Twenty-One Tibetan Yogas – Abbreviated (v.2)
Do each of these daily, monthly or at least yearly. (Video times are indicated in parentheses.)
(0:00) Begin with prostration yoga in a seated meditation posture and slowly recite OM AH HUNG SHRI (thinking of the Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha; may all sentient beings attain enlightenment) with the appropriate hand gestures. (Video shows two sets of gestures.)
(1:37) Follow with 9-Round Breathing(2) : In seated posture make a vajra fist (thumbs inside) and extend the index and small fingers. Place the fists in the groin between the torso and legs. Take a deep breath, then block the right nostril with the right index finger and blow out the air, expelling “white” anger/aversion three times. Take another deep breath, then block the left nostril with the left index finger and blow out, expelling “red” passion/attachment three times. Take another deep breath and expel “blue” ignorance through both nostrils three times.
1. (3:31) Sit upright with crossed legs and cross your arms over your chest, right over left with palms open. Then swing your arms out to either side while breathing out. Pause, then cross arms again.
2. (4:00) Raise hands to shoulder level with palms open and forward. Rub your hands to warm them, then rub eyes, face, arms, body and legs. Place hands together at chest.
3. (5:23) Interlock fingers, hold palms to chest, then extend hands forward, rotate palms out as extend arms forward; hold then extend arms out to the sides. This is the blessing of the 5 Buddha Families [sending the Buddhas out to help all beings].
4. (5:52) With arms out to the side, rotate hands down and back with head down, forward and up with head up. Hold.
5. (6:04) Make vajra fists (thumb inside), bring to chest, hold; then move out to sides, opening your hands palms up.
6. (6:26) Grasp the biceps with your hands (right arm over left), raise the arms up to chin together, rotate the body right, then left.
7. (7:07) Extend the arms and legs in front, grasp your feet by reaching over your toes; stretch and massage your feet. Return to cross-legged position.
8. (7:30) Slowly move the right hand to the chest while moving the left arm to the side and up with palms open, like pulling the string on a bow; then slowly reverse the motion to the other side. 1 Modified version of the 21 Ways to Purify the Body from the Vajra Matrix of Profound Teachings of Kunkhyen Longchen Rabjampa’s Wish-Granting Treasury as recorded by Khenpo Drimed Dawa, August 11, 2014, at Trigonos in Wales, UK. 2 There are a wide variety of these practices taught. This is one version.
9. (7:54) Make fists with the thumb inside and the index fingers extended. With the right arm over the left across the chest, rub the collar bones slowly outside to inside and down. Repeat.
10. (8:10) Bend knees and place soles of feet together with hands on the knees, slowly bend the head down and then up; then bend your head and torso as low as you can, then up three times.
11. (9:20) Cross legs and make the offering mandala mudra without hooking the index fingers (extend straight); then touch the crown of your head with the ring fingers (representing Mt. Meru) with palms down. Hold.
12. (10:06) Press in your abdomen with your hands, breathing out; then place vajra fists in groin, breath in and hold. Repeat three times.
13. (10:47) Extend arms and legs to the front, raise the arms, then bend the head back.
14. (11:07) Continuing from that position, turn head far right, then far left.
15. (11:28) Bring hands down in front of chest, palms forward. Cross right leg over left thigh, balancing on bent left leg. Interlace fingers and press down on top of right thigh. Return hands to chest, palms forward; hold position.
16. (12:02) Cross legs and rest hands on knees. Rotate your head around from down, right, up, left, then down three times; reverse three times.
17. (12:45) Hold your biceps near the elbows; then slowly raise to the crown of your head, hold, then release to the sides then down.
18. (13:06) Lying on your back with bent knees, raise right leg until you can hold it in fold of your right elbow and bend toes up and down; then alternate legs.
19. (13:38) Continue lying on your back, fold both legs up into both arms, rock back and forth.
20. (13:48) Still lying on your back, place the arch of your left foot on your right knee cap with the raised knee facing upward (not to the side). Fold palms together overhead with elbows bent. Hold then alternate.
21. (14:11) Sit up with knees bent and soles of feet together, interlace fingers with middle fingers extended, insert between soles of feet. Hold position. Blessing (14:37) – Cross legs, raise hands up to shoulder height, rotate palms up and return to knees. Touch middle fingers to thumbs, then little fingers to thumbs, index fingers, then ring fingers.
(End) You can follow with your normal meditation session.