Biohacking : Cause a Fever with the “Inner Fire” Meditation

G-tuumo or (“inner fire”) is a form of meditation practiced in Tibet. Experts in this skill have shown the capacity to increase their core body temperature to a moderate fever. They use a breathing technique called “the vase” and expand their bellies to take the shape of a pot.

A 2013 clinical study monitored 10 Tibetan meditators (7 female) from the local nunneries and monasteries. Each person was monitored with an EEG and two temperature sensors. One was placed in the armpit to record core temperature and another on the left fifth finger for skin temperature. The study is broken into four sections:

• BFB – Baseline forceful breath
• BGB – Baseline gentle breath
• MFB – Meditation Forceful Breath
• MGB – Meditation Gentle Breath

The increase in temperature that occurs with a mindful forceful breath (MFB) is most significant in this case for participant #3.

After the core temperature had stabilized over a 10 minute periods with the sensor placed under the arm a reset period was used to establish a baseline. After the burn in  the results of two participants can be seen here with as much a 1 degree celsius temperature jump in less than five minutes after the baseline was established.