THE SECOND REQUIREMENT: PASSIVE CONCENTRATION

As mentioned earlier, passive concentration is a key principle in autogenic training. This may initially appear to be an obviously con- tradictory message and one may understandably ask, “How can I concentrate and be passive at the same time? Doesn’t concentration require at least some level of active volition?” As we explore the in- tent of the original developers of this concept, it will become clear as to what they had in mind by these words and why they made it such a central concept in this form of psychophysiological training. Mean- while, it may help to think of passive concentration as an effortless state of passive focusing or passive attention to a specific task—as if

PHOTO 6.5. The Horizontal Position for the Abdominal Warmth Exercise (Note the light placement of the right hand on the upper region of the abdominal cavity.)

one is observing a task but is not actively participating in it. Many people have some difficulty with this concept mainly because they feel that to make something of value take place they need to be trying hard. For example, if one wants to develop stronger muscles or to flat- ten the abdominal muscles, he or she must exercise hard, work at it, and sweat a lot. A patient recently remarked, “My whole life I was told that if I wanted to accomplish anything, I had to work hard at it. Now I am learning that sometimes I can accomplish things without trying at all.” While trying hard may make sense with regard to devel- oping strong muscles, the process of psychophysiological repair and regeneration actually requires the opposite.

If one were to try to force falling asleep, it is quite likely that the re- sult would be quite disappointing—remaining wide awake hour after hour. Falling asleep is an effortless process; it cannot be accom- plished forcefully, which is why it is called “falling” asleep. In other words, no active participation is required as long as certain conditions are met; it will happen by itself. The key here is identifying certain conditions and how one can make sure that they are met efficaciously. In pages to come, detailed instructions will be provided on how to promote a state of regeneration and recuperation in its most natural way. Emphasis will be placed on discovering how people tend to in- terfere with this natural state of recovery and how autogenic training can reestablish this process. Meanwhile, we need to spend some more time exploring the concept of passive concentration or as it was suggested, passive attention.

Figures 6.1 and 6.2 depict the relative position of the autogenic state within the wake-sleep continuum. Initially it was conceived that the autogenic state lay somewhere between wakefulness and sleep, specifically, in the drowsy state, shortly before falling asleep (see Figure 6.1) (Jus and Jus, 1965).

However, the growing number of electroencephalographic studies of the autogenic state provide further and more detailed information about its occupance within the wake-sleep continuum as seen in Fig- ure 6.2 (Luthe, Jus, and Geissman, 1965, p. 8). Perhaps the most im- portant aspect of such conceptualization about where the autogenic state is located within the continuum is to emphasize the importance of passive concentration on specific training formulas. For example, if instead of passive concentration the trainee tries to actively attend

to the formulas (for example, to try to make the arms heavier), he or she is likely to become more alert and experience somatic and cogni- tive arousal. On the other hand, if the trainee fails to maintain ade- quate focus on the formulas, he or she is likely to drift into sleep. Hence, passive concentration plays a critical role in achieving and maintaining the autogenic state.

Schultz and Luthe (1969) defined passive concentration in the fol- lowing manner: “[It] implies a casual attitude and functional passiv- ity toward the intended outcome of [the person’s] concentrative activity, whereas ‘active concentration’ is characterized by the per- son’s concern, interest, attention and goal-directed active efforts dur- ing the performance of a task and in respect to the final functional result” (p. 14). This brief statement is filled with some very critical concepts that require our attention. First, it implies that a casual atti- tude needs to be maintained during each exercise—observing or watching without active participation. Second, “functional passivity” further emphasizes that patients should be instructed to avoid any at- tempt at directly affecting or interfering with the body’s natural func- tioning. Finally—and the most difficult concept for most people— “goal-directedness” needs to be dropped from one’s vocabulary dur-

FIGURE 6.1. The General Location of the Autogenic State within the Wake- Sleep Continuum

FIGURE 6.2. A More Precise Location of the Autogenic State within the Wake- Sleep Continuum

ing the practice of autogenic exercises. Emphasize to patients that they should refrain from setting a specific agenda at the beginning of each exercise with regard to their accomplishments such as, “I am go- ing to raise my hand temperature by ten degrees by the end of the ex- ercise.” Such an attitude is most likely to have paradoxical effects and may indeed result in an increase in levels of tension and stress. Con- sequently, the hand temperature is likely to decrease by the end of the exercise. Many instances of relaxation-induced anxiety can be effec- tively avoided by adhering to these instructions.

At the same time, as patients learn to detach from the results of the exercise during the repetitions of the formulas, they need to learn to remain focused on the task at hand. This is the concentration or the at- tention part. If they stop paying attention to specific body parts or stop repeating a particular formula, it is likely that either they will fall asleep or become very alert and start thinking about subjects that have nothing to do with the exercise. Hence, a perfect balance be- tween passivity and attention to each formula needs to be maintained throughout each session. Now that we have a better understanding of passive concentration, let us examine the focal points of one’s atten- tion.

THE THIRD REQUIREMENT: