Shelley Mehr has always been attracted to the cold.
“Ever since I was a kid hiking and submerging in the cold water around the Wasatch front,” she said, “I loved the way it made me feel—invigorated, elated, and fully alive!”
Mehr will share her enthusiasm and her expertise as a certified Wim Hof Method instructor at a weekend workshop in Moab on Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12. Instruction begins at 9 a.m. each day at the Helipad at Hearth Space (239 W. Center Street, Moab).
After becoming interested in breathwork, Mehr traveled to Vancouver to meet Wim Hof, a Dutch extreme athlete also known as “The Iceman” for his feats of endurance related to cold, ice, and snow. Hof’s breathing techniques and philosophies on endurance have become increasingly popular in the last decade, particularly with the publication of his New York Times bestselling book, “What Doesn’t Kill Us: How Freezing Water, Extreme Altitude, and Environmental Conditioning Will Renew Our Lost Evolutionary Strength.”
Mehr said she found Hof charming and kind in person and decided to become an instructor in 2018.
“I haven’t looked back since then as that year I gained skills in how to instruct and share the things I am already passionate about,” she said. “Including cold water!”
Participants in the workshop can expect two days of practicing breathwork, mindset, and experiencing “the humbling power of the cold” using ice baths. Mehr’s fiance, Billy Raaen, is a professional musician who will accompany participants’ meditation and cold exposure sessions with supportive and encouraging music.
“Through teaching this method for the last five years I have come into a deeper connection with myself and found out that I am a science geek,” Mehr said. “I love all the direct scientific findings from the method, as well as the profound intuition that we feel when we go into the cold and work with our breath.”
“But more than that even, it’s truly amazing to be outdoors connecting with other humans in beautiful and life-changing ways!” she said.
The weekend Wim Hof workshop is being held on Saturday, Feb. 11 and Sunday, Feb. 12 at the Hearthspace Helipad (239 W. Center Street, Moab). The cost is $450, sliding scale price is available for those in need. Register at www.shelleymehr.com.
