What is fitness to some isn’t to others. According to the Oxford dictionary,
fit·ness
- the condition of being physically fit and healthy
- (fitness for/to do) the quality of being suitable to fulfil a particular role or task
The definition makes no mention of a specific type of activity or exercise needed to achieve fitness. What one person wants isn’t always what another does, nor does it suit everyone’s needs or body. It took me much personal experimentation and a couple of years of teaching to come to this realisation. Th en my eyes began to open wider.
Likewise, wisdom is a funny thing. Sometimes it creeps up on you, other times you instantly recognise it in another’s thought, word or action, or you suddenly discover something that you think is a secret, only to find it really isn’t. The Tibetan Rites are such a secret.
THE STORY
For hundreds of years the Himalayas have held secrets and a mysterious allure for Westerners. Maybe it’s the obscurity of the country, its mist covered difficult terrain, elusive beliefs or the ethereal nature of its inhabitants; or more likely the combination of all.
For hundreds of years, stories came to the West about Tibetan monks who reportedly held the secret to health, vitality, and strength. As it turns out this was reportedly achieved through the practice of five yoga-like postures known as the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation. With these rites they achieved better mental focus, decreased pain, longevity and improved health.
The story goes that the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation were brought to the West in the late 1930’s by a Westerner who went under the pseudonym of Colonel Bradford. The story of his experience and the instructions he received from the Tibetan Lamas were recorded by the writer Peter Kelder, who published the original manuscript titled Th e Eye of Revelation in 1939. Th e book was republished in 1985 under the name Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth.
Colonel Bradford (at the time walking with a stick), apparently went to India aft er his retirement to discover the secret of youth from the monks. Kelder tells of Colonel Bradford’s return, looking remarkably younger and no longer walking with a stick.
Looking closer he realised that this man, now in his seventies, could now pass for forty.
The secret was simple. What Colonel Bradford stressed to be the core of his ‘youthing’ was the daily practice of 21 repetitions of each of the Five Rites.
How do they work?
Chakra is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘wheel’ or ‘vortex’. The chakras act like an electricity transformer, receiving and regulating life energy and transmitting it throughout the body. The Five Rites may seem deceptively simple, but they are very powerful – it’s like flicking the energy switches in the body to ON.
These seven principal energy centres (chakras) correspond to (are located above) the body’s major endocrine glands. Recent medical research has uncovered convincing evidence that the aging process is hormone-regulated. The 5 Tibetans are said to normalise hormonal imbalances in the body, thereby holding the key to lasting youth, health, and vitality.
The rites stimulate the energy system of the body, wake up the chakras, and get energy moving throughout every cell in your body.
The lamas believed that the Five Tibetan Rites stimulate all seven chakras to spin rapidly at the same rate. They believed that the aging process can be defi ned by the level of activity in one or all of the chakras. If any one of the chakras is blocked and its natural spin rate is slowed, then vital life energy cannot circulate, and illness and aging set in.
However unlikely and magical this story sounds, it is unlikely we will ever find the original developers of Th e Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation or verify the validity of the story. When China invaded Tibet in the 1950’s, they destroyed numerous monasteries, ancient spiritual texts and sacred images, and with it the chance of discovering the true source of the Rites. Out of 6,259 monasteries and nunneries in the whole of Tibet, only eight remain intact.[1]
Research into their heritage continues by a number of people using Tibetan and Indian texts; some of which date back 2,500 years. One researcher, antiquarian book dealer Jerry Watt, has focused on tracking down the limited clues contained in the original book. An interesting parallel to this search is that the benefits that are described in the book are exactly what people achieve, regardless of whether they know (or believe) the story or not.
The original 1939 book about the discovery of the monks describes five physical movements, one breathing method, mantras and dietary recommendations. In it, the Tibetan lamas describe that the only diff erence between youth and old age is the spin rate of the chakras (the body’s seven major energy centres). …
”The body has seven centres, which, in English, could be called Vortexes. Th ese are kind of magnetic centres. They revolve at great speed in the healthy body, but when slowed down – well that is just another name for old age, ill-health, and senility. The quickest way to regain youth, health, and vitality is to start these energy centres spinning normally again. Th ere are fi ve simple exercises that will accomplish this. Any one of them alone is helpful, but all fi ve are required to get the best results. These five exercises are not really exercises at all. Th e Lamas call them rites, and so that is how I shall refer to them, too”…
Colonel Bradford – “Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth”
In the story, Colonel Bradford relates that the aim of The Five Tibetan Rites is: when all the vortexes (chakras) are “revolving at high speed and at the same rate of speed, the body is in perfect health. When one or more of them slow down, then old age, loss of power and senility set in.”
This description explains that the exercises are not only physically demanding, but are also ‘energetic or vibrational’ in function.
THE EXPERIENCE
A series of serendipitous encounters finally led me to teach the 5 Tibetan Rites. As a long-term group fi tness instructor I was constantly on the lookout for new options and diff erent ways of teaching my clients techniques for achieving what they desired.
The book the Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth fell into my hands a few years into my teaching career. Busy as always, I set the book aside.
Some years later I saw an advertisement for the 5 Tibetan Rites and the book came back to my mind. I booked into the class; perhaps more out of curiosity about this strange story that for some reason had come back to me.
After learning the first two Rites I decided I wanted to add this routine into my teaching repertoire. I left my name and interest, and thought no more about it. Little did I know at the time about the ongoing background work to modernise the Rites.
Years passed. By this stage I’d fallen off the Tibetan wagon (as it’s called), taught my way through corporate life, two pregnancies and retired from teaching classes. A phone call asked if I was still interested in teaching the Rites and would I consider doing teacher-training?
Sydney-based Carolinda Witt had developed an innovative T5T (Th e 5 Tibetans) program that took the intrinsic nature of the original 5 Rites and modified them to suit our Western lifestyle – fitting it to our underutilised bodies and their reduced range of motion and mobility. She had consulted with physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, an occupational health therapist, breathing expert, Feldenkrais Instructor and Pilates Teacher.
With the addition of 21st century anatomy, physiology knowledge and core stability techniques what was created was a step-by-step sequence that built to 21 repetitions of the five exercises, so that people developed strength from the inside out. The Rites could now be safely performed by modern bodies of all types, protecting the lower back and neck.
Whilst minor changes were made to the original Rites, the integrity and outcome of the ancient practice remained intact. It was this evolved format, known as T5T, that I learn and taught for several years; giving amazing results to my clients. T5T should not be viewed as either a replacement for or an all encompassing fitness program, but rather an adjunct to a holistic fitness and health program – giving benefits beyond those of the pure physical.
THE PRACTICE
The exercises resemble a blend of yoga and isometric stretching. An added benefit for our time poor modern lives is that the practice takes very little time each day. Once the correct form of 21 repetitions of each of the Five Rites are achieved, the whole process will only take around 10 mins per day.
What’s Involved?
- They are a series of five special yoga-like movements that are gradually increased over a ten week period, until you are doing twenty one repetitions of each.
- In the T5T ® method three “Energy Breaths” are taken between each movement.
- The routine is repeated daily and takes around ten minutes. Some people do it quicker than others, and others prefer to do it more slowly.
- The first posture is a spinning movement. The remaining four are similar to other yoga movements.
- The sequence is more like a smooth, almost dance-like flowing routine.
- You can do the Rites in the morning to boost your energy for the day, or at the end of the day to winddown. You can also do them in the evening to give you an extra boost of energy if needed.
- You can do them at any time that suits you – at home, at work, outside, or while travelling.
- No special equipment is needed.
- Once you have learnt them, they are yours for life.
But the true benefits introduced are on a far deeper, hormonal level. Eastern medicine speaks of the chakras, a series of energy vortexes along the vertical line of the body. It is generally accepted that these energy centres relate to the endocrine system in Western medicine. The theory behind the Rites suggests that as we age, these chakras (and therefore glands) become either overstimulated or underactive, resulting in aging and degeneration.
The aim of the five movements is to stimulate all of the chakras to spin (or function) at the same rate, thus giving optimal health.
The actual sequence (performance order) of the movements themselves is significant. In yoga terms, this sequence is perfectly designed to create the very energising and mood uplift ingeffects on the body for which the Rites are renowned.
Broad descriptions are below:
Rite #1: Spinning
gives revitalisation and freshness. Harmonises chakra spin rates. Improves balance, focus and coordination
Rite #2: Modified Leg Raise
gives clarity and calmness Strengthens and tones the core, hips, lower back, legs and neck.
Rite #3: Kneeling Backbend
gives receptiveness and adaptability Opens the front of the body, bringing energy to the heart chakra. Relieves muscle tension and stretches muscles that shorten as we age. Lengthens and tones the spine.
Rite # 4: Tabletop
Provides stability and balance Invigorates the hormonal glands, circulatory and lymphatic systems. Builds strong arms, wrists, shoulders and lower body. Improves balance and stability.
Rite #5: Pendulum
Gives energy and motivation Relieves fatigue and stress. Improves flexibility and strengthens almost every muscle in the body.
“An added benefit for our time poor modern lives is that the practice takes very little time each day.”
Each movement is repeated 21 times in sequence, resulting in newfound strength, agility and flexibility.
A lot of people are keen to reach twenty one repetitions very quickly. You begin with just three repetitions per day for the first week – then increase repetitions by just two more per week, until you are doing the required 21 repetitions in around 10 weeks. Between each of the 5 Rites, an Energy Breathing technique is completed three times. The complete program will eventually take you between 10 to 15 minutes per day. The average is just under 10 minutes.
More energy, strength and power in double the average time it takes to shower.
The Benefits
Not everyone will experience the same benefits from doing the 5 Tibetans. As with all fitness programs, the results and benefits derived are driven by the initial condition of the participant. However, this list (in no particular order) was derived from client feedback, direct teaching experience, testimonials and stories from those who have established a regular, daily practice of the Tibetan Rites.
- A significant increase in energy – more the endurance type of energy as opposed to the revved up caffeine type of energy. You feel like you can keep going and going
- Feel calmer and less stressed – your buttons simply don’t get pushed as easily anymore
- Develop significant mental clarity with a razor sharp focus
- Stronger, more flexible and less stiff
- Better sleep – some people have more vivid dreams
- Enjoy seeing muscles appear on your arms, stomachs, hips, legs and backs. Good for toning flabby arms and tightening the abdomen
- Overall improvement in your health, you don’t seem to catch colds or get sick as often
- Helps with depression and anxiety – lift s mood and improves well-being
- More centred and at peace
- Improved self discipline and sense of purpose
- Feel younger and more powerful
- Improved breathing – deeper, slower and more conscious
- Increased levels of Qi (chi, ki, prana, lifeenergy)
- Better posture
- Develops core strength, which provides a strong foundation for any other form of exercise or modern living
- Some people lose weight, most find it easier to control weight and desire healthier foods
- Improved digestion and elimination
The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites by Carolinda Witt
The book contains stepby- step guides, photos and troubleshooting tips that allow for the easy completion of the full program; no matter your skill or experience level. For further information, teachers and the book, go to www.t5t.com
Sources
[1] Dept of Culture & Religion, Tibetan Government-In-Exile.
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