The 6th Rite, "Should only be practiced when one has an ‘excess of procreative energy; when there is a definite desire for expression." Peter Kelder, The Eye of Revelation 1939 (updated 1946).
Colonel Bradford, the leading character described in The Eye of Revelation taught the Five Tibetan Rites on his return from Tibet, but he didn't teach the 6th Rite until he had explained what was required. Then it was up to the individuals to decide whether they wanted to practice it or not.
These five Rites also make one appear more youthful, but if you really want to look and be young in every respect there is a Sixth Rite that you must practice. I have said nothing about it until now because it would have been useless to you without first having obtained good results from the other five.
The Colonel then informed them that in order to go further with the aid of this Sixth Rite it would be necessary for them to lead a more or less continent life. [Continent: Abstaining from sexual intercourse; exercising restraint upon the sexual appetite; chaste. - Webster's 1913 Revised Unabridged Dictionary]
He suggested that they take a week to think the matter over and decide whether or not they desired to do so for the rest of their lives. Then those who wished to go on would be given Rite Number Six.
In our T5T workshops we do the same. Although we don't teach the 6th Rite, instructions are provided for those who wish to do so. These are included at the bottom of this page.
1. Celibacy
It is important to remember that the monks who developed The Five Tibetan Rites were all male and in common with those pursuing a spiritual path; they practiced celibacy. Being celibate is not a choice many men would make as Colonel Bradford himself acknowledged when he began to teach The Rites.
We have taught over 60,000 people over the last 22 years, and have consistently found that the Five Rites on their own are sufficient to obtain the great benefits described by Colonel Bradford. Check out their Testimonials here.
2. 6th Rite and Tantra
What is required for a Tantric practitioner is to develop the capacity to utilize one's faculties of bliss and the blissful experiences which are specifically generated due to the flow of regenerative fluids within one's own energy channels. It is crucial to have the ability to protect oneself from the fault of emission. H. H. XIV Dalai Lama (1999). The Heart of the Buddha's Path.
Generally, people attracted to the 6th Rite will either try it and see what happens - or carry out further research. Some seek out teachers or study traditional texts on Tantric practices to which the 6th Rite belongs.
The information about the 6th Rite in the Eye of Revelation - is enticing but also very basic. Anyone interested in the energetic benefits of the 6th Rite should undertake further research beyond the simple instructions given in The Eye of Revelation. Students wishing to study and follow a Tantric path require far greater information than Peter Kelder's limited text can provide.
The Tantric practitioner seeks to use the prana (divine power) that flows through the universe (including one's own body) to attain purposeful goals. These goals may be spiritual, material or both. Most practitioners of tantra consider mystical experience imperative. Some versions of Tantra require the guidance of a guru. Dr Peter Baofu
In the process of working with energy, the tantric practitioner has various tools at hand: Yoga, visualizations, yantras, mantras, mudras, meditation, mind training, identification & internalization of deities, mandalas, feasts, purification achievements, initiations and more.
There is a persistent viewpoint that many of these practices should only be made available to advanced students - for concern that inexperienced practitioners may misuse or misunderstand them, adversely affecting their health or sanity.
Secrecy is a cornerstone of tantric Buddhism, simply to avoid harming oneself and others by practicing without proper guidance. It is not even allowed to explain the full symbolism and psychology of the practice to the uninitiated, which can easily lead to misunderstanding and dismissal by the uninitiated. Dhmmasaavaka, The Buddhism Primer
Colonel Bradford himself cautions In The Eye of Revelation
Please understand that in order to perform Rite Number Six it is absolutely necessary that a man have full masculine virility. He couldn’t possibly raise up and transmute procreative energy if there were little or none to transmute. It is absolutely impossible for an impotent man or the one with little virility to perform this Rite. He shouldn’t even attempt it, because it would only lead to discouragement, which might do him great harm. Instead he should first practice the other five Rites until he has full masculine power, and this regardless of how young or how old he may be. Then when the first “full bloom of youth” is experienced within him, he may then go on to the business of being a SUPERMAN.
Again I say, let no man concern himself with the upturning of the sex currents until he is thoroughly satisfied in his own mind and heart that he truly desires to lead the life of the MYSTIC; then let him make the step forward, and success will crown his every effort.
3. Bradford's Instructions
Bradford says that repeating the complete sequence (breathing exercise) around three times is required to subdue a most powerful urge and to turn the powerful procreative or reproductive forces upward.
In the average virile man,” said the Colonel, “the life forces course downward, but in order to become a Superman they must be turned upward. This we call ‘The Newer Use of the Reproductive Energy’. Turning these powerful forces upward is a very simple matter, yet man has attempted it in many ways for centuries and in almost every instance has failed. Whole religious orders in the Occidental World have tried this very thing, but they, too, have failed because they have tried to master the procreative energy by suppressing it.
There is only one way to master this powerful urge, and that is not by dissipating or suppressing it, but by TRANSMUTING it -- transmuting it and at the same time lifting it upward. In this way you really and truly have discovered not only the ‘Elixir of Life’, as the ancients called, it, but you have put it to use as well, which is something the ancients were seldom able to do.
The 6th Rite should only be practiced when one has an ‘excess of procreative energy; when there is a definite desire for expression. It can be done so easily that it can be performed anywhere at any time. When one feels the powerful reproductive urge.
4. The 6th Rite is very similar to "Uddiyana Bandha"
A lock, or bandha, in hatha yoga, is a gesture in which a segment of the body is sealed, isolated, or constricted in some manner. David Coulter, PhD, expert in anatomy and physiology of hatha yoga.
Bandhas are energy (prana) valves. They are practiced together or individually at specific times during yoga postures, breathing, visualization, meditation, and other yogic practices.
- Bandhas direct the flow of prana throughout the body so that blockages are released and the corresponding areas nourished.
- Bind or 'lock' the prana to prevent dissipation from the body.
- Redirect prana in a healing and energizing direction.
- Activate the 'energy body' of a person, bringing awareness to the mental, neurophysiological and energetic patterns behind the physical body.
Uddiyana means flying upward energy lock or abdominal lift. It improves circulation to the abdominal organs, and moves energy upward, releasing stuck energy which flows into the heart center (heart chakra) and upper extremities.
Practiced regularly, uddiyana bandha will enable you to exhale more completely and breathe more comfortably and efficiently. David Coulter, PhD.
Uddiyana Bandha is an important Hatha Yoga practice, carried out by numerous yoga practitioners throughout the world.
It is the lion which conquers the elephant, death. Of all the bandhas, uddiyana is the best. Once it is mastered, liberation occurs spontaneously. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika
There are 72,000 nadis or more in the body through which prana (the flow of consciousness) travels.
Kundalini
One of the main reasons for the interest in the 6th Rite is to bring about what is commonly described as a "Kundalini awakening."
Kundalini relates to a reservoir of psychic energy coiled up like a snake at the base of the spine. When the Kundulini awakes we experience an expansion of consciousness & become aware of the Divine Truth. It brings with itself pure joy, knowledge and love.
A spiritual teacher is recommended to guide the aspirant in his/her understanding of spiritual energy as well as instructing them in careful strengthening & purification of the body & nervous systems beforehand. This is to avoid negative side effects which can range from mild changes in mood to more disturbed states of mind.
To learn how to perform Uddiyana Bandha, as well as learn about the benefits and contraindications - see David Coulter's article.
Below is a comparison between Uddiyana Bandha and Colonel Bradford's 6th Rite.
Uddiyana Bandha Instructions
Teachers have different ways of teaching uddiyana bandha. Some recommend learning this bandha standing up and practicing sitting down when proficient. You should only carry out uddiyana bandha on an empty stomach as the abdomen is contracted, up, and into the rib cage. It is performed only after an exhalation and never before an inhalation.
- Stand with your feet slightly apart and your knees bent.
- Round your torso forward with your hands resting on your knees. (Bradford says, to let all the air out of your lungs before you bend over, and force out the last trace of air).
- Inhale deeply, then exhale forcibly and quickly through your nose or mouth. (Bradford does not mention this).
- Pull in (contract) your belly muscles to force as much air as possible out of your lungs. (Bradford describes when the lungs are empty, you should stand up and place your hands on your hips, pushing down on them, which raises the shoulders.)
- Relax your abdominals and expand your rib cage as though you were inhaling (but without the inhalation) – often called a “mock inhalation.” This hollows the stomach, pulling it in and up towards the rib cage. (Bradford says to pull in the abdomen as far as possible, which raises the chest).
- Hold the bandha for about 5 – 15 seconds (Bradford says as long as you can), then slowly release the grip and inhale normally. (Bradford says to let the air flow in through the nose and relax your arms to hang naturally at your side).
- Between each repetition—around 3 to 10 depending on your capacity (Bradford says 3), take a few normal breaths. (Bradford says take several deep breaths and allow them to escape quickly through mouth or nose).
Click links to Download
© This work is the intellectual property of its author and is fully copyrighted. It may not be copied or republished in any medium (including but not limited to electronic and print media) without the express permission of the author. All rights are reserved.
