Updated March 6, 2022
This heart centered technique is based on Autogenic Relaxation. I’ve created a riff on the original autogenic sequence to be a simple, heart-centered and body-based relaxation technique. Autogenic is too technical sounding for me.
Kudos to Johannes Heinrich Schultz, a German psychiatrist, who published the original Autogenic Relaxation sequence in 1932. You probably already practice it in some form, such as a body scan, just to get yourself relaxed when feeling uptight.
The simple beauty of the autogenic technique is the lyrical, repetition of the chant that centers on heart and peace.
I’ve borrowed the simple lyrical, repetitive pattern of the autogenic technique to include heart, breath and body in a chant like manner, to promote peace.
This heart centered relaxation can practiced sitting or laying down, or even while waiting in line at the grocery store.
So next time you feel impatient in a slow line at the store, it’s your cue to take a deep breath, and gently bring your focus to the following sequence, which simply moves from top to bottom, arms to solar plexus to legs.
Heart Centered Relaxation
Begin with an easy breath. Smile to yourself.
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
My Right Arm is Comfortably Heavy
My Right Arm is Comfortably Warm
I feel body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
My Left Arm is Comfortably Heavy
My Left Arm is Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
Both Arms Feel Comfortably Heavy
Both Arms Feel Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
My Solar Plexus Feels Comfortably Heavy
My Solar Plexus Feels Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
My Right Leg is Comfortably Heavy
My Right Leg is Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
My Left leg is Comfortably Heavy
My Left Leg is Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
Both Legs Feel Comfortably Heavy
Both Legs Feel Comfortably Warm
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
I feel my body breathe itself.
I notice my heart center expand in love and strength.
There is peace inside and around me.
I feel my feet grounded.
Smile to yourself.