The Little Book of Falling (and Getting Up)

We all fall down, always when we least expect it, whether it's falling down on the job or falling down the stairs. Learn to prevent injury, overcome fear of falling and discover your inner resiliency. Practical lessons based on the Feldenkrais Method are a gentle and safe way to help you land softly and recover quickly from the shock of a fall.

We all fall down, always when we least expect it, whether it's falling down on the job or falling down the stairs. Learn to prevent injury, overcome fear of falling and discover your inner resiliency. Practical lessons based on the Feldenkrais Method are a gentle and safe way to help you land softly and recover quickly from the shock of a fall. Statistics show that fear of falling actually increases the chances of falling: anxiety and tension affect balance and flexibility. You can overcome fear by developing strategies for movement that use the intelligence of your body in the moment of a fall. Each chapter looks at a different aspect of our relationship to falling; both the metaphorical and the physical. Simple movement explorations that you can do at home, some even on your bed then allow you to explore new ways of approaching the floor and getting up.

Lavinia Plonka is a dynamic and innovative teacher and writer who uses movement as a tool for personal development and health improvement. For over 30 years, she has pursued the links among body,emotions and the mind. Her training and professional career have included mime, dance, yoga and the martial arts in addition to being a master teacher of The Feldenkrais Method. Her books and audio programs have been translated into several languages. She was an artist in residence for the Guggenheim Museum and movement consultant for theater and television companies around the world, from the Irish National Folk Theater to Nickelodeon. Her popular workshops have been sponsored by organizations throughout the world: from Esalen to the Feldenkrais Guild of North America, from physical therapy clinics and yoga schools in the US to learning centers in Beijing and Mexico. She is currently the director of Asheville Movement Center in Asheville, NC, offering a complete movement curriculum as well as private Feldenkrais lessons.