"There is no unselfish good deed" dixit Joey Tribbiani

Yes, I’m starting this article by quoting Joey Tribbiani from Friends. Aren’t you impressed by my choice of philosopher and cultural reference?

For some reason, I remember the episode vividly. Phoebe is desperately trying to prove that there is such a thing as a selfless gift, and that having her brother’s children was selfless. (She was a surrogate! Don't freak out please ;) )  But Joey explains that this was a selfish act 

Joey says, "Well, giving those babies made you feel good, no? - so it's selfish. There is no unselfish good deed"

Well. He has some wisdom here in my opinion.

Don't you think?

The joy that you have when you give something that you love is so beautiful, that you receive as much as you give. Sure, from the materialistic point of view, there is a receiver and a giver, but ultimately, from an energetic point of view, in an exchange of a gift there is no giver or receiver...  there is only a communion.

I gave a lot of things in my life, and when I was a child this would make my mother wondering. I can still hear her asking me "Why did you give away your favorite shoes? You love those!”  Or quite upset, because when I was very small I stole some gum in the supermarket to give to everybody in the store. Sorry mum!!! ;)

Please, don't get me wrong. My choice to give isn’t a virtue signal, it doesn't make me an angel at all. Anybody that knows me would tell you so. I just experienced the superpower of giving and meditated upon it.

If the shit hits the fan, you can be certain that I will give something to someone and say thank you. Because giving would offer me a sense of control. I can't control the events of my life... that's a euphemism, but I can acknowledge that something really sucks, ask myself if I can do something about it and if not, let it be and focus on something else!

Because most probably at that time, I’ll need a dose of dopamine, so offering a gift makes sense! :) 

The little girl in the supermarket wanted to feel the happiness of being kind. So yes, you can use kindness as a drug.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Most of the time, when we practice Reiki people would say: “thank you for giving me the session” - yes we offer a space, our time and the practicality.

But, ultimately... there is no such thing as giving a session. And as a practitioner, we receive as much as we give.

Can you imagine how tired we would be, if we were "giving" energy.  No way!  And yes, we say thank you for the gift of the person who is there to receive Reiki. Just being vulnerable and open, giving us the occasion to be helpful... Just that deserves a big thank you!

A beautiful one recommended a book to me : Mutant Message Down Under by Marlo Morgan.

If you haven't read it, go for it.

This passage stood out to me: 

“According to the tribe, a gift is only a gift when you give what the person really wants.
It is not a gift if you give them what you want them to have.
”
— Marlo Morgan

A true gift has no "strings attached".

If I give you something, I don't expect to have a full report on what you are doing with it. 

First, how boring would that be… but most importantly: You are free. 

You can even give it to someone else, or put it in the trash... I would probably think that you missed out, but that's it. Receiving a gift doesn't make you the slave of someone else.

( PS… works with the gift love also… just saying..)

It is the same with what we offer to our students.

With the teaching we are offering, ultimately our students do what they want with it. They take and receive, and act the way they want. They are the boss.  We can't say what is good or bad for them. There is no good or bad... there is what is good for them or bad for them, meaning what follows their values or not.

But, please take the responsibility of your own teaching and don’t put our name on your interpretations :D

Of course, if we offer you an umbrella for the rain and you decide to hit your head with it... we won't be impressed. Well, we might even be triggered a bit and roll our eyes!  But, that's your responsibility.

In conclusion,  as Reiki practitioners, we are certainly not angels because we are practicing Reiki. In some ways we have the best job, where we feel much better after a class than before a class and where the people we work with, helps us to grow… lucky us.

Joey Tribbiani might not have been the smartest guy, but he was pretty wise

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About the Author

My name is Frederique Morel. I’m a co-director of the WestCoast Reiki Centre

My background is in software development and I am still a playful geek at heart. I love photography, movies, music hikes in Nature, swimming in cold water and dinner with my friends.

I camp often in the wilderness and travel even more abroad.  Home is where my feet are. If you hear a big laugh and a touch of French accent, that might be me.

THE FIVE TIBETAN RITES or THE FIVE RITES OF REJUVENATION.

The “five Tibetan rites” are physical exercises positively affecting body and mental abilities.

They harmonize the chakras and stimulate the circulating life force called Ki.

The rites stimulate the glands of the endocrine system, responsible for the production of the hormones regulating the main function of the body and the aging process.

That’s one of the reasons why they’re also known as “the five rites of rejuvenation”.

 

THE DIFFERENT TRANSLITERATED NAMES FOR KI

  • Ki = Japan

  • Chi or Qi = China

  • Lung = Tibet

  • Gi = Korea

  • Prana = India

  • Pneuma = Ancient Greece

  • Ruah = Hebrew Tradition

picture credit thomasledermann

picture credit thomasledermann

  • What do I need to perform the five Tibetan rites?

A yoga or fitness mat is ideal, and that’s it. You can do them almost anywhere.

Once you know the exercises you can be done in 10 minutes.

  • What are the benefits of the rites?

With regular practice  you may see increased energy, stress reduction and mood stabilization. The rites can enhance a sense of calm and clarity. Flexibility and strength both increase, and the combined mental and physical effects bring a fresh sensation of well-being. Not bad!

  • Where are they coming from?

We don’t really know. The name ‘Five Tibetan Rites’ suggests of course that it comes from Tibet, but they could originate from India or elsewhere. Tibetans emphasize the movements and in India, the static positions.

The rites were taught in Tibetan lamaseries for centuries and you can find them in the book documenting ancient Tibetan practices called The Eye of Revelation by Peter Kelder.

Does the origin really matter?  You can find these rites in numerous traditions which implies that they have great value.

  • When and how to do it?

Morning is a good time to practice, to help ourselves to feel fresher with greater mental alertness for the rest of the day. Another good time is after a long day of work. You know, when you feel like you’re foggy with stress and you desperately want to connect with your family but the fog prevents you from doing so. It brings you another perspective, energy for the rest of your day and for your loved ones at home and improves your quality of sleep.

Like any other physical practice, it is recommended to do it progressively. You might begin with 3 repetitions, then 6., 9…etc.

The goal is to reach 21 repetitions, once or twice a day. It is also recommended to do those exercises 3 hours before eating, so be careful if you plan to do them before breakfast!

 

A WORD OF CAUTION

If you have any health concerns, please consult your doctor before doing these exercises. Especially if you suffer from one of several of those conditions :

  • Lower back pain

  • Heart problems

  • Multiple sclerosis

  • Parkinson’s Disease

  • Severe Arthritis of the spine

  • Uncontrolled high blood pressure

  • Hyperthyroid condition

  • Vertigo


Start slow. Please, don’t push your limits too hard and be gentle with yourself.

Picture credit: chezbeate

Picture credit: chezbeate

First rite: Spinning

You stand straight, feet straight, hips width apart.

Your arms are outstretched, parallel to the floor with your hands facing down.

You spin clockwise (left to right.) until you feel a little bit dizzy

This is quite fun but if you are a beginner, so please take your time, you might feel dizzy rapidly.

So please increase the number of turns gradually until you reach 21 spins.

BREATHING : Inhale and exhale deeply

 
Picture credit GuenterRuopp

Picture credit GuenterRuopp

 

Wait a second… This rite looks familiar, right?

You might have seen something similar during a Sema; a religious ceremony of the Whirling Dervishes, in the Sufi tradition.

The dervishes are turning counter-clockwise, left palm down facing the Earth and right palm up, facing Heaven.

The purpose of this spin is also quite different. The Dervishes spin induces a ecstatic state to feel the wisdom and love of God. The Tibetan rite activates your energy vortexes. (aka Chakras)

Second Rite: J position

Please lay back in a supine position ( on your back ) with your arms along your sides, your hands facing down, flat on the floor and fingers close together.

Relax your neck by doing some rocking… looking to the right and to the left.

Engage your core, personally I do this with short exhales, imagining that I blow candles on a birthday cake… but please use your own method. ;)

Raise your head off the floor, tucking your chin toward your chest and at the same time, raise your extended legs toward your head.

Hold this position for a second or two, then lower your legs and head to the floor and allow the muscles of your entire body to relax.

Try not to bend your knees, and don’t force. Just go where you can go without forcing. You’ll progress with a loving practice.

Some people prefer to bend slightly their knees.


BREATHING: Inhale when you rise your legs and head, exhale when you lower your legs and head.


 
 

This rite is not recommended for people who suffer from a lower back problem

Third Rite: Arching

This is a well-known position for the students of our weekly senzea meditation in motion class at the Centre.

You kneel on the floor with your upper body straight and place your hands on the back of your thighs muscle. Some people place their hands on their lower back.

Your toes need to be curled underneath to prevent you from falling over.

Incline the head and neck forward, tucking your chin in toward your chest.

Then move the head backward, squeeze your butt and arch your spine. Use your thighs for support.

Return to the initial position and relax completely before doing the rite again.

BREATHING : Inhale when you move forward, exhale when you arch your spine.

 

Fourth Rite: Table Top

Sit with your upper body and legs straight and your feet stretched out in front.

Place your hands on the side of your sides, fingers together, pointing slightly outward.

Chin on your chest.

Gently raise the body and bend your knees. Your arms and legs are vertical and the body is horizontal, with your head bending slightly backward. That’s it, you’re the table now.

Hold this position for a few seconds and tenses all the muscles in your body. Then, come back to your initial position.

Relax your muscles completely and do the rite again


BREATHING : Inhale when you rise up and exhale when you go back to your position.

 

Fifth Rite: The two dogs

Place your hands in front of you, approximately two feet apart and put your feet behind you, legs stretched out, feet shoulder width apart.

As far as possible, push your body and especially the hips, to rise on your toes and hands with your chin on your chest.

Come back to the initial position.

BREATHING: Inhale when you rise up, exhale when you lower the body

 
 
Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

Photo by Ian Schneider on Unsplash

 
 
“I felt both balanced and energized after practicing them and they gave me a sense of vitality, Even though the movements themselves are fairly easy when done repetitively and in sequence, a lot of heat can be built and you feel their physical effect as well!
”
— Tiffany Cruikshank : Reiki Master Teacher

Conclusion

Those rites are fantastic and like any other physical practice need to be performed cautiously.

Some will say that their hair is growing back to their original colors and report the incredible effects of rejuvenation and some do them for the sensation of well being and to structure their day.

The five Tibetan Rites are a part of my Tibetan Reiki Level Teaching and I am happy to introduce them to my students.

About the author

 

My name is Frederique Morel. I’m a happy member of the WestCoast Reiki Centre for several years now. I’m a Master teacher in the Japanese and Tibetan Tradition, a Karuna Master Teacher and I teach a Senzea Meditation in Motion every week and Reiki in French.

My background is in software development and I am still a playful geek at heart. I love photography, movies, music and I couldn’t survive without a hike in Nature and dinner with my friends.

I camp often in the wilderness and travel even more abroad.  Home is where my feet are. If you hear a big laugh and a touch of French accent, that might be me.

I am also the proud founder of Senzea www.senzea.com. - fred@senzea.com