What Are You Afraid Of? A Body/Mind Guide to Courageous Living

by Lavinia Plonka

The ordinary manner in which we carry ourselves physically, our automatic gestures, and the accustomed comforts of our bodily habits inadvertently reinforce fear's hold on our lives. What Are You Afraid Of? explores how our fears often arise from physical and mental triggers that have been learned over the course of our early lives-and can be un-learned. Fear, explains award-winning movement teacher Lavinia Plonka, is not the product of intractable psychological demons; instead, it often revolves around repetitive body/mind cues. By teaching the body new habits through a series of exercises and postures, the cycle of fear can be broken.

Genres: Psychology

192 pages, Paperback

First published April 12, 2004

Reviews

[Rena Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book and easy read

Lavinia's writing and practice in the Feldenkrais methodology is exceptional. She has great small exercises in awareness throughout the book.

[Majid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely worth the time it takes to read.

[Douglas Lord · Rating 1 out of 5]

Plonka, who conducts classes in the Feldenkrais Method (which uses body movement to improve self-awareness), notes that fears often fuel people's direction in life, so that they only do something "when the payoff is more valuable than comfort." Though her individual concepts are promising (e.g., we are all, to some extent, addicted to fear), her narrative as a whole is disjointed and lacks momentum. The result is an often senseless jumble: interesting mind/body exercises fail to relate back to larger concepts. One such drill pinpoints tension, then vaguely directs readers to "let that part go." Pass.

Find reviews of books for men at Books for Dudes, Books for Dudes, the online reader's advisory column for men from Library Journal. Copyright Library Journal.

[John Orman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Courageous Living is the goal here--what will it take to make that so?

Freedom from fears and anxieties that often constrict our lives--that's the ticket!

Fear of failure and abandonment--that's what might happen if we stretch ourselves, right?

Embrace change, remember your dreams, and exercise your mind and body.

Simply, huh? Not quite, or we would all be free of fear--and we are not!