China, Tibet, India, Thailand: Each Has Its Own Yoga

Yes indeed! Let’s give back to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and stop labeling “Tibetan” on just about anything.

Just yesterday, I came across so-called Tibetan incense, in the same line as the so-called Tibetan singing bowls, the so-called Tibetan Reiki with symbols and logic that have nothing to do with the true practice of healing by laying on of hands as it exists in the Tibetan yogic tradition, or again the “Five Tibetans,” those famous movements whose theory is 100% based on the Indian yogic system and not the Tibetan system—and of course recognized by no Tibetan master.

The list is long. Today, I won’t go into all of it—you can already find an article on the so-called “Tibetan singing bowls” on this blog, and other articles will later dive into the other “fake-Tibetans.”

Let’s keep it simple—and logical!

If you are drawn to Indian deities, then turn to Indian yogas and Ayurvedic medicine, and talk about Doshas, Nadis, the 7 chakras, pranayama, in order to integrate an approach to inner development of body and mind through the Indian wisdom of movement, breath, meditation practices, and diet—coherent with the Indian universe.

If you are more drawn to the mysteries of Ancient Chinese wisdom, Taoism, Confucianism, and Chinese Buddhism, then you will be fulfilled by the practice of Qi Gong, Tai Chi, and the many other movement techniques inherent in Traditional Chinese Medicine. These teachings can be combined with Chinese dietetics, acupuncture, and more.

If you are captivated by Tibetan monasteries and their many deities, the ephemeral sand mandalas with a thousand colors, the stories of awakened lives through Milarepa, Padmasambhava, Tilopa, Naropa, Shantideva, Dharmakīrti, and many others, then don’t hesitate—discover Tibetan yogas such as Lu Jong, Kum Nyé, or the Tibetan Sword of Wisdom (Tog Chöd), which beautifully unite Tibetan Medicine and Tibetan Buddhism in a unified, profound understanding.

And if you want to know everything about the Yoga of the Hermit, this Thai yoga that gave birth to the traditional Thai massage Nuad Bo’Rarn (now listed as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage), then it’s time to turn to Ruesi Dat Ton!

Let’s stay equanimous

Of course, the purpose of this article is not to say that one is better than the other.

Rather, it is to say that:

When we speak of Chi, Prana, Mana, or Lung, we are speaking of the same things—but each universe, Indian, Chinese, or Tibetan, has its own method, its own words, its own spirit.

And so, it is always preferable—if one wants to go deep, with a spiritual aim—to wear two identical shoes rather than a clog on the right foot and a high heel on the left. Sure, with mismatched shoes you can still walk the path, but it’s obvious it will be more difficult and longer. Especially since you’ll have to decode that Nadi = Tsa or Chakra = Tsakhor. That’s an easy example, but if we start dissecting the functioning of the mind or discussing the two truths (ultimate and conventional), it becomes clear that everything will get complicated if it’s constantly cross-mixed with other traditions.

In the end, there is a great risk of understanding nothing at all and wasting precious time—while life passes so quickly, and is so short—for those who truly want to walk the path of awakening.

All of these movement practices belong to a holistic spiritual system, each one complete in itself.

This means you can of course approach them as simple well-being activities—you will certainly gain physical benefits. But it would be a pity not to use the spiritual treasures they can bring when presented in their wholeness.

If you connect them with the universe they come from, they can truly transform you from within, because you can go deeper and practice them in an inner way. And in doing so, your usual inner practice will benefit from this wholeness and become more profound.

I often see people on social media presenting themselves under “Tibetan names,” implying that they have taken refuge in Buddhism, follow teachings, meditate, etc.… yet they constantly complain, show disrespect, or even behave rudely, sometimes aggressively. Not to mention those who mix everything—bringing angels into Buddhism and talking about the “soul”…

And I wonder: what isn’t working here?
Could it not be due to a lack of understanding, born of a lack of global vision—one that can only develop when one hears teachings from the different branches… but always branches of the same tree?

A thought for reflection…

So let’s talk about Tibetan Yoga.

Of course, I could talk to you about Indian yogas or Qi Gong, but I don’t know them deeply, and I don’t want to. I prefer to dedicate my energy to studying ever more through the Mahayana, the Tantrayana, and Tibetan Medicine.

And, more concretely, I simply invite you to take the step—just try.

👉 Lu Jong won’t bite you.
👉 Neither will I.
👉 You also won’t be transformed into a wrathful deity.
👉 You’ll only gain from it.

Lu Jong is a practice rooted in Tibetan Medicine, entirely adapted to our overloaded schedules and our bodies numbed by too many hours at the office, in the car, or on the couch.

There’s no need to repeat here all the benefits of Lu Jong—I’ve already described them in other articles or in the practice presentations.