Walking Your Talk : Changing Your Life Through the Magic of Body Language

by Plonka, Lavinia

• ISBN13: 9781585425426
• ISBN10: 1585425427
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-03-01
• Publisher: Tarcher

Summary

In every movement of our bodies, we express a world of emotions. But our movements don't just reflect our emotions-they directly affect them. In Walking Your Talk, Lavinia Plonka explores the connection between how we move and how we feel. Our movements and body posture are more than just simple expressions of our feelings-they are a powerful factor in our well-being. And changing them can be a crucial first step in altering our emotional behaviors. Drawing from her years of experience as a movement teacher and Feldenkrais Method(r) instructor, Plonka provides simple exercises, thought-provoking lessons, and real-life examples that help readers better understand the relationship between their movement patterns and their emotional state. After beginning with an overview of both historical and modern ideas about the correlation between bodily movement and human emotion and expression, Plonka turns theory into practice by addressing each major area of the body-and the emotional baggage held there. Through exploratory exercises, we learn more about: - how we carry stress-from responsibilities, family issues, and financial burdens-in our shoulders; - why we "freeze" the pelvis-the bodily center of personal freedom, power, spontaneity, and sexuality; and - the self-confidence (or lack thereof) we convey through our carriage. Whether she is examining how a depressed chest can make us feel psychologically depressed, how body language is used to deceive others, or how loosening our pelvis can help us break a lifelong cycle of self-destructive behavior, Plonka is always caring and insightful, guiding readers to a deeper awareness of themselves and how changing their posture has the potential to change their whole lives.

Author Biography

Lavinia Plonka is an Emmy-nominated choreographer and former artist-in-residence at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City. A longtime teacher and student of movement practices, she maintains a successful practice teaching the Feldenkrais Method(r), and conducts workshops around the country.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Questions
Am I Walking My Talk?	p. 9
Not Walking the Talk	p. 19
Is it Science or Magic?	p. 29
Experience
A Leg to Stand On	p. 41
Giving and Receiving-the Arms and Hands	p. 55
The Heart of the Matter-the Chest	p. 71
Getting to the Core-the Pelvis and Your Spontaneity	p. 91
It's All in Your Head	p. 109
Face It	p. 121
Synthesis
Practical Shape-Shifting	p. 145
Embodying Compassion	p. 159
Conclusion	p. 169
Worksheet for Goal Setting	p. 171
Resources	p. 177
Index	p. 181
About the Author	p. 191
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