Autogenic training, developed by German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz in the early 20th century, is a scientifically grounded relaxation method that uses self-suggestion to achieve a calm, focused, and deeply relaxed mental state. The word “autogenic” means “generated from within,” and the practice is built around creating a state of rest and balance through mental repetition of calming phrases.
It is widely used in psychotherapy, sports psychology, stress management, and psychosomatic medicine.
What Is Autogenic Training?
Autogenic training consists of a series of standard formulas or affirmations that a person silently repeats, focusing on bodily sensations like warmth, heaviness, and calm breathing. The training induces a state similar to deep meditation or light hypnosis, helping regulate the autonomic nervous system.
A typical formula may include:
- “My arms and legs are heavy.”
- “My heartbeat is calm and regular.”
- “My body is warm.”
- “I am calm.”
Through repetition, these phrases encourage muscle relaxation, slower breathing, and reduced stress responses.
Structure of Schultz’s Technique
Schultz’s method is usually practiced in six stages:
- Heaviness: Suggesting weight in limbs
- Warmth: Feeling warmth spreading in the body
- Heartbeat regulation: Awareness of a calm, regular heartbeat
- Breathing: Passive observation of the breath
- Abdominal warmth: Focusing on warmth in the solar plexus
- Forehead cooling: A cooling sensation to reduce mental tension
Each session typically lasts 10–15 minutes and can be practiced lying down or sitting quietly.
Benefits of Autogenic Training
Scientific studies have shown that autogenic training can:
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Improve sleep quality
- Lower blood pressure and heart rate
- Alleviate chronic pain
- Improve focus and emotional regulation
- Aid recovery in psychosomatic disorders
It is often used alongside cognitive therapy and in rehabilitation programs for people with heart disease, migraines, or digestive issues.
How to Practice Autogenic Training
To start autogenic training:
- Find a quiet place and sit or lie down comfortably.
- Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths.
- Repeat the phrases slowly in your mind, one at a time.
- Focus on the sensation each phrase is meant to evoke.
- Return gently to the present after the session.
Regular practice (once or twice a day) leads to the most effective results.
Is It Hypnosis?
Autogenic training is not hypnosis, but it shares some features. The key difference is that you remain fully conscious and in control, using your own mental suggestions rather than relying on a hypnotist.
Conclusion
Autogenic training by Schultz is a powerful, non-invasive tool for mental and physical well-being. Easy to learn and backed by decades of clinical research, it helps people restore balance, reduce stress, and develop deeper body awareness. It empowers individuals to regulate their inner state using only the power of their own minds.
Glossary
- Autogenic: Originating within the self
- Self-suggestion: Repeating mental phrases to influence bodily state
- Autonomic Nervous System: The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions
- Psychosomatic: Physical symptoms caused or influenced by mental factors
