The Original Five Tibetans

To fully embrace this practice, it is important to have an understanding of the background story and history of the Tibetans.  In this lecture, I will talk about the origins of the Tibetans and the story behind Peter Kelder's historic book. 

This is a very important lecture.  Stimulating the Vortexes is really the sole purpose for these five movements and it is important that you are familiar with the energetic system before we begin.  You will learn about the Vortexes, their locations and how stimulating them can turn back the clock. 

As a Yoga teacher, I am well aware of the value of using the breath in our Yoga practice.  The Tibetans are also an ancient energetic practice, yet Peter Kelder's 1939 book had very little mention of breath.  Many revised versions of his work include specific breathing methods, but these were not part of the original instructions.  In this lecture you will learn what The Eye of Revelation did say about the breath and how we can use our breath in this practice. 

As with any physical practice, there will be movements that may not be suitable for everyone.  In this lecture, we will discuss how to prepare for your practice and some general precautions to keep in mind before we begin the Five Tibetans. 

It is helpful to see what this practice looks like when we put it all together, so this is a short demonstration of the Five Tibetans.  This is not an instructional video, I will break down each movement in more detail in the next five lectures.  For optimal results, we practice the same number of all five movements every day, but that may not be realistic for everyone.  Remember to go at your own pace and listen to your body.  Something is better than nothing, even if you skip one or more of the Rites you will still benefit from whatever you are able to do.

Rite 1 is a very important part of the practice as it speeds up all seven Vortexes.  In this lecture, I will explain how to do this Rite and will share some interesting information about how spinning excessively can affect the Vortexes. 

Rite 2 also stimulates all seven Vortexes.  Please make note of the small details as I guide you through the Rites, they are important.  Also make note of the modifications I give and adapt Rite 2 to suit your body if necessary. 

Rite 3 is effective for speeding up Vortexes E, D and C primarily.  Vortexes F and G will likely get some stimulation as well as we are on our knees for this one.  Once again, please pay attention to the small details when performing this Rite.  Suggested modifications for Rites 3, 4 and 5 will be given Lecture 14, Tips for Success.

Rite 4 is particularly beneficial for Vortexes C, D, E, F and G, especially when we tense and release at the peak of the movement. 

Rite 5 is probably the Rite that is most often confused with Yoga.  It does resemble an upward facing dog/downward facing dog flow, but there are some key differences, be sure to pay close attention to the technique. 

Now that we have gone over each Rite in detail, we will discuss how to build the practice.  At the end of this lecture, you will have an understanding of how to progress through the Rites, what to do if you struggle with one or more and what the maximum number of repetitions is. 

In Kelder's 1939 book, Colonel Bradford recommends a final cooling technique, this is what I refer to as the completion step.  This lecture will explain the importance of this final step and how to perform it. 

In this lecture, I will share some of my tips for incorporating this practice into your daily life and for committing to your practice, including when to practice, treating it as a choice not a chore and treating yourself with kindness.  I will also discuss some possible modifications for Rites 3, 4 and 5. 

Everyone's experience with the Tibetans will be different, keep an open mind and be willing to receive whatever benefits you get from this practice.  I will discuss some potential benefits and results, but remember that the results are cumulative and will be unique to you.

One set of 21 of each of the Five Tibetans is the full practice and is all that is required.  For those who want more, there is the option to add a second set, but the instructions for doing so are very specific.  This lecture describes the procedure for adding a second set for those who may be interested. 

In this lecture, you will learn the extra information that Colonel Bradford shared with the Himalaya Club, including the eating habits of the lamas, "putting off the old man" and working with the voice to further stimulate the Vortexes.  I will also discuss Rite 6. 

The Tibetans are often put under the Yoga umbrella, it is my belief that it doesn't belong there.  As a teacher and practitioner of both Yoga and the Tibetans, I can attest to the difference between the two practices.  This lecture will discuss my reasons for keeping the Tibetans separate from Yoga. 

Throughout this course, I have given you all of the information you need in order to begin your own practice of the Tibetans.  This lecture takes you through the movements one more time so you can become more comfortable with the physical practice. 

I hope you have enjoyed learning about The Original Five Tibetans and that you find this practice to be just as intriguing as I do.  Should you have any questions or comments, feel free to email me at kpoweryoga@shaw.ca.  Enjoy your journey to "youthification"!