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

At the time of the development of the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation, the ancients believed that their world was composed of Five Elements; water, earth, air, fire and spirit (energy).

In psychology the Five Elements are used to personify different human traits, such as the personality types categories by Carl Jung (feeling, sensing, intuiting, and thinking) and those associated with the astrological signs of the zodiac. I experimented with the concept of assigning an element to each of the Rites, and found the results to be amazing.

In each case, the physical movement of the Rite was a metaphor for what we were trying to achieve mentally - awareness in a different aspect of life. For example the Spin takes the element energy, and the vortex that the movements create allows you to replenish your body from the larger energy all around us. The Tabletop takes the element earth, and its movements focus on stability, foundation and balance, giving us a solid base from which to form new ideas.

In holistic exercise it can sometimes be hard to marry the physical state with the mental state, and having a metaphor helps people enormously to align the two, and to present a clear picture of what they are working towards.

Having assigned an element and a modern name to each Rite, I then experimented with creating an affirmation that expressed the 'energy' of each movement. The result is a method of reinforcing and focusing upon the positive benefits of each Rite physically, mentally and spiritually. This has a ripple effect on every area of your life.

• Rite # 1 (Energy) - The Spin -- "I am full of energy"
• Rite # 2  (Air) - The Leg Raise -- "My mind is clear and calm"
• Rite # 3 (Water) - The Kneeling Backbend -- "I am flexible and receptive"
• Rite # 4 (Earth) - The Tabletop -- "I am strong and balanced"
• Rite # 5 (Fire) - The Pendulum -- "I am positive and motivated"

Try using them when you practice next time - they really work!

In T5T emphasis is also placed on the mind/body connection. The physical movement of each Rite is a metaphor for the desired mental state.

           ENERGY                                            AIR                                           WATER

    The Spin posture                    The Leg Raise posture            The Kneeling Backbend
    replenishes & energizes                 promotes clear,                   posture unlocks the
    the mind & body                          focused thinking           power of the subconscious mind                  

                     EARTH                                               FIRE                                          

The Tabletop posture creates        The Pendulum posture focuses               
  stability and balance             on finding the motivation, courage, and energy to                                                                                                     follow one's intuition 

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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)