About me

Photo shows Rafael, smiling in the sun. Spending time in nature is an important part about breathing.

The biggest hurdle we often have to overcome in life becomes our superpower. That’s exactly how my journey into breathwork was as well – after years of living so fast that I couldn’t feel my own breath anymore, I needed space to exhale. Those were my stages.

"Love versus Performance" and other misunderstandings

The phrase “We’re here so you can have a better life than we did” shaped my childhood and youth.

As a child of Polish economic migrants, I was always caught between my parents’ expectations to lead a life they couldn’t and my inner desire for social belonging.

For a long time, pushing myself a bit harder, going a bit further, and gathering a few more proofs of my relevance in the world were my solutions to both problems.

Wait, high performers need rest too?

For a long time, only the results of my work mattered to me. When my career in competitive sports came to a sudden end due to an accident, I sought out the next “project” – my mathematics studies.

From there, I quickly transitioned into my (nightmare) dream job as a management consultant. It wasn’t until I hit my physical limits that I realized this must be the burnout everyone was always talking about.

First burned out, then cooled down

My first experience in a Wim Hof workshop reminded me that I wasn’t a victim of my circumstances.

Besides the fact that my overall physical condition noticeably improved very quickly through practicing the method, the focused breathing also helped me metaphorically and later literally clean up my personal and emotional issues.

Living in a world not designed for me

I am neurodivergent. Essentially, this means that my thinking processes run a bit differently than those of the majority of society. About one in ten people worldwide is affected by this.

What most of us have in common is a somewhat unusual approach to external patterns and structures and the feeling of always being the last to receive that memo containing all the important information one needs to know about the present.

My own experience has now become a significant strength in my work. What breathing, cold exposure, and meditation do to the body and mind, I feel more distinctly and differently than many neurotypical people.

This not only explains my decision to actively teach these methods but also helps me identify the right use cases for my participants.

Why I help others to breathe

My own first participation in a Wim Hof workshop pulled me out of my destructive thought loops and showed me how significant the influence of body regulation can be on the mind and overall way of life.

It was as if a door had opened for me where I couldn’t see any paths before. And who can resist an open door?

With that, my desire to learn as much as possible about the method and to delve as deeply as possible was born. From there, it was only a small step to the realization that as an instructor, I could offer others the same change in perspective that had helped me so much before.

And, of course, I became curious about what opportunities exist outside the Wim Hof universe that could offer new support to both myself and others.

Now, I breathe every day.