The five Tibetan Rites are a daily practice to build prana and power up the chakras…or so I’ve heard. But are they really?
The inner scientist in me had to find out.
So I’m at it again…experimenting on myself to see what I can discover—not the first time I’ve done this, and surely won’t be the last.
The results from this experiment have me pleasantly surprised.
I came across the Five Tibetan Rites in the spring and was intrigued. As the experiment now continues into its fourth month, I’m drawn to continue, perhaps indefinitely. I’m finding the benefits are tangible and there are some great positive aspects to this simple daily practice that has its roots firmly set in yoga.
Why try this practice?
Here are a few reasons I’ve discovered during my exploration so far:
- Minimum time requirement daily (I try for at least five days/week)—between 5 and 20 minutes or so, depending on how slowly you breathe and how many repetitions of each Rite you do.
- The benefits are noticeable! I started to notice tangible changes in my energy and mood within a month. Also noticed benefits to my physical body—strength and flexibility.
- Minimum space required—just a body’s length or size of a mat.
- Great for traveling! No special equipment needed, so it’s an easy practice to take on the road.
Here’s a demo of the beginning level of these Rites (i.e., three repetitions of each Rite). There’s no narration…instead, enjoy the wave sounds from along the Florida coastline!
Helpful hints to get you started
Some of these suggestions I found out the hard way, so be sure you read this list!
- Perform these movements on an empty stomach.
- It’s best to do them first thing in the morning, as it will boost your metabolism and energy.
- Can be practiced daily, but listen to your body…if you need a day off occasionally, take it.
- Best to be clean (shower first) when you do your practice.
- If possible, don’t shower right after, as it will dissipate the prana you built during the practice.
- Perform in a well-ventilated area out of direct sun. Outdoors is great, if possible.
- Move at a slow pace, using strength, control and breath to set the pace, not momentum.
- Keep the five rites in the suggested order.
History of the Tibetan Rites
My research uncovered a lot of stories about an English colonel who hung out in Tibet with monks and was impressed with their youthful, vibrant health. They shared their secret: the Tibetan Rites—a practice the monks had created a few thousand years prior to the colonel’s visit. It seems the monks wanted a condensed form of yoga that powered up the chakras, healed and strengthened the body and balanced the body’s systems.
Benefits of the Tibetan Rites
I also discovered numerous benefits attributed to performing these Rites, including:
- sound sleep;
- waking up easily and feeling energized;
- improved spinal health;
- relief from body pain, especially joints;
- relief of arthritis symptoms;
- weight loss; reversal of aging symptoms or ‘youthing’;
- improved physical strength and endurance;
- better memory and emotional and mental health improvements;
- greater sense of well-being and balance; and better energy throughout your day.
That’s a pretty long list! But I have to say, in the four months I’ve been practicing the Rites I’ve noticed many of these benefits.
Effects on the chakra system
What gives these Rites their power is their positive effect on the ‘spin’ of the chakras. Get the chakras spinning well (i.e., activated or energized) and you feel better, more balanced mentally, emotionally and physically. (Download our free chakra guide for more info on the chakras.)
If our energy centers or chakras are healthy and in balance the corresponding endocrine glands are affected positively. The major endocrine glands include the pineal, pituitary, pancreas, ovaries, testes, thyroid, parathyroid, hypothalamus and adrenals. The hormones secreted by these glands affect all the organs in the body and, therefore, many of the body’s systems (digestion, reproduction, growth, etc.).
So this simple practice can be the key to vibrant health.
Sound too easy?
Well, the best thing to do is give it a try! I love the benefits I’m seeing.
Where to begin and how to build to full practice
If you are relatively healthy without any injuries follow these guidelines:
- The first week: do three repetitions of each movement.
- After the first week: add two or three repetitions/week until you get to 21 repetitions of each Rite (considered to be the full practice).
- Be patient and don’t rush your body. Build up slower if needed.
- It’s more important to do each exercise correctly than to focus on speed.
- Follow the recommended breathing pattern for each movement, keeping the breathing full and continuous.
- Take two cleansing breaths (full breath in through the nose, complete breath out through the mouth, making an ‘o’ with your mouth) between each rite.
- If you’re short on time, do fewer repetitions. Better to do just a few than to skip a day because you don’t have time for the whole practice.
- Modify moves if needed. Don’t strain.
This can be added to your yoga practice or even replace it on some days. Use it as a warm up, if you plan on doing more yoga.
For my suggestions on how to modify each of these rites, check out this article.
Precautions
Because your systems are being highly stimulated and balanced you may notice the effects of detoxification (e.g., headaches, achy body, yucky feeling in the gut). These can sometimes be unpleasant, but they will lessen as your body comes into balance.
Continue gradually increasing the repetitions paying attention to how your body, mind and emotions respond and increase more slowly if needed. Your body may need time to clear the stagnant prana and cleanse your body’s systems.
As with any physical practice (and this is a physical practice, as well as energetic, as is all yoga) you may want to check with your medical professional before beginning, especially if you have any ongoing conditions under a doctor’s care.
Spinning may cause dizziness. This will lessen over time, but it’s fine to take breaks between repetitions until your body gets comfortable with spinning.
My ‘aha’ realization
After practicing the Rites for a few weeks, I began to realize that there are lot of spinal movements (flexion and extension from sacrum to cranium) and changes in drishti (gaze) including third eye, nose and side). There’s an old saying in yoga that Rupali shared with me years ago…you’re as old as your spine. This may be one of the keys to the ‘youthing’ aspect of the Tibetan Rites—it keeps your spine young!
The movements are also dynamic and follow the breath. Coming from a Kripalu and Ashtanga background this feels really natural and right to me.
How to do each Rite
Here are the Rites and a few tips that are not included in the cheatsheet.
Rite #1: Spinning
With arms outstretched, palms facing down, stand tall and turn slowly around in a circle.
- Spin in the same direction as water drains out of your sink
- Breathe fully in and out through the nose as you spin
- Focus your gaze on the leading hand, if dizziness is too uncomfortable
- Take a break every few spins if needed to reduce dizziness
- Try to spin in the same spot (not as easy as it sounds)
As I dug into many resources on the Tibetan Rites I found differing information on the direction of the spin. A few said it’s always towards the right hand (clockwise). Others said to spin in the direction water drains out of your sink (which will change depending on which hemisphere you are in).
What’s a yogini to do??? Try both! I did.
For a couple of months, I spun towards the left (I’m in the northern hemisphere) and found it be comfortable (as comfy as spinning can be :o) ). I also noticed in these two months marked changes in my mood and overall sense of well-being. A pleasant surprise!
Then I started spinning right and did that for a couple of weeks. It never felt as comfortable as spinning left. I decided to go back to left spinning and it feels right to me.
Now the real experiment will be to go Down Under and see if the spin feels better going the other direction. I’ll update you when I get that chance—or maybe YOU can let me know how that feels if you live in the southern hemisphere.
Cleansing breath
Take two cleansing breaths between each Rite
- Stand with feet about hip width apart
- Hands rest on hips
- Inhale deeply through your nose
- Exhale fully through your mouth, making an ‘o’ with your lips
The purpose of this short interlude is to give your body a chance to absorb and integrate what it has just experienced. Do this after each Rite.
Rite #2: Leg lifts
- Lay on your back, tucking arms under body
-
Inhale through nose as you raise legs to 90°, keeping them straight if possible
- Flexing feet will deepen stretch in back of legs
- As legs raise, lift head and tuck chin to chest (drishti: nose)
- Keep shoulders on the floor as you raise your head
- Exhale through nose as you lower head and legs to floor
A couple notable points with this movement…
The breathing is opposite than what I did intuitively at first. I exhaled my legs up and inhaled them towards the floor. Switching that breathing pattern to the recommended way (i.e., inhale legs up, exhale them down) was a challenge, but after a week or so it started feeling more natural.
Keep the legs straight, if possible, and flex the feet as they rise. Come to 90° or a closer towards the body with the legs, focusing on keeping the sacrum and shoulder blades on the mat.
Tuck your hands and arms under your hips to add support for the low back. As you get stronger, place arms alongside the body.
Draw chin towards the chest (drishti: nose) and touch if you’re able to, as you inhale the legs up. When you lower your head (drishti: third eye) and legs, it’s okay to lower all the way to the floor if you want to.
Rite #3: Ustrasana or camel
- Begin in upright position on knees with feet tucked and chin on chest (drishti: nose)
- Hands rest under glutes on upper hamstrings. If your low back needs more support place hands on the sacrum, manually tucking your tailbone as you inhale into camel.
- Inhale as you arch into ustrasana, allowing head to extend back (drishti: third eye)
- Point elbows back (drawing them towards center line) to open the chest.
- Exhale and return to starting position
- TIP: activate mula and uddiyana bandhas and breath into chest to create extension in spine
Flexing the feet on this was another one of those moves that seemed to not make sense at first. I’m used to pointing my toes in ustrasana. Flexing the feet gave my toes and feet a nice stretch, which is an added benefit.
Finish by coming into child’s pose, if your body wants it. Take a few breaths here before coming up to standing for the two cleansing breaths.
Rite #4: Table top
- Sit on mat with legs outstretched, feet hip width and chin to chest (drishti: nose)
- Hands are shoulder width and fingers point towards feet
- Inhale as you lift into table top position, allowing head to relax back (drishti: third eye)
- Exhale as you lower back to mat, tucking chin to chest (drishti: nose)
This is a nice shoulder opener and strengthener, wrist strengthener and core strengthener, if you swing hips back and thru arms without sitting between repetitions.
The feet and knees remain hip-width apart throughout the movement and fingers point towards feet.
When you swing your hips back, try to bring them back past your hands like you were going to do a jumpback (save this tip until you get a little more comfortable with the movements).
Rite #5: Up dog/down dog (sometimes called ‘pendulum’)
- Begin in down dog, feet hip width, hands shoulder width, chin tucked to chest (drishti: nose)
- Exhale as you swing into up dog, keeping feet flexed
- Lift chin in up dog if comfortable for your neck (drishti: third eye)
- Inhale as you return to down dog (remember to tuck chin to chest)
- TIP: using mula and uddiyana bandhas as you move between poses will create strength and lightness, and will protect your low back
One of my sources named this move pendulum. That makes sense! You get into a rhythm with the breath and movements that feels like the swinging of a pendulum.
A couple of aspects of this move were foreign to me at first. With a strong background in Ashtanga I’m used to pointing my toes and inhaling into urdva mukha svanasana so to switch to flexed feet and an exhale into this asana brought up my hackles a bit (ok, I’m exaggerating). I didn’t understand it at first and just did it my way (I’m laughing at my Pitta parts as I write this). Then a few weeks into this self-experimentation, I let go and just went for it—flexed feet, exhale and all! And you know what…I like it.
Moving into up dog on an exhale gives me a different awareness of my body and breath in the pose. I feel more of the back body curve as I open the front. Different, and the world is still orbiting the sun!
The flexed feet vs. pointed toes gives a great stretch to soles of feet and strength to lower legs. Good stuff. Different is good.
I sometimes drop into child’s pose before coming up to standing for the two cleansing breaths.
Conclusion
This is a daily practice worth exploring. After all, the ancient yogis were all about self-knowledge. They explored constantly to find the practices that brought them closer to an understanding of what made them tick.
This might not end up being a practice that you continue forever, but then it might. You’ll only know by being open-minded and adventurous. Be smart about building up slowly and give it enough time to see if it’s something of value for you.
Be sure to download the cheatsheet to follow along until you memorize the sequence. Just click the button below.
If you have questions about any part of it, leave them in the comments below. I’ll answer every one!
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Hi I would like to ask, do I do all five rites and then repeat three times or do I do each one three times and then move on?
Thankyou!
Hi Jen…good question!
Do each rite three times and then move on to the second rite. You will not cycle back through them, although I have heard of people doing it that way.
Let me know if you have any more questions!
…the latter. Watch the video herein.
Can you please let me know about exhale method, is it through mouth or nose for 3,4,5 rites
In order to BUILD energy, you can breathe through the nose for all 5 rites, Manu. If you want to EXPEL nervous energy, exhale through the mouth.
Hi!
Thank you for the good read and the detailed info on how to perform the rites. I have a couple questions about the direction of the spin in the 1st rite.
In Colonel Bradford’s book ‘The Eye of Revelation’ (which I believe is where the information of the spin direction came to the public) it is clearly stated that they recommended to spin clockwise, even though Bradford’s location was in the northern hemisphere, same part of the hemisphere where you are. Also, since the rites originated from Tibet supposedly, and early documents show that the lamas were performing the 1st rite clockwise, and Tibet is in the northern hemisphere as well, shouldn’t all northern hemisphere people perform the rite by spinning clockwise?
I also did some research about the sink water draining direction and it seems to have nothing to do with what part of the world you are in but rather with how the sink was filled, mainly because the Coriolis effect is so small to affect the direction of draining water in a regular sink or bathtub .
You said you tried both directions but you preferred counter-clockwise, could it be because that’s the one you started with and your body got used to it, and therefore felt less comfortable when you changed it?
According to the links below the rotation of the spin should always be clockwise because that’s how healthy chakras spin (the 2nd link goes into the physics of the Coriolis effect as well as details of how the chakras naturally spin ):
https://www.t5t.com/Tibetan-Rite-No-1-The-Spin
https://www.t5t.com/articles/The-Five-Tibetans-Rite-No-1-(The-Spin-)-Which-Direction-Should?osCsid=71972344200b9176f542ce5b6d6b7733
Please let me know what is your take on these points.
Thank you!
Aloha Sonja,
Thank you for your thoughtful comment. I have to say that this is the question we get most often in regards to these rites.
I’ll give you the same answer I give most people…go with your instincts and not by what you think it “should” be.
It’s always been my philosophy that there are no absolutes in yoga. Otherwise it becomes just another dogma.
A good example: My Ashtanga teacher, K. Pattabhi Jois, always used to tell us to do our postures in a certain way because of the way our organs are laid out inside. But it never felt quite right to one of his senior teachers, who much later found out that he is one of the rare few on the planet whose organs are REVERSED in his body.
My takeaway: Every body is different. And even though your organs may not be reversed, something about how your energy flows may make it a little different for you than anyone else.
So trust yourself above all other authorities and try it out, just like Tania did. She’s a sample size of one but that’s all she needs to know what intuitively feels best for her.
I also suspect that the most important benefit of the spinning rite is that it gets your prana MOVING and drops your mind into your body (otherwise you fall over!). And that will occur whether you spin one way or the other.
That’s my humble opinion…I welcome your further comments, Sonja. Tania might also want to weigh in on this topic. Namaste ~
Hi,
Thank you for writing the answer on my (silent) question about spinning direction. I’m practicing the rites for some years, At the beginning I did it as written in the book, clock-wise direction. Then, I felt pain-muscle-contraction on my right hip (where the right leg connects to the body, up front); I had an impression that this muscle does not works the same way as the left one. So, I started to spin other way. I did 10 spins conter-clockwise, then 15 spins clockwise. That was couple years ago. Now, I’m debating, should I try only clockwise as it is instructed in the book? Also, sometimes, when I sit cross-legged, I felt my body rotation contre-clock wise. Is it normal or is it sign of sickness and oldness and we want to correct that?
Another interesting thing is I got only to 15 repetition of each exercise and doing them for about a year, may be more. Every time I tried to do more repetitions, I was catching the flu or something else. So, I kept it to 15. I’m trying to increase them to 17. I will see, what will happen. It seems a bit odd to me, because, in the book of Peter Kelder, when they organized classes, all of the participants was able to do 21 by the year of the practice.
Thank you!
Umm the leg lifts are wrong, your not supposed to pull your feet towards the head, its supposed to be vertical.. every diagram I have shows vertical towards the ceiling or sky, not angled towards your head. Looks like you are trying to get strong abs not a strong Chakra system.
See on google images… not a single one with the angle you are showing..
https://goo.gl/VzQCWQ
I doubt the chakras are compromised by a slight angle of the legs, Andrew.
Knowing Tania, she’s enjoying the hamstring/low back stretch she’s getting by bringing her legs closer to her head (trust me, her abs are strong ENOUGH).
She’s not claiming to be an expert in these rites. She’s sharing from her own experience.
Creating more dogma around these will certainly take the fun out of them. 🙂
The rites have been working great for me but somehow, my husband started getting a bloated belly after a few tries and it has not gone away. He followed the instructions and the breathing, except that he would take a shower shortly after. Is that what’s causing the bloating? I did not experience the same thing even though I also shower after doing the rites.
Aloha San ~ A lot of things can cause bloating but I’ve never heard of showers causing it. The Tibetans are very powerful and will begin to purge the body of old intestinal debris so make sure he’s drinking lots of water to flush that through. In the process of this purging, he might temporarily experience some discomfort but it will pass as the body clears itself. The next thing would be to check with his doctor (preferably a naturopath) to see if there’s anything dietarily that needs to be adjusted (dairy, wheat, other inflammatory foods, etc). The Tibetan Rites are a commitment to a healthier lifestyle and you will be guided to the next level of health gradually. Sometimes a little discomfort like this is a necessary evil along the way. But rule out anything serious by checking with your doctor just to be sure. Here’s to your health!!!
He’s spinning the wrong way.
Have him try spinning the other way and see if that fixes it.
Aloha Magnus. Your suggestion to try spinning the other way to relieve San’s abdominal bloating could help. It’s sure worth a try.
I spin both directions…sometimes for weeks at a time as an experiment to see the difference. I resist labeling one direction wrong and the other right and instead use personal experience to determine which feels “right” to me at that time.
My research turned up confusing suggestions on the spinning rite. Some said to spin the way water drains from your sink or toilet and some said spin to the right. Best to experiment and work it out for yourself. Happy practicing!
I’ve been doing the tibetans for a month and half now and am noticing wonderful changes/benefits. I was wondering if u noticed any eye changes? When I first started my irisis went very dark and blurry looking and I’ve had strange pupil dialations occasionally as well. Some days my eyes get very sparkly and bright but I find when I increase the number of rites the eyes go dark again. Could this be due to toxins being released?
Aloha Cathy and thanks for the comment. I’ve not heard of eye changes when practicing the Rites. It could be related to toxins being released or the shifts in your body’s energy as you practice.
It is recommended that you increase the amount you do slowly, taking about two to three months to build up to the full 21 repetitions. Increase by two repetitions per week. That may seem slow, but building up gradually allows your body to get used to the Rites and gain strength and flexibility gradually. It may also keep your eyes sparkly!
Post an update in another month or two of practicing and let us know how it’s going. Glad you’re noticing great benefits. Happy practicing!
Hi there and thanks for all the thoughtful sharings.
Has anyone found it so easy to spin like me? I can do 21 rounds at a relatively fast speed and it takes me some 15 seconds only for the dizziness to disappear. I know that I can spin a lot more easily. In fact I did once 50 rounds and there’s no problem. Then I wonder how many rounds should I spin or do I just stick with the 21 rounds? I spin from left to right.
Your thoughts are highly appreciated.
Thanks.
Aloha Drazi. Sorry for the delay in getting to your comment. Been a busy October already! :o)
From my experience with my students (of various ages) and myself, I find that spinning speed and amount are unique to the person. I also like to spin quickly and find it easy to stay in a small area. Not everyone enjoys spinning quickly…or at all.
A trick to reduce the dizziness is to try planting your feet and either closing your eyes for a couple of breaths or focus your gaze on a single point. Find what works for you. If dizziness doesn’t go away in a couple of breaths try slowing down a bit.
While I don’t think it’s harmful to spin more it’s not really part of the Tibetan Rites practice, from my understanding. Stick with the recommended 21 rounds during your practice. If you feel like spinning more later in your day put on your favorite music and go for it! If it brings you joy—do it!
Hello,
I just wanted to say thank you for being a channel through which I got clarification on this subject. You helped me to solve some dilemmas I had about rites.
Bye
You’re welcome, Danko! Thank you for stopping by our site!
Hello! I am doing those practices from 2013, I am now 37 years old, I am music artist and professor, I can say that those practices are excellent for everything, body, soul, spine, mental, any part of your being and I can recommend it to everyone!
Hugs from me!
That’s a great testimonial for these rites, Vesna! I don’t know many people who’ve practiced them that long. I’m happy to hear that you still enjoy them. Mahalo for your input!
I enjoyed your tips on the Tibetan Rites. I am, however, still confused about when to inhale and when to exhale when doing #5. The up/down dog is confusing. Which is up and which is down?
Aloha Jens. Good question. This Rite’s breathing pattern confused me at the beginning.
Simply said—inhale as you move into down dog and exhale as you move into up dog.
Let us know how that feels to you. Thanks for your question!
Hello,
I arrive quite late on the debate. I found a page on the tibetans : http://thekingdomwithin.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/6-Tibetan-Rites.pdf
Maybe few people read this because most people don’t feel the need to practice the last one, the 6th one.
Anyway, on the spinning debate, the author recommends a direction depending on your gender.
Personnally, I practice a yoga (kundalini yoga) in which the rotation directions on several moves aren’t the same depending on your gender. Women towards the left, men towards the right. So it made sense to me. Moreover I guess there weren’t any females amongst the lamas when the colonel arrived, so they all turned in the same direction… Consequently, this may be the reason why the woman who described her journey here feels more comfortable spinning towards the left.
I am new to the rites, so I can’t express a tangible opinion, but it makes sense to me as energy doesn’t follow the same path in women and men. We’re two opposite polarities.
Blessings.
Thanks for for contributing to this ongoing discussion, Agathe…yes, I agree that this could be a very reasonable explanation of the differences that people feel when doing the spinning. Perhaps an energy specialist like Donna Eden, who can see the energies and how they move, could sort this out for us all! 🙂
I have been doing the five rites since 1997. I was told it was called Tibetan Rejuvenescing. On average I do it three times per week and I vary from 3 to 6 repetitions. When I first started I was able to to 21 repetitions sometimes. I guess it is a combination of lack of time on the morning and discipline. Nevertheless, the 5 rites have had a very positive effect in my life. I am 61 years old and most people are surprised when I mention my age.
After I finish I do breathing exercises and then meditate for a few minutes.
I am glad to finally find a forum to exchange my experiences with the 5 rites.
It works in a wonderful way….
This is very inspiring, Louis! I like that you found a rhythm of frequency and a quantity of repetitions that’s been working for you for over 20 years. Very cool…thank you for sharing your experience!
Louis, I’m really happy you joined in the discussion. You are the second person I’ve heard of who’s been doing the Tibetans for so long. I’d love to hear more about how you feel the practice has affected your life in positive ways if you’re willing to share. The youth-ing aspect is one benefit I hear from all long-time practitioners. :o)
I’m in my third year of this practice and usually do nine to 21 repetitions on an average of five days/week. I love it and teach it to my clients.
Look forward to you sharing more of your experience.
Rupali, this is the most comprehensive and thoughtful guide I’ve found so far on the Five Rites. Thank you for this. I had started doing them only a month ago as part of my tantric yoga class and I’d wondered at the huge burst of creative energy I’d started experiencing until I did some research into the origins of the Rites.
I do have a question on #2: I’m recovering from major surgery and my core strength isn’t what it used to be. Though I can knock out 100 sit-ups without a problem, I can’t complete a fully extended leg raise without my hands under my buttocks. Col. Bradford’s instructions (and my yoga instructor’s) are to have my hands along my torso, slightly pointed toward it. With my subpar core strength right now, not only does that hurt, but it then causes me pain in the fifth Rite, coming up into dog. My question is, is it better to continue with #2 with my hands under my bottom to keep progressing through how many full Rites I can do (9 so far)? Or should I try to keep my hands parallel to my torso, do whatever little lift I can that way, and cut back on the other 4 accordingly until my back is stronger? My worry is that with my hands under my buttocks I never *will* get the right muscles engaged. The curvature of my spine already makes it impossible for me to lie down flat with no space between my lower back and the mat.
I’d appreciate any thoughts you might have.
Aega
Thanks for the kind words, Aega! Tania did a fantastic job on this article and it’s our most popular post by far.
My suggestion regarding your question is to keep the hands under the pelvis for now, and for as long as you need to! Focus instead on the deep core muscles, imagining lifting the legs from there. Gradually you’ll start to feel stronger and can move the hands a little bit further out from under the body until they are fully alongside. No need to rush though! It could take years, and that’s ok. Remember we have lifetimes to get it “right.” 🙂
Aloha Aega,
Thanks for commenting and sharing your challenge. We all can learn from your process.
I agree with Rupali that it’s fine to put your hands under your body if that’s what you need right now to not cause harm. Modifying the movements is part of the process for lots of people new to the Five Tibetan Rites. You’ll get stronger by focusing on the deep core, just like Rupali shared.
Two other points you shared I will comment on. The first is your comment about not being able to get your low back flat on the mat. I don’t believe there’s any need to get your back flat. There is a natural curve off of the mat for the lumbar area and that’s a good thing. What you’d want to avoid is allowing that curve to increase as your legs lower towards the mat. That’s a sign of weak core muscles and weak hip flexors and can cause strain to the low back. What to do? Bend your knees a little and/or don’t lower your legs so far until you can keep the natural curve with the full Rite. Modify. It’s ok. Promise!
The second point is that you said you sometimes have pain in the fifth Rite coming into dog pose. Not sure which dog you meant. You may be referring to the move from up dog into down dog and that’s a move that can cause pain if your deep core strength is still building. It’s a tough move to do well and with the breath.
Here’s a suggestion or two :o).
1) Move from table to down dog paying close attention and really engaging the deep core (uddiyana bandha) and breathing through the movement. Do this modification for a period of time until you’re strong enough to move to the full Rite.
2) Do the full Rite, but bend your knees as you move from up dog into down dog. This takes less strength and will make the move more doable for you.
Hope our tips help. So happy that you’re seeing increased energy with this practice.
Aloha and namasté,
Tania
Can you discuss/address rite number 6? Also specifically for women postmenopause?
The sixth rite is beyond the scope of this article. I’ll refer you to the original text on the Tibetan Rites or the book Tibetan Secrets by Mary Solomon. She refers to the original text about the sixth rite.
You’ll get a lot of benefit from practicing the first five Rites, building up to 21 repetitions/day.
Happy practicing!
Hi there,
I have a question regarding the 4th exercise, my wrists are very weak and hurt (for days) when I put my hands flat on the floor (also with pushups, planks handstand, etc.) So I got into the habit of using my fists for all these kind of exercises. Is using my fists (inside of wrist and palm showing to my hips and back of my hand showing away from me) for the 4th exercise okay or does it change the whole exercise to something different, useless or even harmfull?
Any tips on doing it better?
Thanks
This is such a common complaint, Irina…you’re not alone! I commonly had sore wrists from my yoga practice until I found a series of wrist strengtheners that we covered in this post (https://www.blissfulyogini.com/tender-wrists/). They really work but you have to start slow, be patient and stay consistent. It will take you at least a month to start to notice a reduction of pain and a strengthen of the wrists and fingers. I’ve done these exercises with my teacher trainees and they’ve had enormous benefits.
In regards to your other questions, if you do need to use your fists, the fourth rite is still effective. No worries there. You could even grip small dumbbells so your knuckles aren’t digging into your mat, if you have some handy.
Let us know how it goes!
My yoga teacher says you should spin in the direction of your chakras. She says women’s chakras spin left and men’s chakras spin right, so women should spin left. It’s hard to find information about this because the exercises were written down by men.
Yes, it seems everyone has a different opinion about this rite. As in all yoga practices, do what feels best to you. Try it both ways. Dropping all concepts and expectations, what feels most natural to YOU? Be open to it changing over time. Personally this has been my method in all yoga practices and it has served me well.
Thanks for your article on the rites. I’ve recently moved up to 21 repetitions after a couple of weeks and I appreciate that you wrote some of the negative effects as well as positive. I’ve been feeling yucky in my stomach, drained and achy. Now I know why!
Still I will keep on, I’ve started the rites as part of a tantric Buddhist program that I’m doing and I think it’s a case of as you say clearing out old blockages and cleansing. Thanks for your informative site 😊
You are so welcome, Bryony! Sorry for the slow reply…we did some traveling and are catching up!
Your comment will help others who go through a cleansing when starting this practice. Thank you for sharing!
wonderful article
Mahalo! 🙏🏾💜
Hi Tania,
This is great help on the tibetan 5. I was doing them for a couple of months and was really enjoying doing them. I have developed tennis elbow in both my arms.I saw in your benefits that it helps with joint pain, so do you think if I do them and plow through the pain that it would help the pain.
It is not severe pain so I would do them it if I thought it would help.
Thanks
Aloha Phyllis,
Thanks for sharing your elbow issue. Plowing through pain is never a good idea. Instead, back off a bit and ease back into the practice. You may have started off with too many repetitions instead of easing into the practice.
Another thing to check is if you tend to lock your elbow joints. Some of us have joints that are commonly called “double-jointed.” They are just joints (typically knees and elbows are where it shows up the most) that lock into place and almost look like they bend backwards. If this describes you then keep a slight normal bend in your elbows as you go through the practice. Allow your muscles to do the work, not the joints.
Without seeing your practice those are the two tips I have that might help. Let us know how it goes. Pain-free is the way to be!
Thank you for your very helpful discussion on the 5 Tibetans. I started doing these about 13 years ago. I stuck with doing just one set of 7 repititions each morning 5 days a week, often after a walk. I never progressed beyond 7 reps as either I lost count or got bored! Is there something magical about 21 reps?
I then stopped doing the rites about 4 years ago when my husband develped dementia and I became his carer – just too much to do. He is now in residential care so I’m trying to start them again. It’s been good to read the comments as a refresher. Many thanks.
Emma, I am glad that our post and the discussion has been helpful. Your practice sounds perfect for you. Life does bump us from our practices at times and you being able to return to it is admirable! I hope you’re finding it a positive force in your life during this time.
As for repetitions…I don’t think 21 repetitions is a magical number. I feel like if you have time for seven or three or whatever number/day then that is great! I fluctuate in my practice. I did 21 reps daily for a couple of years, then dropped to between 9 and 12 reps most days, 21 on some days. The minimum I’ll do if it’s been a crazy day is three. Just do it…as the old saying goes. :o)
Happy practicing, Emma.
How do you open your hips groins. I.e splits action doing 5TBR
Aloha Rob. The Five Tibetan Rites don’t work specifically on opening the adductors. If you’d like to improve your split hunt down resources that can help with that goal. GMB Fitness (https://gmb.io/) is an awesome resource! One of my favorites!
Dear Tania,
Thank you very much for the wonderful article on the 5 Tibetan Rites. I just came across the original book by Peter Kelder and after reading it, I took to WWW to see if I could find any research showing why the rites were so beneficial and how they exactly work? Are you aware of any studies and could point me to? Most articles I found mention that recent studies show, but I don’t see any reference to the articles or links. I am feeling encouraged and want to add the rites to my yoga practice. I love yoga too much to quit it and replace it only with the rites. It does not feel right somehow. In your article you recommend adding them before regular yoga practice as a warm-up however, I have few questions. Do I do normal sun salutes after as most flows would have it to worm up? Also, can I start with few breaths at the very beginning to ‘arrive’ to practice? I like to take a comfortable position or child pose and just breathe and tune into my self and also set the intension. Lastly, the rites are said to be dynamic, could I mix them with yin or restorative yoga? I like to do slower flow a few times a week and reap the benefits of slowing down.
Thank you agin.
Namaste
Aloha Monika,
Thank you for your thoughtful message and questions. Let’s cover your questions in order:
Research/why do they work: I did a little searching and couldn’t find any studies on the Rites, but did find plenty on yoga. Go to PubMed.gov and search for “benefits of yoga.” That will get you started.
Add the Rites to your yoga practice: Yes! Why not! I sometimes use the Tibetan Rites as a warm-up to a deeper yoga practice. Some days they are all the yoga I do. The rights are dynamic and build heat in the body. They incorporate continuous movement and conscious breath, similar to surya namaskara (sun salutation). I see no reason why adding vinyasa or poses after the Rites would be negative. I encourage you to do what feels best for you.
I like to do my breathing practice before my asana practice to open the breath and focus my thoughts. As you build your practice you’ll find what works best for you. The important part is that it is your practice. Exploring different ways to build a personal practice is one of the joys of having a personal yoga practice. Stay open to the signals your prana (life force) gives you and follow your breath.
The Rites are dynamic. I know some people who mix in more static poses in between the Rites. I prefer to do them in order with no poses in between. I can’t answer for you. I suggest trying out various ways to incorporate them into your yoga practice. Finishing with a restorative session might be just what you need on some days.
I’m sorry I didn’t give you concrete answers to your questions. The most important aspect of your practice is consistency and conscious breathing throughout. I find I reap the most benefit following that simple guidance.
Happy practicing, Monika.
I tried this for the first time today and found the spinning made me intensely nauseous – really super unpleasant. I couldn’t do the second rite because of it, and my digestion was off for an hour afterwards. So I am reluctant to try it again, to say the least. However…
Is there any reason not to ‘spot’ the way dancers do, to prevent dizziness? I can do that fine. Or is the nausea/dizziness caused by having your eyes/head travel with the body somehow part of it?! (I really hope not 🙁 )
Aloha Victoria. Great question! The spinning can be challenging for some people at first. Getting dizzy or nauseous is not a goal of the exercise. Here are a few tips to try out to reduce/eliminate the unpleasant feelings.
• begin with three repetitions of each rite and build up slowly
• spin very slowly at first…this gives your body a chance to get used to this activity
• experiment with the focal point…I gaze towards my right thumb as I spin to the right…use the dancer spot…find what works for you
• briefly stop after each spin to allow your body to settle before spinning again; fix your gaze during the pause
I hope that helps. Let us know if any of this helps.
I know I am five years late, but is everyone here still practicing of the rites? If so, I would like to hear what the long term effects have been , good or bad. One of the major claims about these set of exercises was that they reduce your age – at least visually. Is this true for anyone by now?
Aloha Ramesh. Thanks for dropping in with your questions. I can only speak for me. I am still practicing the Rites and I still love doing them. Usually, I practice them five days/week and do from 11 to 21 repetitions. My energy level is similar to what I had in my 40s and I’m just over 60 now. I attribute that to my practices (yoga, pranayama, chanting, Tibetan Rites, etc.), lifestyle, nutrition, and supplementation.
As for looking younger than my age, I’m not a good judge of that. I feel great and that’s what is important to me. I haven’t noticed any “bad” effects from doing the Rites. Only good results. You’ll notice when you practice them that your spine gets flexed and extended quite a bit. A flexible spine keeps you young!
Rupali, my business partner, is practicing the Rites, too. She may add her comments to this.
It would be fun to hear from others that have commented on this post.
Be well.
Hi Ramesh! I’m still doing them daily and for me it’s like brushing my teeth, just something I do every day. I definitely think they contribute to me looking younger than my age because they keep the spine limber, and an old, stiff spine will give you the appearance of being old. Even a 20-year-old with a back injury will look like they are 100 years old if they are hobbling along! I have no idea if there are other biological changes for me but I do know I feel much better after I’ve done them. My personal sadhana includes the rites, breathing practices and meditation—which seems to be a really healthy combination for me. Let us know if there’s anything else you’d like to know!
Hi. I have cervical and lower back problem. I also had vertigo problem in the past. Is it advisable for me to do the 5 rites?
Gosh, I’m sorry, Neetu…but we cannot advise you about medical problems. I would suggest you talk to your physician about this. If you get the ‘go-ahead,’ be sure to start out REALLY slowly. Do only three of each rite until you feel good about moving forward. Don’t rush it. There’s no need. You have plenty of time. Even it took you years to work up to a higher number of repetitions, you would still get benefit every day. Good luck!
Hello
I’ve been doing the rites for 6 weeks now and up to 13 repetitions but I’ve found my knee pain has come back and my knees and hips crack when doing rite 2. Am I doing it wrong or are the rites just not for me?
It’s hard to say, Jen, without actually watching you do it. But I would suggest that you could back off doing so many repetitions and work up more slowly. Drop down to the minimum of 3 reps for awhile or modify the positions until you find your comfort level. Really pay attention to what feels right and what doesn’t. And go up only when you feel inspired to do so, not when you think you “should.” We all get caught in the trap every now and then.
What happens if I do the 5 Tibetan rites more than the 5X21 times? Just want to know if I can do it three times a day or twice a day?- to have some weight loss and more energy.
I wouldn’t advise doing these rites more than the recommended number. Since they are highly stimulating to the endocrine system, they could be detrimental and put your body out of balance. And it wouldn’t necessary mean you’d lose weight faster or have more energy because there’ll be a point of diminishing returns. Start with working up to 21 reps and you will find that that’s enough.
Hi,
I’m also trained out of Kripalu (yoga therapy) and am so accustomed to inhale always equating with the opening of the body and exhale as we compress the body. Several of these are contrary. I did note you tried both and I liked what you said regarding “Dogma” and I completely agree. So my question is where did you settle on the breath patterns?
There is lots about the 5 rites I really appreciate and am curious to begin practicing them.
Thanks,
Stu…
Aloha Stu. That is a great question…and I haven’t settled. I noticed in the past few weeks that I started breathing the opposite way on rite #2 (leg lifts). For some odd reason, it shifted on its own. So I went with it and within a week or so I naturally shifted back to the recommended way. Both work and yet when you switch the breathing (in any of the rites) you’ll notice differences in how your body responds to the movements.
My best advice is to try it both ways and choose what feels best for your body. The most important aspect is to breathe throughout the practice. Share your experience once you’ve put some time into it. We’d love to hear how it is going. It definitely hooked me!
Always more to learn, that’s part of the adventure !
Would like to know if the 5 Tibetians help with knee arthritis? The book says the table top one does help. Has anyone had the experience of being healed of arthritis with the 5 Tubeians?
Thanks for your question, Sophie. I don’t think you can expect miraculous healing of knee arthritis from the Tibetan Rites, but I do think that because they keep your circulation flowing (which is important in arthritic conditions), they would certainly be helpful. If you try them and they DO help you, please report back!