I was never a big sports guy, and paid little attention to my health for the first 35 years of my life. The discovery of Jiu Jitsu proved a catalyst for further positive change. I quit smoking and started running. The steady, isolated footfalls formed a clear focal point, conducive to meditation. I was in a good place and felt invincible.
Fast forward a few years— I’m renovating the house, and the stress is compounded with that from my job. I brushed off the onset of aching legs as stemming from one too many Jiu Jitsu sessions. “Take it slow for a couple of months” came the advice from my GP.
The pains persisted. Over the next 18 months I consulted countless doctors and specialists, and underwent dozens of examinations. No clear diagnosis could be established. I could do nothing but hope the pain would eventually disappear.
It didn’t.
Forced to broaden my scope, I sought out alternative treatments. I tried everything from diets to acupuncture, but nothing alleviated the symptoms. In fact, they got worse. The pain spread to my lower back, and I could no longer work.
Desperate, I went back to the doctors. Another 8 months of MRI & CT-scans, neurological examinations and blood sampling, finally produced a diagnosis: fibromyalgia— an elusive affliction with no universal treatment.
Shipments of pills followed: anti-depressants, painkillers, muscle relaxants. I downed them like candy, until one day I found myself gasping for air. This shocked me to the point where I was too afraid to sleep, and instantly threw out the lot.
I was at my wits end.
Everything changed after a phone call with my mom. There was this crazy guy, she told me: ‘the Iceman’. He was supposedly able to influence his autonomic nervous- and immune system. Maybe I should check out what he was all about.
Sure. Why not. It’s not like I had anything to lose at this point.
On my way to my first workshop, I was filled with a mix of suspicion, cynicism and excitement.
The day was wonderfully invigorating, but I was already dreading the aches and exhaustion I would surely face the following morning, but to my astonishment, I woke up energized and almost completely without pain. How was this possible? How could a little breathing and cold showers be so much more effective than 6 years of visits to all these ‘experts’?
A short time later, I decided to help spread this powerful method and resolved to become a certified Instructor. I wanted to pay this forward. Within 3 months of that first workshop, I was back on my feet. I started working again— full time. That same year, I went to Poland with Wim to complete my Instructor training, and shortly after that I started my own workshops.
Life is good. I feel strong, happy & healthy. I’m back to practicing Jiu-Jitsu, and organize workshops every 6 weeks. The best part of this is being able to inspire others to become strong, happy & healthy too.
The WHM is a scientifically proven method that really works. Still not convinced? Join a workshop and experience it yourself. As Wim states: ‘feeling is understanding’.
Tom Stijven is a certified WHM Instructor.
