The Five Tibetans by Christopher S. Kilham - Mind Body Spirit Odyssey Book Review

-->

The Five Tibetans, an up-close-and-personal look at five core Tibetan yoga traditions, is an ideal text for both the novice and advanced yoga student alike.  Written by Christopher S. Kilham - The Medicine Hunter - the book offers a detailed yet congenial account of what are commonly know as the Five Rites, or the Five Rites of Rejuvenation, which are central to traditional Tibetan yoga.    

            The author begins with a charming colloquial introduction to his own first experiences with the Five Tibetans, and even gives a brief history of the rites and their import to the West.  He goes on to provide an entire section on breathing techniques, which he indicates are central to experiencing the benefits of yoga, and then carefully provides an informative and intriguing description of the seven chakras and their functions.  The text includes an easy-to-understand diagram and concise lists that will allow students of all levels to benefit.

 

            He then goes on to describe, in great depth, kundalini.  This section was perhaps the most in-depth yet concise description of kundalini that this reader has experienced overall.  Kundalini is, according to the author, the most widely misunderstood element in yoga practice, and Kilham endeavors to provide the reader with a careful understanding of its nature and importance.    The remainder of the text hinges on the reader's understanding of this energy and its central role in yoga.

            Then Kilham brings us to the Five Tibetans themselves, and his description of these rites is positively stellar.  For the novice, this section will enlighten and inform, and for the more seasoned student, this section will serve as a refresher, a re-introduction of sorts.  Kilham provides photos of the exercises, which allow the reader to visualize the exact nature of each exercise.  He gives ample descriptions of the physical responses of each rite, and this aptly prepares the reader to experience the fullness of each application.   He follows this with more technique descriptions and the remainder of the text serves to provide a layout of tips for where to practice, how to practice and when to practice these rites.  Kilham gives advice on what to wear, how to behave, and more.   

            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.  

  ­­

The Five Tibetans by Christopher S. Kilham

Inner Traditions 

Publication date 8-17-11

Reviewed by Christina Dudley

Follow our daily updates for the Mind Body Spirit Marketplace on Facebook

Spiritual Walking

Shady Grove by Karen Casey Smith

We had a break in the winter weather the last few days and like many people I found myself out for a walk.  Where I live in the New York Metro area, walking, like everything else, seems to have be for a specific purpose or reason in order for people to engage themselves.  Usually a walk means someone has to catch the train or bus, squeeze in some exercise time (because it's "good" for you) or in our neighborhood take the kids to the park.   I occasionally meet someone just out for enjoyment, but not too often.  That said, people here "do" walk.  They are out and about all the time.

I was thinking about all this recently and I remembered an article I read last year in Llewellyn's 2010 Magical Almanac, "Walking with Spirit" by Harmony Usher. In the article, Usher maintains that walking is both a physical and symbolic activity that connects our bodies and spirits with moving forward.  When we move the body, we quiet the mind.  Our circulatory system gets going, we change our scenery and our spirit blossoms.  We are able to view life from a different perspective.

What I enjoyed about reading "Walking with Spirit" was Usher's discussion of seven different types of spiritual walking in which she describes the purpose of each and their intent.  Some of these can be combined with others, but it's still an interesting list to read and think about.  Below is Usher's spiritual walking list.  Some of the descriptions were derived from her article, others are from my own observations and research. 

1.  Walkabouts.  The walking spiritual tradition that native Australians have been practicing for centuries.   During a solitary period in the desert the walker enters into a meditative state during which they connect deeply to the land and their individual spirit guide, who eventually leads them home.  The walker communes with nature and connects with the spiritual realm.

2.  The Pilgrimage, in which the seeker travels by foot to reach a specific place.  In these journeys, once again, it is not only the physical expedition that is of importance, but inner spiritual voyage as well.  A good example of a Pilgrimage in the United States is the yearly Easter Pilgrimage to Chimayo in Northern New Mexico.  Thousands of people participate in this event.  Some leaving their homes and walking as far as 90 miles during Holy Week to reach the Sacred Chapel of Chimayo.

3.  While pilgrimages and walkabouts require time and physical energy, Buddhists around the world undertake a practice called Walking Meditation where the walker pays attention to the walking process.
Walking Meditation develops balance and accuracy of awareness as well as durability of concentration.
The focus of a Walking Meditation is not fitness, but the act of breaking down the walking process into individual smaller movements that allows the consciousness to expand.

BC Memorial Labyrinth

4.  Labyrinth walking has skyrocketed in popularity over the last few years through healing centers, spas and retreats as means to relieve stress.  Walking the Labyrinth is the practice of journeying to and then returning from the center.  A Labyrinth has a clearly marked path to follow ascending towards salvation or enlightenment for meditation, prayer, relaxation.  Popular in the Middle Ages, Labyrinths were often created in Churches but the symbol has appeared in a variety of ancient cultures from around the world.  In Celtic tradition they have been found etched in the entrances and chambers of ancient Neolithic tombs.  A Labyrinth is continuous and always begins where it ends.  While a maze has many turns and blind alleys, a Labyrinth always traces a single path, in and out of the center.  They are associated with rebirth and the afterlife.

5.  In Mindful Walking one opens up their senses and engages themselves in the present moment.  You become conscious of where you are, what you are doing, how you feel, how your senses feel and what is around you.  What you do not do is have a conversation with your brain about it.  You hear what is around you, you see what is around you...you experience.  Mindful Walking is a bridge between being in a meditative state and being present in the physical moment.  This is probably my favorite type of spiritual walking.

6.  Ritualistic Walkers engage in some kind of predetermined custom or tradition when they walk.  It may be something as simple as walking at the same time everyday, in the same place, for a certain amount of time.  Some ritual walkers infuse meaning into their practice, such as beginning their day with a walk at sunrise to usher in positive beginnings.  There are also more extreme forms of Ritualistic Walking such as Firewalking in the Indian Culture, associated with the mystical powers of fakirs.

7.  And finally there are Gratitude Walks which help us open our hearts to the abundance of the Universe.  We give thanks for who we are and all that we have by acknowledging the simple pleasures and beauty in our life.  This is something we should all make a regular practice of doing.

Whatever kind of walking you engage in... for fitness, renewal of spirit or enjoyment, just take the time to get out of the house and do it.  You will arrive back home with refreshed eyes and a revived spirit that will not only benefit you but those around you as well.

~ diane fergurson

You can find the beautiful Shady Grove by photographer Karen Casey Smith in her Etsy Shop.
BC Memorial Labyrinth is from Wiki Commons

Follow us on Facebook  

Messages from Nature

Yesterday, a great blue heron lifted off from the middle of the road as my husband and I turned a corner and came upon it. Because the trees on that stretch of road create a canopy – with a steep hill on one side and a deep gully on the other – and because the heron’s wing span was so large, it could only follow the course of the road, until we all came out from the trees. It was exhilarating, even in such simplicity, to watch the beautiful bird follow the same course we were on, and then quietly fly on its way.

We have been seeing much wildlife lately. At the end of a recent walk, coming out of the woods we saw two deer grazing serenely in a field. They took notice of us, and gazed at us until we were in line with them, passing them on the road. On a recent morning walk a coyote stepped out from the woods onto the road, and upon seeing me, immediately turned and ran back into the trees. Crows have lighted on the tops of trees as I walked beneath… Blue Jays have lit the sky with their song – not always seen, but always heard. Beavers and woodchucks have been busy creating dams or searching woodpiles. Bullfrogs have uttered their bass notes.

I used to believe that each time an animal or bird crossed my path in some unusual, special way, it meant something more. What would the message of the heron have been? Or the two deer watching silently and with gentle trust? Or the coyote, in his skittish manner, darting back to cover? These days, their significance is a little different. I don’t necessarily see a specific message… it is no longer a divination, but the significance is just as great. I see this beautiful, constant interaction between beings – beings of the sky, the earth, the water, and us. We may seem to be outside their natural world, but we are truly a part of it. We are no more separate from them, than we are from our own families. At times, we might even follow the same path.

Recognizing this significance – that I am, indeed, a true part of Nature; a more instinctive awareness that goes beyond a philosophical understanding of being one with nature – brings a unique sense of self-respect, as well as love, affection, and compassion. Should we not be as gentle to ourselves as we would to any of those birds or animals we might encounter? The message I now receive, put very simply, is to treat myself kindly. To me, especially at this point in my life, that is a more important message than any I have ever perceived before from these encounters. And, I would hazard to guess, it is far more divine, in its infinite wisdom.

~ Nellie Levine 

You may also enjoy:
Spiritual Walking
The Magic of January Snow




Follow us on FaceBook