July 18, 2017
We do exercises sitting, standing and walking. This means that there is a sophrology exercise that you can do wherever you are and whenever you have a few spare moments. While on the train to work, in the office, while standing at the checkout in the supermarket, while waiting for a meeting to start,
while walking in nature, at home, in bed, on the beach, anytime, anywhere…
It is important to know that there are 5 main parts to every sophrology exercise. These parts can be shortened or lengthened to construct a sophrology exercise of anything from 3mins to 45mins.
The key techniques include a body scan, a tension release and breathing in energy into the cells of your body. Sometimes the sophrologist will use all of these and sometimes just one or two. Typically there is always a body scan.
This part is where the specific topic of each exercise e.g. relaxing physical and/or mental exercise is addressed. It varies greatly depending on the focus of the exercise.
In between each part there is a Sophro Integration Pause. This is the most important part of the exercise. During this pause we focus on the body, noticing all the physical sensations (warm/cold,
heavy/light, tingling/not tingling, tension/relaxation, etc.). The many benefits of the Integration pause include:
You develop concentration
You experience being in present time
You feel which parts of your body are tense or relaxed
Your body realizes it is being listened to
You become more aware of the body
You notice where and how the body expresses each emotion
You can make better decisions
Your physical and mental health improves
Activating 3 of our capacities. Then stretching, moving and opening the eyes.
After each exercise it’s recommended to write in your journal anything that stood out to you, anything that you experienced physically, mentally, emotionally, your thoughts and feelings. This helps to further integrate the experience.
The final result is feeling relaxed, happy, confident, calm, and ready to embrace your world in a whole new way.
All that’s left now is for you to try.
Try Sophrology today. Email me your question about sophrology and I’ll write my next blog post on your question. You’ll get a free sophrology exercise in your inbox straight away.
SARAH@SOPHROLOGY.COM.AU
WWW.SOPHROLOGY.COM.AU
October 19, 2016
Have you ever focused your full attention on your right hand for two whole minutes?
If not, now is the time. Take a moment, set your timer, close your eyes and start. All attention on your right hand, keep the attention neutral and objective.
Two minutes done.. take another moment now to observe what you notice about your right hand; the temperature or size or weight, notice how it feels compared to your left hand.
There’s no right or wrong observations.
Body awareness can be discussed in different ways, for example in sports or yoga it’s about knowing where each limb is in space and time, knowing when it’s tired and needs a rest. In your work place it’s about knowing when and how to change positions if you sit or stand a lot in one position all day and how move around your workplace with care, being mindful of your body.
In Sophrology body awareness refers particularly to tuning in to your body as a whole, and part by part, to notice what there is to notice. Common things to notice are warm or cool, heavy or light, tingling or buzzing, big or small.
Noticing is one part of the exercise however noticing objectively is the other. What does this mean?
Objective awareness involves noticing these sensations without analysis or judgement. Being open to your body experience as it is. There’s no good or bad, no right or wrong, just objective fact.
Subjective observation on the other hand would involve your inner voice commenting on the experience and rating it or judging it. Saying things like “it was just a little bit warm so that’s probably not right” or “I’m not feeling anything I can’t do this”. This is the inner talk that feeds nobody’s soul. Notice if you do this and then let it go, return to being objective.
Stay free from judgement, notice as if it’s the first time you’re noticing, and with curiosity and wonder.
To experience this I encourage you to try the FREE Mood Lifting exercise. In this mood lifting exercise you will be asked:
– to notice your body as it is now, as if it is the first time you have noticed that you have a body
– to think of each of the colours of the rainbow and notice if you feel anything happening in your body while you do this
– to re-experience a recent moment of happiness. A smile, the sun shining, some music, a present, etc – just a tiny moment…. While you are re-living this moment, check in with your body and discover how it is reacting to this experience.
– Let go of the visualisation and concentrate on the physical sensations that you are experiencing in your body
TIP: Do the exercise with curiosity and wonder – curious and full of wonder about this body that is yours for the whole of your life-time.
Remember to stay objective and notice when you become subjective.
Enjoy.
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