The Five Tibetan Rites

The original book that these exercises comes from is entitled The Eye of Revelation, The Ancient Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation, by Peter Kelder. It was originally published in 1939 and reprinted in 1946 with greater detail. Since then it has has a few more reprints, begining in 1969 when it started to become more popular. It is written in the first person and describes the author's chance meeting with a retired British Army Colonel in NY. The Colonel proceeds to tell Kelder about his travels in India and the far east and of his interest in returning to find a fabled fountain of youth or Shangri-La somewhere in the remote regions of Tibet. The Colonel leaves the US on this quest but returns a few years later looking 30 years younger and reveals that he did indeed find the fountain of youth but that it is found within the individual rather than an actual fountain or geographical location.

The secret of youth is in fact five exercises that are performed by the monks in a monastery deep in the Himalyan Mountains. The monks are all in wonderful shape, despite advanced age and taught the Colonel their secret while he stayed with them for two years. The Colonel agrees to teach Kelder and some friends these five exercises and also goes on to describe the proper eating habits to adopt for maximum benefit. The basic idea, explains the Colonel is that we have seven "vortexes' in the body located in the forehead, back of the brain, throat, right side of the waist, reproductive organs and one in each knee. Keeping these vortexes spinning at the right speed is what helps prevent aging and maintains good health (hope I didn't have the one in my right knee removed accidentally during surgery).

As I have not done extensive research, I cannot say whether there is a whole lot of validity to the original publication date. I also kinda question the idea that there are monks living in the mountains who are 500 years old. That aside, the exercises are excellent, particularly as a way to retrain your body after a long time away from exercise.  The later additions of the book and those published by other authors have adapted the rites and made them more of a yoga style program. The vortexes have been replaced by the yoga "chakras" and some of the moves have been changed slightly as well as how you breath during their performance.

We have been doing the original program, as set down by Kelder, although we are not following the dietary restrictions. As I said, the exercises are great. Some of them are not easy at first but, as recommended, we began doing just three repetitions of each and adding two more each week. Eventually you are supposed to be able to get up to performing 21 repetitions. As no recommendation was made as to how one should breathe we have done whatever felt natural and allowed for the best stretch. Best to use a yoga mat or rug under you to protect your knees and back, as long as it doesn't start sliding out from under you. And here they are:

Rite Number One

Stand with your arms outstretched and spin in a clockwise direction. Yes, really. Don't get over-zealous when begining or you will get dizzy.

Rite Number Two

Lay on your back and raise your legs and head off the ground, keeping your legs straight. Return to the starting position, relax and repeat.

Rite Number Three

Neal with your hands at your sides. Bend over at the waist and tuck your chin to your chest. Bend backwards as you also extend your neck backwards. Return to upright and repeat.

Rite Number Four

Sit on the floor with your legs outstretched and your hands flat on the floor at your sides, chin to chest. Raise your butt of the floor while rolling forward onto your feet, creating a table-like position with your torso, head pulled toward back. Return to sitting position and repeat.

Rite Number Five

Get in position as if to do a push-up but sag at the waist and hold your head up towards the ceiling. Raise your butt towards the ceiling, pushing back with your arms onto the balls of your feet. Return to starting position and repeat.

 

 

Yes, it's that simple.

The book also discusses a Sixth Rite that involves the redirection of sexual energy but well, living for 500 years may not be worth all that.

They are doing a great job for us, particularly as it gave us an exact and simple program to follow. You start small and only make small increases each week. It is a relaxed program that takes the stress out of wondering how long, how many, etc. After two weeks we felt good enough to start adding in other exercises to our daily sessions. My back feels better and it doesn't aggravate my knees!

Hope this helps anyone who is interested.