Body and mind in harmony - what is sophrology?

Sophrology – a term that means little to most people here. What's behind it? What does sophrology have to do with mindfulness? And why is it even worth delving into the world of sophrology? Here you'll find the answers to all these questions.

Admittedly, I'd never heard of sophrology until recently. I first stumbled across the term on the Instagram profile of a friend who is currently training to be a sophrologist. I didn't understand much at first, as the friend in question is French, and her posts are therefore also in French. What I could pick up covered topics like balance, mindfulness, and meditation. Because, as you probably know by now, I'm a fan of all of these, I was immediately hooked.

So I asked my friend what it was all about. She told me that after her "training," she'd like to become a self-employed sophrologist and help others lead stress-free lives with the help of sophrology. "How cool!" I thought. But then she also said that there are so many sophrologists in France, and she was a little worried about getting lost in the sea of ​​options. That made me suspicious; as I said, I've never met anyone in Germany who teaches or practices sophrology. "So, is this a purely French thing?" I asked myself, wanting to know more. I ordered a sophrology book and scoured the internet for further information.

And because I can't be the only one who recently learned about sophrology, I'm now sharing my findings with you.

I have now used the term “sophrology” nine times and still have not explained what it actually means. 😅 So let's get started!

What is sophrology?

The term “sophrology” is derived from the Greek words SOS (Harmony), phren (consciousness) and logos (Teaching/Science). Thus, Sophrology can be Teaching of Consciousness in Harmony Some also refer to sophrology as a health philosophy. The goal is to achieve a calm mind and a relaxed body.

Sophrology is influenced by various disciplines, including (Zen) Buddhism and yoga. Such Far Eastern theories are combined with Western techniques, resulting in a blend of diverse exercises and methods. But where does sophrology actually come from?

The origin of sophrology

This health science isn't as old as one might think. It was developed in 1960 by the neuropsychiatrist Alfonso Caycedo in Spain and was further developed over the next decades. Caycedo's original motivation was to find cures for depression and trauma that would improve patients' well-being, ideally without the need for medication or psychiatric treatment. To achieve this, he traveled to India, Tibet, and Japan, among other places. He ultimately combined what he learned on his travels into sophrology.

The method became known especially in France, Spain, Switzerland and Belgium because it was presented at scientific conferences there.To this day, it is best known in French-speaking countries—which also explains the difference in the number of sophrologists in France and Germany, which I had initially found surprising…

In the meantime Sophrology is no longer used only in the medical field and has found its way into sports, business and education, among other areas.

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio

Is sophrology = mindfulness?

So far, this all sounds very much like the practice of mindfulness. And it must be said that sophrology is clearly related to mindfulness. It uses techniques such as meditation, visualization, and breathing exercises, which also play a major role in mindfulness practice.

One could describe sophrology as a branch of mindfulness, taking ancient traditions and transforming them into modern practices. From my research, it seems that sophrology focuses even more specifically on the connectivity between mind and body. Here, these are understood as a unity that must be brought into harmony.

The key to sophrology is that the exercises should be quick, easy, and performable without outside help. Everyone should be able to perform them, no matter where they are. It is also emphasized that the exercises can and should be adapted to the specific situation.

Similar to the practice of mindfulness, the practice aspect should not be neglected here either. After all, a prerequisite for independently performing exercises is knowing their sequence, goal, and practice. The beneficial effects of the techniques on body and mind also come primarily with time. And all of this can only be achieved through practice (which is why exercises are called exercises). 😋).

The practical implementation of sophrology

Traditionally, clients learn about sophrology in group or individual sessions led by a sophrologist. A session is usually structured as follows: It begins with a body scan to help them arrive in the here and now and feel their own body. This is followed by various visualization and relaxation exercises. During these exercises, the practitioner continually notes how they feel. These individual perceptions are then reflected upon together after the exercises.

The exercises are usually performed with closed eyes and often while standing or sitting. The goal is not to feel super-mega-great and carefree at the end of a session. If that happens, it's certainly nice – but it's not a must. The main thing is to perceive your own sensations and to accept it. Just as it is.

Anyone interested in sophrology does not necessarily have to attend a course. There are many exercises that one can z.B. through sophrology books or videos and can then practice them independently at any time. Another cornerstone of sophrology is that there is no right or wrong. You should do everything the way it feels right for you.

Who benefits from sophrology?

The answer to this question is quite simple, because in principle the practice of sophrology can help anyone who wants to get involved.

We live in a very hectic world where so much happens in a short space of time. It can quickly happen that we are no longer in tune with ourselves, that our minds are constantly racing, and our bodies are overworked. This is precisely where sophrology comes in – to contribute to greater relaxation, well-being, and health.

Sophrology is used to treat many symptoms; it is particularly effective in the following areas: stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain, low self-esteem, etc.

The exercises are used, for example, in sports to improve performance and concentration, as well as for motivation; to overcome nervousness when giving speeches in front of an audience, and to increase self-confidence, for example, before stage performances.

But no matter whether you work in one of these fields professionally or simply feel stressed in your daily life – the exercises of sophrology are meant to be learnable and applicable to everyone. And I think that's pretty cool.

If you would like to learn more about mindfulness, healthy eating, sustainability or family and pregnancy, Check out more exciting blog articles on these topics here.

Photo by Karolina Grabowska