To feel good about yourself, it’s important to bring your body and mind into harmony.
Sophrology invites you to reconnect with your “inner self” and find harmony within yourself. Our bodies often take a back seat to our minds. Modern medicine now recognizes the close connection between body and mind: the state of one influences the state of the other.
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So, if you have negative thoughts, your body can suffer as a result; conversely, if you have positive thoughts, this leads to changes in your body that promote well-being.
Our unconscious mind does not distinguish between reality and imagination, between the past and the present, or between the present moment and the future. This explains why we feel so bad after a nightmare, why we feel a twinge of sadness when we “think” of a loved one, or why we feel a sense of sadness when we recall a failure. Sophrology techniques are based on this observation.
It is through positive visualization that we give our bodies what they need. By using our imagination, we can picture ourselves having completely successful experiences to prepare for exams, surgeries, or anything else that requires a minimum of self-confidence. In this way, we’ll provide our brain with evidence that we’re capable of succeeding in our endeavors. According to scientists, “whether an event is real or imagined, the same areas of our brain are activated.” So why not take advantage of this? Let’s make our brain an ally instead of letting it control us.
Peaceful thoughts soothe the body. Physical relaxation leads to a state of overall calm
Sophrology is based on four fundamental principles:
– Relaxation and body awareness
– Breathing: A Source of Vitality
– Releasing tension
“What remains unexpressed becomes ingrained within us” and paves the way for illness and somatization
– Cultivating positivity within oneself
Once tension has been released, we recharge the body with positivity
A few simple and essential tools: “the sophrologist’s toolbox”
1. BECOME AWARE OF YOUR BODY
Learn to identify the areas of tension in your body so you can better relax them.
Stand with your eyes closed, focus on the different parts of your body, and ask yourself a few questions
Is this part tight or loose?
Is my jaw tense?
How do I breathe?
2. LEARNING TO BREATHE PROPERLY
Calm, deep, and steady breathing relaxes and soothes our minds and bodies. Inhaling brings in the oxygen we need to nourish our cells and tissues. Exhaling expels toxins and, in turn, relieves stress.
You should breathe from your abdomen rather than your chest.
Exercise: Sit up straight with your hands on your stomach, and focus on your abdominal breathing.
3. RELIEVE TENSION IN THE BODY
“All negative emotions (stress, anger, etc.) that aren’t expressed outside the body will manifest within us (stomachaches, headaches, etc.). It is therefore important to release that tension.”
Exercise: Shoulder Press
– you exhale to empty the air from your lungs,
– Inhale while raising your shoulders, keeping the air in your mouth throughout the exercise,
– You perform the movement by pumping your arms,
– We let all our stress melt away outdoors.
Repeat the movement 3 times.
4. BRINGING POSITIVITY INTO YOUR BODY
Our brain doesn't distinguish between reality and imagination, so we can help it by visualizing pleasant images to relax.
Visualization promotes relaxation, helps overcome anxiety and phobias, improves memory, and enables you to successfully prepare for stressful situations (such as exams)
Exercise: After following the previous steps, picture a pleasant landscape where you feel at ease. Take in the colors, sounds, and smells… and enjoy!!!