The 5 Tibetan Rites

[jorvik]

Some time ago I found a book in the local library called the "fountain of Youth" in it were details of an alledged Tibetan exercise system which could improve health, and promote longevity.
The book was supposedly written in 1939 by Peter Kelder

check out http://thenaturalhealthsource.com/Yoga& ... _Rites.htm
this is one of many sources that I found on the internet, in fact it seems to be big business. There are some people actually teaching classes. videos etc.....and in some cases the rites have increased to 7 or 8.
I do not know if the rites have any fitness or health value, but that is not what interests me. I am interested to know who Peter Kelder was or is ?.......and if the rites are authentic or just a figment of Mr.Kelder's imagination........anybody got any ideas?

[Bill Glasheen]

jorvik

Hmmm...where to start?

I am interested to know who Peter Kelder was or is

Well the best I can tell you is that

* He ran across an equivalent of a Tibetan beginner's yoga instructor.

* He wrote up these EXTREMELY BASIC yoga postures in a book, along with some Diet 101 tips.

* He used "Ancient" and "Secret" and "Fountain of Youth" in the advertising of his book.

* He made money off the deal, and then the revenue began to slow to a trickle.

* He wrote "Book 2" to keep the revenue stream coming.

And that's really about it. Bottom line - nice marketing!!

if the rites are authentic or just a figment of Mr.Kelder's imagination

The exercises (postures) appear to be sound, relatively safe, and achievable by the average bloke. The routines appear to be balanced, and put a good deal of emphasis on trunk strength and good posture. It appears they can be done by older folks with typical old-age problems like arthritis. Anything that can get old farts to exercise is a good thing. Any safe exercise routine will make an older person feel younger - hence all the silly references to the fountain of youth.

Any yoga instructor would look at these postures, make comparisons to those in their own mental catalogue, take what is useful, and move on. If you've never done yoga and you're too cheap to pay someone to learn, then these postures might interest you.

- Bill

[jorvik]

Hi Bill.
I was just curious to know who he was and if the book was actually written in 1939. I read the book as a piece of fiction, but found it quite enjoyable.
It seemed strange to me that he hadn't written more.
I have actually read a book by Theos Bernard, who did undertake a course of yoga in the foothills of Tibet, this is a valid work by a well educated man and his practise is markedly different from Mr. Kelder's. I could not find anything when I searched the net...I thought somebody may have heard more. I do agree with you he is probably a quick buck merchant who wrote for profit only.

[Halford]

I have read two books on this subject and have ,for the past few years or more, practiced these exercises and I also purchased a videotape made on this as well. For my part, the exercises are simple,easy(until you really do them) and spare one from having to do a more elaborate routine,especially if you do them first thing in the morning and at night after you have mastered them to some extent. For myself, I found them effective for me and though I have not done them for some time, I can say that I think they have some validity. In the latest issue of ISKF an article on TIBETAN QIGONG appears and mentions a Chinese Filipino,Choa KokSui,who has dusted off the works of Edwin J. Dingle who,years ago, founded the INSTITUTE OF MENTALPHYSICS and formulated certain teachings he obtained in Tibet, apparently, and you can read a bit more about him(Dingle) in the book THE FIVE TIBETANS by Christopher S. Kilham who attended the Institute. I cannot say if the exercises that Dingle promoted were conducive to longevity per se and when I was able to see some of his material in 1968-69 at the Library of Congress, I found them at the time to seem like ordinary breathing exercises done by various groups and body-builders,etc. but that was just my impression at the time and I did not pursue the actual methods. However, I had read the advertisements for MENTALPHYSICS as a child in such magazines as FATE and even sent for a booklet or two from the Institute which I never visited for many reasons, one being no funds to travel and do so at the time of my possible interest. I have posted some of this on the MODERN ARNIS COALITION FORUM as well since it pertains somewhat to Filipino Martial Arts as well. There are numerous works on people who went to Tibet and encountered various things and since Tibet had drastically altered with the Chinese takeover, they now go to other nearby,sometimes seemingly,inaccessible areas in search of wisdom,etc.Well, that's it for now. Give me your comments. Thanks. Halford

[Sochin]

O'Sensei Richard Kim taught the Five Rites for years...we had to do each one 21 times and quite fast - a hell of a workout. He also taught us the 8 Brocades (or Pieces of Silk), another set of longevity exercises.

These sets were not supposed to be just exercise but qi gong sets, opening and channeling the qi flow.

[jorvik]

With things like this you can be oversceptical or gullible, I try to balance the two. I was initially interested in just who this guy was/is and if he had a backgound in other stuff and if so what that was. The book was written so long ago..does he still survive.
The 5 rites seem simple enough, but then so does the Yoga " salutation to the sun". I have practised standing Chi Gong...the guy who made the video that I practised from, said that at first he felt like a fool but noticed that he derived benefits from it....I can say the same thing. I have also done a few styles of Tai Chi and again noticed the differences in teachers. My latest teacher is ma orientated, in that the Tai Chi has a function and a purpose, and this is great because the health aspects come into play also, the whole lot is inter related, as a fighter I don't particularly rate him, he couldn't face a boxer or a Thai...but then again he may live to be 100.

[Halford]

Somehow, I do not believe that the practice of Tai Chi really gives any great longevity benefits that other systems of motion confer. That is, if anything increases our longevity it is merely moving. Life is motion, not inertia, not static,not petrification. If you look at the lives of the TAICHI Masters you find they do not live to any great age, say 100 or more but you will find many people who live to the same age who do other things and have never heard of TAI Chi! So what benefits does the practice bestow upon those who do it? Personally, I think such are merely subjective, that is, they impart a feeling of well-being and perhaps immorality,etc. To be effective and I have argued this with other, TAI CHI has to be stated at a very young age and not when one is ready to step into the grave. As much as it is touted as an exercise for seniors, etc. the few benefits they receive from such are probably no different than what they would get from other sources of exercise. I know most of you will not agree with this assessment.

[gmattson]

I'd prefer to have had grandparents and parents who lived to 120!

[jorvik]

Halford.

I'm inclinde to agree with you. I said it tongue in cheek

[Halford]

Although you may well obtain various benefits, including longevity, from the practice of the 5 Rites, if your diet and other habits do not help, then you are being counterproductive in your quest to live a longer,fuller life? Check out the Okinawan studies being done on people who live to ripe old ages and are still active at 75 in Okinawa! Some even much older!