Autogenic training: More than just a relaxation technique
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There are many ways to bring relaxation into your everyday life. Whether it is yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, meditation, or autogenic training - the most important thing is to find a method that suits you.
Discover ways to relax more and get more distance from the stress and worries of everyday life. Which method is right for you certainly depends on a variety of factors and may depend on the first point of contact you have with a technique.
Professor Johannes Heinrich Schultz was born in 1884 and, as a young psychologist during World War I, became involved with hypnosis and psychoanalysis, which was cutting-edge at the beginning of the 20th century. Schultz wanted to incorporate the insights he gained during the hypnosis of his patients into a method that could be learned and used by anyone, regardless of time, place, and, above all, the doctor instructing them.
Autogenic training - What is the idea behind it?
The underlying observation, without which autogenic training would not be possible, is the close interaction between body and psyche. Schultz noticed that the body showed certain signs during hypnosis: overall, the patient became calmer, the limbs were perceived as warm and heavy, and the breath and heart went more evenly. Instead of assuming a causal relationship, Schultz assumed simultaneity, i.e., he assumed that by creating the physical "symptoms" of hypnosis, the relaxation achieved through it would also occur.
The whole autogenic training is based on this connection, and in practice, it is implemented by entering certain formulas in a relaxed posture, which brings the body - and subsequently the psyche — into a relaxed state. Hypnosis is replaced by autosuggestion. In this process, one always begins and ends with the so-called resting tone "I am completely calm". Just by silently saying this sentence, a certain calmness arises in the practitioner.
Other formulas deal with the relaxation symptoms of the body, which Schultz already noted. The heaviness exercise, for example, is "My arms and legs are quite heavy," and it is followed by the warmth, heart, breath, solar plexus, and forehead coolness exercises. One by one, you go through the entire body and provide relaxation — even medically measurable — that extends to the mind. You get somewhere between sleep and wakefulness when you use Autogenic Training regularly, and this state can be achieved reliably and very quickly after a few months of daily practice.
From relaxation to fear of flying — autogenic training has a wide range of applications
In the meantime, there have been a few modifications and further developments of Schultz's formulas, but the original framework is still used exactly as it was more than 100 years ago. However, "pure" relaxation, which is a great benefit to anyone who practices Autogenic Training, is not all that can be achieved through regular practice.
Roughly, Autogenic Training is divided into basic, intermediate, and advanced levels. However, these levels are a bit confusing because with the basic level, you have learned Autogenic Training completely, and you don't need to take an "advanced course" to get better or to exhaust even the last finesses. The intermediate and advanced levels are more concrete applications of the basic level.
At the intermediate level, a lot of work is done with individual formulas, which are entered at the end of the training. Through this, you can achieve a change in behavior beyond the actual practice. Fear of flying, serenity, dealing with difficult people — all this can be included in the so-called formulas and make your practical life easier. The fact that Autogenic Training puts the practitioner in a state between sleep and wakefulness makes his subconscious particularly receptive to this form of autosuggestion.
At the advanced level, you work even closer to your subconscious and tap into your innermost being through a pictorial approach. Here Schultz's closeness to psychoanalysis is particularly evident, for many of the images seen during the upper stage are realistic and open to interpretation, like dreams. Schultz himself has hardly developed the upper level, and schools of thought on the subject vary widely. What is certain, however, is that through Autogenic Training, you can achieve relaxation and a positive change in behavior, as well as deeper insights into your psyche.
Positive health impacts of Autogenic Training on your body and mind
Although it takes some practice to perform Autogenic Training, when performed regularly, you can quickly notice positive benefits on both your body and your mind.
Autogenic training is able to influence bodily functions such as pulse rate, breathing, or blood circulation and has positive results on your health:
Reduction of concentration problems
Reduction of chronic pain, headaches, and migraines
Reduction of muscle tension and postural problems
Increase of performance
Serenity and inner peace
How should I start with Autogenic Training?
The best way to learn Autogenic Training is with the help of an experienced trainer. But the unbeatable advantage of guided learning is that with autogenic training - as well as with other relaxation techniques — you can confidently place yourself in the hands of your trusted teacher while you do nothing but relax.
Autogenic training in everyday life
The goal of autogenic training is definitely "being autogenic", which means that in the end, you should be able to do it yourself and without guidance at any time.
It is a big plus in terms of suitability for everyday life because even on the train, in a quiet corner at work, or at the highway rest stop — in just a few minutes, you can very discretely and very efficiently incorporate a bit of relaxation into your day and thus recharge your batteries. Intermediate and advanced levels should definitely be studied under guidance, as many questions can arise that are best clarified immediately together with the teacher.
Why Autogenic Training is the right way for me
Even though J.H. Schultz made many wrong decisions after developing Autogenic Training, his work on Autogenic Training has inspired generations of psychologists and trainers. To begin with, it is an incredibly effective method of managing very oppressive stress. This new possibility alone justifies learning this relaxation technique.
In the meantime, the way of dealing with stress and behavior results in a completely new, relaxed attitude towards life that encompasses both work and private life.
Autogenic training is an effective relaxation technique that stands on an equal level to many other relaxation techniques. Beyond that, however, it is much more than that — and has opened many a door that would otherwise have remained closed.
