What's Involved in Learning The Five Tibetan Rites? | ||||
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The T5T Method - Week 1
Experienced Five Tibetan Rites practitioner and teacher, Carolinda Witt developed a unique step-by-step method of learning the Rites that she calls T5T®. Over a period of twenty years, she has taught T5T to over 60,000 students and forty instructors. Carolinda incorporated core stability with the Rites to protect the spine, and natural full breathing to increase vitality and health.
Between each of the 5 Rites, T5T®’s Energy Breathing technique is completed three times.
The T5T method is a way of learning the Five Tibetan Rites that is safer and more achievable for anyone, regardless of their skill or fitness level. It follows the instructions of the monks to build up over ten weeks until you are doing the required 21 repetitions but adds core strength development over the same period. Each week a new challenge to the core muscles is added to the Leg Raise (2nd Rite) so that your lower back, pelvis, and neck are protected.
The images and instructions outlined below are from the T5T book, The 1Illustrated Five Tibetan Rites. They describe the beginners' level of T5T and are suitable for your first week of practice when you will be doing three repetitions daily.
Beginner Level. Rite No 1 – The Spin
In T5T, we learn the spin in two steps to make sure that you do not get too dizzy and can keep your movement stable without wandering across the floor.
- Stand up straight with your legs hip-width apart. With your palms facing downward, raise your arms up straight, like wings, beside you.
- Pick an object with a change of color, for example, a doorway or a window ledge to help you count your repetitions. (Every time you see this object, you count a spin.)
- Take a breath in through the nose to remind you to breathe. Continue to breathe comfortably and naturally through your nose, remembering to check on your breathing during the spin.
- Keeping your right foot firmly on the floor, and with your arms outstretched and your head facing forward, start to turn from left to right in a clockwise direction, walking your left foot around your anchored right foot and spinning around in a complete circle.
- Let your spin build up speed slowly and complete three spins in a steady, unbroken rhythm.
- When you stop, immediately stand with your legs hip-width apart, knees slightly bent, and your hands on your hips. Wait until all the dizziness disappears before beginning the Leg Raise.
In T5T, we carry out 3 x "Energy Breaths" between each Rite to improve our breathing capacity, increase vitality, and eliminate wastes.
To learn the intermediate/advanced level of The Spin, please refer to my T5T book, DVD, or online training course.
If you experience any problems with dizziness, please see our article Helpful Hints & Natural Remedies for Dizziness.
Beginner Level. Rite No 2 – The Leg Raise
In T5T, we incorporate a series of steps using the natural weight of the body (like starting with low weights and building to bigger weights in the gym) - to build core strength. Core strength protects the lower back and neck from injury - and tones your stomach.
- Lie on your back and make certain you are lying straight.
- Lace your fingers together, and place them under the base of your skull. "Soften" your throat.
- Lift your pelvic floor and pull your lower abdominals in toward your spine. Keep your focus on your lower abdomen and move from this central core throughout the movement.
- Breathe in through your nose as you lift your chin toward your chest. At the same time, slide your right foot along the ground toward your buttocks, raise your thigh to 90 degrees and straighten your leg until perpendicular to your body. Flex your toes. If your legs remain bent, work toward gradually being able to straighten them over time.
- Check that your lower abdominals and pelvic floor are engaged, and breathe out through your nose as you bend your knee to the 90-degree position, return your foot to the floor, then slide your foot along the floor until your leg is straight. (You should have completed exhaling by the time your leg is on the floor.) As you lower your foot, lower your head - returning it to the floor in a smooth and controlled manner, feeling each vertebra pressing one at a time into the floor.
- Allow all your muscles to relax, then repeat the above steps, raising and lowering the left leg. When you have completed this cycle, you have performed one repetition.
- Repeat this exercise in a steady, unbroken rhythm for three repetitions.
In T5T, we carry out 3 x "Energy Breaths" between each Rite to improve our breathing capacity, increase vitality, and eliminate wastes.
To learn the remaining nine intermediate & advanced level steps of The Leg Raise, please refer to my T5T book, DVD, or online training course. A new step is added each week to develop the strength of the core muscles.
Beginner Level. Rite No 3 –The Kneeling Backbend
In T5T, we learn this movement against a wall first. The wall acts as a tactile reference to learn how to extend the spine correctly so the natural curves of the spine remain intact - avoiding compression of the vertebrae and discs when arching backward.
- Kneel with your knees close to a wall, hip-width apart, and with your toes curled under. Your abdomen should be touching the wall. Check that your hips are positioned over your knees (move your knees back a bit if they are not). Don't thrust your pelvis forward. Wrap your hands under the cheeks of your buttocks.
- Breathing normally, lengthen your spine and lower your chin toward your chest. Make sure you are not hunching your shoulders toward your ears. This is the starting position.
- Lift your pelvic floor and pull your lower abdominals in toward your spine. Keep your focus on your lower abdomen and move from this central core throughout the movement.
- From here on, your breathing should be synchronized with the posture. Slowly inhale as you arch back into the posture, and slowly exhale as you return to your starting position (chin to chest).
- Gradually squeeze your buttocks firmly together, and as you breathe in, begin to lengthen your spine up and out of your hips. Press back against the foundation provided by your knees and legs to help you lengthen, then lift your breastbone upward. Keep your belly button pressed against the wall. If you are doing this step correctly, your stomach will "walk" up the wall a little way.
- Stretch (do not force yourself or puff out your ribs) to a point of comfort then arch backward. As your spine arches, allow your head to follow, but do not let it collapse backward - keep your neck long and strong.
- Gently squeeze your shoulder blades together at the back and focus on opening your chest. Do not jerk the shoulders downward or thrust your chest up - do not force.
- Breathe out slowly, keeping your pelvic floor engaged, and return smoothly and with control to your starting position (chin to chest).
- Allow your muscles to relax. This completes one repetition.
- Repeat this exercise for three repetitions.
In T5T, we carry out 3 x "Energy Breaths" between each Rite to improve our breathing capacity, increase vitality, and eliminate wastes.
To learn the intermediate/advanced level of The Kneeling Backbend, please refer to my T5T book, DVD, or online training course.
Beginner Level. Rite No 4 – Tabletop
In T5T, we teach you how to do the Tabletop easily. A lot of people look at this movement and think they can never do it. We have a couple of tricks of learning it that you will be surprised how easy it is. We also teach you how to have your weight equally balanced between arms and legs - and not to move across the floor between each repetition.
- Come into the correct starting position: sitting on the floor with your back straight, your breastbone lifted, your chin to your chest and the creases of your elbows rotated forward.
- Unlock your knees.
- Lift your pelvic floor and pull your lower abdominals in toward your spine. Keep your focus on your lower abdomen and move from this central core throughout the movement.
- Breathe in and lift your bottom off the floor, then use your legs to drive your knees up and forward toward your toes, coming to rest above your ankles. At the same time, let your head and shoulders move backward toward the floor behind you. Do not jerk from the arms - this is more of a rolling action onto the balls of your feet, with a simultaneous smooth curling backward of the head.
- Concentrate on getting the soles of your feet, and all ten toes, on the floor, and raise the middle of your abdomen and chest into a straight line (tabletop) above the floor, with your arms straight. Do not let your head hang backward. Keep it long and strong, in the same position as it would be when standing, or with your chin lightly tucked against your chest. If you prefer, you can hold your head upright.
- You will now look like a tabletop: knees bent, feet on the floor, stomach and chest in a straight line above the floor, straight arms, and your neck long and strong. Do not push your stomach so far upward that you bend in the middle of your lower back. Once in this position, tense your muscles briefly.
- Check that your pelvic floor is lifted, and your lower abdominals are pulled in, then breathe out while focusing on your lower abdominal muscles to guide your body back into your starting position. As you come back down, make certain you keep moving your bottom back toward your arms until your legs are totally straight.
- Relax your muscles in the starting position. This completes one repetition.
- Each time you begin the Rite, straighten up first and make sure your chin is to your chest.
- Repeat the Tabletop in a steady, unbroken rhythm until you have completed your desired number of repetitions. Remember to add just two repetitions per week until you reach 21.
In T5T, we carry out 3 x "Energy Breaths" between each Rite to improve our breathing capacity, increase vitality, and eliminate wastes.
To learn the intermediate/advanced level of The Tabletop, please refer to my T5T book, DVD, or online training course.
Rite No 5 – Pendulum
In T5T, you start this position on your hands and knees with a "middle line" along the center of your body and your back straight. From here, you lift up into the upside-down V shape illustrated in the 1st image above. We have found that this is a much easier starting position than the one described by the monks - the suspended plank-like position in the 3rd image above.
- Place your knees directly below your hips and your hands a little wider than shoulder-width. Now move your hands farther forward by about 5 centimeters (two inches). Spread your fingers out and attempt to distribute your weight across your whole hand, including the fingers. Make sure your legs and arms are level.
- Rotate the creases of your elbows slightly forward. Spread and curl your toes under.
- Lift your pelvic floor and pull your lower abdominals in toward your spine. Keep your focus on your lower abdomen and move from this central core throughout the movement.
- Breathe in and continue to inhale as you move your head downward toward your chest, lifting your knees off the floor and pushing your hips up and back - bringing your body into an upside-down V shape with your tailbone pointing toward the sky.
- Make sure your arms are fully extended, with your shoulder blades drawn back and down toward your tailbone.
- Tilt your chin toward your chest, relax your neck, and look at your feet. Your back should be flat, not rounded - you will probably need to work toward achieving this over time.
- Relax the back of your legs and ankles and allow your heels to drop toward the floor as best you can. Straighten your legs as much as you can, but don't lock your knees.
- Lift your buttocks and tailbone up toward the ceiling. Attempt to distribute your weight evenly between your arms and legs.
- Engage your pelvic floor and lower abdominals. Breathing out, start to move your head and upper body down and through your arms, keeping them straight at all times with the creases of your elbows slightly rotated forward.
- Keep your pelvic floor and lower abdominals engaged and gradually squeeze your buttocks firmly together to support your lower back as you come up into the full upward-facing dog position.
- Make sure your arms are fully extended, with your shoulder blades drawn back and down toward your tailbone. Lift your breastbone upward without puffing out your ribs. Aim for length rather than height.
- Make sure your pelvis and legs are not touching the floor - only your hands and curled-under toes should be in contact with the floor. Push your heels backward to prevent you coming up onto your tiptoes. This is the full stretch.
- Repeat these movements for the desired number of repetitions in a smooth, flowing, and continuous action - almost like a pendulum. You should be breathing in as you move up, and out as you move down.
- When you have finished your repetitions, simply bend your knees and drop them to the floor so that you are back on your hands and knees.
In T5T, we carry out 3 x "Energy Breaths" between each Rite to improve our breathing capacity, increase vitality, and eliminate wastes.
To learn the intermediate/advanced level of The Pendulum, please refer to my T5T book, DVD, or online training course.
Building Up Over Time
A reminder that the monks recommended that you build up to the required 21 repetitions of each of the five movements gradually. Begin with just three repetitions per day for the first week - then increase repetitions by just two more per week until you are doing the required 21 repetitions in around ten weeks. Between each of the 5 Rites, T5T®’s Energy Breathing technique is completed three times. The complete program will eventually take you between 10 to 15 minutes per day.
Building up over time has an enormous benefit in satisfaction gained. The destination of reaching 21 repetitions is more significant if one has progressed through the sequences - let alone the additional benefits - core strength, solid foundation, great technique, and strong motivation.
Thank you!
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I have practiced yoga for many years, but after having my third child I needed some exercise that would put me back in shape and that took as little time as possible to do! T5T has been exactly what I needed. It is so simple, and yet so powerful in its effect
Susan Hayward
Bestselling author of A Guide for the Advanced Soul
