An ancient Japanese cleansing ritual called Misogi is gaining popularity among fitness, wellness, and tech bro communities. Like many beautiful, sacred traditions, cultural diffusion has given the word "misogi" a new meaning in a Western context. The modern Misogi is an attractive concept that involves pushing physical and mental boundaries to cleanse the mind and body. By willingly undertaking physical or mental hardship, a new bar is set against the more mundane vagaries of modern life.
In simple terms, if you push yourself to extremes for one day per year, the other 364 become a breeze in comparison.
The principles of Misogi can manifest on a small scale, too. Starting the day with three minutes of extreme discomfort in a cold shower can put the rest of the day into perspective. However, I'm not convinced by this one—my daily blast of cold, hard London water doesn't seem to deflate my irritation on the tube when yet another wave of halitosis hits my face from a weary fellow commuter.
I'm more on board with the less frequent and monumental challenges: think climbing Mount Everest with a milk bottle on your head, and you're in the right ballpark.
Next year, I'm embarking on my own Misogi.
I'm challenging myself to run three marathons in under three hours in 30 days. This challenge might not seem particularly ambitious for those who know me, considering my life revolves around training and exercise. However, the last time I ran a marathon was in 2015. It took me 4 hours and 16 minutes (walking the final 6 miles in agony), and due to overtraining, I caused significant damage to my shins. I was on crutches for weeks and didn't run again for a long while.
Perhaps, then, my Misogi is not running itself but rather the discipline to stick to a sensible training schedule without getting excited and ramping up the volume too much. Let's just say that my instincts are to go full David Goggins on this challenge and run like Forest Gump right to the start line in Paris, but the angel on my left shoulder is telling me to stick to the plan!!
My Misogi challenge is a mental one.
I'm raising money for the Deaf Children's Society, funding much-needed awareness projects and resources for young deaf and hard-of-hearing people at severe risk of isolation, discrimination and lack of opportunities - none of which I had to face through my hearing-impaired childhood. I know how privileged I was to receive fantastic care and support, so help me raise money so others can benefit, too. Thank you!