The 5 Tibetans

The Five Tibetans, is a series of postures, asanas if you please, much like the Surya Namaskar that when performed in the set sequence, lead to immense benefits - some have called it the ‘fountain of youth’, others tell of old men who inexplicably became healthy, strong, and full of "vigor and virility" after entering a particular lamasery where this system was followed.
Reported to be more than 2500 years old, this system was apparently introduced to the world at large by Peter Kelder in 1939, who himself learnt of it from a retired British Army colonel.
The first of the five Tibetans, is based on the principle of the cork screw. Raise your arms to your side, at shoulder level, arms parallel to the ground. The left palm faces upwards towards the ceiling, the right one faces down towards the ground. Now, slowly, very slowly, with your eyes closed, rotate in the direction of your right hand. If you were to look at this posture from the ceiling, it would resemble the functioning of a cork screw, with the practitioner drawing in the cosmic energy. 7 cycles should be enough to begin with. Gradually, over a period of say a few months, increase to 21.

For the second rite, kneel down, facing east, with your hands on your bum. Start with you chin touching your chest, as low down as possible, and while breathing in raise your chin so it point to the ceiling, and keep going back till you can take you body weight is on your hands. 7 cycles again to begin with, going up to 21 with time.

The third one is quite similar to the boat pose or the nauka asan. Lie down, head pointing east, with arms on your side. Now using your stomach muscles, raise your upper body and the feet up to the same level, a bit like the letter ‘V’. Stay for a few seconds in this position, then slowly go down to lying down position. 7 cycles or as many as you can manage.

For the fourth rite, sit on your bum, soles of the feet flat on the ground, hands on the floor behind you. From here, as you breathe in raise your body up so it is parallel to the ground, head thrown back all way so you can look at the wall behind you. This posture should resemble a table, with your stomach forming the table top. Come down slowly as you breathe out. 7 cycles or as many as you can manage.

The fifth one starts with the mountain pose. All your weight on your hands and feet, head down, as close as possible to the knees. Move smoothly from this up-dog to the cobra pose or the bhujang asan - hips close to the ground, chin pointing towards the ceiling. The caveat is to not let your body touch the ground, so all your weight is on your hands and toes. Breathe in while going into cobra pose and breathe out while going into mountain pose.

According to Kelder, the colonel’s stay in the lamasery transformed him from a stooped, old gentleman with a cane to a tall and straight young man in the prime of his life. Discounting for exaggerations, I think we can atleast expect from a regular practice is increased energy, stress reduction, and an enhanced sense of calm, clarity of thought, increased strength and flexibility, and an overall improvement in health and well-being.

Ajay Mehta is a print designer, an Advanced Pranic Healer and a ‘spiritual’ seeker. He can be reached at ajaxmehta@gmail.com