SOPHROLOGY-NI Welcomes You

Sophrology is a method which was founded by a Colombian Psychiatrist Professor Alfonso Caycedo in the 1960’s in Barcelona (Spain) and has seen its development in mostly Western European Countries. It's very well developed and popular in France, Belgium, Spain or Switzerland. Professor Caycedo practiced Sophrology with his patients with psychiatric illnesses and saw great improvements in their mental care. Sophrology then evolved into a discipline which could support a wider audience to help to achieve a sense of balance and wellbeing that could benefit people of all ages. Sophrology takes its sources and is a blend of different disciplines from Eastern and Western traditions such as Yoga, Relaxation techniques (Autogenic and Progressive Muscle Relaxation), Philosophy with the Phenomenology, Buddhist Meditation, Japanese Zen, Erickson’s Hypnosis… The word Sophrology has been created from Greek’s roots : SOS : Harmony, Tranquillity, Serenity PHREN : Spirit, Consciousness LOGOS : Study, Science, Knowledge and Art of speech Sophrology means the « Study of Consciousness in Harmony”. It’s a Science : Of the Human Conscious It’s an Art : The Search for Harmony It’s a Philosophy : The Existential Phenomenology It’s a Motto : « Ut Conscienta Noscatur » To acquire knowledge Sophrology is more than a relaxation method, it takes you to a journey of transformation which brings you more harmony between the mind and the body. Behind Sophrology there is a main philosophical source which is the modern Phenomenology developed by Husserl (1859-1938). The Phenomenology is the descriptive study of a group of phenomena as they appear in our experience without any further search of meanings or explanations. The three stages are Intentionality, Bracketing and « Epoché » from ancient greek which can be translated as « Suspension of Judgement » or « Withholding of assent ». Intentionality is the inner decision, the willingness to purify ourselves from our interpretations, our beliefs, our judgements which characterised the normal state of consciousness. Withholding of assent is a mind process of setting aside assumptions and beliefs. « We don’t deny but we don’t establish anything ». The suspension of judgement is setting aside any faith or any beliefs which appear to be the normality. Associated with the Bracketing, it’s looking at the phenomena, living the experience like it would be the first time or as a child discovering the world but with the adult awareness. That is the process which is experienced in Sophrology and trainings give the possibility to live the experience as the experience is consciously lived without any judgement or any explanation, but with deeper « awareness of » being.