Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth

A good motivational start to the New Year can be found in "Ancient Secret of the Fountain of Youth", Part One, by Peter Kelder, first published in 1939. Kelder describes a secret teaching from the Himalayas, five yoga movements he learned through Tibetan priests. A friend taught me these five little exercises (called 'rites') about forty years ago in Santa Fe. I wish I had continued to do them consistently rather than sporadically throughout my life! They take so little time, a few minutes a day.

Kelder, writing in stilted old-fashioned language about his Himalayan experience, attributes these five rites to miraculous rejuvenation for countless people. There's no evidence that these rites are actually Tibetan, but Kelder thought they were, and even if he was confused about the exact location of the lamasery, no matter. They are yoga-centric, you'll recognize the basics. You have to wade through a lot of words to get to the exercises. No need to buy the book. You can read it all, and see photos of the postures, thanks to someone in Australia, at www.users.space.net.au/~dcmorgan/Tibetans.htm

The idea is to get your chakras going. Between these rites, and my Soloflex Whole Body Vibration machine (see previous blogs)- I know I can knock out any pockets of debris or stasis and start all my molecules spinning and sparkling like stars. I remember experiencing transcendent moments in youth when I had an awareness that every atom in my body was a separate and distinct entity, adhering to my spirit, coexisting with all other atoms in this universe in such a way as to allow my great good fortune, this moment in time, my life.

By the same logic, the elements, molecules, atoms, subatomic particles- whatever they are- that allow us to exist, also assemble through hormonally-charged attractions and unions, into the bodies and lives of our loved ones. I believe that we live our lives in eternity with one another, in different forms, different roles. In this lifetime I am your mother, in the next you may be mine. Even the people whose eyes we catch briefly on the street are with us in eternity again and again. By practicing loving-kindness in the midst of our lives' turmoil and hormonal flux, we journey towards enlightenment.

So for starters, if you don't have a Whole Body Vibration machine handy, try the five rites. It's a free and easy start to getting your molecules lined up for the New Year.