Autogenic Training

Name

Autogenic training, Autogenics

Purpose/Effects

Autogenic training teaches the body to respond to visualizations or verbal commands that lead it to relax. This relaxation promotes stress relief. It can be used either in or after stressful situations for immediate relief, or be part of a self-care regimen to avoid the ramifications of chronic stress. The six different exercises, when mastered, have measurable effects on the body and mind, helping with anxiety, chronic pain, insomnia, asthma, gastrointestinal problems, ulcers, and high blood pressure.

Method

Summary

Learn to relax and calm your muscles, heart, breath, stomach, and head.

Long Version

Autogenic training takes about three months to learn because of the extreme discipline required for the technique to be effective. DO NOT try to skip ahead to the end; you’ll only cheat yourself.

Start alone in a quiet place. Wear comfortable, loose clothing. You may want to begin by lying on the floor for the first session.
Warm up with a breathing exercise, exhaling for twice as many counts as you inhale. Start by inhaling for one count and exhaling for two, then inhaling for two and exhaling for four, all the way up to inhaling for six and exhaling for twelve. Then reverse, going back down until you once again come to one count in, two counts out.
Heaviness practice: Begin with your right arm if you are right-handed, your left arm if you are left-handed. Breath deeply and evenly and repeat the following formula silently to yourself:

My right arm is getting limp and heavy. (6-8x)
My right arm is getting heavier and heavier. (6-8x)
My right arm is completely heavy. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

Do this two or three times a day for three days. Then, two or three times a day for the next three days, begin with the warm-up breathing exercise and repeat the same formula as above but this time with your left arm (or your right if you are left-handed). Repeat this the next three day cycle but with both arms. The next three, your right leg (left if you’re left-handed), then your left leg (right if you’re left-handed), then both legs, and the final set of three days, both your arms and your legs. This will end up being 2-3 exercises a day for three days, with seven exercises in all, meaning 21 days will have passed by the end of the heaviness practice. At the end of this practice period, the final routine you learned (both arms and legs) will be what you use from now on.

Warmth practice: Start with the same warm-up breathing exercise and then do the both-arms-and-legs heaviness routine. This will relax your muscles. Next, you will breathe deeply and evenly and repeat the following formula silently to yourself (again, begin with your left arm if you are left-handed):

My right arm is getting limp and warm. (6-8x)
My right arm is getting warmer and warmer. (6-8x)
My right arm is completely warm. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

The warmth practice cycle will follow the model of the heaviness practice cycle, going through the limbs in the same way on the same schedule of 21 days. Remember always to begin with the warm-up breathing exercise and then the final iteration of the heaviness routine. The final warmth practice, you will say:

Both my arms and my legs are getting limp and heavy and warm. (6-8x)
Both my arms and my legs are getting heavier and warmer. (6-8x)
Both my arms and my legs are completely heavy and warm. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

This routine will be what you use from now on, fusing both the heaviness and warmth practices. Do the breathing exercises and then this final heavy/warm routine two or three times a day for a week.

Calm heart practice: Start with the warm-up breathing exercise. Next, with deep and even breaths repeat the following formula silently to yourself:

Both my arms and my legs are getting limp and heavy and warm. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are getting heavier and warmer. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are completely heavy and warm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My chest feels warm and pleasant. (6-8x)
My heartbeat is calm and steady. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

Practice this routine two or three times a day for two weeks. After this, you will have achieved a calm heart and will be able to drop the line “My chest is warm and pleasant,” as you will see in the next exercise.

Breathing practice: Start with the warm-up breathing exercise. Next, with deep and even breaths repeat the following formula silently to yourself:

Both my arms and my legs are getting limp and heavy and warm. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are getting heavier and warmer. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are completely heavy and warm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My heartbeat is calm and steady. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My breathing is supremely calm. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

Practice this routine two or three times a day for two weeks. By this time, you will probably notice real results, but stick with the training through the final two exercises.

Warm stomach practice: Start with the warm-up breathing exercise. Next, with deep and even breaths repeat the following formula silently to yourself:

Both my arms and my legs are getting limp and heavy and warm. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are getting heavier and warmer. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are completely heavy and warm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My heartbeat is calm and steady. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My breathing is supremely calm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My stomach is getting soft and warm. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

Practice this routine two or three times a day for two weeks.

Cool forehead practice: Start with the warm-up breathing exercise. Next, with deep and even breaths repeat the following formula silently to yourself:

Both my arms and my legs are getting limp and heavy and warm. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are getting heavier and warmer. (1-2x)
Both my arms and my legs are completely heavy and warm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My heartbeat is calm and steady. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My breathing is supremely calm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My stomach is getting soft and warm. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)
My forehead is cool. (6-8x)
I feel supremely calm. (1x)

Practice this routine two or three times a day for two weeks.

Final formula: At this point, three months later, you should be adept at AT. The final formula will be a condensed version of the one you learned. You should continue to do it at least once a day, if not more, for optimum results. The final formula is as follows:

My arms and my legs are heavy and warm. (1-2x)
My heartbeat and breathing are calm and steady. (1-2x)
My stomach is soft and warm. (1-2x)
My forehead is cool. (1-2x)
I feel supremely calm. (1-2x)

History

Autosuggestion and self-hypnosis techniques have been a part of the self-help movement since its inception through people like Émile Coué. German psychologist Johannes Schultz worked with self-hypnosis techniques in the 1920s and 1930s, and began developing the concept of autogenic training, publishing his first book on AT in 1932. Since then, psychologists have thoroughly tested the technique and established it as one of the most powerful relaxation skills available.

Cautions

Because AT can affect blood pressure, consult with a doctor before doing AT if you have a serious illness like diabetes or heart disease, and do not attempt to use it to regulate severe mental illness.

If you have problems with learning AT on your own but are still interested in its possible benefits, consider seeking out a certified AT instructor who can help you.

Notes

Autogenic training is similar to Progressive Relaxation in many ways; some people suggest learning PR first and then moving to autogenics.

External Links

Autogenics

Knowledge Base