Research in cognitive neuropsychology has shown that the way we hold our bodies, our posture in daily life, can significantly shape attention, emotional tone, and cognitive clarity. This resonates deeply with the foundations of Sophrology, which recognises the body not as separate from the mind, but as a gateway to it.
This is the influence of Japanese Zen in Sophrology, where the unity of body and mind is fundamental. In Zen, maintaining an upright, aligned posture goes beyond discipline and aesthetics. The posture becomes a vehicle for cultivating mindfulness and awareness. It’s a path toward inner balance, mental stability, focus and clarity.
Upright Posture and Emotional Vitality
A further demonstration of the way that posture actively shapes how we feel and think is described in a paper published in Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry. This preliminary study found that adopting an upright posture led to improvements in high-arousal positive affect (feelings like alertness, enthusiasm, inner strength) alongside reduced fatigue, lower anxiety, and less negative self-focus in participants with mild to moderate depression. In contrast, slouched or collapsed postures can intensify self-critical thought and lower emotional tone.
This aligns with Zen’s emphasis on posture as a source of presence and dignity, and with Sophrology’s use of embodied practices to support emotional vitality and mental resilience.
Dynamic Relaxation for Improved Posture
In Sophrology, dynamic relaxation exercises blend gentle movement, breathing, mental imagery, and body awareness to release physical and mental tension and support integrated wellbeing.
Instead of forcing posture correction, dynamic relaxation exercises:
- Allow release of muscular tension (e.g. in shoulders, back, neck) that contributes to habitual slumping
- Facilitate the release of mental stress and worries, often stored in the body as physical tension
- Encourage internal bodily awareness, to better sense alignment and subtle tensions
Relaxation, breath, and awareness are integrated to transform inner bodily experience. With repetition over time, the body starts to correct naturally and improved posture becomes a new default. In this way the gentle approach of Sophrology embodies the Zen principles of effortless action.
By aligning the body with intention and awareness, we not only improve posture—we influence our internal dialogue, emotional stability, and overall presence. Sophrology, much like Zen, sees the body not as a passive shell but as an active participant in the journey toward clarity and wellbeing.
A Body-Mind Alignment Sophrology Exercise
You can experience a shift yourself, in just a few minutes:
Practice
- Find a seat and sit in any way that feels comfortable. Closing your eyes to focus inside, start with simply noticing how your body is placed on the chair, perhaps where you can feel the points of contact between the chair and your body.
- Scan the body slowly from crown to toes. Breathe calmly, noticing any areas of tightness. If it feels okay to do so, allowing tensions to melt away and a softening to settle into each part of your body.
- Gentle movement:
- Now sitting up off the back of the chair, with your back straight
- Bring your hands together in gentle fists to the middle of your chest, elbows out to the sides
- Inhale as you pull your elbows back and slide your fists across to open your chest
- Feel a little stretch there
- Then exhale as your fists move back together at the centre
- Do this 3 times.
- Silent stillness: Let your hands drop to your lap and rest in the upright posture for a minute or so, eyes closed or soft gaze. Notice your breath, posture, energy and thoughts. What sensations and feelings are present?
- Close by taking a few deep breaths, having a stretch, taking a moment to restore your alertness before opening your eyes.
- Capture the experience in words or an image straight away.