Autogenic Relaxation Technique

From Wikipedia:

Autogenic training restores the balance between the activity of the sympathetic (flight or fight) and the parasympathetic (rest and digest) branches of the autonomic nervous system.[citation needed] This has important health benefits, as the parasympathetic activity promotesdigestion and bowel movements, lowers the blood pressure, slows the heart rate, and promotes the functions of the immune system.[citation needed]

Click to expand...

Katie provided this autogenic training calming technique:
[fright]
[/fright]She stated that the word autogenics sounds like new space age treatment. However it is super easy and easy to get into a pattern. The purpose is to calm down the nervous system, relax our muscles and mind. It only takes a few minutes to do (? 10 min) and it's amazing.

Here it is in a nut shell:

Lie down or be very comfortable in a chair.
Take 3-4 relaxing breaths.
Do a quick body scan to determine where you have increased muscle tension

Next you go from limb to limb, shoulders, jaw and respiratory and cardiac; repeating 5-6 times: Do not tighten your muscles before you relax them, this just increases the nervous system activity, not calm it down.

My right arm feels warm and heavy: this may take practice to feel your arm getting a bit warmer and heavier-repeat 5-6 x
Next you repeat x 1: I am at peace

My left arm feels warm and heavy: 5-6 x
I am at peace
Next your shoulders, jaw, right leg, left leg, right foot, left foot with repeat of I am at peace in between each segment.

After this comes your breathing

My breathing is calm and regular x 5-6
I am at peace.
I breathe comfortably and naturally x 5-6 x
I am at peace
It breathes me. 5-6 x
I am at peace

Cardiac

My heartbeat is calm
I am at peace
My heartbeat is calm and regular 5-6 x
I am at peace.
My heartbeat is calm and strong 5-6 x
I am at peace.

Stomach

My abdomen is slightly warm.
My abdomen is pleasantly warm. 5-6x
I am at peace.
My abdomen is warm. 5-6 x

Now pay attention to a specific muscle group that may be painful
or extremely tense and then begin repeating to yourself:

• Warmth dissolves the pain.
• I am at peace.

At this point you may also wish to shift your attention to another muscle group and begin repeating the formula “warmth dissolves the pain.”

• My entire body is comfortably relaxed.
• I am at peace.

Then the last area is your forehead. Somehow the cooling aspect seems to lull me right to sleep
My forehead is slightly cool.

• My forehead is pleasantly cool. x 5-6
• I am at peace.
• My forehead is cool. x 5-6
• I am at peace.
• My entire body is comfortably relaxed. x 5-6
• I am at peace.

This is taken from the book: Autogenic Training; A Mind Body Approach: by Micah Sadigh