The 5 Tibetan Rites Exercises

Have you heard of the 5 Tibetan Rites exercises?

The 5 Tibetan Rites have been my favorite and most dedicated self-care practice for close to 15 years. It felt like a homecoming back into my body when I first implemented these exercises into my daily rituals. I love these simple movements as they have been pivotal in my recovery from thoracic outlet syndrome with a rib removed and a tibia plateau fracture as well as a myriad of other minor injuries and aches over the years.

Performing the routine takes me about 12 minutes at the start of my day. I feel so much more clarity, balanced and more emotionally malleable throughout the day when I practice these Rites. They assist in getting the body's energy centers in alignment and moving at an optimal energetic spin along the spine from root to crown.

The Tibetan monks say that these five exercises performed twice a day, as a morning and evening practice, open all the chakras, tone the body, balance the emotions, calm the mind and stimulate the glands of the endocrine system providing youthful vigor.

Here's a breakdown of how to do the Rites:

The Tibetans are composed of five total movements. You perform each movement 21 times. Beginners should start at 5-7 repetitions of each movement and add two repetitions per week until reaching 21. (5-21 happens to be my date of birth so that added to my attractions :)

Tibetan 1: Spinning

Standing upright with arms outstretched in a T and palms facing downwards, begin spinning in a clockwise direction (to your right). Start with 5 spins each daily practice and increase 2 rotations a week until you reach 21. As you spin inhale and exhale mindfully, moving at a gentle pace. It does not need to be at a dizzying swiftness. Slower is better. This Rite brings in tremendous amounts of spiritual energy into the body which supports and prepares you for the remaining exercises.  

Tibetan 2: Leg Lifts

Lying on your back, place your hands alongside your hips. On the inhale, raise the legs and head straight up until you form a J shape with your body. With the exhale, lower down back to the floor. Slow steady movement with deep rhythmic breathing is again key to this exercise. Repeat the leg and head lifts 4 more times for your count of 5 reps for the first adding 2 more each additional week.

Tibetan 3: Back Bends

Begin by kneeling with your feet shoulder-width apart and palms resting on your hamstrings. Slowly drop your head back and open up your chest on the inhale, and lean head forward again as you exhale, chin to chest. This is one repetition. Do this back and forward head/back movement gently 5 times and increase reps each week.

Tibetan 4: Tabletop Lifts

Start by sitting on the floor with legs outstretched straight in front of you and your palms on the ground by your hips, fingers facing forward. As you inhale, raise your body to come into a reverse table pose, allowing your head to drop back while keeping the palms flat facing forward. Exhaling, slowly release to the ground back to seated position, breathing mindfully as you repeat each of the 5 lifts.

Tibetan 5: "Two Dogs"

Begin in a plank-like position or directly into a low-hanging Upward-Facing Dog with toes curled under, chest open, and thighs slightly off the ground (like the start of a push up). Then gently push your upper torso up as you lift your hips high into the V-shape of Downward-Facing Dog. Slow and steady 5 reps of movements from floor to raised hips keeping arms extended and exhaling as you push upwards and inhaling as you come down. Completing this 5th Rite ends the cycle of energetic exercises for daily maintenance of our physical, emotional, and spiritual bodies.

Perform these 5 Tibetan Rites exercises at your own pace ideally daily upon waking to unlock their subtle potency of youthful vitality. I've seen ages 8 to 88 doing them online. I feel the movements should flow for you intuitively. I am very passionate about sharing these exercises that I've incorporated into my own spiritual / wellness practice, and I trust these movements for their grounding and flexible support along my journey. I hope you will trust in them too as they resonate with you.

If you've tried these movements, how have they benefited you? Do you have a daily practice you prefer that you feel assists in your holistic wellness? Comment below as I'd love to hear what works for you. You can also connect with me here on the chat as well as schedule a quick discovery call if you had more questions about the 5 Tibetan Rites exercises or other wellness alignments.

"We're all just walking each other home" 

Namaste

Johnny