What is the difference between Autogenic Training and meditation?
I used to go to yoga at a fitness center in my city. There we would gather with the group and relax. To quickly immerse ourselves in the process and relieve tension, we included the sounds of nature https://anchor.fm/nature-ambience . It really helped us and after the session it became much better.
Meditation is a diverse term and for most of us, it has a spiritual connotation. All major world religions, especially in their mystical branches, teach some kind of meditation. The common denominator of different types of meditation is the concentration of the mind. The focus of this concentration, however, varies. It can be the observation of the breath, watching thoughts and emotions, repeating a mantra, or gazing at an object. Meditation has with Autogenic Training in common that it is a mental activity during which you attune your attention inwardly and keep it focused. Both methods have a profound relaxing effect. Practitioners of meditation, however, usually not only seek relaxation, but spiritual growth. Autogenic Training can be a great door opener for the more complex realm of meditation. If you would like to know more about meditation, I strongly recommend Jack Kornfields, Meditation for Beginners (audio) or his book, A Path with Heart. Click here to visit the resource page.
