“The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.”
—William James
It’s not always convenient to step away at moment’s notice to meditate. When this is the case, sophrology can help. By creating a calm, relaxed body, this continuous practice of exercises brings about an alert mind without needing a quiet place to do so. Overtime, it leads to a balanced lifestyle and overall well-being.
Developed in the 1960s by neuropsychiatrist Professor Alfonso Caycedo, sophrology is a method of finding calm in the midst of your daily activities. Unlike meditation or yoga, which often requires you to find a place of solitude and a comfortable position, sophrology allows you to find clarity without having to step away.
Studying Tibetan Buddhist meditation, yoga, and hypnosis, Caycedo was searching for a way to help those coping with depression and mental illness through the means of holistic and balancing lifestyle choices.
The exercises used in sophrology are called dynamic relaxation, which means relaxation in movement, and push you to become aware of your body and mind in the present moment. The purpose of these exercises is to train yourself to respond to different scenarios in specific and harmonious ways. This allows you to have more control over how you go into various situations, and that you do so in ways that leave you satisfied with your response regardless of the outcome.
Here are a few ways you can begin to incorporate sophrology into your life.
1. To Calm the Mind and Body
With a hand gently placed on your abdomen, inhale for 4 counts (even if your lungs can inhale more). Exhale for 5 to 6 counts, and feel how your body responds to your breath. Continue this practice for 3 to 4 minutes.
To extend this practice, try humming during your inhale and exhale. Humming creates a vibration in your body. Focusing on how your body responds to this vibration amplifies your sense of the present.
2. To Aid Insomnia
If you’re having trouble falling asleep, this is the perfect exercise to establish a healthy sleep routine.
Lay on your back in bed, with your arms at your side. Take your time and slowly focus your attention on each individual part of your body, starting at your toes and moving up. Focusing all your energy on the present moment and specific body parts will motivate your mind to relax and find balance.
Allow yourself to become aware of the mattress beneath you, the temperature of the room, how the nighttime air smells, and feel your body start to drift away. A little trick I like to add is saying “good night” to each part of your body as you move your focus upward.
3. To Ease Tension
Find a comfortable standing position and close your eyes. Either placing your arms alongside your body or raising them above your head, inhale deeply and focus on the breath filling your body.
Once your body is filled, hold your breath for 3-4 seconds. While holding your breath, tense every part of your body from your face down to your toes. After releasing your breath, let go and physically relax your body. Repeat this 4 times, and don’t rush. You’ll want to indulge in the sensation.
4. To Get Rid of Fear or Self-Consciousness
In a standing or upright position, place your hands side-by-side in the middle of your back above your kidneys. While gently concentrating on your breath, begin to rub in circular motions. This will invigorate the kidneys, cleanse them of any fear you are holding onto, and open your body up to love.
Your kidneys are known as the organ that holds onto fear and anxiety, so giving them attention and love will, in return, provide you with confidence. With continuous practice, you will start to approach scenarios fearlessly and with an open heart.
Hillary Fink is a freelance writer based in New York. She is passionate about organic food, yoga, and mindful living. She is the founder and editor of Ink & Voices, an online publication for emerging artists and writers. You can follow her on Instagram @elementsofhill
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