British Autogenic Society

First of all, I would like to give a short survey of the history of Autogenic Psychotherapy to remind us of the basics of the method. Both the 'biological and the physiological' and the 'psychological and the depth-psychological' are important within AT, because the technique has its roots in a really holistic way of thinking. It is not possible to distinguish the shift used in Autogenic Training from other forms of meditative exercises, Eastern or Western. But there is one fundamental and original difference: The shift into the altered state of consciousness and the handling of the material coming up from the unconscious is only, and absolutely, within the free will of the trainee.

There are certain biological laws of prime importance for the effect of AT, which work more or less independently from the influence of either the trainer or the trainee. For example, the law of expression and the inversion of the law of expression respectively. (See note below).

The basic principles on which Autogenic Training is based have been recognised and used for a long time in both the Eastern and Western worlds. What we call 'autogene gelassenheit' (autogenic composure) is very similar to the term 'arugamama' in Japanese therapies. The 'corpse pose', an Asana of Yoga practice, is similar to the horizontal lying position used for AT, and so on.

The fact that Autogenic Training is based on phenomena which have been known and used in nearly all known cultures throughout the world, is one of the most important factors guaranteeing the future of AT. Also, in the context of AT, these particular factors have been thoroughly investigated - quite apart from the effectiveness of AT.

One special advantage of Autogenic Therapy is the possibility of combining AT with other known and effective methods like, for example, with cognitive behavioural therapy, or with psychoanalysis.

Another important aspect of AT is the fact that it is a valuable method, (both for the healthy and the neurotic), to strengthen creativity not only in the field of the Arts, but also within the business field, in helping to resolve management problems etc.

One further aspect should be emphasised: 'Bionomy' as a fundamental principle in relation to Existential values. The meaning should be explained. It is important for the patient to be independent of the therapist, and to be the witness of his own inner process - to distance himself from the activities of his ego functioning. This enables him to connect with reality.

For the future, it will be necessary to place even more emphasis on research in coming years - even though more than 4000 papers already exist. Statistical research has already been carried out - For example in Italy by Gastaldo Ottobre of Airda; F. Stetter published a recent paper, a meta analysis of research in AT, in German. Kermani K.S. published an interesting holistic approach to Stress, Emotions, Autogenic Training and Aids. It is worthwhile to work further on all these topics. Mention should also be made of A. Greene's recent reconstruction of the British Autogenic Society.

We must also look to the younger generation, i.e. we should try to fill more young people with enthusiasm for our healing method which now seems to be fighting its corner against the many other methods around, every one of them claiming to be infallible and to heal in a short time. We know that all this is not true but it is difficult to disprove such statements.

The writer has tried to show that even in these times of a boom in psychotherapy, or perhaps exactly for that reason, our method does have a future. AT, as recognised by the Austrian health laws for example, is a full and holistic psychotherapy, including the Meditative Exercises, Autogenic Abreaction, Autogenic Neutralisation, Advanced Analytic Autogenic Training, Autogenic Imagination and so on.

NOTES
'The law of expression' -

Klages refers to the theories of Piderit (1867/86) and J. J. Engel (1785/86). Both are hard to find in big dictionaries of psychology. Klages "Law of expression" is hard to disprove and so is its opposite: If a mental behaviour with military background leads to a typical military posture and attitude, then a relaxed bodily posture should lead to an inner relaxation. This law (or whatever we want to name it) is known from the old Indian and Chinese art of meditation and 'gymnastic' as daoyin, today mostly called Qigong. And this was the old saying, "Who learn to let himself go during the training will become calm, balanced" - in German 'Gelassen'. This pun is used in the German: "Wer es lernt, sich im Training zu lassen, der wird gelassen". The corresponding word in Japanese is "arugamama".

Literature: Klages, Ludwig: Grundlegung der Wissenschaft vom Ausdruck. Bonn, 1936, 11950; ders.: Sämtliche Werke, Bd. 6: Ausdruckskunde. Bonn, 1964.

Klages, Ludwig. Dec. 10, 1872, Hannover, Ger.d. July 29, 1956, Kilchberg, Near Zürich, Switz. German psychologist and philosopher, distinguished in the field of characterology. He was also a founder of modern graphology (Handwriting analysis). Educated in chemistry, physics, and philosophy at the University of Munich, where he also taught, Klages was a leader in the German vitalist movement (1895-1915), which argued that laws of physics and chemistry alone cannot explain life. In 1905 he founded at Monaco a centre for characterological study, which he moved to Kilchberg, Switz., in 1919. Klages believed human beings to be distinguishable from other animals by a "spirit" (Geist) that underlies the human capacity to think and to will. This capacity is the source of human estrangement from the world and is the origin of the ego and its desire for immortality. His research sought to define and structure characteristics evidenced in different egos, as documented in Prinzipien der Charakterologie (1910; "Principles of Characterology"), Geist und Leben (1935; "Spirit and Life"), and Die Sprache als Quell der Seelenkunde (1948; "Language as the Source of Knowledge of the Soul").