Tibetan Rites

OOPS!!

A few days ago,   I said "Tomorrow, I'll tell you what the Tibetan Rites are."
I don't know why I quoted it. I probably didn't say it exactly like that but I'm too lazy to go back and check to see what exactly I did say. But that's the gist.

If you're stickler and are going to complain that I didn't say THAT specifically, then let me know. I won't care.......but at least I'll know. :)

What ARE the Tibetan Rites? you ask?
And why would they benefit me? you wonder?

Well, let me tell you.

I went to a yoga workshop years ago in McKinney. I talked my great friend and workout buddy whom I like to refer to as Miss Cardio into going with me. She literally runs circles around me. We took our kids camping for a week one summer to all different campsites in Central Texas. I suggested we take some workout clothes and squeeze in some time and check out the YMCAs around, as we could go for free. She said "That would be great and I was thinking we could take some running shoes and run at the campgrounds while the kids hung out and played at camp!" I wholeheartedly (well not really...maybe halfheartedly as I don't enjoy running so much) agreed.
So one morning we got up and she said "Lets go run!!" I was like...'BEFORE BREAKFAST?!?!??' "Well.....okaaaaay." I thought it wouldn't be so bad. How long could we actually go before breakfast?
We went WAAAAAAYYY too long. After about 20 minutes with no food, I'm done. So, my stomach, breakfast clock, goes off and she's just running away....
At one point, I tell her that I have to walk. She says "okay, I'm just going to run up and back", She says this very enthusiastically. Did I mention during this whole time she NEVER stops talking?
So, it ends up being like this: She's talking and running AROUND me and I'm walking very annoyed that I'm not EATING. It was exactly like the cartoon with the big bulldog and the little terrier running around.

Remember that cartoon? With Spike the Bulldog and his little buddy Chester??

Yeah, the big one is me.......

She's Chester.......

Anyway. I tell you all THAT so you'll know that she HATES yoga. Too slow for her. But, I talked her into going to this masterclass before the workshop with me. It was weird. It was storming, there was chanting and moaning and Oh Lord!! She said "I feel sorry for you!" in regards to me being there all weekend for the workshop. I was a little worried about it too...

It turned out the be the BEST WORKSHOP EVER!! I told her that and she said "Are you being sarcastic?"
No!!!! I love that guy (our instructor, John Deminico) I want to marry him!!! He's so enlightened.(turns out I think he's gay. Not that there's anything wrong with that. :)

Anyway, at one point, he says "I never teach yoga anymore except in workshops." He said that every morning he just does the Tibetan Rites. It takes about 15 minutes a day and it will keep us away from the Clinque counter its so anti-aging. "Its the fountain of youth!" he says.

Uhhhhhhh.......Count me in!!! In a room full of women, he had us at "looking younger"!
I had been  looking at him thinking he looked okay for his age.....about mid fortiesish.

Then he said..."I do this every day and I'm 65"!!!! OMG!! We were all like "Okay, screw the yoga workshop! You have to tell us about this!!"

So now, I'm sharing with you the fountain of youth.

You do each of these 5 exercises only 3 times to start off. If you can't do 3 reps yet then just start with whatever you can. You do the 3 reps for a week, then move up to 5 reps. Do that for a week, then move up to 7. If you get stuck at a set number and its still difficult, stay at that number for another week. One time, I stayed at 13 for about 3 weeks. Each week you only go up to the next odd number, i.e. 3, 5, 7, 9, etc up to 21. Never do more than 21. If you want to increase the physical challenge you can speed it up.

The premise of these rites is that they help balance your chakras. If you do more than 21, it actually has a negative effect.

So... Here they are:

#1 - Twirling
Stretch out your arms with the palms facing downward. Spin clockwise.

#2 - Leg Lifts
Lie on your back with your arms by your side, palms flat on the floor. Lift your legs and head at the same time and then lower. Inhale as you lower and exhale as you lift.

#3 - Camel Pose
Kneeling with hands on the back of the thighs and toes turned into the floor, arch back to look behind you. Use the hands to help support. Inhale as you arch back and exhale as you come back into the original position.

#4 - Table Pose
In a seated position (staff pose) with the legs extended in front of you and your palms flat on the floor halfway between your hips and knees, lift up the hips into table pose as you inhale. Lower back to the seated position as you exhale.

#5 - Up Dog/Down Dog
From plank position, inhale as you move forward into upward facing dog keeping your toes curled into the mat. Then exhale as you move back into downward facing dog.



Let me know what you think! I got all the way up to 21 at one time then I quit. I just started back up and I'm at 9 this week.