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The Five Five Tibe Tibe ta ns stimulate full ene rgy flow t hroug h the c ha kra kra s a nd enliven c orres orresp p ond ing nerves, nerves, orga ns, ns, an d gla nd s. These hese e xerc xerc ises ises a lso lso t one a nd streng then the ma jor musc musc le g roup s, contributing to a strong, resilient physique. Once you are familiar with the exercises, practice of the Five Tibe Tibe ta ns will ta ke a b out 10 minutes d a ily. ily. The Five Five Tibe ta ns a re id ea lly lly prac tic ed 21 times ea c h. Od d ly eno ug h, the re is no ne ed to exce ed 21 rep etitions etitions,, as the d esir esired ed energe tic e ffect of the Five Tibeta Tibeta ns is ac hieved at that num b er. There is no ha rm p erforming a g rea ter num b er, but it simply simply isn't isn't nec ess essa ry. Most Most people need to work up to that number of repetitions, so don't be concerned if it is difficult to prac tice t he full c omp lement from the start. ItIt ta kes nea rly every every be ginner a mo nth or long long er to wo rk up to the full 21 repe titions. titions. In the beginning, start out with 10 or 12 repetitions of each exercise. Build your practice at your own pace. You will be doing yourself a great deal of good by practicing any number, and there is a lot of satis satisfac fac tion to be ga ined from from wo rking king your way up to 21 times ea c h. Take your time, prac ticing d aily and with a s muc h p rec ision ision a s po ssible. Even Even as you you a re building up to 21 repetitions of each exercise, you will start to feel stronger and more energetic. To e nsure nsure that yo u are p ra c ticing p rop erly, erly, ca refully rea d t he instruction instruction s for ea c h exercise, exercise, and refer to the a c c om pa nying nying figures figures.. Tib eta n #1 Sta nd up straight with yo ur arms outstr outstretc he d to the side s (Figure (Figure 1a ). Finge Finge rs a re tog eth er; palms are open and facing downward. Holding this arm position, spin full circle in an an ti c loc kwis kwise d irec irec tion. tion. (Turn urn your head to the left, that is the d irec irec tion tion in which you w ant to sp in.) in.) Rep Rep ea t the spin 21 tim tim es witho ut a brea k. When yo u finis finish s sp p inning inning , sta sta nd with yo ur fee fee t to ge the r and you r ha nd s on yo ur hip hip s (Figure (Figure 1b). Take a full, full, d eep brea th, inha inha ling ling throug throug h the nose. nose. Ex Exhale throug throug h the mo uth with yo ur lips lips pursed in an ‘0’. Repeat the inhale and exhale, completing two full breaths before moving on to Tibeta Tibeta n # 2. You m a y exp erienc erienc e som som e d izz izziness iness w he n yo u firs first p rac tic e th is exe rcise rcise . Be c a reful, a nd d on 't p ush ush it. This exe rcise rcise strengthens the vestibular apparatus the balance mechanism residing in the inner ear. With regular practice the dizziness will stop, and the spin will be co me ea sy and flui fluid, d, even at very very fast fast sp ee d s. This is the sa me m otion p ra c tice d b y Islam Islam ic d ervishe ervishe s, the Sufi m ystic ystic s w ho twirl at rapid speeds for long periods of time . The se m ystic ystic s a re know n a s ‘ Whirli Whirling ng Dervishe Dervishe s’ .
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Tib eta n #2 Lie on your back on a mat or rug. Your legs are fully extended, ankles flexed and touching. Arms are by your sides with the palms flat on the floor (Figure 2a). Inhale through the nose, lift your leg leg s a little little pa st a 90 d eg ree ang le, an d raise aise yo ur hea d , tucking tucking your chin into into your che st (Figure (Figure 2b ). This is a ll don e in one smo oth mo tion. Your Your to es po int tow ard the sky; your low low er b ac k should rema in flat flat on the g round . Exhale through either your nose or mouth, bringing your legs and head down to the ground. Rep ea t 21 time time s, inhaling inhaling a s you raise raise yo ur leg leg s and hea d, exhaling a s you b ring them d ow n. When yo u a re finis finished , s sta ta nd with yo ur fee fee t tog ethe r a nd ha nd s on hip s (Figure (Figure lb). Take two full, deep breaths inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips p urs ursed in an ‘ 0’.
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Tib eta n #3
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Kneel with the balls of your feet resting on the ground. Your knees are about four inches apart. Place your palms against the backs of your thighs just below the buttocks. Your spine is erect, with you r c hin tuc ked into your ch est est (Figure (Figure 3a). Inhale through the nose, arching back from the waist. Drop your head as far back as you c om fortab ly ca n (Figure (Figure 3b). Your hand s will sup p ort you as you lea n ba c k. Then e xhale throug h either the nose or mouth, as you return to the starting position. Repeat the entire motion 21 times in a stea stea d y, unb roken rhythm rhythm . When yo u finis finish, stan stan d with yo ur feet to g eth er an d your ha nd s on y our hips (Figure (Figure 1b). Ta Ta ke tw o full, deep breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips p urs ursed in an ‘ 0’.
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Tib eta n #4 Sit up straight straight w ith your leg leg s ou tstr tstretc etc hed in front front o f you. Plac Plac e the p a lms of yo ur hand s fla fla t on the ground beside your hips. Positioning of the hands is very important; they must be placed exac tly along side the h ips. ips. Tuc k your chin into yo ur che st (Figure (Figure 4a). Inha ling ling throug h the no se, raise raise yo ur hip hip s a s you b end you r knees, knees, bring bring ing the soles of yo ur feet flat to the ground and dropping your head all the way back (4b). You will come into a position in which the trunk is parallel to the ground while the arms and legs are perpendicular. Exhale throug throug h either the nose nose o r mouth a s you c om e d ow n to the starti starting ng p osit osition. ion. Rep Rep ea t this mo tion tion 21 time time s in a stea stea d y, unb roken rhythm . Do no t let yo ur feet sli slid d e. The The fee t s shou hou ld stay stay in the same place through this whole exercise. Also, the arms should not bend; the movement is instea instea d a c c om plished plished by p ivoting a t the shoulde shoulde rs. Sta nd whe n you a re finis finished hed , fee fee t tog eth er and ha nd s on h ips (Figure (Figure 1b). Take t wo full, full, dee p breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’.
Tib eta n #5
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Begin this exercise by supporting yourself on the palms of your hands and the balls of your feet. Both the arms and the legs are about two feet apart. Your head is up and back (Figure 5a). Keeping your arms and legs straight, inhale through the nose as you raise your buttocks and tuck your chin into your chest, bringing your body up into a perfect triangle (Figure 5b). Exhale throug throug h e ither ither your nose nose or mo uth a s you swing swing ba c k do wn to the starti starting ng po sition. tion. Ex Exc ep t for the p alms of your hand s and the b alls of your feet, your bo d y rem rem ains off the g round d urin uring g the entirety entirety o f this exerc exerc ise, a nd your arms and legs d o no t be nd at all. Rep ea t the entire entire m otion 21 times in a smo smo oth, unb roken rhythm.
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Up on finis finishing, sta sta nd w ith your feet to g eth er and ha nd s on hips (Figure (Figure 1b). Ta ke tw o full, d ee p breaths, inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth, with your lips pursed in an ‘0’. When you have finished performing all five exercises, lie down on your back and relax for several m inutes. nutes. Let Let the b rea th b e g entle a nd ea sy. Notice Notice any new sensations ensations in your bod y. From The The Five Tib eta ns: Five Dyn am ic Exercises for Hea Hea lth, Energ Energ y, a nd Persona Persona l Pow Pow er b y Christop her S. S. Kilha Kilha m .
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