What is Sophrology?
Sophrology is a structured method created to produce optimal health and well-being. It consists of a series of easy to do physical and mental exercises that, when practised regularly, lead to a healthy, relaxed body and a calm, alert mind. The exercises are called dynamic relaxation (relaxation in movement).
The first things people generally notice are: more restful sleep, improved concentration, fewer worries, increased self-confidence, and a feeling of inner happiness. The most common remark after a few months of training is along the lines of: 'In general nothing has really outwardly changed in my life, but I am happier, things seem easier, I have more energy and I wake up feeling glad to be alive.'
Statistics
Athletes coached by Dr Raymond Abrezol between 1964 and 2004 have won over 200 Olympic medals. Abrezol is now the head trainer of Sophrologists in Switzerland and is now participating in the first training seminars for English speaking Sophrologists in the world.
Over 160,000 members of the public have followed courses with the Swiss Academy of Sophrology over the last 25 years. Over 3,000 medical, social and pedagogical professionals have followed the trainer trainings. The figures in France are much higher as there are several well-known Sophrology schools.
Statistics from Group Mutuel (one of the largest health insurance firms in Switzerland) drawn up in 1994, 1995 and 1996, show that clients pertaining to the Association of Sophroprophylaxia (i.e. people regularly practicing Sophrology) cost the insurance company, respectively approx. 34.8%, 35.07% and 25.68% less than the average insured person.
A Brief History
Professor Caycedo was born in Columbia in 1932 and did his medical training at the University of Madrid, then worked under the phenomenologist Binswanger in Switzerland. He journeyed extensively to study, with his western scientific training, the Eastern philosophies of Yoga, Zen and Buddhism. Each discipline, theory and philosophy was approached with the intention of discovering what, exactly, improved people's health, both physically and mentally, in the fastest possible time and with lasting results.
On his return Professor Caycedo greatly improved his methodology, creating a 12 level training programme from both eastern and western philosophies that took into account our modern way of life - with its speed, stress and problems. The training is divided into 3 cycles – the reduction cycle, the radical cycle and the existential cycle.
Professor Alfonso Caycedo named his method 'Sophrology' in 1960 and called it ‘a training of the consciousness and the values of existence,’ or ‘Health & Happiness Training’. Caycedo originally set out to find a way of making his depressed and traumatised clients healthier and happier with diminished use of drugs and less heavy psychiatric treatments. Now, after 45 years of research, fine tuning and experimentation, he has extensive evidence that his method works.
Sophrology was initially firmly within the field of psychiatry and medecine and it wasn’t until Dr Raymond Abrezol met and studied with Caycedo that Sophrology was brought to the healthy public. Dr Abrezol was so impressed by the results of this training that he personally became an enthusiastic student of Sophrology.
After practising Sophrology for a short while, Dr Abrezol began to observe a noticeable improvement in his tennis game. As an experiment, he introduced his opponents to the method, and they began to see their tennis vastly improve. He was consequently invited to coach the Swiss ski team and other Olympic athletes.
The rapid growth of Sophrology throughout the French-speaking world can largely be attributed to Dr Abrezol running trainer training programmes for a large number of influential doctors and sports coaches, many of whom now run Training Centres throughout France. His enthusiasm and his success with athletes opened doors for Sophrology to be taught in many areas of life.
Benefits
Sophrology assists each person to rediscover their self-confidence and hidden potential. Group classes bring improvements in communications and inter-personal relations. Students have a stronger resistance to stressful situations, whether mental or physical. Since they have many more choices of how to act and react, it is easier to break out of old habitual patterns into more successful ways of operating.
The most important part is regular practice until the benefits of the Sophrology Training become part of everyday life. Learn more about the 3 different cycles and 12 different levels.
If you would like to know about Sophrology training courses please click here.
