold water.

The modern world is also starting to undestand how the friction of an iron bracelet, and the coming of hair with a wooden comb also lead to good blood circulation which leads to a strong and healthy heart ( puts the heart in Chardi Kala) . Giani Harbans Singh Ji has mentioned the science of the Panj Kakkars in his book "Amrit Philiosophy" .

In regards to cold ishnaan in Punjab try "Ram Das Sarovar" during Amrit Vela its FREEZING, but at the same time so blissful. In California, we have a similar climate to Punjab and as a result we periodically experience droughts. Rite now we are going through a major drought in California. According to Professor Sahib Singh Ji, the puratan Gursikhs use to do their share in handling the negative consequences of the drought by building dams and basins.

On a developmental level, I think the U.S. governemnt is doing all they can , but as individuals I think us Gursikhs in California can do our share by taking cold showers. By taking cold showers we will be more reluctant in taking long showers and wasting water.

Torontonians are surely blessed Veer Bhai Kulbir Singh Jio, because the homes there are more effectively insulated compared to USA...what I concluded when taking cold showers in Canada versus USA.

Who can deny the benefits of cold shower. I think Akaal Purakh Himself is bringing awareness to general masses. No surprise whoever will start adopting Gurmat principles as early as possible they will reap the benefits early and easy.

One can see some of the Gurmat traditions are trending worldwide:

Don'ts
1) No Tobacco
2) No Meat
3) Less liquor, may be one day no liquor

Do's
4) Eat fruit and vegetables
5) Talk started on cooking and eating in iron utensils
6) Early morning meditation

No doubt ground work of Khalsa-Raaj is extending!

Toronto wale singh/singhnian, are of course a role model. Their cold showers are really cool thing. Guru Sahib, may bless us, with such inspiration and ISHNAAN.

Here is something related with ISHNAAN and the discussion above by Prof Puran singh.

NAM—Naming Him, the secret of personality that has no personal aims, ambitions or selfishness.Selfishness is transcended by love. So by living in Him, by Naming Him, by dying in Him. In love of Him, man attains his manhood, which is for ever divine and unselfish. The essential nature of the soul is unselfish. Realizing one’s soul first through Nam constitutes the life of this Brotherhood. It is the maintenance of the spiritual attitude by physical effort while in this physical universe of incessant struggle.
DAN—Giving. Giving away all one has, in spontaneous sympathy, in infinite philosophic sorrow for the living and in infinite but silent, unaggressive, unobtrusive, spontaneous zeal for doing good to the living, as does the rose of the river. It is an attitude of the elevated life that gives without knowing. As hotter objects impart heat to the colder objects around by the difference in potential, so does a Brother of the Tress-knot of Guru Gobind Singh give. Dan, certainly, does not mean in the Guru’s Brotherhood, the conscious contributions of charity, a giving of alms. “All belong to the Guru;” so does the Brother feel, and always “All is His, nothing is mine.” Such affectionate attitude never comes by any social codes or rules. It is nothing mechanical, it is deep and organic. This charity of the Brother flows like rivers out of his whole being. The Brother has foregone his self, his labour, his very flesh and blood, his life, and his soul, for the Beloved Master.
SNAN—Bathing the body with cold water; bathing the mind in the nectarian streams; bathing the soul in love of him. KIRT KARNA—This is the symbolic phrase that knits Guru Gobind Singh’s Brotherhood with the whole humanity of labourers. The Guru has no rich man, no idle rich man in his Brotherhood,—no place for him. All must labour, must sweat to create the foodstuffs, to create shapes out of iron, wood and stone, to work, to labour, and then to forego the fruits of labour. And in this spontaneous foregoing is the difference yet between the Brother and the modem labourer.
WAND CHHAKNA—Equal distribution of the fruits of labour. “Partake not of that bread which thou hast not split with thy Brother.”
Guru Gobind Singh is the Guru of the modern times. He is a Prophet who has reconstructed human society in this Brotherhood of Nam, Dan, Snan, Kirt Karna and Wand Cbhakna.
The Name, the Renunciation whole and entire, and the Bath in the infinite of body, mind and soul. On every member of humanity is laid the essential spiritual necessity to labour, and to create, and then not only to forego in any passive spirit the fruit of labour but to actively distribute its fruit equally amongst Brothers. If the Sikhs of the Punjab only faintly remind us of this Great White Brotherhood of Guru Gobind Singh, what matters it indeed, when the whole world is aspiring and suspiring from the underground towards it?
Here is an invitation from the Guru to the whole world; and who amongst us does not see the active but vague and subconscious response of the whole world to Guru Gobind Singh? His genius is to be understood by man after centuries when he has realized the Guru’s spiritual Brotherhood.

MB SIngh Veer Ji, we are surprised that Professor Sahib SIngh was in favor of cold-ishnaan. His role model Bhai VIr Singh Ji did not support the " extremes" of taking cold shower. He referred to it as Hatth Yog, and quoted the following pangti in claiming Gurmat does not support such so called extremes.
ਇਕਿ ਪਾਲਾ ਕਕਰੁ ਭੰਨਿ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਜਲੁ ਹੇਂਵਹੀ

We know some people who continue to look down on cold ishnaan by saying SIkhi is about sehaj jog and not hatth yog.

Quote

MB SIngh Veer Ji, we are surprised that Professor Sahib SIngh was in favor of cold-ishnaan. His role model Bhai VIr Singh Ji did not support the " extremes" of taking cold shower.

I have never heard that Bhai Vir Singh was a role model for Prof Sahib Singh. Could you please give some reference or evidence to prove this.

Kulbir Singh

Sorry I meant to say Bhai Vir Singh Ji was a role mode to Professor Puran Singh Ji. I accidentaly wrote Professor Sahib Singh JI haha.

Prof Puran Singh did got inspired by Bhai Vir Singh Ji, to get attracted back to SIKHI, but his spirtual vision/experiences and mystic expressions run at a different plane than Bhai Vir Singh Ji, as we read the literature created by both. Professor Puran Singh respects Bhai Vir Singh Ji, it should not mean both agree everywhere. Moreover, the talk about ISHNAAN or other pretty small things, is not a point to see their differences, I think. One can understand and agree with the benefits of cold bath, yet the rigidness over this simple activity, will amount to ritualism. "ਇਕਿ ਪਾਲਾ ਕਕਰੁ ਭੰਨਿ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਜਲੁ ਹੇਂਵਹੀ" as said Bhai Gurdass Ji truely rejects the HATH YOG.

Quote

Prof Puran Singh did got inspired by Bhai Vir Singh Ji, to get attracted back to SIKHI, but his spirtual vision/experiences and mystic expressions run at a different plane than Bhai Vir Singh Ji, as we read the literature created by both. Professor Puran Singh respects Bhai Vir Singh Ji, it should not mean both agree everywhere. Moreover, the talk about ISHNAAN or other pretty small things, is not a point to see their differences, I think. One can understand and agree with the benefits of cold bath, yet the rigidness over this simple activity, will amount to ritualism. "ਇਕਿ ਪਾਲਾ ਕਕਰੁ ਭੰਨਿ ਸੀਤਲੁ ਜਲੁ ਹੇਂਵਹੀ" as said Bhai Gurdass Ji truely rejects the HATH YOG.

Yes I agree, rigidness can lead to ritualism. Bhai Vir Singh Ji mentions the main point of Ishnaan is to do Naam Jaap and without it bathing is a ritual. I think in cases where the water is too cold and the body is shivering the mind becomes more concerned with the body then japping naam and then this can lead to ritualism.