Autogenic Relaxation: Cultivating Relaxation From Mind To Body

When the body is relaxed, it often feels heavy and warm. Autogenic relaxation creates relaxation from within by using mantras and visualization to cue the body to release and let go of tension.

This practice is particularly effective for preparing for sleep, releasing the stress of a tough day, or training yourself to become more resilient and able to cope with stress over time.

Transcript

Hi,

My name is Dr.

Adam Blutso and welcome to an autogenic relaxation meditation.

Autogenic relaxation means relaxation generated from within.

In this meditation,

I will teach you how to use your mind to relax your body.

The principle of the meditation is very simple.

When one is relaxed,

You often feel very heavy and warm.

And if you can create heaviness and warmth,

You can become very relaxed.

In this technique,

We'll use mantras where we envision and impart heaviness and warmth upon the different parts of the body.

And then we'll visualize warmth,

Radiant heat,

The rays of the sun,

Further warming the body,

And then loving hands and pressure,

Adding weight and comfort to the body.

I'm reminding you that relaxation is not something that's forced.

It's something that we allow to happen,

That we let occur,

Something that we release into and let go.

The technique is particularly useful as preparation for falling asleep,

Releasing stressful tension,

Or practicing calmness and resiliency.

Begin by coming into this space and preparing for the exercise.

Finding a space where you won't likely be disturbed and choosing a posture that's most comfortable for you,

Often lying down under a warm blanket,

Arms relaxed at your sides,

Legs uncrossed,

Head supported by a pillow.

Now finding your breath with curiosity and gentleness,

Bring your focus to find your breath wherever it's most comfortable for you.

Noticing the inhale and the exhale,

Imagining your inhalation coming in through the nose all the way to the crown of the head and the exhalation down the spine to the feet,

Up the front line of the body and out the mouth,

Inhaling to the top of the head,

Exhaling down the spine to the feet,

Up the front line and out the mouth,

Inhaling,

Exhaling.

In this meditation,

We'll echo the mantra of a particular body part becoming heavy and warm and then we'll simply observe and allow the body part to relax and let go.

We'll do that mantra two times per each body part and then we'll envision the body part being warmed more deeply by the rays of the sun or the radiant heat of a crackling fire.

And we'll imagine the warmth of the heaviness of the blanket pushing down upon you or the loving hands or the hands of a loved one applying pressure downward on that limb,

Comforting,

Safe and heavy.

Now let's begin.

Feeling this mantra in your mind,

My right arm is heavy and warm and simply allowing the arm to respond,

Noticing it as it becomes heavier and warmer.

And let's begin inhaling and on the exhale repeating this mantra,

My right arm is heavy and warm and then simply allowing the arm to warm,

Relax and become heavy.

With every exhalation,

Allowing that relaxation and that warmth to deepen.

And inhaling and upon the exhale,

Echoing my right arm is heavy and warm.

And letting the body become heavy,

Sinking firmly into the surface below it and the warmth of the heat of the body will radiate.

The nervous system allowing the blood to flow deeper into the arm and to the limb,

Allowing healing,

Comfort and relaxation.

And now envisioning the warm rays of the sun or the radiant heat of a crackling fireplace warming your right arm,

Allowing it to relax further and sink deeper into peace and calm.

And envisioning a heavy blanket on the right arm or gravity itself pulling down firmly and allowing your arm to settle deeper into the surface that supports it.

Or maybe picturing the hands of a loved one pressing the arm deeper into the surface that supports you.

Allowing the arm to become heavier,

Warmer,

More relaxed.

Now envisioning the warm rays of the sun as if you're at the beach,

Penetrating the right arm or radiant heat of a fireplace crackling and warming the right arm from within,

Allowing the arm to relax,

Become calmer,

Heavier and warmer.

You may envision a heavy blanket on the right arm or gravity itself or the hands of a loved one pressing the arm gently deeper into the surface that supports it.

Now allowing your arm to become heavier,

Warmer and more relaxed.

Now moving your attention to the left arm and echoing the mantra on our exhalation,

My left arm is heavy and warm.

And allowing the arm to respond and to settle into a relaxation,

Fall deeper into the surface that surrounds it and become warmer,

Fuller.

And on the next exhalation again,

Echoing my left arm is heavy and warm.

Feeling the arm warming from within,

Becoming more peaceful,

More relaxed.

Your attention residing predominantly in the left arm as you feel it becoming heavier and warmer.

And now envisioning the sun or that crackling fire warming the left arm from within,

The heat penetrating and allowing to become even warmer still,

Glowing as you visualize that pressure of the blanket,

Gravity or the hands of a loved one,

Allowing the arm to sink deeper still into the surface that supports it.

Completely giving way to the surface and relaxing,

Becoming calm and peaceful.

At this time you might even notice that your hands and fingers are becoming tingly.

That's a completely normal phenomenon.

Just simply allowing it to happen.

The body is falling into deep relaxation.

And if and when your attention drifts away from your body,

As it often will,

Simply bringing it back and allowing that to instill an even deeper sense of peace,

Relaxation and calm.

And now moving your focus over to the right leg and upon your next exhalation,

Echoing in your mind,

My right leg is becoming heavier and warm.

Imagine observing how your leg responds by feeling warmer and heavier all the way down to the foot,

Relaxing and giving into the surface below,

Sinking deeper and heavier as your right leg relaxes,

Allowing yourself to fall even further into the warmth and the heaviness of relaxation and calm.

And envisioning the radiant heat of the sun or a crackling fire,

Warming the right leg,

Further sinking into the surface below,

Warming from within as gravity or the hands of a loved one or the blanket itself allow the leg to sink,

Relax.

Greater calm and peace will follow.

Now moving your attention over to the left leg and echoing your mantra on the exhalation breath.

My left leg is heavy and warm,

Allowing your leg to relax,

Becoming heavier and warmer.

And hearing your mantra in your mind again upon the exhalation,

My left leg is becoming heavy and warm and allowing your leg to receive that intention,

Sinking into the surface,

Becoming heavier and warmer.

The warmth of your body's energy permeating the left leg and warming it,

Relaxing it,

Calming it.

And imagining again the sun radiating down on your left leg or the crackling fire warming your left leg further,

Allowing it to relax and to warm and then even picturing the presence of loved one's hand pressing down on your leg.

The pressure of the blanket on top of your leg or gravity itself,

Helping your leg sink heavier and more firmly into the surface below it.

Now I'd like you to imagine a place,

A place that you can envision as being warm,

Comfortable and safe.

Maybe it will be the beach or maybe it will be a cabin with a warm fireplace.

And imagine your entire body in your mind's eye now warming,

Heavy,

Calm,

Resting in that space for a moment.

And upon the next exhalation,

Echoing the mantra,

My whole body is warm and heavy and allowing the calm and the peace to take over.

And again,

On the next exhalation,

Releasing any remaining stress and echoing the mantra,

My whole body is warm and heavy.

Spending some time in this space,

Allowing the body to sink deeply into the surface that supports you,

Allowing that surface to take over and to support you from below.

Spend some time here and enjoy the feeling of the warmth,

The heaviness,

The calm.

And now bringing your attention back to your breath.

If you're using this meditation to prepare for sleep,

Feel free to just drift off into a peaceful,

Restful sleep.

If you're intending to bring this rejuvenative energy back to the day,

We'll use five breaths to come back into this moment.

On the inhalation of each breath,

We'll reactivate the body,

Releasing the heaviness and coming back into a light energy.

On the first inhalation,

Wiggling the toes,

Coming further back into this environment,

Into this place and time.

Inhalation number two,

Wiggling the fingers.

On the third,

Allowing your eyes to open gently.

Number four,

Bringing motion back into the body,

Feeling the breath,

Becoming alert and awake.

And on the fifth inhalation,

We're back in this moment,

Full of energy,

Calm and peace.

Thanks for doing this autogenic relaxation meditation with me.

This is Dr.

Adam Bledsoe,

Helping you create the health and life of your dreams.

Reviews

Man (sighs)...as a human being who has sojourned this rock called planet Earth unheard spoken words (oxymoron 😁) sway directly forces, stirring dormant feelings, superceding previous experienes...sir, praises exalted... transformation complete. ✌️👍👏 ✨🌟🌍⭐🌎🌟🌏🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌙

It really does work if you concentrate on it. All the stresses of the day are gone and I'm ready for a relaxing night.

That was absolutely amazing. I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed! I will be revisiting this one often. Thank you!!!

Thank you! I enjoyed this and found it very relaxing.

Really enjoy the simplicity in the way you lead your meditations and your soothing voice! Thank you so much and hope to see even more new meditations😊🙏

The technique is something new to me but I was able to follow through. It was a rejuvenating experience, especially for an overwhelming day. Thank you, will come back to this meditation again.

Lovely relaxation. Thanks for this relaxing practice.