The Five Rites

Some of the popular yoga methods that are being taught in the West today have only been developed within the last 50 years. But regardless of the technique, all modern yoga has its roots in an ancient practice that has been in existence for more than 5000 years.

Reminiscent in some ways of Hatha yoga postures - except the Spin, which is unique - the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation are also possibly centuries old. An indication of their age is that they are simple: just five postures. The more advanced a civilisation, the more detailed and complex its systems become. Yoga originated with just one meditative pose, the Lotus. Different postures were added over time to keep the spine flexible, until today there are literally thousands of them. Yet the word asana (a Sanskrit word referring to the various yoga postures) means ’seat’ or ’sit in a particular position’.

Hatha yoga strives to develop the physical strength and stamina necessary for the mind to remain calm and stilt, and for the body to remain youthful and free of disease. The Five Rites program offers the benefits of yoga, but delivers them in a much shorter amount of time. The Five Rites are also less daunting to learn than Hatha yoga, and students find it easier to maintain a constant practice.

As I outlined earlier, the Five Rites were introduced to the West by a retired British Army officer, Colonel Bradford. Whilst stationed in India he learnt of a particular monastery where the lamas were rumoured to have discovered the legendary fountain of youth. The monks apparently lived to a ripe old age, without illness or any of the usual afflictions of aging.

As Colonel Bradford began to age, he became obsessed with a desire to find this secret monastery in the remote Tibetan Himalayas. Before his departure befriended the writer Peter Kelder, who would later come to chronicle Bradford’s remarkable adventure.

Many years passed before a letter finally arrived from the Colonel, reported that he had achieved his goal and was shortly returning home. By this time, Peter Kelder hadn’t seen Colonel Bradford in many years, and at first glimpse he didn’t recognise him. Instead of an old man he saw a man years younger, whose vitality appearance resembled how he may have looked in the prime of his life.

The Colonel attributed his youthful appearance to the five yogic-like poste „ he had learnt from the monks, which he proceeded to teach to Peter Kelder.

Peter Kelder’s book on the subject, The Eye of Revelation, was first publishe2d’ in 1939. In 1985 the book was updated and republished under the title Ancient Secrets of the Fountain of Youth. This book has sold over two million copies.

Some people believe the story; others find it too fanciful. My personal vie is that regardless of its origins or authenticity, I have taught over 600 people thesa same Rites and all have received the benefits Peter Kelder mentions in his books.

Quite a few people who have attempted to learn the Rites from one of Kelder 5 books have attended my workshops. Prior to taking my classes, they had difficulty understanding how to perform the movements, or voiced concerns about whether they were doing them correctly. Part of the problem is that the Rites are actual:, a dynamic flowing series of movements. They are not static, and the original. illustrations are very limited. This book moves beyond Kelder’s simple presentation to include detailed instructions, a step-by-step beginner-to-advanced process and numerous supporting photographs.

In teaching the Rites, I am acutely aware that many people are simply no- yet ready to achieve the original postures. They need to build up their strength first, and they also need to make necessary modifications and adaptations to suit their individual needs. Students need to learn how to protect and lengthen their spine and neck; how to keep their chest open and shoulders down; where and how to adjust the placement of their hands and feet; and how to breathe correctly. They also need to understand what not to do.

Most students do not know how to take a full, deep breath, or how to breathe optimally whilst doing the postures. These things take time to learn, and the breathing and postures are best taught in stages, leading people gradually towards their objective. A step-by-step progression is vital to successfully achieving the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation and Energy Breathing, and this comprehensive manual will help make it happen.

For more information visit http://www.t5tonline.com

What is T5T?

T5T is a series of five yoga-like exercises and one rejuvenation breathing technique. Each exercise is performed 21 times, daily. Between each different exercise, the 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. Two optional breathing techniques for focusing one’s awareness and achieving a deeper state of relaxation are also included.

When you begin learning T5T, you complete three repetitions of each exercise for the first week. In the second and ensuing weeks you simply add two extra repetitions, until you reach the full 21 repetitions. Throughout the program, you also carry out three repetitions of the Energy Breathing technique between each different exercise.

Increasing repetitions by just two per week allows you to progressively build up strength, as muscles take time to develop. Be prepared to take your time; it should take you around 10 weeks to achieve 21 repetitions, but you may find that you reach 21 repetitions of one posture, but remain at a lesser number of repetitions of another for several weeks. This is fine. It’s much more important that you do yourself no harm. Allow your body to guide you, and you will eventually be able to do all five exercises the required 21 times each. The reason why the number of repetitions does not exceed 21 is a mystery. I have found that practising more than 21 repetitions does not increase the energy and benefits already generated, and for some people it actually depletes them. Twenty-one repetitions seems just ‘rite’.

In the beginning you will most likely need to allow more than 10 minutes to complete your program. Remembering what to do takes time, as does building up the strength and flexibility to do the postures at a smooth, continuous pace.

If you already attend yoga or Pilates classes

If you have been doing Pilates regularly, you may have already developed strength and control of your core stability muscles. You may also have learnt how to focus your mind, to control and correctly align your body, and to move with precision. These skills are equally important for T5T.

Those of you who practise yoga weekly are likely to have similarly developed strength and control. However, if the development of strong core stability muscles has not been part of your yoga regime, you will need to allow time for these muscles to strengthen. In Part Two, I explain how these deep core stability muscles protect your spine, regardless of your level of fitness.

In either case, it is understandable that you may wish to progress through the steps at a faster rate. Be alert to changes in the energy system of your body, and possible detox effects. Pay particular attention to the Spin, as this is not part of a yoga or Pilates practice, and will therefore be new to you. You should build up the number of repetitions of the Spin gradually, stopping each time when you reach a level of mild dizziness.

For more information visit http://www.t5tonline.com