5five tibetans - Mukha Natural Yoga Mats

5t
five
tibetans
exercises
Presented by Lisa Gawned
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General Information
he “Five Tibetans” is a system of exercises,
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reportedly more than 2,500 years old, which
was publicised by Peter Kelder in 1939, in the publication entitled The Eye of Revelation.
Sources report that Peter Kelder was raised in the
United States and left home in his teens in search of
adventure. It is claimed that, in Southern California,
he met, a retired British army officer Colonel Bradford, who shared with him the stories
of travel and subsequent discovery of the “Rites of the Five Tibetans”.
After retiring, Colonel Bradford went on to discover the lamasery and lived with lamas,
where they taught him five exercises, which they called the “Rites”. The Rites are said
to be a form of Tibetan yoga, similar to the well-known yoga forms that originated in
India. However, the Five Tibetan Rites emphasize a continuous sequence of movement
(Vinyasa in Sanskrit), whereas the Indian forms focus on “static positions”. It is said that
this type of yoga was practised by Tibetan lamas, in monasteries in the high Himalayas,
who had discovered the “Fountain of Youth”. Colonel Bradford told of old men who,
inexplicably, became healthy, strong and full of “vigour and vitality”.
The Five Tibetan Rites stimulate full energy flow through the chakras and enliven corresponding nerves, organs and glands. These exercises also tone and strengthen the major
muscle groups, contributing to a strong, resilient physique. Once you are familiar with
the exercises, practising the “Five Tibetans” will take about half an hour daily: fifteen
minutes if you omit meditation.
Ideally, the Five Tibetans are practised 21 times each. The Tibetans believe that 21 is the
magic number and there is no need to exceed this number. In the beginning, start out
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with three repetitions of each exercise for the first week, then add two each week until
you build up slowly to the full 21 repetitions.
You can practise the routine anytime of the day: for best results, practice before breakfast so that you don’t get nauseated. When you have a full belly of food, a lot of blood
and circulatory energy is concentrated in the digestive organs. You need to liberate your
circulation for this practice by letting blood flow freely throughout the entire body.
To ensure that you are practising correctly, carefully read instructions for each exercise
and refer to the accompanying diagrams.
Breathing
reath is fundamental to human life. Breathing is an intrinsic, automatic function.
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We breathe from the moment we are born, and when we stop breathing, we die.
It’s very simple. We humans are very versatile and adaptable. We can go for long periods
of time without food, as evidenced by the great fasting heroics of Mahatma Gandhi
and others. We can go without water for a few days. We can go without life’s luxuries:
pizza, movies, driving a car etc. The Monks in Mt Hiei in Japan (who are known as the
“running monks” because they run as much as fifty-two miles per day) endure an ordeal
during which they go without food, water, or sleep for nine days. This they refer to as an
“ultimate fast”. (Do not try this at home!!) The point is, we can go without many things
for varying lengths of time, some of them essential to life. If however, you go without
breathing for a relatively short period of time, you will be released from your mortal
form.
Breathing is the most primary of all forms of nourishment. When we breathe we take in
a mixture of gases, especially oxygen, which is needed to
feed our cells. We also take in a subtle form of energy
called prana. Just as oxygen feeds
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the cells of our bodies, so prana feeds the human energy system,
the energetic substrate of the human body. Though breathing is a
simple and natural function, it can be adjusted and modified to yield
particular results. Prana from the breath can be channelled to build,
purify, and strengthen the entire human system. Thus, virtually every
system of the body-mind development, from all systems of yoga
to the numerous forms of martial arts, employs methods of breath
control. It is said in some yoga scriptures that, when you master your
breath, you master your destiny. This may be a bit of an overstatement, but it is true that
when you master the breath you gain tremendous control over your body and mind.
Please be sure to practise proper breathing so as to get the Five Tibetans off to a good
start. Practise breathing carefully, according to the instructions given in the handout.
Sometimes people feel they should practise more of some particular aspect at the onset:
starting out with great intensity and doing more than is recommended. That is not a
wise approach to take with breathing exercises. If you feel the need to be intense, then go
and do 100 sit-ups or run ten miles, and tire yourself out. But do not overdo breathing
practice. Simple, basic breathing methods can be extremely powerful. Because breathing is
something natural that we do all the time, it may seem that strenuous practice of breathing
exercises will have negative consequences. You can harm yourself by overdoing breathing
exercises. The best way to progress well in breathing practice and yoga is to learn carefully
and continue to practice with increasingly greater care and precision as time goes on.
As you engage in pranayama, the science of breath control, a number of changes occur.
Your body begins to detoxify, expelling poisons from the liver, kidney, bowels, skin.
Initially you may feel light-headed during pranayama, due in part to the greatly increased
amount of oxygen intake. As you practise controlled breathing, you break through obstructions in the human energy system. Blockages along the energetic pathways, or within
the chakras, are dissolved with consistent breathing practice. As the human energy system
conducts increasing power, you will feel lighter. Sometimes it will feel as though every cell
in the whole body is dancing in the light, creating an inner smile.
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The Interim Breath
his breath is performed 3 times only, after each Five Tibetans. Take a few minutes
to practise this as it is an important part of the practice of these exercises. Place
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your hands on the lower ribs. Take a long, full, breath, inhaling through the nose. Exhale
through the mouth, your lips in an “o” shape.
The journey back to one’s self
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This handout is designed for practitioners or beginners alike.
our Yoga practice is a personal one. You may have your own body history, your
own tweeks and places of tightness; those spaces that you’d love to avoid, and
those places where it’s easy for you to fly. So get on the mat, find out what your truth is
for that moment, breathe into the spaces that are asking for attention, nurture yourself,
experience it. Take this time to listen to your body’s messages on the gross physical plane
and the softer space of subtle sensations. All you do is go inside on your journey towards
health, peace and harmony: Enjoy.
Namaste
health, PEACE, harmony
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Tibetan No. 1
Stand up straight with your arms outstretched to
the sides, fingers together, palms open and facing
downward.
Holding this arm position, spin full circle in an
anti-clockwise direction (clockwise if you are in
the northern hemisphere), head in line with your
heart and pelvis.
Repeat the spin 21 times without a break.
When you’ve finished spinning, stand with your feet in line with your sit bones, hands in
the pray position (Namaste) and stare at your middle fingers.
The interim breath: To breathe effectively, put your hands on
your lower rib-cage draw into the centre to align your spine,
let your breath move through your rib-cage. This breath is
performed 3 times only after each of the Five Tibetans. Stand
up straight with your feet sit-bone distance apart, with your
hands on your lower ribs. Take a long, full, deep breath inhaling through the nose. Exhale through the mouth with your lips
pursed in an “o” shape.
You may experience some dizziness when you first practise this
exercise. Be careful, and don’t push it. This exercise strengthens
the vestibular apparatus, the balance mechanism residing in the
inner ear. With regular practice the dizziness will stop, and the
spin will become easy and fluid, even at very fast speeds.
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Tibetan No. 2
Lie on your back on a
mat. Your legs are fully
extended, ankles flexed and
touching. Arms are by your
side with the palms flat on
the floor.
Contract abdominal muscles, inhale through nose, lift your legs a little past a 90-degree
angle and raise your head, tucking your chin into your chest. This is all done in one
smooth motion. Your toes point towards you and your lower back should remain flat
on the ground.
Exhale through your nose while bringing your legs and head down to the ground.
Repeat the entire motion 21 times in a steady, unbroken rhythm.
The interim breath: To breathe effectively, put your
hands on your lower rib-cage, draw into the centre
to align your spine, let your breath move through
your rib-cage. This breath is performed 3 times only
after each of the Five Tibetans. Lie straight with your
feet flopped out, with your hands on your lower ribs.
Take a long, full, deep breath, inhaling thorough
the nose. Exhale through the mouth with your lips
pursed in an “o” shape.
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Tibetan No. 3
Kneel with the balls of your feet resting on the ground.
Your knees are in line with hips.
Place your palms against your buttocks, your spine erect,
with your chin tucked into your chest
Inhale through the nose, arching back from the waist. Drop
your head as far back as you can do comfortably. Your
hands will support you as you lean back.
Then exhale through your nose, as you return to the starting position.
Repeat the entire motion 21 times in a steady, unbroken
rhythm.
The interim breath: To breathe effectively, put your
hands on your lower rib-cage, draw into the centre to
align your spine, let your breath move through your
rib-cage. This breath is performed 3 times only, after
each of the Five Tibetans. Kneel in starting position
with your hands on your lower ribs. Take a long,
full, deep breath inhaling through the nose. Exhale
through the mouth with your lips pursed in an “o”
shape.
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Tibetan No. 4
Sit up straight with your legs outstretched in front
of you. Place the palms of your hands flat on the
ground beside your hips. Positioning of the hands is
very important; they must be placed exactly alongside the hips. Tuck your chin into your chest.
Inhaling through the nose, raise your hips as you
bend your knees, bringing the soles of your feet flat
to the ground and dropping your head all the way back. You will come into a position in
which the torso is parallel to the ground while the arms and legs are perpendicular.
Exhale through the nose as you come down to the starting position.
Repeat this motion 21 times in a steady, unbroken rhythm. Do not let your feet slide.
The feet should stay in the same place through this whole exercise. Also note the arms
should not bend; the movement is instead accomplished by pivoting at the shoulders.
The interim breath: To breathe effectively
put your hands on your lower rib-cage and
draw into centre to align your spine, let
your breath move through your rib-cage.
This breath is performed 3 times only, after
each of the Five Tibetans. Sit up straight,
your hands on your lower ribs. Take a
long, full, deep breath, inhaling through
the nose. Exhale through the mouth with
your lips pursed in an “o” shape.
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Tibetan No 5
Begin this exercise ‘in plank’, by supporting
yourself on the palms of your hands and
the balls of your feet, with your shoulders
stacking over your wrists. Your head is up
and back.
Keeping your arms and legs straight, inhale
through the nose and wave back from your
front body, bringing your body up into a
perfect triangle. (Downward facing dog).
Exhale through your nose as you wave forward from your front-body to take you back
to the starting position. Grounding down
your hands and the balls of your feet, your
centre-body remains off the ground during
the entirety of this exercise, and your arms
and legs do not bend at all.
Repeat the entire motion 21 times in a
smooth, unbroken rhythm.
The interim breath: To breathe effectively
put your hands on your lower rib cage draw
into the centre to align your spine, let your breath move through your rib-cage. This
breath is performed 3 times only, after each of the Five Tibetans. Sit with your buttocks
on your heels with your hands on your lower ribs. Take a long, full, deep breath inhaling
thorough the nose. Exhale through the mouth with your lips pursed in an “o” shape.
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Final Relaxation
hen you have finished performing all five exercises, lie down on your back and
relax for several minutes. Let the breath be gentle and easy. Notice any new
sensations in your body.
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Chakras :
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The Gateway to consciousness
What are chakras?
hakra means “wheel” in Sanskrit. Traditionally the ancient Hindus believed
there to be seven energy centres of the etheric body; these were called chakras.
The chakras appear as wheel-like vortices of pure energy and are sometimes referred
to as “Lotuses”. They spin at great speed within a deeply spiritual person, becoming
spheres of radiant energy. The chakras lie along the nave of the spine and through
them a person’s spirit and soul become receptive and communicate with cosmic
energies. Each chakra has its own colour, location, body-association and function.
Interestingly enough, the spacing of the chakras actually matches major nerve and
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endocrine centres in the body. Balancing the chakras and making them receptive to
the Divine Universe is not only beneficial to wellbeing, but also the way of uniting the
individual soul with the universal soul.
Balanced chakra = Happiness and Health
In a fast-paced world you need all the energy you can get. By keeping your energycentres balanced and aligned, the energy can flow freely through all the chakras. You will
start to feel refreshed and energetic, with increased self- awareness, better coping skills
and are more open to new ideas. You will quickly start to feel the difference when you
make chakra clearing a regular part of your lifestyle; you can then approach life with
more energy and a clear head. Obstacles will slowly disappear and goals will be achieved:
you will gradually become the master of your own destiny.
Unbalanced and blocked chakra = Illness
When your chakras are not vibrating or spinning properly you are unable to move your
physical, emotional and mental body onto the spiritual level. Each chakra affects different parts of the body and almost all illness is caused by poor chakra health. Although intuitively, and by subtle hints, we are given signs as to what we should be doing and how
we should be living; however we often ignore the words from our spirit and higher-self.
Sometimes we are too stuck in the reality and physicality of life to listen to our innerself. Eventually, the chakras become out of balance and, since we are stuck in reality, the
chakras manifest the energy imbalance in the physical health of the body.
The human body has many chakras, however we will focus on the seven major chakras
that are located along the centre of the body.
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Colour, Location and Physiological function of each chakra
First chakra (Root chakra)
Colour: RED
Element: Earth
Location: Pelvic floor, between pubis and tailbone
Associate body part: Gland (gonads) The dense, solid parts of the
body; bones, teeth, nails, legs, arms, intestines, anus, prostate
Function: Material security: procreation instinct
Second chakra (Lower abdomen)
Colour: ORANGE
Element: Water
Location: Pelvic basin
Associate body part: Gland (adrenals) Reproductive organs, bladder,
pelvis, sperm, all liquid and fluids from body
Function: Sexuality, creativety, likes/dislikes: lust/greed
Third chakra (Solar Plexus)
Colour: YELLOW
Element: Fire
Location: Solar Plexus slightly down from navel
Associate body part: Gland (pancreas) Abdomen, lower back, stomach, liver, spleen, digestive system, gall bladder, nervous system
Function: Introversion/extroversion; power/weakness
Fourth chakra (Heart)
Colour: GREEN
Element: Air
Location: Heart (Centre of chest)
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Associate body part: Heart, upper back, ribcage, chest, skin, circulatory
system, abdominal cavity
Function: Compassion; beginning of self realisation; sharing; unconditional love; selfless service; emotional clarity
Fifth chakra (Throat)
Colour: BLUE
Element: Space
Location: Throat (between inner collarbones)
Associate body part: Gland (thyroid), lungs, vocal cords, bronchials,
throat, thyroid, voice, jaw, neck
Function: Wisdom communication from higher mind
Sixth chakra (Third eye)
Colour: INDIGO
Element: Command centre of elements
Location: Third eye (between the eyes)
Associate body part: Gland (pituitary), face, eyes, nose, sinus, cerebellum
Function: Self-realization
Seventh chakra (Crown)
Colour: VIOLET, WHITE, GOLD
Element: Beyond the elements
Location: Crown top and centre of head
Associate body part: Gland (pineal), brain, cerebellum, skull
Function: Here the human being connects with the universe
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Tibetan sound healing through Mantras
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What are mantras?
antras need to be experienced to be understood. They are sound
vibrations that, when learned and applied appropriately, have a
powerful effect on body and mind. The word ‘mantra’ is derived from
the Sanskrit word “man” which means mind, and “tra” which implies
liberation and protection.Mantras are tools that we can use both to
heal and enlighten. They have the power to calm and energise, inspire
or heal our bodies and awaken consciousness. They act in the same way
that music does: as energy and sound vibrations that can profoundly
affect us. Mantras are letters and syllables that are joined in various
combinations and can be chanted in many ways in order to produce
different effects.
PEACE, harmony
health, PEACE
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Tibetan sacred sounds
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iscover the power of sacred sounds to clear blockages at the energetic,
emotional, mental and physical level through sound.
Connect and access the subtle sacred aspects of your being and awaken to
spiritual virtue.
First chakra (root chakra) Sound = U
Second chakra (Lower abdomen) Sound = O (OPEN MOUTH)
Third chakra (Solar Plexus) Sound = O
(CLOSED MOUTH)
Fourth chakra (Heart) Sound = A
Fifth chakra (Throat) Sound = E
Sixth chakra (Third eye) Sound = I
Seventh chakra (Crown) Sound = M
ACE
Namaste
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Lisa Gawned
My Journey
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y journey towards yoga began following an accident involving a
vehicle fire from which I narrowly escaped: unharmed physically, but
subsequently suffering severe panic attacks.
In the weeks after the accident, people would ask how I was going; my
answer was always “really good thanks”, but I certainly wasn’t on the inside.
I was having panic attacks: my heart would race and feel tight; I would sweat;
and then this was invariably followed by trembling hands. The slightest smell
of smoke or flash of orange light would set me off.
I had heard about Yoga and how beneficial it was for all types of ailments,
including panic attacks. So, I attended my first yoga class at a well known
school in Subiaco, and stuck to it. My panic attacks started to fade as I learnt
to control my breath, slow my mind and go within my body. I have now
been practising yoga for over ten years and have found it so beneficial that
I decided to share my experience with others, to help them overcome some
troubling element in their lives.
To further my knowledge I went to Sydney and studied at the International
Institute of Yoga and Meditation. There I read an article about Shri Swami
Sivananda Maharaj of Rihikesh and Shri Krishnamacharya, the two gurus
responsible for the huge amount of yoga taught today. After reading this
article, I decided to go and live in an ashram for a time to deepen my
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practice and knowledge of yoga. And so, I went to the Sivananda Ashram
in Canada.
Living in the ashram was life-changing for me. The knowledge and depth
of experience gained has enriched my life: so much so that I opened a
Yoga Centre called Sevenergy in South Fremantle to share the philosophy
of yoga with the people of my community.
Some time later, I became ill with glandular fever and a kidney infection, my own daily practice and teaching were put on hold. I travelled
to Bali many times, seeking solitude at yoga schools and healers, trying
to recover and regain my discipline. It was there that I took part in an
intense workshop on the Five Tibetans yoga form. I now have time and
energy to practise this style every day and have found my body is stronger, my energy is balanced, my mind is clear and I am ready for the next
challenge.
To complement these experiences in yoga,
I have completed Reiki Master and Massage
Therapist Courses, also became a member
of the Yoga Teachers Association Australia
and a health benefit provider.
Namaste
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health PEACE harmony
©
Lisa Gawned 2010
Yoga Teacher
Level 2 Certified with YTAA
Health Provider
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