Autogenics for Ultimate Self-Soothing and Relaxation


I was very curious yesterday during our Education Group in IOP when the doctor said we’d be practicing “autogenics.”  I hadn’t heard of it before and was pleased to be in a position of beginner’s mind on the topic.

She pulled out this book and CD, which, after experiencing it, I highly recommend and will be purchasing for myself:

Total Relaxation: Healing Practices for Body,
Mind & Spirit
1 CD (Book +CD)
 
by John Harvey

During the particular guided exercise that we did, we used our imaginations to experience our arms and legs as becoming heavy. We also focused on the breath and temperature sensations in different parts of the body. It was incredibly relaxing! (It reminded me a lot of hypnosis, another self-help tool that I’ve found to be very effective. Here is some information on autogenics.)

Because I am very invested in being and feeling well, I was excited to throw myself into the exercise, wholeheartedly and enthusiastically, because I wanted to feel the results. It worked!  At the end of the meditation, I felt so relaxed, soothed, and at ease.  The muscles in my neck and shoulders, which were incredibly tense (and even painful) before the exercise, were relaxed, had softened, and had let go to the point where it was noticeable. I was impressed.

As a person with Borderline Personality Disorder, I often experience my emotions very intensely, so it takes a bit more time, attention, and care to cope with this intensity.  I think that one of the frustrating things about being uncomfortable emotionally is that this comes with feeling discontent. Along with this can come physical manifestations of discomfort  such as muscle tension, stomach upset, and headaches. It can be easy to forget (or easy not to know if you’ve never even experienced them in the first place) that there are effective ways to cope with and even bring some relief to the suffering that we experience at these times.

I found this sample video on YouTube for you. The woman’s voice is very relaxing, and it will only take ten minutes for your to soothe. 

I encourage you, whether you’re feeling stressed or not, to take some time today to try autogenics. I think you will be surprised and maybe even feel renewed just like I did.  I’d love to hear about your experiences.


Thank you for reading.
More Soon.

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