What Are You Afraid Of?

by Plonka, Lavinia

• ISBN13: 9781585422852
• ISBN10: 1585422851
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2004-04-12
• Publisher: Tarcher

Summary

Fear is not just in our heads-it's also in our bodies. What Are You Afraid Of?shows how our bodily postures and habits trigger the anxieties that crimp our daily lives, and provides simple, eye-opening exercises to free us from fear's grip. W e often think of fear as something based in our minds. But equally true-and rarely understood-is that fear is based in our bodies. The ordinary manner in which we carry ourselves physically, our automatic gestures, and the accustomed comforts of our bodily habits often perpetuate the grip that fear has on our lives. This is true whether we're thinking of asking our boss for a raise, frightened of diving into a swimming pool, or experiencing sleepless anxiety. The good news is that our fears arise from physical/mental triggers that have been learned over the course of our early lives-and can be unlearned. In What Are You Afraid Of?, Lavinia Plonka provides step-by-step exercises and informative, engaging lessons to help readers identify the sources of their fears and work with their bodies to move beyond them. Plonka reveals a simple, new paradigm for understanding our fears: They are not intractable psychological demons. Instead, as she demonstrates, they often revolve around repetitive body/mind cues. By teaching the body new habits, the habit of fear can be broken.

Author Biography

As a former artist-in-residence at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, Lavinia Plonka created several landmark projects teaching literacy and self-esteem to at-risk children. Plonka maintains a successful practice teaching the Feldenkrais Method, and conducts workshops around the country that explore issues such as fear, creativity, mythology, and body language.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Me? Afraid?	p. 1
The Roots of Fear
Addicted to Fear	p. 9
Symptoms of Fear	p. 18
So, What Are You Afraid Of?	p. 29
Facing Your Fear
Fear of Injury or Death	p. 45
Fear of Failure/Success	p. 72
Phobias	p. 94
Fear of Abandonment	p. 108
Unavowed Dreams	p. 128
Tools and Activities
Moving into the World	p. 143
Resources	p. 155
Conclusions: Love Is Being in the Present	p. 162
What Is the Feldenkrais Method?	p. 165
Further Reading	p. 167
Index	p. 169
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