Freezing waterfall meditation helps relieve pandemic stress in Japan

A group of Buddhist devotees in Japan subjected themselves to a freezing tradition known as waterfall meditation or Takigyo on February 28, 2021.

The annual ritual that has been carried out for centuries at a temple in Nakano city is seen as a way to purify the body and mind. This year it has even served as a way for participants to relieve the stress of the Covid-19 pandemic.