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Autogenic Relaxation
What do you need: Safe and quiet space with a place to lay down or sit on in a comfortable position.
What can it help for: Promotes body awareness, presence, tension release and relaxation, focusing on different areas of the body.
How much time do you need: Up to 20 minutes.
How to do it?
Find a comfortable position, whether it is sitting upright or laying down.
Prepare your mind and body before starting your autogenic training practice. Begin by noticing your breathing, and continue until your breath feels comfortable and relaxing. Try to
make your exhale longer than your inhale.
Below you will find 6 different sets of phrases. There is one phrase per line.
Start with the first set and silently say, “My right arm is heavy.” Close your eyes and repeat each phrase 4 times before moving to the next line. Your pace should be slow and relaxed.
Set 1: Heavy. My right arm is heavy. My left arm is heavy. Both of my arms are heavy. Myright leg is heavy. My left leg is heavy. Both of my legs are heavy. My arms and my legs are heavy.
Set 2: Warmth. My right arm is warm. My left arm is warm. Both of my arms are warm. My right leg is warm. My left leg is warm. Both of my legs are warm. My arms and my legs are warm.
Set 3: Calm Heart. My arms are heavy and warm. My legs are heavy and warm. My arms and legs are heavy and warm. I feel calm. My heart feels warm and pleasant. My heartbeat is calm and regular.
Set 4: Breathing. My arms are heavy and warm. My legs are heavy and warm. My arms and legs are heavy and warm. I feel calm. My heartbeat is calm and regular. My breathing relaxes me.
Set 5: Stomach. My arms are heavy and warm. My legs are heavy and warm. My arms and legs are heavy and warm. I feel calm. My heart feels calm and regular. My breathing relaxes me. My stomach is soft and warm.
Set 6: Cool Forehead. My arms are heavy and warm. My legs are heavy and warm. My arms and legs are heavy and warm. I feel calm. My heartbeat is calm and regular. My breathing relaxes me. My stomach is soft and warm. My forehead is cool.
Now you can reflect:
● What is different now? What changes did you notice in your body?
● What were the most pleasant and enjoyable sensations in your body?
How can you bring the sense of this exercise to your daily life?
*Autogenic training is a technique of self-hypnosis developed by Dr H.H. Sultz, a German neurologist.
The technique consists of a series of six mental exercises used to elicit the bodily sensations of warmth and
heaviness. This has the effect of producing the physiological changes of the relaxation response.
Source: Mirgain, S., Singles J. (2017). Autogenic Training: Clinical Tool. Whole Health Library Website.
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