Five Tibetans: The Ancient Secret Of The Source Of Youth

Menopause can leave you feeling drained, but what if a few minutes of movement each day could help you feel more energised and connected to your body? The Five Tibetans, often dubbed the Fountain of Youth, are a sequence of five yoga-like exercises rooted in a tradition said to date back more than 2,500 years. Practised as a daily ritual, they combine gentle movement, breathing and repetition, with the aim of promoting vitality and a sense of balance from head to toe.

Why the Five Tibetans May Help Ease Menopause Symptoms

Since the Tibetan rites – introduced to the Western Culture in the 20^th century, by author Peter Kelder – stimulate the endocrine organs, they are believed to be particularly efficient in fighting hormonal imbalance and menopausal symptoms such as fatigue, brain fog, memory loss and overall stiffness. Some testimonials included in Peter Kelder’s book The Ancient Secret of The Fountain of Youth also refer their grey hair turning back to the original colour and their eye-sight getting better again, while others noticed to have lost weight and found relief to aches caused by arthritis as well as sciatic pains and headaches.

The Five rites are also good for improving arterial health. Dr Joel Kahn, a prominent integrative cardiologist, is a strong advocate of the Five Tibetan Rites, describing them as the “HIIT of yoga” because the entire sequence takes less than 15 minutes. After practising the routine daily for a year, he reported that it had eased his back pain and stiffness and improved his physical endurance. He also reported a substantial reduction in his measured arterial age, from his early 50s to his early 20s, which he attributed to reduced aortic stiffness. Kahn highlights research suggesting a link between spinal flexibility and arterial health, arguing that the simple sequence may be a time-efficient addition to a routine focused on long-term physical wellbeing.

A daily practice to achieve youth and vigour

The Five Rites offer a simple way to work on balance, flexibility and strength through a short sequence of just five exercises.

Traditionally, they are practised in the morning, ideally before breakfast. If you’re a beginner, start with three to five repetitions of each exercise and gradually build up, increasing the number as you become more comfortable, until you reach 21 repetitions per rite. There’s no need to rush: listen to your body and progress at a pace that feels right for you.

The idea behind the Tibetan Rites is to stimulate the seven energy vortexes – chakras in Hindu – in our body. Experienced practitioners claim that youth and vigour can be achieved when these vortexes spin at the same rate, thanks to the daily practice of the Rites. Your body will slowly become stronger, more coordinated and flexible, while your mind learns to focus better and relax fully.

The five Tibetans are said to standardize hormonal lopsided imbalances in the body,thus leading the way to longer youth, wellbeing and energy. Performing the rites daily can also help reduce lower back pain, relieve joint pain and stiffness, and improve blood circulation. Since the exercises work on the abdomen, sides, back, legs, arms and shoulders, your posture naturally improves as well. As for the mind, concentrating on your breathing will improve the quality of sleep, reduce anxiety and improve energy levels, resulting in a more youthful overall appearance.

How to practice the Five Tibetan Rites

The first rite aims at stimulating and speeding up all of the seven chakras of our body, helping us get rid of negative energy and strengthening the bridge between the right and the left hemisphere. Standing up straight in the mountain position, stretch your arms outward horizontally, keeping them at the shoulder level, palms facing down. While remaining in the same spot, slowly move your legs and feet, spinning your body in the clockwise direction, keeping your vision focused in the same spot to avoid dizziness. At the end of a suitable number of rounds (starting from 3-5 and adding a few each week to reach 21), take three slow and deep breaths.

The second rite is similar to western abdominal exercises. Laying down on your back, place your arms by your sides and while inhaling, lift your head, moving your chin to your chest. Contemporarily, raise both your legs straight up. Exhaling, slowly lower your legs and head to the starting position. Follow the pace of your breathing and after a suitable amount of repetitions, take three slow and deep breaths before moving to the next Tibetan.

The third rite is useful for opening your spine and chest. It is performed kneeling on the floor, with your hips aligned over the knees. With your trunk straight and palms on the back of the thighs, inhale and bend your head back, arching your spine to open your chest. At the exhale, bring your chin down to your chest, keeping the hands on the thighs. Repeat the same movement for a suitable number of times, after which remember to breathe deeply three times.

Start the fourth rite sitting down on the floor, extending your legs ahead, feet slightly apart. Place your palms on the floor at your sides with the fingers facing forward and drop your head to your chest. While inhaling, bend your head back and simultaneously lift your hips from the floor, bending your knees until you are in a table-top position, with your head slightly bent back. When exhaling, relax your muscles and slowly return to the starting position, sitting on the floor with your chin towards your chest. Complete a proper number of repetitions and breathe deeply three times.

The last rite flows between the down-ward and up-ward dog positions. Start on all fours with your palms on the ground. Take a deep inhale and position your body in a sagging position so that your spine is arched downwards and your arms are perpendicular to the ground (up-ward dog). Then, while exhaling, raise your buttocks into the air while lowering your head – with a flat back – making an inverted V-shape with your body (downward dog). Flow from one position to the other and make a suitable amount of repetitions. Once complete, remember to breathe deeply three times.

When performing the rites for the first time, be cautious, especially if you suffer from any special conditions. If you have had recent surgery or have a heart condition, consult your physician first. To make sure you do the rites properly, you can follow a video during the first days. It is important to breathe properly, inspiring in the closure of the movements and exhaling in the opening phase.