5 Tibetan Rites

We all have new years resolutions, right?  Well, mine includes enhancing my yoga practice and including it everyday in my life.  When life gets very busy and we have (what feels like) absolutely no time for anything, that is the perfect time to practice yoga.  When you take the time to calm down, relax, and even do a couple asanas, your body finds a way of piecing all the trouble pieces together to help you make the time for everything around you.

One way of getting in a quick, but effective bout of yoga asanas is by practicing the 5 Tibetan rites.  This flow was created by Tibetan monks as a morning routine to balance the chakras.  If you are new to yoga or have not tried these postures before, start with simply doing 5 of each posture.  As an ultimate goal, 21 of each should eventually be performed.  Let it be noted here that even completing all 21 rounds, this will only take about 15 minutes.

All of the information listed below can be found at: http://www.brainyweightloss.com/5-tibetan-rites.html#axzz2GmIvobTG

1. Clockwise Spinning- Stand upright with your head up, extend your arms at shoulder level away from your body, palms facing down.

Start spinning clockwise (to the right) while breathing deeply.

To avoid getting dizzy, keep your eyes fixed on one point, for example your right hand’s little finger.

Stop when you’ve completed 21 turns of the first exercise of the 5 Tibetan Rites.

Allow your muscles to relax a few seconds while breathing deeply a couple of times before moving to the second Rite.

 2. Head and Leg Raise- Lay down on your back with your legs straight and your arms to your side, palms down.

While inhaling, raise off the floor simultaneously your legs and head, tucking your chin into your chest.
Keep your legs straight and try to extend them towards your head.

While exhaling, slowly lower the legs and head returning to the initial position of laying flat on the floor.

Allow your muscles to relax a few seconds while breathing deeply a couple of times before moving to the third Rite.

 3. Kneeling Back bend- Kneel with your legs together, your toes curled, placing your hands on the backs of your thighs and holding your chin into your chest.

While inhaling, raise your head and lean back bringing your shoulder blades together craning your head and neck backwards as far as you comfortably can, relaxing your lower spine and supporting your weight with your hands braced against your thighs.

While exhaling, start to come forward back to your initial position with your chin back to your chest position.

Allow your muscles to relax a few seconds while breathing deeply a couple of times before moving to the fourth Rite.

 4. Table Top- Sit on the floor, legs straight, a little less than shoulder-width apart, arms to your side, palms down, chin tucked against your chest.

While inhaling, raise your buttocks off the floor while bending your knees, shifting your weight to your arms and legs, continuing to raise your buttocks until your trunk and thighs are straight and parallel to the floor, letting your head fall back, as far as you comfortably can.

While exhaling, return to your initial sitting position with your head dropped forward.

Allow your muscles to relax a few seconds while breathing deeply a couple of times before moving to the fifth Rite.

 5. Pendulum- Get down on the floor on your hands and knees (in push-up position) with hands and legs a little less than shoulder-width apart.

While inhaling, come up on your toes shifting your weight in your arms, straighten your legs, arch your spine, bend your head back. Do not let any of your body touch the ground except for your curled toes and hands during the last exercise of the 5 Tibetan Rites.

While exhaling, bend at the hips, push your buttocks up into the air making an inverted V-shape with your legs and arms straight, while tucking your chin toward your chest and trying to put your feet flat on the ground.

Starting position

Finishing position

Now that you have gone through all 5 rites, lay down flat on either your back or stomach and focus on your breathing.  Inhale.  Exhale.  Nice and slow.  Feel how relaxed your body is becoming and try to stay in this position for 5-10 minutes to reap all the benefits from the exercises you just performed.

What's your new years resolution?

Luana ola!