Autogenic Phrases Exercise
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AUTOGENIC PHRASES EXERCISE
Begin your relaxation training by sitting in a chair with your back
fairly straight. This helps support your body with a minimum of muscle
energy, as you become more and more relaxed. Also, practicing while
seated and awake, rather than lying down, will help you better use throughout
the day the relaxation skills you are learning. You are more likely
to go to sleep if lying down, and if asleep you will not be learning
how to relax during the day. Place your feet flat on the floor with
your hands resting comfortably in your lap. Close your eyes to cut down
on distractions and to help you more easily become aware of the minute
changes as they take place inside your body.
Let yourself relax as deeply as you can right now by just being aware
of your breathing in and out.
The phrases used in this exercise were provided by Elmer and Alyce Green
of the Menninger Foundation and are based on a system called Autogenic
Train- ing which was developed a number of years ago by Johannes Schultz.
Learning to relax is learning to allow yourself to relax, not trying
or forcing yourself to relax. Actively forcing yourself will often produce
an increase in tension, the opposite of the goal of being able to relax
at will.
During this exercise, I will read a phrase to you similar to this, "My
arms and hands are heavy and warm". Then I will pause long enough for
you to silently, mentally repeat the phrase to yourself while just allowing
yourself to imagine and feel what that phrase suggests to you. Just
sit back and let your mind and body relax deeply and comfortably.
Let your eyes remain closed and relaxed.
I feel quite quiet.
My feet, my ankles, my knees, and my hips feel heavy, relaxed and comfortable.
My trunk and the whole central portion of my body feel relaxed and quiet.
I am beginning to feel quite relaxed.
My hands, my arms, and my shoulders feel heavy, relaxed and comfortable.
My neck, my jaws, and my forehead feel relaxed. They feel comfortable
and smooth.
My whole body feels quiet, comfortable, and relaxed.
My arms and hands are heavy and warm.
I feel quite quiet.
My arms and hands are relaxed, relaxed and warm.
My hands are warm.
Warmth is flowing into my hands; they are warm, warm.
My hands are warm, relaxed and warm.
I feel quite quiet.
My mind is quiet.
I withdraw my thoughts from the surroundings and I feel serene and still.
Deep within myself I can visualize and experience myself as relaxed,
comfortable and still.
I am alert, but in an easy, quiet, inward turned way.
My mind is calm and quiet.
And, I feel an inward quietness.
Just maintain the inward quietness on your own for a moment.
While remaining relaxed with your eyes closed, notice what your body
feels like, now, as compared with when you began the relaxation. What
changes took place in your thoughts or mental activity? Become aware
of any changes in your feelings or emotions.
These are the changes associated with becoming more relaxed and are
feelings and sensations you are learning to recreate in yourself throughout
the day, whenever you choose to do so.
Learning to relax when we need to during the day takes practice, as
does any skill. So, make some reminder to yourself perhaps a piece of
colored tape on your watch or red ribbon on the backpack zipper. When
you see that reminder, practice, momentarily, some part of this exercise
that seems most effective for you. And, do the entire exercise every
day or two, until you are able to deeply relax in a very short time.
Be patient with yourself as you learn these new skills. And let this
be fun.
Now, gently reactivate yourself by taking five, slow, full breaths.
With each breath feel yourself becoming more alert, more full of energy.
Stretch and feel the energy flowing through your body and open your
eyes at your own rate.
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