Like with any mind/body practices, Sophrology is something that needs to be experienced to be understood fully. If you are wondering how to find more calm and happiness in your daily life, Sophrology can give you the tools to access a new inner state that will start to positively impact everything around you.
The beauty of Sophrology is that, whatever your are looking to change or balance in your life, its simple practice can help you to tap into your inner resources and make that change happen. Below you will discover 9 people who have used it in different situations and what they say about the benefits they have felt. Names are sometimes changed to maintain privacy.
Here are 9 ways Sophrology has helped these people:
- achieving a sense of calm on the spot
- positively dealing with life changes
- overcoming stress
- feeling empowered
- reducing fatigue
- preparing for birth
- improving sleep
- gaining a new perspective
- finding your true self
Achieving a Sense of Calm through Breathing
One of the most immediate benefits from practising Sophrology is reaching a state of calm. There is something extremely soothing in focusing on slowing down our breathing and noticing how the breath fills up our lungs while our abdomen expands, then how we feel a sense of release as we breathe out. Let’s hear from someone who has experienced this sense of release with Sophrology:
Emma says that she can go back to a feeling of calm any time she needs it
Emma said “I have been lucky enough to attend some of Dominique’s sessions and they were incredible”. Through the book The Life-Changing Power of Sophrology, Emma says that she can go back to a feeling of calm any time she needs it. You can do this too by focusing on your breath and allowing the body to relax. Each time you breathe out, tell each part of your body to relax. You can use the body scan exercise, for example, and work your way through your body from the head down to your toes.
Anita said that Sophrology helped her cope with a stressful move to a different country
Anita shared that she had some Sophrology sessions with Dominique because she was in the process of moving home to a different country with her whole family. She said that Sophrology was of great help to cope with the move. The Sophrology exercises supported her to access a sense of relaxation when she needed it and a wave of positivity and energy to deal with anything life threw at her. These are skills that she will continue to use in any situation.
You can learn these skills to help you cope with life’s challenges and find your inner strength. For example, you can learn to visualise a positive outcome to a tough situation as a way to boost your confidence and open your brain to new possibilities. It will support you in achieving your goals.
Astrid found Sophrology very useful to efficiently release stress and tension
She said: “Around six months ago, as a mother (of two teens and a pre-teen) training for a new career, I was feeling an inexorably rising level of stress that was compounded by the sense that there was little I could do to remedy the situation… This is when I met Dominique and, session after session, I have felt a growing sense of calm and feeling more in tune with my emotions. After each session, the sense of well being and (reactivated) energy lasted for days.”
Sophrology is easy to understand and to practise, so it’s a convenient method of relaxation that does not require lengthy studies, bringing beneficial and lasting effects from the very first session.
You can try an exercise such as the shoulders pump to help reduce tension: you breathe in, then hold the breath for a few seconds while raising and dropping your shoulders quickly until you need to exhale. You may feel that the tension in your neck and shoulders is much reduced afterwards.
Coco was looking for a practical and accessible way to feel empowered
She thought it was easy to grasp even for beginners and enjoyed the audio downloads. Every technique addresses specific issues and she found it made sense to associate gentle movement to breathing to enhance the efficacy of each exercise.
“You do feel a real sense of progression” she said. Over time, she learned about which Sophrology techniques worked best for her. She thought that Sophrology can work both as an addition to meditation and as a fully holistic life and stress management technique.
You can achieve a sense of energy and vitality with the tune into your vital power exercise, in which, after a short body scan, you tune into the presence of your whole body by tensing your muscles on your inhale then release them on the exhale.
Mandy had experienced adrenal fatigue for a while and found that Sophrology had lowered her stress levels
“I experienced the power of Sophrology in the midst of severe adrenal fatigue, and found it invaluable.” Adrenal fatigue is a by-product of stress and happens when there is a state of chronic stress. She had a number of Sophrology sessions and then continued practising through the book and the audio downloads. She described Sophrology like this: “It’s like a deep, necessary, nourishing exhale.”
You can access your inner resources any time you need them through some abdominal breathing and listening to the audio downloads from the book. The is a section about Supertools, which will give you a boost in only 10 minutes, as long as you practise them regularly.
Claire needed to manage her stress levels better in preparation for the birth of her child
Through classes with BeSophro, Claire discovered that Sophrology gave her the tools to deal confidently with all areas of life and live a more enriched, calmer and happier life: “the building blocks that Sophrology helps put into place, have given far-reaching benefits in all areas of my life.” Sophrology is a gentle and nurturing discipline that gives back so much, even with a few minutes’ practice a day. She found that the beneficial effects of Sophrology will last her a lifetime. She enthused about the book: “Dominique’s warmth, empathy and outstanding ability to teach sophrology are evident in this book”.
For example, the magic picture exercise can help you to face something that scares you, be it the arrival of your baby or the responsibilities that come with becoming a parent. You can think of a positive image like a goal you want to achieve and visualise yourself succeeding.
Mirian uses Sophrology to improve her sleep
Mirian had troubles sleeping for a while and tried Sophrology. After reading the book, she found that the exercises contained in the book helped her switch off: “If you are a busy person who feels stressed, overwhelmed or are have sleeping problems, then this book can help.” When we lack sleep or the quality of our sleep is low, we tend to feel lethargic during the day. Instead of raising our energy levels in a healthy way, we may reach for a cup of coffee to stay awake at work. By the end of the working day we may feel so exhausted that we can’t fall asleep.
The sleep gatekeeper exercise can be useful if you have problems sleeping: start winding down with your favourite activity like reading a book, and visualise having a good night’s sleep. The power of visualisation together with the breathing will train your mind to calm down. Breathe in a new sense of confidence that you can fall asleep easily.
Sophrology helped Lynn gain a new perspective on life
Sometimes we feel stuck: we want our life to be better, different, happier, but we can’t work out how to do it and how to achieve our goals. Feelings of uncertainty may stop us from reaching our full potential. Lynn shared this: “I had the privilege of attending one of Dominique’s workshops and they are fantastic.” She explained her experience of Sophrology: “Sophrology brings a new perspective on how to manage life. The exercises are simple to incorporate into one’s life and the positive effects can be felt immediately.” Learning more about the mind/body connection can bring new insights into our consciousness, with the added benefit that the technique is accessible and brings tangible results.
Eva felt she needed a motivation boost
Life was too busy with too many things to do. Eva thought she was too caught up in the “doing”, and there wasn’t enough time to concentrate on “being”. Being your true self takes a bit of nurturing, planning some time out to reflect and work on your breathing. The Sophrology exercises have been developed to allow to shift the focus to the present moment, to being. It allows to let all thoughts wash away and appreciate the here and now.
Tune into your breathing each time you feel you are trying too hard to please others or feel you are too busy.
These are just a few people who have shared their stories and their experiences with Sophrology: how do they resonate with you?