Posts Tagged ‘autogenics’

Concentrative Self Relaxation

Autogenic training is my favorite form of meditation. Its like a cross between the relaxation response & deep hypnosis.

The original text books by Shultz are available on Internet Archive.

The training consists of the relaxation exercises and more advanced meditation exercises that open up your minds eye very vividly.

Many people only ever do the basic exercises which is like learning to drive but never actually doing it again.

Others get stuck & cant progress beyond without months & months of practice everyday.

I have had difficulty transitioning to the advanced meditation phase of autogenic training

Something I used to be able to do as a child

It helps to know what’s actually going on & I have figured it out

In autogenic therapy you are intimately tuned into the afferent and efferent nerve interaction

As you progress to the advanced stage exercises there is an actual shift in brain state

The nerve signals reverse direction – there is an electrical polarity shift in the brain

Imagination and Reality Look Different in the Brain

The measurable electrical polarity shift I read about somewhere else possibly in the book body electric – I will hunt for more information

I believe it was referenced in relation to the loss of consciousness – but will have to find the literature

This is an actual physical reflex that the stimuli of the autogenic training coaxes from the body

As I recall when I used to do it as a child there was a sensation of an actual change in state before the spontaneous onset of colour visualization.

So there is a quantifiable scientific basis to it that can be used for feedback. Once you have changed to this state the visualizations become very vivid

I have been a keen meditator for over 30 years. My favorite meditation method is Autogenics because at the advanced levels it can give you a crystal clear imagination. Some months ago I decided to try Holosync to see if it could enhance my meditations.

I have a bunch of biofeedback devices & a CES device. I also have sound & light meditation equipment. So Holosync always seemed a little weird to me. Kind of cult like as many of these things appear.

Well it turns out Holosync is a program that takes some time to complete. Years in fact. It may take you 2-4 years to go through the program of neural reintegration.

These are not hollow words. The entrainment encourages brain hemispheric synchrony.

Now that in itself is no big deal, my light and sound machine does the same & binaural beats. Holosync however is a step above this. Trust me these recordings actually work.

For the first few months I would meditate like normal, relaxing & listening. Sometimes I would be distracted but just play along & complete the recordings anyway.

Now I am some months & levels in and about 3 weeks back a big change happened. I started twitching like hell during the sessions, having intense muscle spasms.

Now when this happens it means your nervous system is reintegrating itself. Using the sensory motor complex to assist in reconnecting neural pathways.

Some also say it is energy channels in the body clearing & these things are all connected as stimulation of accupoints activates specific brain regions unrelated to the sensory stimuli.

Anyway if you just let the body do its thing without resistance. Just lie there & twitch. If your brain wants your body to twitch let it. If it doesn’t it wont.

So I had these spasms for 3 weeks with every meditation. Now they have begun to subside & I feel better.

I relax a bit deeper during the meditations & feel maybe a hint of emotional clearance. I have heard of people using the sedona method during the meditations too.

Basically these twitching’s & spasm’s which can be very pronounced seem the same as experienced during REM. If you have watched a dog or cat sleeping they twitch & spasm like crazy in REM. Its normal. You do it too normally unconsciously.

Also being a big strong male I very seldom cry. Don’t have the inclination and I cry maybe once every 10 years.

But I recall being a little kid & crying would give me great emotional release. This used to clear my mind & I could visualize & relax better afterward.

I dont get this anymore. So the Holosync can also instigate emotional clearance without a sobbing fit.

Anyway I recommend it if you are a meditator. I tried Hemisinc before but prefer Holosync from http://www.centerpointe.com/v2

It may be that I just needed to try Hemisinc for longer but I didnt like all of the silly humming & stuff it asks you to do.

Equisync is another program I will try.

Autogenics I have discussed in a couple of posts. The buteyko & sedona methods are a perfect compliment to Autogenic training.

Buteyko is a breathing method and most of the info is available free online. It involves rather than deep breathing rather the opposite. Hypoxic breath holds & very shallow breathing while remaining deeply relaxed. Over time this increases endurance and reduces anxiety. They also encourage the use of breathing resistance devices, altitude masks and russian breath training devices. Intermittent hypoxia is itself a highly effective method for enhancing performance and is much more so when combined with deep relaxation training.

Sedona is a psychotherapeutic method for releasing & controlling emotion. It works.

I think these three methods combined are fully synergistic. I dont see any point of conflict.

Some months ago i began autogenics training from scratch. Its not my first foray into the technique as many years ago i could get into theta at will after practising autogenics for a year or so. What evaded me however was the deep visualization of the advanced methods. The holding of a colour field for example I could not do – only a murky haze. This was both a frustration & a disappointment.
There are no autogenics therapists in New Zealand and shamefully only 2 or 3 neurofeedback practitioners. So there is no choice here but self training. There is at least a floatation center in town.

If you are unfamiliar with Autogenics it is a method of training to quickly induce deep trance & deep relaxation while over a period of months healing & rejuvenating the central nervous system & brain.

The standard exercises involve verbal reinforcement during progressive relaxation. Preferably a month is spent on each formula.

1. My right (dominant) arm is heavy

2. My arms & legs are warm and heavy

3. My heart beat is calm and steady

4. My breathing is calm and regular

5. My solar plexus is warm & glowing

6. My forehead is cool and dry

While affirming these verbal commands in ones mind the body is in one of several relaxation postures. My favourite is flat on my back on the bed. The environment must be very quiet and warm with no distractions.

The session must last only 10-15 minutes max for the first 6 months. This is because you are training yourself to quickly enter deep relaxation. During this process your brain will heal & regenerate removing neurosis & psychosomatic illness. Sessions are done 2-3 times a day.

As you move on to the next formula you briefly reaffirm the previous ones, the focus most of the session is on the affirmation for that month. The whole thing is done with passive concentration not will power. You just relax in the posture & make the affirmations while focussing on the body process – let the brain do the rest itself.

What happens is day to day thoughts intrude, twitches, itches etc. You simply have a scratch, put thoughts aside and continue with the session – which removes anxiety by itself.

So its very easy.

After the standard exercises comes the advanced stage. Now as a kid I recall doing this stuff myself naturally without ever having heard of autogenics. I would lie in bed at night or in the morning in total relaxation and see clearly a full pure field of a single colour. This is a Theta brainwave state, perhaps borderline alpha/theta.

So this is the first of the advanced exercises.

7. I see a pure field of a single colour (the one you mind chooses)

8. I see a full pure field of (any colour you please)

9 I see a solid 3D object (such as an apple, a cup etc)

10. See a movie (in your mind vividly)

11. Meditate upon a mental concept such as a philosophical value

12. Ask your subconscious for answers to problems.

Now its important to note that there is a big transition between exercise 6 and 7. This involves the length of time in trance. The standard exercises are done for a short time period to train you to enter trance. The meditative sessions are done for 30-60 minutes at a time. You must gradually increase the duration and depth of the meditation after the standard exercises from 15 minutes up to 60 minutes.

Once you can remain in deep meditation for 30 – 60 minutes only then should you begin exercise 7. You should take six months to lengthen your sessions. You can also work on deepening the trance during this time. This is not an approximation of how long it should take. It is a prescription – you must take six months to gradually ease into it. This is because the whole process is gently healing and developing your nervous system.

You will have spent six months already on the standard exercises gaining the benefits of 2-3 deep relaxation sessions daily. Now you spend another six months practising very healthy beneficial deep meditation sessions up to an hour long. For your mind and body it is a great tonic.

What ever neurological conditions you have holding you back will have time to heal during this period of rejuvenation. Then you can begin with the advanced exercises.

Things that can help in the advanced stage are biofeedback, CES (cranial electro stimulation), floatation and brainwave entrainment.

So for me I am beginning the transition from 6 to 7 now. I have just made a CES device & have several biofeedback devises such as skin temp, GSR, EEG & EMG. I also have a good sound & light meditation machine. I will use the floatation center in town also.

What can you do once you have mastered the Advanced Training?

Full sensory visualization & somnambulistic hypnosis. You can also control body processes & recuperate much faster. Boost immunity. Practice advanced QiGong, Hypnosis etc. Basically it opens you up to be able to practise a wide variety of other advanced therapeutic methods too.

So its awesome.