The Five Tibetans on SKY TV Health News



The interview is too large for one You Tube video and has been divided into 4 sections. The interview runs in order from top video to bottom video.

Are The Five Tibetan Rites Suitable For You?

The Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation have become a well-known anti-aging, health & fitness routine. Discovered in a remote Himalayan Monastery during the 1930’s by retired British Army Officer Colonel Bradford; they were introduced to the West in a book by Peter Kelder called The Eye of Revelation.

This unique sequence of 5 yoga movements was developed by the monks to slow down aging, increase energy, calm the mind and remain physically active and healthy well into old age. They take around 10 minutes per day to practice.

Click here to Download your Free T5T: The Five Tibetan Rites Poster

Many benefits are attributed to the Rites, such as improved energy, increased mental clarity, reduced stress, anti-aging etc. However due to exaggeration or oversimplification of the benefits of the Rites on the internet - designed to entice buyers to purchase downloadable e-booklets - the credibility of the Rites has come under question. This is unnecessary, because once armed with a dose of reality; The Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation are genuinely beneficial, and fit easily into daily life. I and thousands of other practitioners would certainly never stop doing them. To find out the truth about what benefits you can realistically expect read The Five Tibetans - What's Real & What Isn't?

Once you have read what you are likely to achieve from practicing the Rites, the next question to ask yourself, is "which method of learning the Rites should I adopt?"

The following questions, points and tips will help you assess what approach to learning The Five Tibetan Rites is best suited to you individually. If you have any doubts, or are beginning a new exercise program - you should consult your doctor.

About You?

Have you ever done yoga before? What is your current state of fitness? How stiff are you? Are you overweight? Have you ever had a back injury or experienced back or neck pain? Do you have weak wrists or other muscular weaknesses?

Have You Done Yoga Before, or Are You Reasonably Fit?

Is core stability part of your workout? Do you know how to establish and maintain neutral spine and neutral pelvis, whilst keeping your head and neck in line with your spine?

How good is your breathing?

Apart from being good at pranayama, do you know what natural, full breathing should feel like? Are all your breathing spaces able to open fully? Do you have tension in your breathing? How are your stress levels? Do you find yourself breathing rapidly in the upper chest, holding your breath, yawning or sighing? Carry out the Breathing Tests on T5T's breathing consultant and expert Michael Grant White's website, to assess yourself correctly.

What You Need to Know Before Beginning The Rites

Because of the Rites historic reputation for anti-aging, many marketers naturally target people who have noticed the first signs of aging and want to do something about it. This group is highly motivated to ‘stop-the-clock’ and are very susceptible to claims that this product, or that service, that will halt their physical and/or mental decline. This is however, the very group of people who need to pursue any form of new exercise with safety and caution.

In the opinion of myself and the many health practitioners I have consulted - the limited information/descriptions on how to do the Rites contained in one or two page articles or slim little downloadable booklets is NOT the way for this group of people (or indeed most other groups) to learn the Rites. Peter Kelder's original book "The Eye of Revelation" is a great read (which I recommend) about the story of the discovery of the Rites; but it is not a good teaching aid. The instructions and illustrations are very limited, and some of the movements are performed in ways that are contradicted today for anyone but the long-term and regular yoga practitioner (and even they would probably modify the parts that compress the spine). Here's why:

As we get older, it is a natural part of life, that we will experience varying degrees of degeneration of the spine, discs and joints of the body. This includes, calcification, bone spurs, arthritis, wearing down of the discs plus general wear and tear. In the original instructions contained in the booklet The Eye of Revelation, you are told to "throw your head back as far as it will go" - "allow your body to come slowly down into a 'sagging' position" and to "lean backwards as far as possible"

However if you follow these instructions to the letter, you are going to compress the discs and vertebrae of the spine which is generally contraindicated for the reasons mentioned above. I used to teach workshops using the original version of the Rites from Peter Kelder's instructions, and soon noticed a similar percentage of people developing back or neck ache.

I consulted physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, occupational health and other health practitioners to develop 'T5T' (my abbreviation for The Five Tibetans) which is a much safer and easier way to learn and practice the Rites both short and long-term. The integrity of the original movements remains intact, and the problems of the past have been almost totally eradicated.

It is worth remembering that the monks who developed the Rites would most likely have done these movements from a very young age. In addition, their lifestyle was much more menial than that of our modern western largely sedentary one. I took this into account when developing T5T.

In T5T you are taught how to prevent compression and strain etc. You are taught how to move correctly; how to align your body; how to build a strong foundation, have control of the movement, and to protect your spine. You are also taught the common problems and solutions to each move, which makes it much easier for you to practice correctly. Only the T5T method of learning the Rites teaches you this.

Most people have experienced back or neck pain at some stage in their lives. Unless they have completely rehabilitated the site of the injury through exercise and the application of various therapies - there is going to be some degree of weakness in the muscles, tendons, ligaments of the spinal column. To protect the spine, T5T has introduced the use of core stability training whilst you perform the Rites.

Core stability means to activate the deepest core muscles closest to the spine, which stabilize and protect it during movement. Core stability muscles when activated CORRECTLY, act like a natural corset or weight belt. Core stability is not a feature of any of the earlier version of the Rites: However through ultrasound experiments:

"Results suggest that the central nervous system deals with stabilization of the spine by contracting the multifidus and abdominal muscles before any limb movement. In other words, when you even just think of moving - the abdominal and multifidus muscles contract. They are the first muscles to contract even before the arms and the legs.” Hodges PW; Richardson CA SOURCE: Phys Therapy 1997 Feb; 77(2):132-42; discussion 142-4

What’s Involved in Learning The Rites?

The Five Tibetan Rites are a sequence of 5 movements, each repeated 21 times each. In my version (T5T) a breathing exercise called Energy Breathing is carried out between each Rite to further increase vitality and maintain health. A number of clinical studies have shown, that how well you breathe literally dictates your lifespan. The whole T5T routine takes around 10 mins per day on average.

Colonel Bradford and I both recommend that when you begin learning, you carry out just 3 repetitions of each Rite per day for the first week. Then you simply add just two more repetitions per week, until by 10 weeks, you are carrying out the required 21 repetitions of each Rite.

To get this into perspective, let’s do some maths! If you do your 21 repetitions per posture every day for one whole year, you will have carried out 7665 repetitions of each posture – or 38,325 for all five Rites. Can you see how very important correct alignment, posture, control, balance and the development of core strength is? Once again, only the T5T version contains this sort of information in depth.

Now I don’t want you to get frightened about the Rites, because they are absolutely wonderful, and people from 12 to 80 + practice them all over the world. However I do want you to benefit from the knowledge and experience I have (and share with you below), so that you can make the best choices for yourself.

Note: The information in dark red below is what we teach in T5T. 'T5T' is used to identify the modified system of the Rites that I developed in consultation with other health practitioners - and is not covered in any of the original texts on The Five Rites.

Do any of the following apply to you?

• Muscle imbalances, muscle weaknesses? Yes? T5T teaches you what to look out for, and how to measure your alignment. Otherwise all you will do is compound your imbalances eventually leading to injury or strain
• Poor postural habits, sitting, lying, standing, moving and slouching: Rounded shoulders, or one higher than the other etc? Yes? T5T teaches you how to determine what is good posture, what bad posture is and how to maintain good posture throughout all stages of the movements. Another very important point - T5T teaches you how NOT to perform the movements
• Wrist weakness or inflexibility? Do you find it a bit of a struggle to unscrew jars/bottles etc? Yes? T5T teaches you how to build up your wrist strength & flexibility - and what adaptation or modification you can use in the meantime.
• Are you overweight? Yes? T5T teaches you specific adaptations and steps to make the postures achievable, and to avoid any potential for strain & injury.
• Largely sedentary? Are you at a point, where you think you had better 'do' something now, before it is too late? Yes? T5T teaches you the Rites in a step-by-step progression, with alternatives to those who need additional support and strength development. You will gain strength from the inside out rather than being what Susie Lapin, Physiotherapist calls "a soft centered chocolate".
• There is no 'One size fits all' body. Some people have long arms, some short arms, some longer legs. All these variations have an impact on the way the Rites need to be performed. T5T teaches you what to do, and how to know when you have found your center of gravity, where your movement is most stable and pleasurable to perform.
• What are the common problems and the solutions to any problems? For example what do you do if you can't kneel on the floor? Or what solutions are there if you experience dizziness or nausea in the very early stages of learning the Rites? This information is comprehensively covered by T5T from observing the experiences of literally hundreds of students.
• How good is your breathing? As we age our breathing capacity reduces. Like any muscle, unless you use it you lose it. In one study, researchers measured the forced exhalation rate of people in nursing homes and found they could accurately predict which people would live the longest. In the original texts on The Five Tibetan Rites it merely says, "Take deep breaths". Most people take breathing for granted and have actually no idea how to breathe correctly – "I'm alive aren’t I"? Telling people with limited knowledge how to breathe deeply is not sufficient. They need to learn how to breathe from the belly, ribs, back, sides, collarbones. Most people think breathing is an up and down motion only, which is incorrect. T5T's breathing method "Energy Breathing" once learnt helps expand your breathing capacity, slow down your breathing rate and improve vitality in your entire body/mind.
  

So, now you’ve read all this – what do you do next?

I recommend you read the original story of the discovery of the Rites which describes their unique history in the language of the time. Online e-booklets cost USD $19.95, but you can also purchase the legitimate printed version from the publishers, Borderlands Science directly, which costs USD $5.95. The booklet contains 30 pages and 9 illustrations.

What about T5T?

T5T contains all the modifications, adaptations, common problems & solutions that have been tried and tested over thousands of students, through workshops, books, DVD etc. It is a modified version of the Rites that includes a step-by-step strength development system that incorporates core stability, and breathing. The T5T Books contain 176 pages and 202 photographs.

Becoming an Instructor.

Consider becoming a Registered T5T Instructor, so you can also help others improve their health and vitality.

What other learning choices are there

• Find a yoga teacher who has trained in core stability, neutral spine etc
• Find a Pilates teacher and run through the routine with her/him
• Learn about all the books that are available on the Rites by reading my Blog post, Learning the Five Tibetans From Books

If you wish to publish this article on your website, you may do so provided that you assign copyright to the author, exactly as written below.

Copyright (c) 2005 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan

The Five Tibetans - What's Real & What Isn't?

Claims for the benefits of performing the Rites have proliferated over the web, becoming increasingly exaggerated to a point where they have been made to sound like a 'miracle cure' – an ancient, secret snake oil medicine!

People are led to believe that the Rites will completely halt their aging, help them lose enormous amounts of weight; fix their cancer, heart disease, fibroid cysts, and numerous other serious health conditions. Their expectations are often set way too high, and they are bound to be disappointed. This is regrettable, as it steers people away from this truly beneficial routine which takes such a short amount of time per day.

This article is an attempt to restore credibility to the Rites by helping people gain realistic expectations, of what they might achieve from performing this powerful rejuvenation method.

A simple search on the web will show numerous sites offering downloadable e-booklets on The Five Tibetan Rites for around US$19.95 up to $39.95. These booklets are copies of the original book that introduced the Rites to the West during the late 1930's. Titled, The Eye of Revelation by Peter Kelder it outlines the story of the discovery of the monks in Tibet by his friend; retired British Army Officer, Colonel Bradford. According to one of his publishers Peter Kelder is still alive; albeit very old - and therefore the copyright on his book does not expire for another 50 years.

Since the selling of these booklets is purely a commercial enterprise; invariably there will be some internet marketers who exaggerate the benefits of the Rites, in order to entice buyers to purchase this product. Whilst this proliferation of marketers' offering the same booklet increases the visibility of the Rites, which is beneficial; I feel it is important to add a dose of reality to the whole subject.

If you are thinking of learning the Rites; good for you. However you might want to bear in mind that nearly everyone selling these booklets has never actually physically taught anyone. "So what", you might say: I'm coming to that...

So what gives me the right to comment? After all I also benefit commercially from selling T5T (my abbreviation for The Five Tibetan Rites) merchandise, workshops and teacher training. I'll be brief: My background is in teaching the Rites to thousands of people over the last 6 years. I’ve had two books on the Rites published, T5T: The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin) and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House). I’ve taught numerous workshops to hundreds of students; trained 32 instructors, filmed a DVD and made an audio CD.

So What are the Exaggerations, Non Truths or Over-Simplifications Claimed for the Benefits of the Rites?

Here are some examples I have found on the internet:

• You can remove your wrinkles, a secret cosmetic surgeons don’t want you to learn. Absolute rubbish I’m sad to say!
  

• Restores your natural hair color. In all the many hundreds of people I have taught only ONE said he ‘thought” his sideburns were going darker.

• Guaranteed – you will look a shocking 30 years younger! Will turn you back to being 25 years old all over again! Imagine getting back the face, hair, strength and vitality you had at 25 years old! If this was true, it would be on the main news! The extra life-energy (Qi, prana) flowing through your body from doing the Rites definitely gives you a healthier and more vital look – but NO way do you become young again sadly.

• Will correct your eyesight. In my experience, no-one yet has flung off their glasses saying, “I can see, I can see". There is a slight difference in your vision immediately after you have done the Rites, with a mild improvement overall. They certainly do not ‘fix’ eyesight problems.

• Virtually anyone can perform them at any age, right up to 100 years old or more! The person who wrote this comment is a copywriter, NOT a teacher of the Rites! When I began teaching the Rites I used the original version as described in Peter Kelder’s books. In every workshop I noticed a pattern of lower back and neck pain occurring in a similar percentage of people. So I took the routine to physiotherapists, chiropractors, osteopaths, occupation health, Feldenkrais and Pilates Instructors to find ways of making them safer, and simpler for just about anyone to do. The result is T5T which incorporates core stability to protect the spinal column, as well as ways of moving that do not compress the discs and vertebrae of the spine. The problems of the past have been totally eradicated by this step-by-step process. I also consulted a well-known breathing expert as I felt breathing was very scantily addressed in Kelder’s books. A number of clinical studies have proven that how well you breathe literally dictates your lifespan. With the T5T method of doing the Rites, your breathing capacity is increased and your breathing rate is slowed. To find out if the Rites are for you or what to watch out for when you begin learning, see my article “Are The Five Tibetan Rites Suitable For You?’

• Your energy levels become turbo-charged! There is no doubt that this is one of the principal benefits of the Rites. However most people will read this and think they can go out and run a marathon. Not everyone gets the super-charged variety. Most people get an obvious endurance type of energy as opposed to the six cups of coffee effect inferred by the use of the word turbo-charged! Unlike caffeine energy, the energy derived from the Rites is enduring (unless you stop doing them).

• Martin Sheen the actor and John Gray from Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus credit the Rites for their youthful looks. This is not what they say at all! The quotes attributed to both of them on the Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth book covers, mention nothing about them "personally looking younger" because of the Rites. Incidentally, John Gray kindly reviewed my book project (and provided a personal quote) and noted the amendments I had made to the Rites. He told me that he too had modified the Rites to make them safer and easier for people to perform.

• Every copy of the book was lost, until one was found recently. Completely untrue! The publishers say (on the Fountain of Youth No 2 book cover) they have sold over 2 million copies of the later version of the book. Borderland Sciences have been publishing the original book “The Eye of Revelation” for years and at a fraction of the cost $5.95 versus the $19.95 up to $39.95 that people are charging on the internet. It’s a great story by the way and well worth reading. It is not a great teaching aid though as the instructions and illustrations are extremely limited, and for the reasons mentioned above.

So, What Are The Real Benefits?

There has been no clinical research done on the Five Rites. Although there have been numerous studies done on yoga, from which the Rites are developed. Some of the Rite’s movements are well-known yoga postures; however these 5 movements are performed in a specific sequence with some unique adaptations. The Spin (1st Rite) for example is not part of any other yoga and is unique to the Five Rites. The only 'research' that has been done if you like, is by the millions of people (the publisher of the Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth claims 2 million copies of this book have been sold) who have practiced the Rites.

Other notable research is from Five Tibetan teachers, or yoga teachers who teach them to their students. I cannot speak for the others but here is a list of the benefits you can expect. This knowledge comes from the direct teaching experience of myself and my instructors in teaching the many hundreds of students who attended our workshops or received private tuition. We compiled this information from our workshop/private tuition feedback forms, correspondence, discussions, testimonials and completed questionnaires:

Since I have modified the Rites (without affecting their integrity) to make them safer and easier to perform; the list below relates to T5T (my abbreviation for The Five Tibetans).

Most people experience varying degrees of one or more of the following benefits:

• A significant increase in energy - more the endurance type of energy as opposed to the revved up caffeine type of energy. You feel like you can keep going and going.
• Feel calmer and less stressed – your buttons simply don’t get pushed as easily anymore.
• Develop significant mental clarity with a razor sharp focus.
• Feel stronger, more flexible and less stiff
• Enjoy seeing muscles appear on your arms, stomachs, hips, legs and backs. Good for toning flabby arms and tightening the abdomen
• Sleep better. Some people have more vivid dreams
• Overall improvement in your health, don’t seem to catch colds etc as often
• Helps with depression and anxiety - lifts mood and improves well-being
• More centered and at peace
• Improved self discipline and sense of purpose
• Feel younger and more powerful
• Improved breathing - deeper, slower & more conscious
• Increased levels of Qi (chi, ki, prana, life-energy)
• Better posture
• Develops good core strength, which provides a strong foundation for any other form of exercise or modern living
• Some people lose weight, most find it easier to control weight and desire healthier foods
• Improved digestion and elimination
• Helps with the transition and symptoms of menopause
• Helps with the symptoms of menstruation
• Improved libido

There are many individual cases of people receiving improvement to their health conditions. This does not indicate that everyone who has this condition will experience the same benefit. It also does not allow for the influence of other factors that may also have contributed to the improvement in their condition. Please see the Testimonials on my website that detail these personal experiences (full name's given).

I hope this information has helped you. If you are already doing the Rites and would like some tips on maintaining a long-term practice and interest - please read my article “Getting the Most Out of The Five Tibetans”

If you would like to really boost their effects I highly recommend you include core stability training with the Rites, and learn how to breathe correctly (both during and between each movement). If you do not have someone who can teach you this, I recommend you purchase my Book or my DVD which covers both subjects in great depth. In the T5T method, both these subjects have been tailor-made by myself and other health professionals, to fit and maximize your practice of the Rites.

If you are or have already practiced the Rites and are disappointed that your expectations have not been met, please read my blog post “The Five Tibetans - Not Getting the Benefits You Expected?" It includes comments from myself and others, offering suggestions to enhance your practice so you can obtain further benefits.

Finally, if you are considering learning the Rites for the first time, including those of you who are experienced yoga, or fitness practitioners; please read my article “Are The Five Tibetan Rites Suitable For You?

If you wish to publish this article on your website you may do so, provided you assign copyright to the author exactly as written below. Copyright (c) 2007 Carolinda Witt - author “T5T: The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites" and "The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan"

The Five Tibetan Rites - Is There a Link to the Whirling Dervishes?

It would be natural to assume a link between the whirling described in Rite # 1 of The Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation, and the Whirling Dervishes - founded by the great philosopher and writer Rumi in the 13th Century. However, from the evidence I have found below, there is no connection.

Some practitioners and teachers of the Five Tibetan Rites have adopted some of the movements from the Sema (the Dervishes religious ceremony - such as spinning anti-clockwise and holding one palm facing upwards and one pointing downwards. However as you shall read below, this is purely a modern adaptation, and has no historical connection.

Although they both spin, the First Rite and the Sema (a religious ceremony) have different outcomes and vary significantly in technique. The Dervishes spin to induce a trance-like ecstatic state, whereas the Tibetan 1st Rite is performed to stimulate the vortexes into action.

The sema is the inspiration of Mevlana Celaleddin-i Rumi (1207- 1273) as well as of Turkish custom, history, beliefs and culture. It is part of a sacred ceremony in which the dervish rotates in a precise rhythm. Whilst whirling, the dervish aims to empty himself of all distracting thoughts. As he enters into a trance, he is released from his bodily awareness and conquers his dizziness. Dervishes believe that their souls are released from earthly ties, able to freely and jubilantly communicate with the divine.

Dervish literally means "doorway" and is thought to be an entrance from this material world to the spiritual, heavenly world. In the past the Turkish Sultans would often consult the Dervishes for guidance. They believed that the dervish was in prayer and that the spinning created a hypnotic and relaxing affect which opened his body to receive the energy of God.In the Tibetan First Rite, both palms are facing downwards towards the floor. The Dervishes however, place their right palm upwards to receive the power of the heavens, and their left palm turned downwards to direct this energy into the earth. They see themselves as the conduit of God’s power and do not try to hold onto or direct that power.

Extract from the official website of Rumi's family:

While whirling his arms are open, his right hand directed to the skies ready to receive God's beneficence, looking to his left hand turned toward the earth, he turn from right to left around the heart. This is his way of conveying God's spiritual gift to the people upon whom he looks with the eyes of God. Revolving around the heart, from right to left, he embraces all the mankind, all the creation with affection and love.

In Peter Kelder's books whereupon he outlines Colonel Bradford's direct teachings from the Lamas in the Tibetan Monastery, he mentions Bradford's discussion regarding the Dervishes as follows:

When I spoke to one of the Lamas about this, he informed me that while this whirling movement of the Dervishes did have a very beneficial effect, it also had a devastating one. It seems that a long siege of whirling stimulates into great activity Vortexes (Chakras) A, B and E. These three have a stimulating effect on the other two - c & D. But due to excessive leg action the Vortexes in the knees - F & G - are over-stimulated and finally so exhausted that the building up of the Vital Forces along with this tearing down causes the participants to experience a kind of 'psychic jag' which they mistake for something spiritual or at least religious.

However, continued the Colonel, we do not carry the whirling exercise to excess. While the Whirling Dervishes may spin around hundreds of times, we find that greater benefit is obtained by restricting it to about a dozen or so times, enough so that Rite Number One (The Spin) can stimulate all the Vortexes to action.

Another variation is that Bradford tells us to spin clockwise whereas the Sema is performed anti-clockwise. For more information on whether we should spin clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and anti-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere - see my article which gives you the correct information.

The true origins of the spin we can only speculate about. Spinning is so natural it almost certainly evolved from the careful observation of natural laws.

You can see evidence of spinning everywhere. The Earth spins around the sun and when viewed from space is covered in spiraling cloud formations, similar in shape to that of our galaxy. Your own body contains numerous spirals, from your DNA to the unique swirls on the tips of your fingers. Time-lapse photography enables you to see that sprouting seeds don’t shoot upwards as was previously thought. They germinate in a spiral.

The Ancients, have long taught that the universe is full of spinning vortexes, through which the energy of the universe enters and vitalizes your body and all other things. Some ancient cultures believed that the Earth’s energy gathers into vortexes, and in those places they built churches, temples and other places of worship and learning. Some people believe that the extraordinary structures of Stonehenge, the Pyramids and the giant stone monoliths of Easter Island represent places where the Ancients believed ‘special energies’ gathered.

Whatever the explanation for the Spin (1st Tibetan Rite) it does seem reasonable to think that there may be some universal significance in terms of connecting spinning with energy generation and dispersal.

The vortex form is integral to the universe. It’s a constant that recurs throughout all life. Through the revolving of the neutrons, protons and electrons of the atoms that form our basic structure, everything takes part in this revolving.

"The sky is round, and I have heard the earth is round like a ball, and so are all the stars. The wind in its greatest power whirls. Birds make their nest in circles, for theirs is the same religion as ours.

The sun comes forth and goes down again in a circle. The moon does the same, and both are round. Even the seasons form a great circle in their changing, and always come back again to where they were. The life of man is a circle from childhood to childhood, and so it is in everything where power moves…" Black Elk, Sioux Holy Man

If you wish to publish this article on your website, you may do so provided that you assign copyright to the author, exactly as written below:

Copyright (c) 2005 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan

The Five Tibetans Teacher Training Program

JUST LAUNCHED
DISTANCE/ONLINE INSTRUCTOR TRAINING PROGRAM


Finally a way to learn how to teach T5T® (The Five Tibetan Rites and Energy Breathing Program) that:

• You can do at your own time and pace.
• You don’t have to take time off work – just do it when it suits you.
• Is less expensive than an on-site training - no travel, accommodation, venue or transportation costs involved

You learn how to teach T5T® to:

1. Private individuals
2. Small groups
3. Public workshops
4. Corporate training

Would you like to?

• Have an additional source of income?
• Earn money from something that keeps you fit, healthy & happy?
• Help yourself and help others change their lives to the positive?
• Add a complimentary skill to your existing qualifications?
• Appear on the www.T5T.com website as a Registered T5T® Instructor?
• Be part of a recognised brand? Share in the marketing & promotional efforts of T5T®?
  

What Does it Include?

It's easy for you to get your business up and running straight away. You don’t need to create your own brochures, advertisements, business cards etc, as they have already been attractively designed for you to simply personalise and print.

The T5T Business Manual

Every form you need to run the business immediately is provided: How to promote & market yourself; press releases for media; advertising and ready made adverts; prize winner letter; practitioner specials; testimonials etc. Handling objections; phone call inquiry script; enrolment form; indemnity form; workshop roll sheet; promissory note (for those who have to pay by payment plan); feedback form; health providers information pack (for those who need to check with their doctors); tuition rate card; poster for the door of venue; workshop check lists; stationary; letterhead; logo; price list of T5T merchandise; student certificate and much more.

The T5T Teaching Manual
Makes it so achievable for you to begin teaching T5T; almost immediately. The entire T5T workshop is written out for you to follow - in a bullet point format and an in-depth format. You use the bullet point version to follow along with during class so you don’t lose your place, and the in-depth version to study, practice and fine-tune your instructing skills. Naturally you will want to bring your own experience, stories and expression to the workshop, but the hard work has all been done for you (& tried and tested by over 800 people and 27 Instructors). Every student gets a copy of the T5T book, CD & Poster as part of their fee, so you can be sure that everything gets covered.

T5T Book (176 pages & 204 photos)
T5T: The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin, Australia & New Zealand) or the US version The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House)

Companion T5T DVD
Filmed in both studio and outside locations. This makes if very easy for you to accurately learn the postures and breathing.

Companion audio T5T CD
Simply turn it on and follow the instructions. It helps you memorize all the fine points. It also contains the three T5T relaxation/visualisation exercises centered on breathing, which include the natural sounds of nature as well as enriching music.

T5T Poster
With the 5 Rites on the one side and the warm-ups on the other

Two Books for the Book Reports.

• The Eye of Revelation by Peter Kelder which tells the original story of The Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation.
• Free Your Breath, Free Your Life by Dennis Lewis which illustrates the natural full breathing philosophy of T5T

Paul Grilley’s DVD – Anatomy for Yoga
Which makes it so clear why some people can do certain postures and others can’t. Paul uses yoga teachers to show the difference between muscular tension or bone or soft tissue compression. This will explain why some people can do a perfect downward dog and others can’t!

On the completion of your training:

• You become a Registered T5T® Instructor
• You are licenced to teach T5T® to anyone with the exception of teaching other T5T Teachers.
• You receive a professional Certificate (see picture above) recognising you as a Registered T5T® Instructor.
• All workshop materials and merchandise are made available to you at wholesale prices.
• You receive a personal User Login and Password to enter your personal information, workshops and private testimonials on the www.T5T.com website.
• You share in the recognition, marketing, media and purchasing benefits of the T5T brand

Your Next Step if Interested

If interested please complete an Expression of Interest Form.

Upon receipt of this form you will be sent a Payment Form which gives details of the payment plan options.

Bratislav Petrovic - Yoga Teacher - Melbourne, Australia - I did the T5T instructor training in Melbourne at the beginning of February 06. The training was so detailed, practical and very informative. Even though I have been doing and teaching yoga for more than 10 years I learnt a lot from Carolinda about the 5 Rites. The training was so detailed that I feel confident that I could start teaching T5T immediately. Carolinda was so dedicated to teaching us every detail about T5T. We were given excellent notes to take with us.

The business part of the manual is so good and we don't need to spend any time for preparation the necessary documentation for teaching. It is specifically useful for me because English is my second language. I can go now with all that I need to promote the T5T workshops with a peace of mind because everything is done professionally.

Why would a yoga teacher go for this training? Carolinda has done so much research with various practitioners to create the safest program for teaching the 5 Rites. Students do each Rite step by step in order to do them safely and gradually develop muscles which will lift their self esteem. I am confident that many students of T5T would start doing yoga when they reach 21 repetitions of each Rite. Many of them probably would have never considered doing yoga before.

Each T5T instructor can have access to the T5T web page to advertise the workshops and get more students. Carolinda is there to help us if we need her.

The Five Tibetan Rites on Facebook - Meet Others:

Meet others who are interested in performing- or who already doing the Five Rites. Share experiences, problems, tips, network.

Join Facebook to access - its free and you can create your own social network in addition to joining this group. Great way to network.

Just click on the link above to begin.

The Five Tibetans - Not Getting the Benefits You Expected?

I received this email yesterday from Coatia:

I started practising 5 Tibetans a couple of months ago, but I don't feel that I have more energy (although I do 21 repetitions of every rite) and my improvement seems to be very, very slow. Is there anything I can do in order to have more benefit?

There is a lot of literature on the Rites on the internet, in books and in articles that claim incredible anti-aging benefits for the Rites. I think people's expectations can be very high, and they would naturally question or be disappointed in why they received only minor benefits from practicing the Rites.

In the original book by Peter Kelder (The Eye of Revelation) published in 1939 for example it says,

"It concerned a group of Lamas or Tibetan priests who, apparently, had discovered "The Fountain of Youth." The natives told of old men who had mysteriously regained health and strength, vigor and virility shortly after entering a certain Lamasery."

and

"No, I am not my son,'' he returned. "I am none other than your old friend, Colonel Bradford, the old man who went away to the Himalayas,"

I stood in incredulous amazement at his statement, then it slowly dawned upon me that this really was the Colonel Bradford that I had known; but what a change had taken place in his appearance. Instead of the stooped, limping, sallow old gentleman with a cane, he was tall, straight, ruddy-complexioned man in the prime of life. Even his hair, which had grown back, held no trace of gray.

Given the glowing language of the time and the mystical overtones, I don't think it is surprising that people believe the Rites to be a cure for all ailments and aging.

I for example, found the whole idea of the hair growing back dark rather far fetched, until Stuart French who attended one of my workshops reported that this had happened to his sideburns. Stuart eventually become a Registered T5T Instructor.

So what's the truth? There are numerous studies that prove the benefits of a regular yoga practice and its impact on health and wellbeing. This article from Yoga Journal says in part:

During the past 80 years, health professionals in India and the West have begun to investigate the therapeutic potential of yoga. To date, thousands of research studies have been undertaken and have shown that with the practice of yoga a person can, indeed, learn to control such physiologic parameters as blood pressure, heart rate, respiratory function, metabolic rate, skin resistance, brain waves, body temperature, and many other bodily functions." Though it's difficult to find most of these studies, some current, accessible research reports significant results for challenging medical conditions:

In the same article, Patrick Randolph, Ph.D., in Texas says, "The asanas help increase circulation to the limbs while the resultant relaxation addresses anxiety. "What many people report from doing yoga is that rather than being an exercise that takes energy away, it actually energizes."

Aside from all the measurable physical benefits, I believe that there is an energy component that we can't measure or quantify yet.

The Lamas told Colonel Bradford that the quickest way to regain health, youth and vitality is to start the magnetic centres of the body spinning again, through the practice of the Five Rites.

"The body has seven centers, which, in English, could be called Vortexes. These are kind of magnetic centres. They revolve at great speed in the healthy body, but when slowed down - well that is just another name for old age, ill-health, and senility.

Yoga Journal continues:

And Yoga's most ephemeral benefits, such as the opening of energy channels, are even more difficult to define and evaluate in a research setting. Dr. Brandeis believes it will take more scientists with a much greater experiential knowledge of yoga to begin measuring what might be classified as energetic changes. "Probably in the future [research will] try to translate energetic effects into concrete medicine, but right now there aren't enough practitioners with enough knowledge to generate that kind of interest," he says.

This article can be found online at http://www.yogajournal.com/health/115_1.cfm

My own experience & that of teaching so many people the Rites is that people do indeed achieve a wide range of benefits from small to pretty outstanding. People don't always trust Testimonials but they are a great overview of what people personally believe they have gained. Testimonials from qualified health professionals, fitness professionals to the general public all point to similar benefits. These can be read on http://www.t5t.com/testimonials.cfm and in the Peter Kelder books (Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth).

Having said all this, one cannot have a one-sided result with any form of exercise. One-sided means that it is all positive with no negatives. You have to have both - same as in life. You can't have a gain without a loss, or a loss without a gain. You can't have ugly without beautiful to tell you what ugly is and so on. Focusing only the positive benefits of the Rites will inevitably disappoint. Perhaps the negatives of having to make the time to do them, or getting up early to do them, or even making the physical effort, do not outweight the benefits. A great question to ask oneself would be, "What am I losing by doing the Rites?" Then, "What am I gaining by doing the Rites?"

Play with the positives and the negatives of all the answers until you reach a state of balance, where you are neither in fantasy about the benefits or resentful of practicing them. Neither state is a place where you will relax and enjoy them.

For me, I made a decision that aging doesn't get better! I knew I would need to do many things to get more out of my life for as long as I could. T5T is one of those. I don't need to think about it anymore, I just do it. I know it works, I know it will work in the long term and no more thought needs to be applied to it. I've heard of two 80+ year old men who have been doing the Rites 20 years. One of their sons recently told me his father is getting younger every time he sees him. Clearly that isn't true, but his father believes the Rites are the reason for his physical strength and wellbeing. Who is to dispute him?

Colonel Bradford himself says that the monks told him that you need to invest a strong amount of faith and belief in the Rites to maximise their benefit. If you think old, you become old. He suggests people stride instead of hobble for example.

So what did I say to the gentleman from Croatia?

For some people, the benefits are less dramatic. If you were going to get any major changes, this would be most noticeable in the first 2 weeks. Therefore the only long-term benefits I think you may get are in the area of strength and flexibility development, increased calmness emotionally and greater positivity. You may also notice that you get ill less often or that the symptoms are less.

Are you by any chance sleeping more with vivid dreams, or do you need less sleep?

Just like electricity our body is infused with life-energy, even though you can't see it. As you would know, the Rites stimulate the flow of life-energy through the body, unblocking stagnant areas and revitalising the body. This 'feeling' is more subtle than the typical physical sensations we are used to and you may need to fine tune your awareness. The best way of doing this is by becoming more present during and after your practice.

Try and be much more present (not thinking of the past or future events or things done or things to do) when doing the Rites. Yoga and the Rites are meditation in motion. Practice the ability to train the monkey mind to be still, by focusing on balance, precision, control, alignment, sensation, lack of sensation and of course the breath!
Often the best way to find out if you are getting any benefits is to stop doing them for a month at least! If you find you don't want to stop - then take notice! Your body knows it wants to keep doing them, even though you are not feeling any major changes.

Perhaps you should miss a couple of days and let your body have a rest. Then do your 21 repetitions and notice if there is a difference. Do you notice a change immediately after doing the Rites?

Wth regard to your question about what can you do to improve the effects: Are you doing T5T or the original version from one of the Peter Kelder books? He does not include much on breathing which is a major health and vitality improver. A number of clinical studies have shown that how well you breathe literally dictates your lifespan. T5T contains extensive knowledge in breathing and specialised breathing is carried out between each Rite.

I updated the Rites calling them T5T (The Five Tibetans) to make them more potent in light of modern exercise knowledge as well as to prevent a pattern of lower back pain and neck pain I observed from people practicing the original Rites - particulary from Rites 2 and 3. T5T focuses on developing strong deep abdominal muscles (core stability). These muscles wrap around and protect the spine like a natural weight belt preventing back injury (there are also neck stabiliser muscles which are also activated correctly during T5T). These actions are repetitive and correct alignment and control is very important. Strong core muscles also counteract the effects of gravity on the elimination organs as well as stimulate the reproductive glands.

If you wish to publish this article on your website you may do so, provided that you assign copyright to the author exactly as written below:

Copyright (c) 2007 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan

Five Tibetan Rites & Energy Breathing Workshops x 9
in USA April/May 2007

Timed to coincide with the book launch of The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan Carolinda Witt and Nancy Zevely are teaching workshops on the East and West Side of the US.

If you want to know more, check out the website www.T5T.com under 'Workshops' for info.

April 21st - Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Sunday April 22nd - Washington DC
Saturday April 28th - New York East Side
April 28th - Portland, Oregon
Saturday May 5th - Jacksonville, Florida
May 5th - Seattle, Washington
Sunday May 6th - Mooresville, North Carolina
Saturday May 12th - Las Vegas, Nevado
May 19th - San Francisco, California

GIVING UP THE FIVE TIBETAN RITES!

We call it 'falling off the wagon!' Many people learn and practice the rites, and whilst many people continue to practice them for years and years (I know of one old man in his 80's who has practiced them for 20 years), others give up.

When I have asked them why, they say that they just 'got out of the habit' of doing them. Then they immediately say, 'But I felt so much better when I did do them. I'm going to get back to doing them again'.

There's the key! The ability to maintain a habit, pattern, routine, call it what you will, this is the No 1 difference between those that keep it up and others who give up.

Some of those who gave up had practiced them for years - then slowly cut out one day at a time, which then ran into two days, then 3 days, then a week and so on. Then the pattern was broken and other life events simply seeped into the cracks of The Five Tibetans time until suddenly they stopped! This is despite the wonderful benefits they received when doing the Rites - so what's going on?

Initially people say this is what happened:

• I got sick
• I went on holiday
• I was too busy with a project at work
• The place I am living is too small, or I'm concerned about waking others
• I got lazy
• My relationship broke up
• Someone in my close circle died
• I haven't any time

Regardless of the initial impetus that stopped people doing them, the real issue is breaking the pattern. Why do you break the pattern? Because you are no longer inspired to do them! Yes, you may have all the original benefits you wanted - more energy, calmness, stronger muscles and core, more flexibility, improved health and stamina - but you have got used to having those benefits. Now, you need something more!

So if you want to keep doing them, here is a great way of linking how doing the rites' can help you achieve your mission, purpose or goals in life. The truth is you need MORE reasons to DO them, than NOT to do them. This method comes from Dr John Demartini who appears on "The Secret" movie. You need to get a pen and paper! Write down the 7 areas of your life as headings:

1. Spiritual
2. Familial
3. Vocational
4. Financial
5. Mental
6. Physical
7. Social

In each area of your life, write down 25 to 30 ways in which doing this activity can help you fulfill your life mission/purpose/goals.

Get yourself inspired again and let me know how you go?

If you wish to publish this article for your website - you may do so, provided you assign the correct copyright and accreditation exactly as shown below:

Copyright (c) 2006 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin) and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House)

Five Tibetans Workshops in the USA
I will be in the US from 31st March to 23rd April. I am looking for people who are interested in hosting a T5T (The 5 Tibetans) Student Workshop during this period. Its fun and a skill that once learnt, lasts a lifetime.

My book The 10- Minute Rejuvenation Plan launches on April 3rd 2007 - Three Rivers Press (Random House), and local media (print, radio & tv) will be contacted.

As a host you will receive free tuition; a copy of the book (176 pages & 202 photos); a T5T CD and Poster.

If you have a network of friends or colleagues whom you think might benefit from this portable & manageable daily routine (10 mins per day once learnt) - please email me for an information pack.

Alternatively, you may want to suggest this to someone you know.

Most people experience one or all of the following benefits:

• boosts energy, vitality & endurance
• both general and core strength improved
• increased flexibility
• mind is clearer and sharper. Ability to focus
• calmer & less reactive to stress
• renewed sense of purpose & wellbeing
• sleep & health improves
• desire for healthier foods
• more self disciplined
• feel younger

Here's a group of happy people after a workshop.

The Five Tibetan Rites - Do They Help You Lose Weight?

The 5 Tibetan exercises are truly remarkable! I believe to the depth of my soul that the regular doing of these exercises contributed greatly to the reduction in my body weight by 8 kgs in 2006. On 1 April I weighted 83 kgs and commenced T5Ts about the same time. By 25 November (my birthday) I weighted 75 kgs!! I am a believer in reducing weight slowly so I was so trilled with this. I did at one time weigh 94kgs and this is the lightest I have been in 20 years. I couldn't even do half a repetition of Rites No 4 & 5, yet I continually persisted each day just to do as much as I could. So little by little I improved in technique and strength. I was absolutely delighted with myself as I could do 21 rotations of each of T5T pose after ONLY 14 weeks. T5T gave me and continues to give me a wonderful sense of amazement - that my body can DO them; a sense of achievement; confidence; increased happiness; an incredible feeling of well-being and the increased my fitness level dramatically!! I would like to say 'thank you' to my friends Chris and Laurie who introduced me to them! They have changed my life!! " Shirley-Anne Lawler (51 years)


Over the years of teaching the Rites, I have noticed the following trends when it comes to losing weight. One thing for sure, is that there is no "one size fits all" answer to this question.

• Prior to learning T5T (The 5 Tibetans) - people who have been doing very little exercise, seem to lose weight.
• There are other people who have consistently done moderate amounts of exercise, who lose weight when they start practicing the Rites. See John's Testimonial below.

"I've been doing T5T every day for the last 3 years. I've lost 7 kilos in weight and it stays off without any additional effort!! I've got so much more energy and I feel better all-round. I am less stressed, happy and able to plan my days better. The stiffness in my fingers is much better - almost non-existent. My friends are always saying how much better I look. "John Clemones - Managing Director - Special Tools & Storage Systems Pty Ltd

• Those that have lost weight tend to find it easier to maintain their weight loss
• The Rites are said to work by stimulating the major hormonal glands of the body. Around menopause many women tend to put on weight. My own experience and that of many other women I have spoken to, is that daily practice of the Rites, definately helped reduce weight. Others report reduction and improvement in bloating, fluid retention and hot flushes. I can certainly attest to the last one!
• Since I added core stability training to the Rites, all of us have firmer/flatter stomachs!
• The upper arms become less flabby and look toned!
• Doing T5T daily takes self-discipline. After a while, people find they become more self-disciplined in other areas of their lives. This is of great benefit to anyone undertaking a weight loss program.
• As people's energy levels rise, they are more motivated to take up other forms of exercise like walking or gym work etc. They also start doing tasks that they have been putting off for years - like doing the garden, spring-cleaning the house, clearing out garages etc! They become more active generally and this would contribute to weight loss.
• Reduction in craving for 'junk' food. It is a very common experience for people to start naturally changing their dietary habits. It seems to be that they feel 'cleaner' on the inside and have a natural desire to eat healthier foods.

In answer to this question, I prefer to say, "Some do, some don't. What they will do is help you control your weight, improve your energy so you feel motivated to be more active, improve your self discipline and your desire for healthier food. They will strengthen & tone your body, particularly your stomach, upper arms and back, which contributes to improved self-esteem."

If you wish to publish this article for your website or use the T5T name for each Rites with their associated affirmation - you may do so - provided you assign the correct copyright and accreditation exactly as shown below:

Copyright (c) 2006 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin) and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House)

4th Tibetan Rite - Are your hands too short?

I am a yoga teacher, and have Chris Kilham's book on the Five Tibetans, but your approach is so much more comprehensive...let me know when the book, etc., becomes available in the US. I also have difficulty with the 4th Tibetan...I have trouble swinging my butt back down far enough back to lay flat. It seems as if my arms are too short. What can I do to overcome this? Thanks!

Regarding the 4th Tibetan. If you are unable to return all the way to the sitting/starting position with your legs straight out in front of you, then it is quite likely your hands are too short to achieve this without a prop. This is not uncommon. To ascertain if this is indeed your situation there are a couple of tests.

1. Are you moving across the floor after each repetition? You should be able to simply roll onto your whole feet and then back down into the sitting position again.
   
2. If your arms are too short, it will be hard to slide or swing your buttocks all the way back to the sitting position.
   
3. In the sitting/starting position do you have to elevate your palms by doing a 'lift' onto your fingertips?
   
4. Do you begin in a hunched forward position after each repetition. Your back should be straight.

Depending on how short your arms are, you could use a couple of folded towels which you place under your full hands (see picture at top). Adjust the height until you are able to get your buttocks all the way back to the starting position.

Cushions are no good because they are not stable enough, & create muscular imbalances and pressure on joints. This is particularly important when you are doing repetitive movements. Books are not safe as they can slip from under you. Non-slip yoga blocks are great but they are normally too high and you may only need an inch in height or so. Blocks of wood cut to the height you want are fine - but be careful of splinters and avoid surfaces where they might slip from under you.

You could try doing them on your knuckles (thumbs on outside). You've got to be careful not too put too much weight on your shoulders if you use this method, so try pressing all 10 toes onto the floor and your knees over your ankles. See picture below.

Having said all that - in T5T we commence the posture differently to Kilham or Kelder's. You learn the posture in 3 chunks, making it easy for everyone to achieve. The goal is to have the centre of gravity evenly balanced between the arms and the legs so there is not excess weight on the shoulders.

With regard to the book, Random House launch it in the US/Canada on April 3rd 2007. It is called 'The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan' and you should be able to buy it in most bookstores or on my website www.T5T.com

If you wish to publish this article for your website - you may do so, provided you assign the correct copyright and accreditation exactly as shown below:

Copyright (c) 2006 Carolinda Witt - author T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites (Penguin) and The 10-Minute Rejuvenation Plan (Random House)