The Five Tibetan Rites

The Five Tibetan Rites is a system of exercises reported to be more than 2,500 years old. It takes me 10-15 minutes to do them each morning. Although they look like typical yoga stretch exercises, they are however considered to be breathing exercises (pranayamas).  For more background info go to the wikipedia page, which also has a written description off the 5 poses.

The claimed benefits are: improved eyesight, memory, potency(!), hair growth, restoration of full color to completely gray hair, and anti-aging. I am not sure about all of these benefits but I do know that afterwards I feel great, energized and ready for my day.

Below are links to some YouTube videos demonstrating the poses. Two things to add: after each of the 5 poses I do the “child’s pose” and throughout the whole routine I breath in and out through my nose. This last part is very important!

The first video has a good clear description of the 5 Tibetan rites/poses.

The second video shows some suggested modifications for people having trouble with the poses.

The third video the sequence and lists all the benefits per pose and its effects on the body and chakras. This one is the shortest video, so good to watch in case you need a quick reminder on the poses.

My suggestion is to do each pose very slowly. Breathing in (through your nose) as you go into the pose. and breathing out (through your nose) as you exit the pose. Remember these are really just breathing exercises. Start with 5 repetitions per pose and then add an extra repetition every day until you reach 21. The first pose might make you dizzy, as it did for me, but after a while you won’y get dizzy. It actually cured my motion sickness!

And as with all pages on this website please read the disclaimer first.