What is Autogenic Training?
Autogenic Training (AT) is a structured psychophysiological relaxation method based on passive concentration and autosuggestion. Practitioners repeat specific verbal formulas—silent mental phrases—to evoke sensations of heaviness and warmth in the limbs, calm breathing, steady heartbeat, abdominal warmth, and cool forehead. Unlike active muscle relaxation or creative visualization, AT operates through passive observation: the practitioner simply notices bodily changes without striving or effort. The technique elicits measurable autonomic nervous system responses including reduced heart rate, lowered blood pressure, and shifts in central nervous system activity.
Origins & Lineage
Autogenic Training was first presented by German psychiatrist Johannes Heinrich Schultz in 1926 to a medical society in Berlin, with Schultz becoming disenchanted with psychoanalysis in the 1920s. His work was heavily influenced by his experience with German neurologist Oscar Vogt, with whom he researched sleep and hypnosis. During hypnotic trance, patients reported heaviness and warmth in their limbs and other signs of deep relaxation. Schultz reversed the causal relationship: rather than hypnosis producing these sensations, he investigated whether deliberately imagining heaviness and warmth could induce self-hypnosis.
Schultz outlined his practice in his 1932 book, Das Autogene Training (Autogenic Training). The method was first publicly presented as “autogenic organ exercises” in 1926 and received its current name in 1928. Wolfgang Luthe (1922-1985), a German physician and psychotherapist, brought autogenic training to the attention of the English-speaking world, and his contributions sometimes result in Luthe being credited as one of the originators of the method. With help from Schultz, Luthe published Autogenic Therapy, a multi-volume text that described AT in detail, in 1969.
Schultz’s history carries ethical complexity. Schultz was a supporter of the Nazi movement and its programmes of compulsory sterilization and euthanasia of ‘life unworthy of living,’ and was furthermore convinced that homosexuality was a perversion curable through psychotherapy. He worked at the Göring Institute from 1936–1945. His technique, however, has been separated from his ideology and continues in clinical use worldwide.
How It’s Practiced
The program consists of a set of six mental exercises that target specific bodily reactions. The standard exercises focus sequentially on:
- Heaviness in the limbs (typically beginning with the dominant arm)
- Warmth in the limbs
- Calm, steady heartbeat
- Natural, effortless breathing
- Warmth in the abdominal region (solar plexus)
- Coolness in the forehead
Typically, autogenic training sessions begin with a deep breathing exercise to help calm your nervous system, and then you progress sequentially through each phase. This method is practiced for 15 minutes, 3 times daily. Practitioners adopt a comfortable position—lying down, reclined, or seated—in a quiet environment. Each formula is repeated mentally (e.g., “My right arm is heavy”) while the practitioner passively observes the resulting sensations. It is a technique that revolves around a set of sub-vocal instructions to different parts of the body with the trainee simply observing in a completely non-striving way the changes in the way the body feels; it is a passive process, unlike creative visualisations, which rely upon a more active cognitive state.
Sessions conclude with a “cancellation” or “closing” exercise—flexing the arms, breathing deeply, and opening the eyes—to return to normal waking consciousness. It typically takes dedicated time and practice, often four to six months, to learn completely.
Autogenic Training Today
Autogenic therapy gained recognition worldwide in the 1980s. Today autogenic training has several activity centers throughout the world (including Japan, Germany, and the UK) with the same core of six standard exercises. The method is taught through live courses (in-person or online), therapeutic sessions, self-study programs, and audio recordings. Professional training organizations include the British Autogenic Society (BAS), the International Society of Autogenic Training and Psychotherapy (ISATAP), and regional institutes in Europe, Japan, and Australia.
Autogenic training has been subject to clinical evaluation from its early days in Germany, and from the early 1980s worldwide. Seventy-three controlled outcome studies were found (published 1952-99), with sixty studies (35 randomized controlled trials) qualifying for inclusion in meta-analysis, showing medium-to-large effect sizes for pre-post comparisons of disease-specific AT-effects. Studies demonstrate consistent efficacy of AT in reducing anxiety and medium range positive effects for mild-to-moderate depression. It is used clinically for stress-related conditions, chronic pain, migraine, hypertension, insomnia, and psychosomatic disorders.
Practitioners today encounter AT through multi-week courses with certified instructors, clinical referrals from psychotherapists or physicians, wellness retreats, online programs, or self-directed study using manuals and guided audio.
Common Misconceptions
It is not creative visualization. It is a myth that autogenic training is a technique based on creative visualisations; rather, it is a technique that revolves around a set of sub-vocal instructions to different parts of the body with the trainee simply observing in a completely non-striving way. Practitioners do not imagine scenes or pictures; they repeat verbal formulas and passively observe bodily sensations.
It is not hypnosis performed by another person. While Schultz drew on hypnosis research, AT is a self-directed practice. It is considered a form of self-hypnosis and is used to increase relaxation and restore balance in the body.
It is not instant or effortless. It typically takes dedicated time and practice, often four to six months, to learn completely, and autogenic training’s effectiveness depends largely on dedication, regular daily practice, patience, and the severity of the problem someone is facing.
It is not universally appropriate. Autogenic training professionals indicate several physical and mental health issues that should not be treated with this approach: severe heart problems, diabetes, symptoms of psychosis, delusional behavior, paranoia, and dissociation.
It is not a spiritual practice in its original form. AT emerged from clinical psychiatry as a medical intervention. While advanced techniques include “autogenic meditation,” the foundational six exercises are psychophysiological, not metaphysical.
How to Begin
The recommended entry point is learning from a certified AT instructor through a structured course, typically 8–12 weeks with weekly sessions and daily home practice. Organizations offering professional training and referrals include:
- British Autogenic Society (BAS) — UK-based with therapist directory
- International Society of Autogenic Training and Psychotherapy (ISATAP) — international network with certification programs
- Regional training centers in Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Australia
For self-study, foundational texts include:
- Autogenic Training by J.H. Schultz and Wolfgang Luthe (1969, six volumes)
- Autogenic Therapy by Wolfgang Luthe and J.H. Schultz (English translation)
- Audio programs structured by BAS or ISATAP-affiliated instructors
Beginners should commit to 10–15 minutes of practice, two to three times daily, for a minimum of 8–12 weeks. The best way to achieve successful results from autogenic training is to first learn the technique from a certified professional, as there is some degree of risk associated with attempting autogenic training without any support from a therapist, and if used incorrectly, it could lead to an increased severity of emotional concerns. Seekers with pre-existing mental health conditions should consult a qualified clinician before beginning practice.