The Five Tibetans is a yogic system of highly energizing postures and exercises that originated in the Himalayas. Liberating and enhancing the innate energetic power of the human body and mind, these five exercises take a minimum of daily time and effort but offer remarkable results in the way of increased physical strength and suppleness as well as mental acuity. In addition, these exercises can be a vehicle for enlivening the senses and generating and harnessing energy for the purpose of self-transformation.
Regular practice of these postures:
Relieves muscular tension and nervous stress Improves respiration and digestion Benefits the cardiovascular system Leads to deep relaxation and well-being Tunes and energizes the chakras
The Five Tibetans are explained within the context of traditional yoga, providing a foundation for understanding. Black-and-white photographs and illustrations complement the text and clearly indicate the proper execution of each exercise.
"Kilham brings to The Five Tibetans nicely written chapters about kundalini, the chakras and an especially insightful instruction on the role of breathing while doing each rite. Excellent and recommended." (Hinduism Today )
"This book is packed full of expert information . . . . clear, concise and easy to understand . . . .a wealth of information and advice from many years of teaching and personal experiences. . . . a wonderful way to start or end your day." (Qetesh, TCM Reviews, Dec 2005 )
“Readers of every background will benefit from reading this text. It is informative but endearing, and the colloquial nature of the Medicine Hunter’s no-apologies, straightforward discourse will enlighten those who are already practicing students, and those who wish to become so. Everyone - even those who feel they don’t have time in their busy schedules for yoga - should read this book.” (Mind Body Spirit Odyssey, August 2011 )
From the Back Cover
HEALTH / YOGA
The Five Tibetans are a yogic system of simple yet highly energizing exercises that originated in the Himalayas. Also known as the Five Rites of Rejuvenation, they were brought to the West early in this century by a retired British army officer who learned them in a Tibetan lamasery. Since 1978 Christopher S. Kilham has taught these exercises to thousands of people seeking a healthier lifestyle.
The Five Tibetans take a minimum of daily time and effort but can dramatically increase physical strength and suppleness as well as mental acuity. Even newcomers to yoga will experience the Five Tibetans’ liberating effect on the innate energetic power of the human body and mind. Regular practice of these exercises relieves muscular tension and nervous stress, improves respiration and digestion, benefits the cardiovascular system, and leads to deep relaxation and well-being. The Five Tibetans can be a powerful vehicle not only for enlivening the senses but also for generating and harnessing vital energy for selftransformation.
CHRISTOPHER S. KILHAM has taught yoga, meditation, and natural health for more than twenty years, lecturing and appearing on radio and television programs throughout the United States. He is the author of many magazine articles and several books, including In Search of the New Age, Take Charge of Your Health, Inner Power, and The Bread and Circus Whole Food Bible.
"Part David Attenborough, part Indiana Jones, Mr. Kilham, an ethnobotanist from Massachusetts... scoured remote jungles and highlands for three decades for plants, oils and extracts that can heal." - The New York Times
Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter, author and educator. The founder of Medicine Hunter Inc., Chris has conducted medicinal research in over 20 countries including India, China, Siberia, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru, Chile, Vanuatu South Pacific, Lebanon, Syria, Ghana, Austria, Germany, Thailand, Malaysia, South Africa, Morocco and the United States.
Chris is the FOX News Medicine Hunter and appears on FOX News Health online in the US and international television markets. He also writes a weekly column for FOX News Health. Chris is Explorer in Residence at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst where he teaches the popular ethnobotany course The Shaman's Pharmacy through the Department of Plant & Soil Sciences. This intensive immersion course takes students to the Peruvian Amazon, where they learn about medicinal plants, the rainforest, and native culture.
Chris works with companies to develop and popularize traditional plant-based food and medicinal products into market successes. These include kava, maca, rhodiola, schisandra, horny goat weed, catuaba, tamanu oil, herbal beverages and dozens of other plants. He is currently working to build market demand for cat's claw and dragon's blood, both strong medicinal plants from the Amazon rainforest.
Chris is the author of fourteen books, including Hot Plants, The Five Tibetans, Psyche Delicacies, Tales from the Medicine Trail and Kava, Medicine Hunting in Paradise. Chris also writes articles on plant medicines for several publications, and is a contributing columnist for FOX News Health.
"I love adventure! That's why I love teaming up with The Medicine Hunter, Chris Kilham." - Dr. Manny Alverez, Fox News Health
Chris lectures extensively on holistic health and botanical medicines, throughout the United States and the European Union, Hong Kong, Thailand, Dubai, Australia, Peru, Vanuatu and many other countries. Recent appearances include The Vitamin Shoppe, In Cosmetics, American Herbalists Guild, Missouri Botanical Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden, Medicines of the Earth Symposium, Natural Products EXPO East, Natural Products EXPO West, Southwest Yoga, Midwest Yoga, Plant Teacher's Convergence, University of Massachusetts, Evolvers, Geneva Vitafoods Conference and HBA New York.
As a guest expert, Chris has presented across a wide variety of sectors to companies such as; Coca Cola, Pepsi, Unilever, Pfizer, Roche, Beiersdorf, Avon, L'Oreal, Chanel, Clarens, Body Shop, Royal Canin, GNC, and Whole Foods. He is also a regular advisor to Woman's World, Fox News Health, and various industry and trade publications.
Chris has appeared as a guest expert on over several hundred radio and television programs including news programs on ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, CNBC, CNN, MSNBC, BBC, Oprah & Friends, FOX TV, and NPR. He has appeared as a guest on The Dr. Oz Show, and is a regular guest on FOX News Ask Dr. Manny. As a TV guest he has spoken about medicine hunting, traditional botanical medicines, nutraceuticals, environmental and cultural preservation and other related topics for a wide variety of audiences. Chris has appeared on over 1500 radio programs and more than 500 TV programs worldwide.
Since October 2007 Medicine Hunter Chris Kilham has been featured in The New York Times, CNN, FOX News, The Dr. Oz Show, NBC Nightly News, ABC 20/20, Psychology Today, International Herald Tribune, CNBC Power Lunch, HD Net World Report, Prevention Magazine, Natural Health Magazine, Oprah & Friends, PBS Healing Quest, Better TV, Good Morning America, Ode Magazine, and Woman's World.
Chris conducts medicinal plant research for Naturex of Avignon, France, one of the largest botanical extraction companies in the world. He is also an advisory board member of the Naturex Foundation, which funds community development projects in various countries.
Chris is on the Scientific Advisory board of EuroPharma, founded by pioneer Terry Lemerond. EuroPharma is a maker of superior plant-based medicines, distributed exclusively through the natural products industry.
An avid body surfer and adventure traveler, Chris lives and works in Massachusetts with his wife, artist/activist Zoe Helene and their dog Boo. Chris advocates sane drug policy and the shamanic and ritual use of hallucinogens. Chris and Zoe travel the globe on Medicine Hunter expeditions, and work together to promote plant medicines, environmental protection and cultural preservation.
CNN calls Chris "The Indiana Jones of natural medicine."
195 of 197 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 starsNot for beginners, April 26, 2001
By A Customer
This review is from: The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power (Paperback)
I'm a huge fan of the Five Tibetans, and this is a great little book for people who are already fit and experienced in yoga-type exercises. For anyone else, however, I strongly recommend Peter Kelder's "Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth", Book 1 or 2, instead (one of Kelder's books introduced this author to the exercises). Kelder tells you how to start gradually and build up repetitions. He gives you tips for doing the exercises safely, and alternate ways to do them effectively when you are starting out and not yet strong, flexible, or confident enough to do them fully. Kelder's Book 2 has more detail, but I started with Book 1 and it was more than adequate. Kilham's book contains none of this basic information, which makes it suitable for practitioners of other Eastern physical movement like yoga or Qi-Gong but difficult for people without that experience. I do very much agree with him that breathing enhances the exercises. Beginners may want to get comfortable with the exercises first, and then add the breathing. If you want some simple exercises you can do in less than 10 minutes, anywhere, with no equipment, where you'll really get results - the Five Tibetans are awesome!
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This review is from: The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power (Paperback)
If you are like most people, you may be wondering if you can do these exercises consistently, if they work, and why they work.
I have been doing these exercises for a couple of weeks, not being a very physically active person. These exercises are not difficult, though it may take a while before you can do the recommended 21 repetitions on each. I consider only one of the exercises to be difficult. If you have done yoga you will recognise some similarities with these rites.
If these exercises work for me, they will probably work for you.
The more you practice, the more you improve. So far, I have noticed increased energy, and better muscle definition, and there appears to be less gray hair than before. My posture has dramatically improved. The particular area with the most pronounced improvement I would say is my abdominal area, what physical trainers refer to as the core. I can feel the reemergence of the body I used to have years ago.
I can see better muscle tone.
I believe these exercises work because according to the Eye of Revelation by Peter Kelder on which this book is based, your body has seven psychic vortexes, which are activated by these exercises. The rate of spin of these vortexes decreases with age and these exercises restore the spin rate to a youthful level, restoring your metabolism in the process.
My personal belief is these exercises do stimulate your key internal organs, and some of your chakras. Some of the exercises seem to focus on the kundalini energy located at the base of your spine. This is is the most powerful energy point in your body.
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This review is from: The Five Tibetans: Five Dynamic Exercises for Health, Energy, and Personal Power (Paperback)
If you are a fan of yoga, and have never heard of the Five Tibetans (or even if you have, and aren't quite sure what they are) this book is for you. The author's language is simple, yet eloquent. The reader gets a basic knowledge of the chakras, Kundalini meditation, deep relaxation techniques and basic pranayama ("breathing exercises"). The actual Five Tibetans (yoga-inspired exercises) are well depicted in black and white photos (except for the first Tibetan, in which you spin clock-wise 21 times).
The author claims that these exercises can be done in about 5-6 minutes. It takes me a little longer than that to complete 21 repetitions of each movement, but the effects are wonderful. I find them invigorating, and have started to use them at the beginning of my daily yoga practice. One word of caution: if you get dizzy easily, cut the first Tibetan short. There are still days that all 21 reps are not possible for me to complete. In short, this book is an interesting, easy read and a handy resource.
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