Rite Number One

Sta c ti cs f1 Sft j o n
Stand erect with arms outstretch ed, hori zontal co th e floor, palms fac-
ing dow n. Shoulders shou ld not be hun ch ed or te nse, and your arms
should be in line with your sho ulders.
"" , )-
Pictu re a dock on the floor, under your feet, face up. When you
..,., ..... , . begin to spin, turn in the same directio n as the hands of th e clock.

'"
....- .

Turn from left to right , spinning around in a complete circle. Begin

I and end slowly, buildin g up speed and decelerating gradually. This
" prevents undue stress on the body"Breathe slowly and evenly as you
"/ spin,
You may become slightly dizzy. To alleviate thi s, focus your vision on
a single point straight ahead of you before you begin spinning . As you
, turn , keep your eyes on that point as lon g as possible. When thi s point
enter s your field of vision again, refocu s on it.
t ' Wh en you are finished spinning, take a few deep breaths, breathing in
and out through the nose. Relax your body. Lie down in preparation
I' for R ite Number Two. Wait for any lingering dizziness to disappear .
. Do not begin th e next rite until you feel co mpletely back in balance.
T IP S PRECAUTI ONS
Let yo ur feet follow your arms. Spinning can cause nausea, headach e, and a loss of balance .
Try not to wander as yo u spin. Finish spinning in approxi_ Wh en yo u first begin doing th is rite, spin slow ly. Always go
mately the same place in th e roo m w here you began. clockw ise.
Keep yo ur chin parallel to the gro und, yo ur shoulders
relaxed. C HECK WITH YO UR DOCTOR
Because spinning might aggravate certain health conditions,
I F Yo u H AVE D IFFIC ULTY seek professional advice if yo u have multiple sclerosis, Parkin-
Begin and end by spinning slowly. If difficulty persists, spin son's or a Parkinson-like disease, Men iere's disease, vertigo, a
slow ly througho ut. seizure disorder, pregnancy wi th nausea, or are taking drugs that
If you have shoulder or neck problems with pain, let your can cause dizziness. If you have an enlarged heart, a heart valve
arms bend at the elbows, rath er than fully extending them problem , or have suffered a heart attack within the past thre e
to lessen the dema nd on the muscles in th ose areas. mont hs, do not do thi s rite w ithout your do ctor's explicit per-
Do fewer repetitions until yo u feel mo re comfortable. missio n.
If you have a problem w ith dizzin ess, pick three more focal
points in additio n to the first one. U sing th e image of the
clock face, choose poi nts at 12, 3, 6, and 9. Each point
sho uld offer something spec ific you can look at such as a
RiteN umberTwo
window, a lamp , a piece of furniture, and a picture. When- H ELP S R ELI EVE
ever yo u are facing th ose points, let yo ur eyes focus on each Arthritis
object for the mo ment. Be sure your palm s are facing down O steop orosis
- this can help prevent dizziness, too. Irregular menses
To regain equili br ium, when yo u finish spin ning, stand Symptom s of m enopause
wi th your feet shoulde r-width apart. Touch the palms of D igestive and bowel pro blems
your hands to your ch est and look down at your thu mbs. Back pain
Hold this positio n until th e dizziness subsides. Stiffness of the legs and neck

I F Yo u W ANT M ORE C HALLENGE H EALT H BE NEFITS

Spin faster, but never so fast that yo u lose your balance. R ite N u mber Two has a restorative effect on the thyroid
gland, the adrenals, the kidneys, the organs of the digestive sys-
tem, and the sexual o rgans and glands, includin g the prostate
and th e uterus. It's helpful for irregular menstrual cycles and
alleviating so me of the symptoms of men opause. It has a posi-

144 145
rive impact o n digestive and bo wel problems. It's go od for ci-,
culatio n and respiratio n, toning th e heart mu scles and the
diaphragm, and the lymphatic flow. The movemen t also
strengthens th e abdomen, legs, and arms; releases ten sion fron)
the lower back , which helps with pain; and has a beneficial
effect on stiffness in th e legs and neck . It can be o f help to those
suffering from arth ritis of th e hip s and neck, and for those with
osteop orosis in th e legs, hip s, pelvis and neck. It also speeds up
th e spin of chakras 5, 3, 2, and I , in th e throat, the up per and
lower areas of th e abdomen , and the tailbone.

S ta r ti n g posi tio n

Lie flat o n th e floor , legs extende d, face up. It's best co do th is on a

thick carpet, an exercise mat, o r so me sort of padded surface to cush-
ion the sp ine and avoid contact wi th a cold floor.

Place your arms close to your sides, parallel to your body, palms
against the floor. finger s together.

A ctj o n
Breath e in th rough your nose as yo u raise yo ur head off the floo r.
tucking your chin against yo ur chest. At the same time , lift both legs
up together, bringing them as close to vertical as yo u can.

It is important to keep your legs as straight as possible. If you are

un able [ 'J keep your legs perfectly straight, let yo ur kn ees bend only
as m uch as is absolutely necessary. Work cowards be ing able to raise
yo ur legs withou t bending your kne es.
Slow ly lowe r yo ur head and your legs back to the floor at th e same
tim e, still trying co keep your legs as straight as possible. Bre athe out
gen tly through your nose as yo u do this.

Allow all yo ur muscles to relax for a mo ment and then rep eat this
movem ent.

147
 T I PS
As yo u lift yo ur legs, press stro ngly down into the floor with
palms, fo rearms, elbows, and sho ulders.
Keep yo ur abd omen pulled in , and keep yo ur m ental focus
on yo ur abdomen . Your he ad should co m e up in a relaxed
w ay and down slow ly as your legs are lowered to th e floor.
I F Yo u HAVE D IFFICU LTY
Put a folded towel o r blanket under yo ur hips to get mor~
momentum. W he n yo u no tice th at it has beco me easier for
yo u to do this m ovement, sto p using the tow el.
In crease th e nu mber of rep et itions slowly and pau se w hen
necessary between repetitions.
To help lift yo ur legs, try a different way of breathing.
Breathe in first w he n yo u are in the starting po sitio n . Then
breath e out strongly as yo u raise yo ur head and legs. Breathe
in again w he n yo u've co m ple te d th e upward movement
an d then breat h e o ut slow ly as yo u release yo ur head and
legs and bring them back dow n. W hen it becomes easier to
lift your legs, shift to th e breath in g pattern descr ibe d in the
Ac tio n sectio n for thi s ri te.
If yo u're unable to do thi s rite, substitu te th e wa rm - up
called Abdominal Strength ener (see page 123).
[ FYO U W ANT M OR E C HA LLENGE
If you're able to lift yo ur legs to a vert ical po sitio n w ithout
bending your kn ees, th en let th em extend back ove r your
upper body, toes pointing tow ards the floo r.
D o all yo ur repetit ions at a faster pace.
P RECAUTI ON S
Do this rite very slowly and in cre ase th e number of repe-
titio ns by one o r two per week if yo u have ulcers.Jow er back
pain , neck pain , hi gh blood pressure that is b eing co ntrolled
with m edicat io n , weak abdo mi nal m uscles, ex cessive ten sion or
stiffness in your sho ulde rs o r legs, m ult iple sclerosis, Parkinson's
or a Parkinson-like disease, fib romyositis, o r chro nic fatigue syn-
,Itome. M enstruati ng wom en sho uld be aw are th at it m ay
aa""ravate cram ping and interrup t or sto p m enstrual flow.
"to
C HEC K W ITH Y O UR D o c TQI'
If yo u have a hiatal hernia, hernia, hyp erthyroid co nditio n,
Men iere 's disease, verti go, o r a seizu re diso rder, seek advice from
your health care pra ctitioner about w h ether th is exe rcise is safe
for yo u . If yo u are pregn ant, have had abdomi nal surgery w ithin
six month s, uncontrolled hi gh blo od pressure or hyp erthy-
roidism , seve re arthritis of the spine , or disc disease get yo ur
doctor's permission befor e doing this ri te . If you have an en-
larged heart , heart valve problem, or have suffered a heart atta ck
within the past three month s, do no t do th is r ite w ith o ut yo ur
doctor's ex plicit app roval.
RiteNumberThree
HELP S RELIEVE
Arthritis
Irregular o r sluggish m enses
Sym ptom s of m en opause
Digestive problem s
Back and neck pain
Sinus congestio n
H EALTH BENEF ITS
Like Rite N u mber Tw o, R ite N umber Three rej uve nates
the thyroid gland, th e adrenals, kidneys, all digestive syste m or-
149
 gans, and the sex ual organs and glands including the prostate
and uteru s. It's partic ularly good for menop ausal wo me n and
menstru ating wo men w ho ten d to have irregular or sluggish
periods. It to nes and strengthens the abdomen , tones th e di-
aphragm , deep ens breathing, and releases muscle tension in the
lower back and neck, alleviating pain and stiffness in those areas.
It can help clear sinus co ngestion and relieve the symptoms of
arthritis in the neck and upper back. D oing this movement
speeds up the spin of all the chakras, especially 5, 3, and 2 in the
throat and the upper and lower abd omen , increasing yo ur gen-
eral sense of vitality and energy.

Kneel on the floor with your lower legs extended behind you, toes
curled under, and the rest of yo ur body erect.
1'"

Grasp yo ur thigh s with yo ur hands, thumbs facing forward, and

breathe in through yo ur no se.

A cti on

Breathe Out through your no se as yo u gently roll yo ur head and neck

forward, tucking yo ur chin against your chest.

Breathe in slowly and deeply as you lean backward, angling your

torso over yo ur lower legs. As your spine arches, your head follows,
bend ing back gently as far as it can go.

Breathe o ut and return to your starting position . Breathe in and

repeat.

15 0 151
TIps
For support and balance, brace your arms and hands against
your thi ghs as you lean backward and come forward.
Keep your head and neck relaxed .
I F You H AVE D IFFICULTY
If you experience pain in your knee s, put a fold ed towel Or
blanket un der th em.
If you 're un able to do this ri te, do th e wa rm-up called
Thigh Strengthener instead (see page 136).
I F You W AN T M O RE C HALLENGE
D o all your repetitions at a faster pace.
PREC.AUTIONS
If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, do
no t allow yo ur head to be positioned lower than you r heart. If
yo u have lower back or neck pain, weak abdo mi nal muscles,
recurr ing headaches, multiple sclerosis, Parkin son's or a Parkin-
so n- like disease, fibromyositis, or ch ronic fatigue syndro me
perfo rm each repetition of th is movem ent very slowly and add
only o ne or two repetitions per week.
C HEC K WITH Y OUR D OC TOR
If you suffer from a hernia, hiatal hernia, unc ontrolled high
bloo d pressure, severe arthritis of th e spine, disc disease, hyper-
thyroidism, Meniere's disease. vertigo , or a seizure diso rder,
check with your hea lth care practit ion er before do ing this rite.
Pregnant women and th ose who have had abdominal surgery
within six mont hs sho uld seek advice from a docto r. If yoU
have an enlarged heart, a he art valve problem , or have suffered
a heart attac k within the past three months, do no t do this rite
witho ut your doctor 's explicit approval.
152
Rite Number Fou r
H ELPS R ELIEVE
Arthritis
Osteoporosis
Irregular or sluggish me nses
Symptoms of menopause
Sinus co ngestio n
H EALTH B EN EFIT S
Rite Number Four has an invigora ting effect on the thyroid
gland, the digestive system , the sexu al organs and glands includ-
ing th e prostate and uterus, circulation, and lymphatic flow. It
tones the abdo me n, heart muscle and diaphragm , and strength-
ens the abdomen, thighs, arms, and shoulders. If you have sin us
congestion, yo u may find that it helps clear your nasal passages.
If you have arthritis in your neck , shoulders, hips,and kne es, you
may find this movement especially helpful to relieve symptoms.
Th e same is true for people with osteoporosis in their arm s, legs,
and pelvis. It also dee pe ns breathing and quickens th e major
chakras related to the areas of th e th roat, chest, upp er and lower
abdomen , and tailbone (chakras 5,4, 3,2, 1) and the minor
chakra corresponding to th e region of th e knees, stimulating
Core ene rgy and vitality and offering a spe cial boost to the
immune system. Slugg ish or missed menstru al cycles and th e
symptoms of menopause can also be positively influence d by
this m ovem ent.
153
 ..,
Rue N umber Fou f

S t a rt i n g positjQo

Sit o n th e floor , spine straight, legs fully extende d in fron t of yo u, feer
apart abo ut the w idth of your sho ulde rs.
Place the palms of yo ur hand!' down on th e floo r. alongs ide your bu t-
tocks. arms straight, fingers poi nting toward your toes. Breathe in .
go. R aise your tor so up as you co nt inue this slow. deep inhalation .
Your to rso w ill be suppo rted by your ar ms and lowe r legs. Your kn ees
sho uld be bent. positioned over your ankles. yo ur arms straight. per-
pen dicu lar to the floo r. Your chest. abdo men. and up per legs should
form a brid ge or arch. Yo ur feet sho uld be flat o n the floo r.

A ctlo o
Breath e o ut and tu ck you r chin dow n against your chest. Breathe in
again slow ly as you let your head sink back as far as it will naturally
In this position. tense every muscle in your bod y and hold yo ur breath .
Then breathe o ut, gradually and tho roughly emptying your lungs as
you relax every mu scle and retu rn [Q the original. starting position .
R est a m o ment , breathe in. then fepear.

154 155
T IPS
Press your palms and heels strongly downward into the floor
as you raise your torso.
T hrust your pelvis up ward, keeping your mental focus on
this movem ent.
Keep yo ur butt ocks squeezed toget her to protect YOur
lower back.
If you have symptoms of menopause, keep your abdomen
pulled in .
Pretend yo u're pressing a beac h ball between your knees to
keep th em together, in line over your ankles.
Keep yo ur head in lin e wit h your spine. Begin with your
head in a position so that your chin is tou ching your chest.
T hen go back to th e normal head position , with your head
parallel to the floor, but be sure not to move your head
back past th e parallel position .
I F Y OU HAVE DI FFIC ULTY
Practice thigh-stren gthening and th igh-building exercises
3 tim es a day (see warm-up, page 136).
Raise your torso up only as high as you can comfor tably.
Try pressing higher gradually, over time. R emember, there's
no rush .
If yo ur wrists hurt or you have carpal tu nnel syndrom e,
form your hands into fists to support your torso.
If you are un able to do this rit e, do th e Bridge Warm-up
instead (see page 120).
I F Yo u WANT M ORE CHALLENGE
Do all your repetitio ns at a faster pace.
PRE CAUT IO NS
D o this rite slow ly and add o nly one or two repetitions per
week if you have high blood pressure that is being co ntrolled
,;ith medication, ulcers, lower back pain , neck pain , weak
abdomi nal mu scles, weakn ess or stiffness in th e sho ulders or
legs; mu ltiple sclerosis, Parkinson 's or a Parkinso n- like disease,
fibromyositis, carpal tunnel syndrome, o r chro nic fatigue syn-
drome. It may aggravate cram ping o r sto p m enstru al flow if
done dur ing menses.
CHECK WITH YOUR D O CTO R
, If you are diagnosed wi th any of the following conditions,
this rit e should be done only w ith th e approval of your health
care practitioner: hernia, hiatal hern ia, hyperthyroidism , Men-
~ere's disease, ve rtigo , and a seiz ure diso rder. Ifyo u are pregnant,
have had abdo minal surge ry within six m onths, suffer from a
severe hern ia or hiatal herni a, uncontrolled high blood pres-
sure, severe art hri tis of the spine o r disc disease, seek yo ur
doctor's advice before tryin g to do this rite. If yo u have an en -
larged heart, heart valve problem , or have suffered a heart attack
within the past thre e months, do not do this rite wi tho ut yo ur
doctor's explicit approval.
\.
157
 " Rite N umber bye
RueNumber Five
HELP S R ELIEVE
Art hr itis
O steoporosis
Irregular or sluggish menses
Sinus congestion
Digestive and bowel problems
Back pain
Leg and neck stiffne ss
"
HEALTH BENE FIT S
Rite Number Five reju ven ates th e thyroid gland, adrenals,
kidneys, all the organs of th e digestive system , and the sexual
organs an d glan ds, including th e prostate and uterus. It pro- J
motes improved circulation and lymphatic flow, w h ich has a
positive impact on the immune system, stim ulates deeper '.
,"
breathing, ene rgy, an d vitality, and qui cken s all th e chakras. It
tones the abdom en, heart muscle, an d diaphragm, strengthens ,
,I
the abdomen, legs, and arms, and help s w ith lowe r back pain as
well as leg and neck stiffness. Like Rites Number Two, T hree,
and Four it is especially useful in alleviating th e symptoms of
menopause and irregu lar or sluggish menstrual peri ods. It also
clears the sinuses, reduces digestive and bowel problem s, helps Rite Number Fi ye' S tat Uos J1 Siti Q O

those suffering from osteoporosis in th e arms and legs, and may
b ring relief to those w ho suffer from art hritis of the hips, back,
shoulde rs, hands, and feet .
l
Begi n by lying face down wi th your legs extended and your toes
, curled under. Your hands sho uld be placed directly under yo ur sho ul-
ders w ith your palms down. Yo ur feet sho uld be spaced apart 111 0 re or
. less the wi dth of your shoulders, in line with yo ur hands, so as to give
you a solid base.
. Lift your body, including your legs, by fully exte nding you r arms per-
. pen diicular to the floo r and flexin g yo ur toe s. Th is position resembles
I

- a modifi ed push-up; you r spine sho uld be arched, your chest raised ,
and yo ur lower back in a sagging position .
I

"
J 159
'I
A ctio n
Slowly breathe in through yo ur nose as you gently move yo ur ht"ad
back as far as possible.
Continue breathing in as you bend at the hips. bringing your body
up into an inverted V As you move into this positio n, yo ur head will
naturally come fo rward. Tuck your chin against your chest so you (an
see your feet. which are now almost flat o n the floor w ith o nly your
heels slightly raised .
Breathe o ut, thorough ly emptying yo ur lungs as you return to the
arched positio n with yOUT arms and legs straight. Breathe in and
repeat.
TIP S
R em ember that you do not come back to the original start-
ing position of lyin g flat o n the f1 00 t until you've
co mpleted your full cycle of repetitions.
Keep your abdomen pulled in and be sure to sq ueeze your
buttocks to protect your lower back .
Keep your menta] focus on yo ur shoulders, th e backs of
your legs, and the opening and releasing of yo ur chest.Visu-
alize lifting yo ur buttocks and tailbon e up towards the sky.
Keep your head and neck relaxed to avoid neck strain.
IF Yo u H AVE D IFFI C ULTY
Keep your thi ghs on the floor and lift only your torso until
your arms becom e stro nger.
D o wrisr- , arm-, and shoulde r-streng thening exercises 3
tim es a day (see warm- ups, pages 115- 138).
If you have w rist pain or carpal tunn el syndrome, instead of
positioning yo ur hands flat o n the floor, make them into
fists and put the pressure o n your knu ckles.
If yo u exp erien ce knee pain , allow yo ur knees to bend
16 0
slightly when yo u initially lift your torso and thi ghs off th e
: floor .
If you're unable to do Rite N umber Five, do th e D own-
ward D og warm- up in its place (see page 127).
I; Yo u W ANT M ORE CHALLE NGE
D o all yo ur repetitions at a faster pace.
I
PRE CAUTIO NS
D o this movem ent slow ly and, if necessary,add only one o r
two repetitions per wee k if yo u have ulcers, lower back pain ,
neck pain, weak abdo minal muscles, sho ulder or leg stiffness or
weakness, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's or a Parkinson-like dis-
ease, fibromyositis, carpal tunnel syndro me, or ch ronic fatigue
syndrome.
C HEC K W ITH YO UR D O CTOR
Seek your doctor's advice before doing this rit e ifyo u have
high blood pressure, a hiatal hernia, a hernia, severe art hritis of
the spine, disc disease, hyperthyroidism, Meniere's disease, ver-
tigo, a seizure disorder, if yo u're pregnant , or have had abdom-
inal surgery within six months. If yo u have an enlarged heart , a
heart valve problem, or have suffered a heart attac k w ithin th e
past three m onths, do not do thi s rit e wi tho ut your doc to r's
explicit approval.
-.
161

After the n ve Rites: Relaxation
. It's useful to spend 5 to 10 minutes relaxing after co rn pl- j;
mg all five of the rues. Try th e following techniqu e: Lie flat On
the floo r, o n yo ur back, wi th your eyes closed . Do the Bod
Scan with Abdominal Breathing described in the warm -up sec~
tion of this chapter. This relaxation period, cha racterized by
deep, slow, easy breathing, releases any tensio n that may have
bui lt up as yo u exercised, redu ces th e possibility of any residual
stiffness, and maximizes the benefits that have accru ed to all the
nerves, gland s, and organs of your body. It gives th e chakras
rime to balanc e their energy and gives the mind an opportuni,
ty to com e into a calm state th at can influence the rest of your
day.
T he sixth ri te is in a category of its ow n. In Ancient Secret of
the Fountain of You th, Book 1, it is discussed separa tely from the
ot her five.
Rite N umber Six involves sexual abstention as the ultimate
me thod for achieving a remarkably youthful appearance. The
explanatio n is th at the life force energy w hic h normally ex-
presses itself in sexuality is redirected into the o ther energy
centers of th e bo dy. Colonel Bradford disting uishes between
th e Western monastic tradition , w hich has conce nt rated on sup-
pressing such impulses, and the Eastern view that sexual energy
can be channeled in other directio ns and transformed for high-
er purposes. (See C hapter Four for a more detailed discussion
of R ite N um ber Six.)
Celibacy is no t an un comm on dem and for th ose on a spir-
itual path. In yoga, sexu al abstention has often been practiced in
order to conserve energy. Some view the "rerout ing" of sexual
162
impulses as a way to enhance spiritual develop me nt . It is a
choice that takes o ne out of th e ordinary flow of human life,
and it is o ne way to shift th e focus of daily living from th e sec-
ular to the spiritual.
Alth ou gh the Colonel reports that he was to ld that co m-
plete abstention was necessary in order to practice the sixth
rite, I'm not so sure myself. Sexual abstinence is not a require-
ment in all T ibetan Buddhist sects. M y own training leads me
to believe that the idea behind Rite Number Six can be adapt-
ed, and the rite can be used to help find creative new ways for
the expression of sexual energy, even if a person does not lead
a compl etely chaste life.
M ost peopl e, on occasion, have an excess of sexual energy
or experie nce sexual feelings w hen there is no partn er to share
them with. This energy can manifest itself as nervousness and
anxiety, and might be expressed as overeating or co nstant fidget -
ing. T he practice of the sixth rite provid es a very healthy,
balancing outlet for helping to get rid of th is tensio n. T he result
is that afte r doin g th e exercise, yo u are more relaxed, and th at,
of course, as I've said earlier, is dee ply rejuvenating.
I believe we can use sexual energy to fuel other areas of
Our lives, and other pursuits. Rite N umb er Six wo rks to move
this energy so that it's actually available for this purpose. So even
if you are not interested in being com pletely celibate, I thi nk the
sixth rit e has a value. It should be done only w hen yo u feel a
sexual urge that, for whatever reasons, will go un gratified, or
you have an excess of sexual energy.
163
\,

~ .. .~,

S ta r t ing POsit i o n

Stand u p straigh t, feet slightly apart . planted fir mly all th e floo r, arms as mu ch as possible. And yo u m ust d o this w ithout breathin g in .
at yo ur sides. This is what moves th e en ergy int o other cen ters. H old thi s position
as long as you can.
A ct iOD When yo u m ust take a breat h, let the air flow in through yo ur 110 '> <:'.
When you r lun gs feel full, bre ath e o ut th rou gh you r mouth. As yo u
Slowl y breathe out as yo u bend over from the waist, placing your
breat he out, let you r abdomen o ut , yo u r sho ulders relax, and you r
hands on yo ur knees. Continue breathing o ut until yo u've fo rced out
arms drop from you r hips to han g natu rally at yo u r sides.
all the air in yo u r lungs.
Take several deep b reaths, breathin g in and o ut through yo ur nose.
W ith yo ur lungs em pty. ret u rn to an upri ght postur e. Place you r
This ma rks the co m pletion of one full rep etition o f this rite. It sho uld
hands on yo ur hip s and press down, whi ch w ill pu sh you r sho ulders
be do ne o nly 2 or 3 times.
up. T he key to th e power o f this movem en t is that as you r sho ulde rs
are p ush ed u p. yo u must pull in yo ur abd omen and raise you r chest

164 165
A FEW FINAL SUG GESTI ONS
Practic e th e rites in seque nce, from Rite N um ber One to
R ite N um ber Five.
D o th e Five R ites eve ry day. Of co urse, there wi ll be days
w he n it 's just impossible to take th e 20 or 30 minutes nec.,
essary to do th e w hole routine. But don 't ma ke a habit of
skip ping th em for more th an a day now and the n, or yo u'll
never have a cha nce to discover the ben efit s the ri tes can
brin g to yo ur life and health.
If yo u are sick, bu sy, or stressed, it's much better to do each
rite o nly 3 times tha n to skip doing th em complet ely. It
takes less th an five minutes to do the rites 3 times each .
Think of it as washing your face instead of taking a shower.
No matter how rushed you are in the morning, the re's
always en o ug h time to wash yo ur face.
If you do skip more th an a day, I advise taking a few steps
back in yo ur ro utine. D o fewer repe titions than yo u were
doi ng and build yo urself back up again over the co urse of
a wee k. N ever tr y to add extra repetitions to make up for
th ose yo u m issed . I can 't overem phasize the fact th at, w he-
ther yo u are resuming the routin e after a laps e o r j ust
beginning, it 's impo rtant to gradually wo rk yo ur way up to
th e full 2 1 rep etitions of eac h ri te.
Even if yo u are physically able to do all 21 rep etiti o ns from
th e start, follow th e instructions as th ey've been given . Build
up incrementally to th e full cy cle. Un like calisthenics or
other (0111111 011 forms o f exe rcise, the rites deal with more
sub tle th in gs than sim ple muscle strengt h and agili ty. Re-
spect the process. Strive for quality rath er th an qu antity.
Consiste nt practice acc o rding to the instructions insures
your success. If yo u do this, you're more likely not to get dis-
co ur aged and yo u' ll find it 's not hard to stick with yo ur daily
co m mitment. You 'll be less likely to strain yo urse lf or expe-
166
rien ce un comfortable reactions suc h as nausea or dizziness.
Twenty-one repetitions of eac h rite are all that's needed .
There 's simply no reason to do more. If yo u w ish, yo u can
.: do th e rites twi ce a day, upon awa kening and in the even ing
at least tw o hours after eat ing. O r yo u m ay w ant to use o ne
of those sessio ns for other, complemen tary m odes of relax-
ation and self- ex plo ratio n , like yoga .
It's be st to do th e ri tes fir st thing in the m orning on an
empty stom ach . I recommen d getting up a half-hour earlier
to give yourself eno ugh time to do the rit es in an unhurried
way. I know th at can be hard, espec ially at first, but it 's w ell
worth the effort. You'll start yo ur day feeling wide awak e,
relaxed, and energetic, often finding that yo u require less
sleep.
It's importan t to wear lo ose, co m fo rtable clothing that does
not restrict yo ur m ovements. Swe ats, shorts and a T-shi rt,
pajamas, or even yo ur underwear are id eal. I think it's b est
to have bare feet, bu t if yo ur feet are cold, we aring soc ks is
fine . As with any other form of exercise, those who wear eye
glasses sho uld remove th em.
T he rites are meant to help yo u relax, so it 's important not
to sur ro und the pra cti ce of them with a great deal of agi -
tation and conflict. Choose the most co m fo rtable, quiet,
reasonably privat e pla ce yo u can, with eno ug h ro om for
you to stretch o ut fully,
If th e floor is not carpe ted yo u might want to have an exer-
cise o r yo ga mat , a piece o f thin foam, or a thick, pl ush
carp et remnant to lie on . Ap proa ch th e exercises w it h a
focused state of mind . T h is is a tim e to pay atte ntio n to
yo ur body, to learn to listen to it. Although I kn ow that
some people feel differently, I think it 's best no t to have any
type of music playing in the back ground. It be comes som e-
thi ng else to distract the mind from the body.
167
 A qui et atm osphe re for doin g the rites is ideal but perhaps,
in yo ur life, that may not always be possible. Accept that
do n't fight it, and don 't let oversleeping or the commotiol;
ofyour ho usehold becom e an excuse not to do your practice.
As yo u do the rit es, try not to think abo ut your day, your
obligations , and your concerns. W hen yo u not ice that you
are preoccupied and have dr ifted away fro m an awareness of
th e sensations in your body, bring the focus of yo ur atten.,
tio n back to th e movements yo u are doing . If you're
anything like me, you'll have to keep do ing this again and
again. Concentrating on your bre athin g can help you focus
and it will help yo u relax.
The Five R ites can fit into your life. Unlike ma ny tech-
niques and schools of th ou ght tha t have co me to us fr o m
th e East, doing the rit es do es no t require you to change
yo ur lifestyle, your wo rld view, or yo ur religion. Despite the
fact that they are root ed in an ancient spiritual discipline,
th ey can be don e stri ctly as a form of exercise.
The rite s are good preparation and support for those wh o
are interested in m edita tion. It's advisable to do them firsr,
and th en medit ate. Even if you do n't m editate, you might
want to try taking tim e afterwa rds to sit still, relax, and clear
yo ur mind.Ju st lie on your back quietly for 10 or 15 min-
utes after completing the routine. Because relaxatio n plays
a critical role in the bo dy's ability to heal and no urish itself,
thi s can only furth er accentuate the benefits of the rite s.
My O wn E xperience
I've developed my own morning routine th at gives me all
th e benefits o f a full workout plu s a cup of coffee without hav-
ing to use any special equipme nt, com mit so much tim e, or
suffer the harmful effects of caffeine.
[68
I do all th e warm-up exercises right afte r I wake up. They
help me focus my attent ion in my bod y and dispel th at groggy,
tired feelin g I often have upon awakening . I think of it as get-
ting my engine started. T hen [ do the Five Rites. T heir effect
is rapid and clear. [ have a sense of heightened mental clarity,and
experience a surge of both physical and emotio nal strength. I
get a real sense of accomp lishme nt and self-satisfaction. And
the rites have helped me wi th th e yoga posture s that [ also do.
I always follow th is with a very satisfying peri od of relaxation
'or formal meditatio n.
I My days are very full. T hey start early and often end late.
When I do th e Five Rites, I feel ready to face my life and all its
demands, knowi ng I'll have the good health and energy I need .
I wish you well as you embark o n yo ur ow n practice of the
'Five rites, confident that you're on th e road to real, lo ng-lasting
health and vitality.
Jeff Migdow, M .D. , received his medical education at the Univer-
'sity of Illinois ill Chicago, and did his internship at George Washillgton
University Hospital ill VVashillgtoll, D. C. He has beell in genera! prac-
tice, with a special focus a ll holistic medicine,for 15 years. While a
college student, Dr. Migdow read a/lOlIt the health bell ~fits of yoga and
took up the practice himself H is medical studies revealed a d~lI ite cor-
respondence between Western sacntijicfact and the basic principles of
yoga, makillg it dear that yoga's bCII ~fi cia l effects 011 the body could be
explained biologically.And he noticed that the exercises did indeed have
a positive impact 0 11 his OW II health alld stamina.
A s an intern, he was regularly 011 call sevell days a week, often stay-
I ing up all llight two or three times a week. W ith little time to devote to
a long and complicated yoga routine, he created his own short series of
yoga postures, exercises he could do in j ust ten milllltes. Dr. Migdow is
[69
 certain that these helped him get through this very diffiw lt and stress_
[u l period. Alld unlike mallY of his colleagues at that time, he f elt
healthy and eneryetic.
YOg" continued to be all important part of iH(~do w's lile '!frer he
went illto private practice. H e was especially interested ill Hatha yoga,
theform that emphasiz es physical exercises. Several years ago, a patieni
told him about the Five Rites and gave him a copy ~f Ancient Secret
of the Fountain of Youth . D r. Miodow was immediately attracted to
the rites because they reminded him of yoga postures but required less
time. N ot ollly did he begill to do them himself, but he also begall to
recommflld them to his patients. Manv reported to him that afier doillg
the ritesfo r ollly two or three months, theyf elt healthier, more motivat-
ed, and energized , and D r. AIigdow noticed that the rites, like the
practice of yoga, seemed to speed up the healing process.
C urrelltly, Dr. M igdali' is 011 the st~1J ~f The Kripalu Center ill
Lenox, Massachusetts, aile ofthe largest yoga-oriwted health carefacil-
ities it/ the world. H e continues to recommend hath the practice of yoga
alld the Five R ites because he is convinced that they offerhealth and
healillg benefits, representi no a way that people call actively help them-
selvesfeel better and live morefil lly.

Laura Fa ye Taxel has been a writer jo urnalist, and researcherfor

more than 20 years. H er work has appeared ill t/llmerous nationalalld
local publications includiny' Ladies Homejournal, Parentiny, Natural
Health, Ne w Age,The Cleveland Plain D ealer Sunday Magaz ine,The
Akroll BeacollJ ouYlla l Slm day M agazille and C leveland Parent.
Laura is the author of C leveland Ethnic Eats (G ray and Com-
pally, It/C., 1995), and she is currently workillg all several book projects
all a variety of topics including health and educa tion.

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