In the Yikes! Zone : What Skiing Can Teach Us about Surrender and Trust

by Blakeslee, Mermer

• ISBN13: 9780525946380
• ISBN10: 0525946381
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2002-02-01
• Publisher: E P Dutton

Summary

In this one-of-a-kind book, Mermer Blakeslee shares the proven techniques that have earned her international recognition as an expert on fear management. As Mermer Blakeslee points out in her introduction, fear "resonates far, spreads widely across many boundaries, sinks to the lowest levels, and grows big very quickly." In this compelling meditation on fear, Blakeslee uses skiing as a metaphor to introduce us to what she calls our "nags and guides." Knowing when and why we should heed-or silence-these competing inner voices, can help us expand our areas of comfort as we strategically move into and out of our personal YIKES! Zone. And she encourages us fearlessly engage our fear in dialogue, demonstrating how we can make the subtle and not so subtle adjustments necessary to lead the life we desire. With her reassuring, non-confrontational approach, Blakeslee shows how the mind, body, and spirit can work together to foster trust and positive action. Much more than a self-help manual or a guide to skiing, In the Yikes Zoneis a provocative, accessible book that will help us to revitalize our lives and use the power of surrender to exist fully in the moment. In the Yikes Zoneis for anyone who has ever stood at the top of a literal or figurative slope and contemplated taking the big plunge.

Author Biography

Mermer Blakeslee is a poet and the author of the acclaimed novels Same Blood and In Dark Water. In addition, she is member of the elite National Demonstration Team of the Ski Instructors of America.

Table of Contents

A Note to the Reader	xi
The Moment of Fear
Meeting the Moment	3	(5)
Skiing: A Metaphor	8	(8)
Imagining	16	(7)
Preparing
The Guide's First Question	23	(8)
The Gentle Art of Listening	31	(7)
Expanding the Comfort Zone	38	(12)
The Malleable Variable	50	(13)
Rushing or Retreating	63	(13)
The Necessity of Desire	76	(14)
Injury	90	(12)
Voices	102	(5)
Moving Through
The Focus	107	(5)
Choosing and Using a Focus	112	(17)
Relaxing the Focus	129	(14)
Body ... Ski ... Mountain	143	(12)
Sensation Hunts	155	(10)
The Group: Moving Through the Moment Together	165	(22)
Reflecting
The Landing	187	(13)
Fear, Our Teacher	200	(7)
Glossary of Ski Terms	207	(2)
Index	209