THE BIRTH OF AUTOGENIC TRAINING

The birth of autogenic training can be traced to the latter part of the 1800s and the pioneering work of the prominent neuropsychiatrist,

Oskar Vogt. Vogt devoted his life to research and exploration in the area of body-mind (somato-psychic) medicine (Luthe, 1977; Schultz and Luthe, 1969). His research in the areas of hypnosis, hypno- analysis, and sleep provided important knowledge regarding the brain’s many mysteries, particularly as applied to self-regulation and psycho-physiological maintenance. Vogt’s observations about mind- body interactions were so astute and advanced that even today’s sci- entists would find some of his findings accurately supportive of the latest discoveries in medicine. His research clearly suggested that what is referred to as “mind-body dichotomy” is indeed a unified en- tity that cannot be fully researched in a linear, reductionistic fashion. Indeed, the person as a whole is greater and different than the sum of his or her parts.

Among other areas of exploration into the self-regulatory activities of the nervous system, Vogt and his collaborator, another brilliant psychiatrist and neuropathologist, Korbinian Brodmann, became in- terested in the many functions of sleep, especially in terms of its psychophysiological, recuperative properties (Luthe, 1973). Hypno- sis, they conjectured, was a logical method of exploring the body’s self-healing properties. Hence, they began researching a variety of hypnotic, autohypnotic, and hypnoanalytic techniques and proce- dures. Brodmann was particularly responsible for developing a form of hypnosis, called fractioned hypnosis, which further explored the various psychophysiological changes during the hypnotic state. This line of research later enabled them to develop some of the earliest conceptualizations with regard to the various stages of sleep (Schultz, 1950).

At the same time, Vogt, his wife Cecil, and some of their collabora- tors continued to delve into the many mysteries of the brain from both structural and functional standpoints. In time, it became more and more obvious that by activating certain natural processes within the nervous system, a state of balance and recovery could be achieved, particularly after exposure to stress and trauma. Specific exercises called prophylactic rest-autohypnosis were developed to promote such healing processes. After practicing these techniques, patients began to spontaneously recover from a variety of physical and emo- tional disorders (Luthe, 1973).

Meanwhile the young physician Johannes Heinrich Schultz, who had training in internal medicine (Richard Stern and Paul Ehrlich In- stitutes), dermatology, and neurology, became interested in Vogt’s work with mind-body regeneration techniques. Shortly after his asso- ciation with his brilliant mentor, Schultz began his exploration of hypnosis and its applications in the treatment of psychosomatic dis- orders. He was, however, aware of and sensitive to some of the unde- sirable aspects of hypnotic and hypnotherapeutic techniques such as dependence on the therapist, the need for passivity, and hypno- tizability (Lindemann, 1973). By the early 1900s, Schultz became convinced that through the use of some basic training, he could teach his patients to benefit from a brain-directed, self-regulatory process to improve their psychological and physical health. This process of activating the body’s natural repair and regulation mechanism came to be known as autogenic therapy, or a self-generated process of re- pair and healing.

Early observations regarding this process of repair and regenera- tion suggested the experience of heaviness and warmth in the extrem- ities while the patient was experiencing a pre-sleeplike state of profound relaxation. Schultz attempted to induce a similar state in his patients by having them repeat simple formulas (phrases) that fo- cused on the experience of heaviness and warmth in the arms and the legs. The patients learned to quickly induce these sensations merely by repeating the formulas and concentrating on a sensation of heavi- ness and warmth, with the passive, or nonvolitional, concentration on the formulas playing a key role in achieving the autogenic state (see Chapter 6 for a detailed explanation of passive concentration). Soon it was discovered that by focusing on additional formulas, which sug- gested a calm heartbeat, regular breathing, abdominal warmth, and finally, a cool forehead, the depth of the relaxation process and replen- ishment of the physiological resources could be profoundly en- hanced. In time, these came to be known as the Standard Autogenic Training Exercises. As a result of practicing these exercises, a neuro- physiological “key,” or an activating mechanism was discovered which brought on a shift from an active and/or stressed state to a pro- found state of repair—a state of recovery which reestablished the body’s homeostasis. One other especially important discovery was that after a short time, the subject could learn to benefit from the

training with little or even no dependence on the therapist. This inde- pendence from the therapist came to be known as one of the hall- marks of autogenic training.

Both Vogt and Schultz made a most significant discovery: the brain had the ability to effectively correct and eliminate a variety of psychophysiological disorders brought about by imbalances within the nervous system. Hence, the term autogenic embodies two indivis- ible principles. First, autogenic training encompasses all the inborn capabilities of the nervous system that make it possible to bring about the optimum state of balance and health. Second, since such changes are self-generated the reliance on the therapist is minimized. Ba- sically, and at least initially, the task of the therapist is to train the pa- tient to activate such internal, self-regulatory mechanisms so as to effectively combat disease and internal disharmony.

Indeed, it is a most persuasive discovery that nature has provided our bodies with the necessary ingredients for promoting health that require little intervention from the outside to accomplish this task (Luthe and Blumberger, 1977). However, due to ongoing exposure to daily stress, various physical and psychological traumas, over-medi- cation, and ineffective or even damaging interventions (e.g., unneces- sary invasive procedures), we continue to weaken the body’s self- healing mechanisms. Fortunately, with approaches such as autogenic training, the body’s own self-recuperative capabilities can be further enhanced, and the state of inner balance reestablished.

A psychophysiologically based, corrective phenomenon often ex- perienced during the practice of autogenic exercises is autogenic dis- charges. This phenomenon may assume a variety of forms and may include experiences such as muscle twitches, sudden appearance of headaches, and physical discomfort. It has been postulated that the main purpose of autogenic discharges is to release disturbing neuronal buildup as a way of restoring normal brain functions (Schultz and Luthe, 1959). In other words, such phenomena are attempts at un- loading unpleasant and traumatic experiences that may be interfering with appropriate neurophysiological activity, resulting in a variety of symptoms. If autogenic discharges persist in their occurrences, it is necessary to address them by temporarily discontinuing training and exploring the nature of such experiences.

Some of the more advanced autogenic techniques address such phenomena from a psychotherapeutic standpoint. Autogenic abreac- tion, for example, is a method of treatment whereby the trainee is asked to passively disclose his or her negative experiences from a spectator’s point of view without any active involvement in the expe- rience at all (Luthe, 1979). This approach often addresses and may promote the resolution of deeper issues that may be causing the un- pleasant, psychophysiologically based episodes (for a more exten- sive treatment of this subject see Luthe, 1973).