Before
you Begin Autogenic Training:
Learn how to Cancel
You are well
aware of the fact that ideas, thoughts, and resolutions, have the tendency
to materialize. Some people speak of thought forms that will eventually
become reality. If
you use the first training formula, i.e., 'my right arm is very heavy,
certain changes will take place in that arm that last as long as you
are in the Autogenic state. The formulas that follow induce other changes.
When you
end your practice, you need to undo these changes. To undo these changes
you need to cancel them. Even if you have felt nothing it is good to
undo. This is so because sometimes the formulas may induce delayed reactions.
You cancel by following the instructions that Dr. Schultz has given:
Say:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
At the same
time you can stretch and bend your arms vigorously, then breathe deeply
and open your eyes. Canceling will not work as well if you open your eyes
before you relax your arm muscles again. If you open your eyes prior to
canceling, some feeling of heaviness or some other sensation may persist
in your arms for some time. If you do not cancel correctly some heaviness
may last for several hours, in rare cases even days.
The
more determinedly and conscientiously you cancel, the more effective
the whole practice of Autogenic Training will be. Should you fall asleep
while practicing, you need not cancel, of course. The same holds if
you are suddenly interrupted during your practice, by the telephone
or the doorbell, for example. In such a case you will suffer a brief
shock that makes it unnecessary to cancel.
The
First Step in Autogenic Training: Inducing Heaviness
All practice
of Autogenic Training is simple. You sit or lie comfortably, preferably
in a relaxed state. The Welz Chi Generator points at you from the side,
about the middle of your body or, better, you carry a transfer disk of
a Power Booster on you. A good setting for the Welz Chi Generator
is 7.83Hz. The
first training formula that you use is:
MY RIGHT ARM IS
VERY HEAVY
Left handed
people will do well to use their left arm because they can relate better
to it. Their formula is therefore: My
left arm is very heavy.
You should
repeat this training formula mentally. Do not speak it out. Spoken formulas
may interfere with the exercise. When you are repeating the formula in
your mind, you should do so as intensely as you can. You may imagine it
written before you or you may hear someone speak the formula, or both.
You may even imagine yourself writing the formula onto a poster board.
It is important
that you concentrate on the training formula. Your imagination helps
this concentration. Should sudden ideas, thoughts, memories and the
like appear, it is important that you do not attach yourself to them
and that you pay them very little or no attention. Simply disregard
them and keep focusing on the training formula that you keep repeating.
Concentration will come with practice.
You should
repeat the training formula in your mind six times. Then you follow
with
I am completely
calm
After which
you follow with another six times of my
right arm is very heavy
one time of
I am completely
calm
and so on.
Should
any unpleasant feeling occur during the practice, you should stop it
with the proper canceling technique.
Repeat
the heaviness practice five to six times when you practice for the first
time. You may also practice until you actually feel the heaviness.
Usually
the feeling of heaviness will come with the first practice. In some
cases several practice sessions are necessary to induce this feeling.
Do not
continue unless you have mastered the heaviness practice.
The
Second Step in Autogenic Training: Inducing Warmth
The induction
of a feeling of warmth is aimed at relaxing the blood vessels. You should
practice it after you have attained the feeling of heaviness. If you could
not attain the feeling of heaviness after two weeks of practice, you may
also proceed with the warmth formula. A
feeling of warmth indicates that the blood vessels have relaxed and
dilated. The warmth practice will have results that are superior to
the results of the progressive relaxation technique. Progressive relaxation
techniques are very much the practice of choice in guided meditation
practices as well as in some methods to induce hypnosis. States of relaxation
that you can achieve with Autogenic Training are considerably deeper
and much more thorough than what you can achieve with progressive relaxation
and related methods. The warmth practice of Autogenic Training will
prove this point to you beyond the shadow of any doubt. Especially the
practices that follow will show you the tremendous control and power
that you can achieve with the practice of Autogenic Training.
You induce
the warmth as follows: I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is
very heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
MY RIGHT ARM IS VERY WARM (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is very warm (six times) . . . . . . . .
(Repeat this
sequence several times)
Cancel: Arms
firm - Breathe deeply - Open eyes.
You may have
more ease in attaining the feeling of warmth than the feeling of heaviness.
Should you not attain this feeling after two weeks of training, I suggest
that you bathe your arm in warm water shortly before the practice or that
you place your hand on a warm object. The remembered feeling of warmth
can facilitate the attainment of actual warmth during the practice. Never
use the formula 'my right arm is very hot.' The
feeling of heaviness indicates that the muscles are relaxed. If your
practice regularly, the feeling of heaviness will appear rather quickly
and noticeably, as soon as you think of heaviness.
The sensation
of warmth is caused by the relaxation (dilation) of the blood vessel
walls. It has been demonstrated that the feelings of warmth and heaviness
are accompanied by actual physical changes. In other words, we are not
dealing here with either a figment of the imagination of with a self
deception. In fact, the arms will actually be slightly heavier as a
result of increased blood supply into the relaxed, therefore, wider,
blood vessels of the arms. For the same reason the temperature of the
arms increases slightly. Special thermometers have shown that the increase
in the arm's temperature can be more than 3.6 degrees F, and even more,
in the hand, especially when the initial temperature was on the low
side. Later you can learn powerful techniques to supply an increased
amount of blood to any part of the body.
The autonomic
nervous system is such that the state of tension in one group of muscles
communicates itself automatically to the adjacent group. The tension
spreads and increases as a consequence. On the other hand, when the
muscles of the arm are relaxed, this relaxation too influences other
groups of muscles until relaxation spreads ultimately over the whole
body. This desired extension of heaviness and warmth (relaxation of
muscles and blood vessels) over the whole body is called "generalization."
The more
advanced the practitioner of Autogenic Training is the more heaviness
and warmth appear as simple reflexes. At a later point of your training
the feelings of warmth and heaviness may appear upon your intention
to practice, even before you lie down and before you begin with the
training.
Once you
are advanced, you can simplify your training formulas to 'arms very
heavy' - 'calm' - 'arms very warm,' or 'calm - heavy - ...'
With advancement
you can also insert resolution formulae into your training while you
are practicing.
The
Third Step in Autogenic Training: The Heart Practice
The two basic
exercises of heaviness and warmth result in a definite shifting of your
body experience. Calmness is induced, the blood pressure may be normalized,
pains reduced, spasms of asthma alleviated, indigestion, constipation,
etc., can be dealt with, chronic spasms may begin to dissolve. According
to Dr. Schultz, improvement and even cure of some dysfunctions followed
the practice of Autogenic Training. The experience of warmth influences
the entire circulatory system, because the relaxation of the blood vessels
tends to spread from the left arm to the coronary vessels. Consequently
more blood and oxygen go through the heart and heart pains often disappear.
It is possible
to exchange practices three, i.e., the heart practice, and four, the
breathing practice that you will find in the next section.
The new
training formula is the following:
My heart beats
calmly and regularly.
Very sensitive
people may use: My
heart beats very calmly.
It is dangerous
to use the formula 'my heart beats very calmly and slowly.' The heart
reacts very strongly to that and serious disturbances may result.
When practicing
the heart formula, you will likely discover your heart, i.e., you will
learn to feel your heart.
The full
sequence of the exercises is now:
I am completely
calm (once)
My right arm is very heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is very warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
MY HEART BEATS CALMLY AND REGULARLY (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly (six times)
. . . . . . . .
Canceling:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
The
Fourth Step in Autogenic Training: The Breathing Practice
Even with
just one or two sessions of the heaviness practice, usually your breathing
becomes much calmer and more regular. The new formula is:
MY BREATHING IS VERY
CALM
This does
not mean at all that you should now try to influence your breathing. On
the contrary, your breathing should self-regulate, i.e., it should determine
its own rhythm. I advise that you abandon yourself to your own breathing.
In other words: your breathing should just happen! Above all, avoid conscious
and controlled breathing! If you have difficulties to do so, you may add
to the formula 'it breathes me.' Persons
who are tense or who are in an emotionally disturbed state breathe irregularly
with respect to frequency and volume. In such instances I suggest that
you use 'my breathing is completely calm and regular.'
Adding
the breathing formula to the practice, your routine goes now as follows:
I am completely
calm (once)
My right arm is very heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is very warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
MY BREATHING IS CALM AND REGULAR (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My breathing is calm and regular (six times)
. . . . . . . .
Canceling:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
The
Fifth Step in Autogenic Training: The Abdominal Practice
After you
have learned to relax your limbs and your chest organs, you proceed to
calm down the abdominal organs with the following formula:
MY ABDOMEN IS FLOWINGLY
WARM
or
MY SOLAR PLEXUS
IS FLOWINGLY WARM
The abdominal
muscles react very sensitively to the psyche to an extent that in moments
of extreme fear some people can actually soil themselves. Consequently,
people who are very tense suffer from constipation, indigestion, and similar
disturbances. Even the digestive glands are sensitive to our emotional
conditions. Often they fail so that we cannot digest our food. Then they
simply demand that we relax first and then eat. The
person who has frequent mood changes, whether he or she is aware of
them or not, or who assumes faulty emotional postures, can easily make
his or her body a whipping boy. This leads to a determined attempt to
gain control of the autonomous nervous system with the help of Autogenic
Training.
The solar
plexus is part of the autonomous nervous system. It is the largest nervous
network. It is located behind the stomach, in back of and to both sides
of the mid spine. Being midway between the breastbone and the navel,
the solar plexus regulates the function of the abdominal organs and
transfers our moods to them.
Subjectively
you will feel a pleasant warmth in the upper abdomen while you practice
Autogenic training. Sometimes the entire body becomes warm. Occasionally
you may first experience the feeling of warmth in the kidney area.
With this
fifth practice, your training program looks as follows:
I am completely
calm (once)
My right arm is very heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is very warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My breathing is calm and regular (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
MY ABDOMEN IS FLOWINGLY WARM (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My abdomen is flowingly warm (six times)
. . . . . . . .
Canceling:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
The
Sixth Step in Autogenic Training: The Head Practice
You are going
to use the following formula: MY
FOREHEAD IS PLEASANTLY COOL
Including
this formula, your complete practice of Autogenic Training is as follows:
I am completely
calm (once)
My right arm is very heavy (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My right arm is very warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My heart beats calmly and regularly (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My breathing is calm and regular (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My abdomen is flowingly warm (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
MY FOREHEAD IS PLEASANTLY COOL (six times)
I am completely calm (once)
My forehead is pleasantly cool (six times)
Formulaized resolutions, ten to thirty times repeated.
Canceling:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
I advise strongly
that you use the wording as above until you have fully mastered the practices.
Only when you have become very familiar with each one of the training
formulas, then you may abbreviate them as follows: Calm
- Heavy - Warm - Heart and breathing completely calm - Abdomen flowingly
warm - Forehead pleasantly cool.
Canceling:
Arms firm, breathe
deeply, open eyes.
It is also
very useful to keep records of your experiences in Autogenic Training.
This is especially important if you combine your practice of Autogenic
Training with a program of intuitive development, self help, and practices
of neuro-cosmic programming. Formulaized
resolutions may have a general character such as 'I am making it,' or
more specific ones such as 'I am making good business decisions.'
If you
are working toward self help and effective life force techniques, you
will custom tailor your formulaized resolutions to your training.
Formulaized
resolutions are also very helpful in dissolving the chronic spasms of
your emotional armor. I suggest that you read the works of Wilhelm Reich.
The effects
of Autogenic Training are enhanced significantly if you point a chi
generator towards yourself during practice, still more if you help it
with an orgone radionics device or the manifestation
program together with a Chi generator.
I will
gladly give you additional information concerning Autogenic Training,
especially practical application of this powerful technique for your
general advancement. Write to:
Karl Hans Welz
c/o HSCTI
P.O. Box 1298
Woodstock, GA 30188
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Copyright 1991 by Karl Hans Welz.
All rights reserved. No part of this course may be reproduced
in any forms or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying,
recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without
prior permission in writing from the author. Address queries to HSCTI
--
Published
by HSCTI
P.O. Box 1298
Woodstock, GA 30188 |