T5T - The Five Tibetan Exercise Rites

By Carolinda Witt 

We are all aging. From the moment we are born, we begin to age.

Time is catching up with the Forever Young generation, and we are waking to the reality that, unbelievably, we too are running out of time. Those first grey hairs, the stiffness in the morning as we get out of bed, the loss of libido and thereby potency in life – all these signs of aging ring alarm bells.

But our attitude towards aging is changing. We are challenging the view that to age is to become physically and mentally decrepit, a burden on our families and on society.

Because of today's increased life expectancy, the question we are now asking is, 'How do we remain younger, and healthier, longer?'

In our search for the legendary 'fountain of youth' we are taking up exercise routines in ever increasing numbers, sometimes for the first time in our lives. With a growing interest in diet, nutritional supplementation and meditation, we are doing whatever we can to 'stop the clock'.

This search for the fountain of youth is illustrated in the legend of Shangri-La, a mystical place where people did not grow old but remained in an extended state of healthy youthfulness. The legend was the subject of Lost Horizon, a novel by James Hilton that was published in 1933 and made into an Oscar-winning movie in 1937. That was fiction – or was it?

Also in the 1930s, in a separate but possibly related incident, a retired British Army officer called Colonel Bradford discovered a monastery in Tibet where the monks were remarkably old yet appeared healthy and 'ageless'. Colonel Bradford studied the five yoga postures carried out by the monks daily and brought them back to the West, where they became known as the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation. The Rites are still being practised today.

The Birth of T5T

I was introduced to the Five Tibetan Rites of Rejuvenation four years ago by a friend, a teacher of the Tibetan Rites. I was at a low point in my life, a kind of 'crossroads crisis', and looking for new ways of being. When I began to practise the Five Rites, I felt as though the missing piece to a puzzle had slotted into place.

I felt better within myself than I had for years. My mind became calm. My backache completely disappeared, my skin glowed and my eyes sparkled. I felt strong and supple once again, with a new-found sense of purpose and wellbeing.

I was thrilled that the Five Rites took just 10 minutes of my busy day, yet I was experiencing such significant benefits.

After I had been practising the Five Rites for six months, my family experienced a traumatic incident that resulted in the loss of a young and vital teenager. There were days when my body was so heavy with grief that I could barely carry out the Five Rites. I persevered because every time I finished my practice I felt like my body had shed a tonne of weight. My mind became centred, calm and clear. I truly believe that the Rites provided me with an internal rod of strength to lean on during that distressing time in my life. I've never stopped practising the Five Rites, and I don't believe I ever will.

My friend who had taught me the Five Rites asked me to join her in teaching them in Sydney. We found that many people were interested in learning the Rites, and our classes became increasingly popular.

While I noticed that many students obtained amazing results, I also became aware that others were struggling beyond their capabilities, despite all advice to 'go at their own pace'. Inevitably, these people experienced muscle discomfort and even pushed themselves to the point of pain.

I began to envisage a way of adapting the Rites that would make them simpler and easier, so that more people would be able to make the 10-minute exercises a part of their lives. I took into account how different our modern sedentary lifestyle is from that of the monks, who would have most likely practised the Rites from an early age. My solution was to blend the original ancient Rites with modern, Western techniques.

The result is T5T (The Five Tibetans), a completely new and much safer way of practising the original rites.

A blend of ancient and modern methods, T5T combines the best of both worlds; it retains the integrity of the ancient rites, but improves core stability and strength by using modern methods to isolate certain muscle groups. The program is equally suited to those who are new to exercise and those who wish to increase their tone, flexibility, energy and wellbeing. T5T is a complete mind and body approach to physical development, calming your mind and improving your body tone and general health.

In developing the program I consulted highly qualified health practitioners who contributed their knowledge as well as ideas and inspiration. From physiotherapy and Pilates I incorporated the use of deep core stability muscles to support, strengthen and protect the spine. From chiropractic, osteopathy, Feldenkrais and occupational therapy, I incorporated modifications and adaptations that would not only support and protect the whole body, but also encourage awareness of movement while practising the postures and during normal life. Michael Grant White, 'The Breathing Coach', contributed to T5T's approach to breathing. Finally, from the vast wisdom of yoga I incorporated the Complete Yogic Breath. Many of the tips on how to practise the postures also come from yoga.

I began by teaching my new method to some of my friends. They all experienced the immediate benefits I had been accustomed to seeing in earlier workshops, but they achieved them without strain. Realising there was a genuine need for more people to achieve similar benefits, I developed a teaching workshop.

In developing my workshops I took the concept two steps further, focusing on breathing and relaxation techniques. My first step was to integrate a system of energy-inducing breathing into the program. For many years, I had utilised the power of the breath through practising pranayama (breath control) and meditation. I had also studied various breathing techniques to assist me to get in touch with and release repressed emotions. I had used these methods successfully, both personally and with my clients in my natural therapies clinic, and knew what a powerful role breathing plays in any exercise program.

I also knew that most people take breathing for granted – a great mistake as breath is life. Just like our other muscles, our respiratory muscles become weaker when they are not fully utilised. The maxim 'if you don't use it, you lose it!' really is true.

By combining 'energy' breathing exercises with the movements, my aim was to create a simple, short, daily routine that people could achieve and enjoy. T5T's Energy Breathing does just that – it provides more life energy to the body. It greatly assists in removing toxins and impurities as well as supplying life-enhancing oxygen to the body. It helps to calm and clarify the mind. When Energy Breathing is combined with the Five Tibetan Rites, the result is a very powerful yet easy to perform yoga program that will maximise your ability to remain younger, fitter and healthier longer. Yet it takes only 10 to 15 minutes per day.

To maximise the benefits of the movements and the breathing in T5T, I included two powerful and enjoyable relaxation techniques. Centred on breathing, these methods help you to develop the ability to remain fully in the present, and achieve a very deep state of calm. They can also be used for meditation.

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