Five Tibetan Rites to slow aging, increase energy, improve breathing, and strengthen neck, lower back, and core muscles.

Why do people stop doing the Five Tibetan Rites when they get so many benefits; and what happens if they do?

We call it 'falling off the wagon!' Many people learn and practice the rites, and while many people continue to practice them for years and years (I know of one old man in his 80's who has practiced them for 20 years) - others give up.

The key to long-term practice is the ability to maintain a habit, pattern, or routine. This is the No. 1 difference between those who keep on practicing The Five Tibetan Rites and those who give up.

When I've asked students why they gave up practicing the Rites, they said "I just got out of the habit." Then immediately afterwards, "But I felt so much better when I did  them. That's it: I'm going to get back to doing them again."

Interestingly some of the people I asked had practiced the Rites for years. They explained that they started by cutting out one day at a time, which then became two days, or three days etc;  until finally they stopped altogether. This was in spite of the fact they were getting benefits - it was just that other things took priority.

Often there was an event that precipitated this decline.

• They got sick
• Went on holiday
• Were too busy with work
• Change of residence or location.
  
• Concerned about disturbing others
• They got lazy
• Their relationship broke up
• Someone close became ill or died
• Their life got too busy, and they had no spare time

Why do people break the pattern even though they gained the very benefits that got them started in the first place?  Perhaps they simply got used to the benefits or lost inspiration?

The truth is, if you want to maintain a long-term or even lifetime practice - you need to find MORE reasons to DO them - than NOT to do them.

The method below is inspired by the work of Dr John Demartini, one of the teachers who appears on the movie "The Secret."

Imagine if 'doing The Five Tibetan Rites daily' was linked to helping you achieve your mission, purpose or goals in life?  Suddenly the picture is much bigger, isn't it?

Write down the 7 areas of your life as headings - leaving enough space to write around 30 or more benefits under each item:

1. Spiritual
   
2. Familial
   
3. Vocational
   
4. Financial
   
5. Mental
   
6. Physical
   
7. Social
   

For each of these areas of your life, write down 25 to 30 ways in which doing the Rites daily can help you achieve/fulfill your life mission/purpose/goals. For example, "Being recognised for my clear and calm approach to work is important to my ongoing success in my company. When I do the Rites daily, I have a razor sharp mental focus and I don't feel so stressed."

Some areas will have more benefits than others. This means that some areas of your life are more important to you than others, and reflects the hierarchy of your values in life (what matters most to you).

At the end of this exercise, write down a succinct statement that encapsulates your findings from the exercise above - and read it daily to keep yourself on track.

You might be surprised at what you learn about yourself!

So What Does Happen If I Stop Practicing the Five Tibetan Rites?

When you stop practicing the Rites, you naturally lose the benefits you have gained over a period of time. They don't just go immediately. This is because the chakras start spinning more slowly or unevenly again. When the chakras slow down the Qi (Prana, Life-Force) flows less freely through the body. It is the free flow of Qi that enervates and keeps the body/mind young and vital.

People who have stopped doing the Rites, report the following:

• A significant reduction in energy, calmness and wellbeing
  
• Seem to catch colds and flu etc more often
  
• Return or onset of stiffness or loss of flexibility and strength
• Loss of muscle tone
• Loss of self-discipline and mental focus
• Feel lazy and unmotivated
• Less active or loss of interest in doing things

If you have been practicing the Rites for a long time and stop, remember that you are chronologically older than when you began.  This will affect the degree of change you experience simply because you have aged in this period.

We are brought up to believe things get better when ... you find the right partner; have children; the kids grow up etc.  Some would say "aging doesn't get better."  Whether you believe that or not, it is worth investing such a little time of day (10 - 15 mins) to hedge your bets!  I for one want to live a full life for as long as I can.  Doing the Rites daily is part of that strategy.

Stopping the Rites is like turning the dimmer down on the light switch!

To get re-inspired - complete the exercise above and re-read the story of the monks which you can download for free here.

To Learn T5T - and get your chakras spinning more rapidly - Click Here

If you wish to publish this article on your website you may do so, provided that you assign copyright to the author exactly as written below:  A pdf is available on request.

Copyright (c) 2005 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin/Lantern 2005) and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House/Three Rivers Press 2007)