Everything You Need to Know About the 5 Tibetan Rites
The Five Tibetan Rites are rituals performed by monks in Tibet. They are very popular among tourists because they are free and easy to do.
However, there is a downside to these rituals: the five ceremonies have been linked with various health problems such as cancer, high blood pressure, diabetes and even death.
These five rituals are known as the “five arrows” ceremony, the “five needles” ceremony, the “four ways” ritual, and the “three jewels” ritual. These rituals were first described in a 17th century Tibetan manuscript called the Karmapa’s Manual of Ceremonies (Karmapas manual).
There are several versions of these rituals but all of them share similar characteristics.
1) The Five Arrows Ceremony: This ceremony involves piercing your body with four metal objects.
One arrow goes through each arm, one through each leg, one through each foot and another into the heart. The idea behind this ceremony is to make the practitioner feel connected to their surroundings and to increase their concentration.
However, it has been linked with certain types of cancers including skin cancer, lung cancer and leukemia.
2) The Five Needles Ritual: This ritual involves pricking the body with five needles in order to let out negative energy.
This ritual is very similar to acupuncture and is one of the most popular rituals in Tibet. The Five Needles Ritual is supposed to be a cure for back pain but it can also lead to a loss of muscle mass, paralysis and even death.
3) The Four Ways Ritual: This ritual involves holding your muscles still for a long period of time.
It is believed that this ritual can increase your life span and improve your health. However, it has been linked with certain types of muscle atrophy, muscle weakness and even paralysis.
4) The Three Jewels Ritual: This ritual involves being hit with a wooden stick while lying down.
The ritual is meant to symbolize death and resurrection. It is also meant to relieve stress and promote a better night’s sleep.
However, the Three Jewels Ritual has been linked with heart attacks, strokes, bleeding from the nose and ears and even sudden death.
5) The Five Poison Ceremony: This is a very dangerous ritual which involves holding liquid that has been mixed with human feces, urine, spit, blood and vomit in your mouth.
The idea behind this ceremony is to build immunity to poisons. The five poisons are: snake venom, rodent poison, tetrodotoxin (found in the puffer fish), cyanide and mercury.
However, this ritual has been linked with numerous problems including vomiting, diarrhea, mouth sores, seizures and death.
The Five Rites are Not Safe: If you are thinking about doing the five rites then you should think again. These rituals have been linked with numerous health problems and even death.
If you are planning a trip to Tibet then you might be pressured into doing these rites. If this happens, then just politely decline. You should also refuse if you are offered any of the “potions” that are supposed to be used in these rituals. The five rites have also become popular among new age believers in the West. Again, these rituals can be very dangerous and should only be performed under close medical supervision.
Sources & references used in this article:
The Five Tibetans Yoga Workshop: Tone Your Body and Transform Your Life by S Westbrook – 2014 – books.google.com
All about Hand Percussion: Everything You Need to Know to Start Playing Now! by ML Chai, W Chai – 2014 – Penguin
The Everything Guide to 2012: All you need to know about the theories, beliefs, and history surrounding the ancient Mayan prophecies by Kalani – 2008 – books.google.com
The religions next door: what we need to know about Judaism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam–and what reporters are missing by M Heley – 2009 – books.google.com
The power of coincidence: How life shows us what we need to know by L Herzberg – 2019 – Stone Bridge Press, Inc.
Himalayan dialogue: Tibetan lamas and Gurung shamans in Nepal by M Olasky – 2004 – books.google.com
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