I’m No Superman

Photographed by Mario Testino, Vogue January 2009; Styled by Grace Coddington; Pictured: Carolyn Murphy and David Gandy

In 1995, in Italy, a song was released that became very famous (and is still remembered today). It's called “Sono le 20” ("It's 8pm"), written and sung by Audio 2. The lyrics talk about the hectic life we all lead, often without even realizing it: "Nella stazione, l’orologio, il treno, il pendolino / fretta per gli spostamenti a monte” (“In the station, the clock, the train, the pendulum / rush for the journeys upstream”). And then it continues with two very significant lines: “gli occhi sbarrati sul tempo futuro, poche le ombre riflesse sul muro” (“the eyes wide open on future time, few shadows reflected on the wall”). Listening to this song, you cannot deny how everyday life puts us under pressure every day with schedules, deadlines, duties, and people to please. We have more and more difficulty abandoning our rigidities and thinking about our well-being, or doing something to improve our lifestyle, if we are lucky enough to stop for a moment to ask ourselves what we are doing and why. Those who have reached a basic level of awareness in our society realize the importance of practicing techniques or disciplines to feel better; thus, for example, Mindfulness, Yoga, Eastern-type Meditation, and Western Autogenic Training (abbreviated from now on as T.A.) have developed. T.A. was developed and popularized for the first time by the German doctor Heinrich Schultz in the 1930s, also thanks to the work of his famous predecessors, Abbé Faria and Emile Coué. It consists of a practice of exercises to be carried out every day (training, in fact) individually, or with the guidance of an expert (autogenic, as you work on your own regeneration).

Photo by Cecil Beaton/Condé Nast via Getty Images

It became very fashionable in the years immediately following its popularization (so much so that it entered common parlance, especially in Europe), but was then somewhat set aside by the spread of oriental disciplines, which have also opened up a great path in the West. What unites each discipline mentioned here, however, is the aim of bringing relaxation and a better state of health to the human being understood in his entirety. And T.A. is a formidable tool for achieving that goal. It is used, in particular, for the treatment of anxiety, depression, insomnia, and emotional management of body and mind. It is based on the repetition of mental images aimed at activating neurological responses of psycho-physical relaxation. All strengthened by the development of a desire for concentration and self-suggestion. T.A. is also used to reduce stress in sports performance (but it is excellent for any type of performance, even artistic). It increases awareness of physiological functions (for example, cardiac and respiratory functions), acts on brain waves, and even on the perception of pain. T.A. can be performed comfortably seated, in the famous coachman position, or lying on your back (the latter is more suitable for beginners). Therefore: lying down, in comfortable clothes and in a place protected from external disturbances, the two groups of required exercises, called Lower and Upper, are practiced. The Lower exercises are aimed at passively listening to the body (visualizing heaviness, heat, heart, breath, solar plexus, and cool forehead), as in a sort of imaginary scan of ourselves; the Upper exercises are instead directed to passively listen to the psyche ("passive" means simply taking note, without intervening with changes). This technique is implemented by learning to mentally repeat the "formulas" (precise phrases such as: "my right hand is relaxed", "I am calm, calm, serene", etc.). The same happens with the heat exercise (and gradually for all the others), inducing oneself to feel a thermal sensation, but without ever forcing oneself. At the end of a T.A. session, it is good practice to take all the time necessary to awaken the body and recover ordinary functions. A curiosity: when you are already well-trained, you can add so-called "resolutions" to the basic exercises. They are specific exercises designed specifically for each individual practitioner, aimed at modifying a certain conduct or his reactions in problematic situations. Other benefits of T.A. include increasing concentration and memory, increasing physical and mental energy, and expanding artistic and creative abilities. A very important thing to highlight: unlike meditation, it is not a practice suitable for everyone; it is therefore advisable to contact an expert or your doctor for an opinion if you intend to start practicing. What is certain is that the benefits are undeniable and scientifically proven, once you become accustomed to this technique. After all, there is nothing more beautiful than helping yourself to live a life in harmony with your needs and rhythms. And as the theme song of “Scrubs,” a very famous TV series some time ago, sang: “I'm no superman”. It is better to recognize in oneself the beauty of being human, and finally begin to act as such.