Take a trip in a hot air ballon
 

Weleome to our hot air ballons Archive. Have fun browsing!

 

Article #130: My Fear of Heights and a Hot Air Balloon

(Browse for more articles)

 
My Fear of Heights and a Hot Air Balloon horizon.
16th November 2005 My focus then shifted to experiencing how
Author: Michaela Scherr serene it was up in the sky, only
I've been terrified of heights for as occasionally hearing the sound of the
long as I can remember and still I insist burner as it blasted hot air into the
on white knuckle experiences. balloon above.
On occasion I've thought it'd be a great From experiencing this serenity my focus
idea for my family and me to ride in turned to the burner and feeling the heat
glass elevators, take rides on Ferris of the flames.
wheels (large or small), check out Happy with experiencing what I was, I
revolving restaurants atop towers - not began asking myself probing questions
only is this alone terrifying, vertigo about my fear. With each answer I would
also gets thrown in for good measure. then ask "and what is important about
Then there was my absolute fear of flying that?"
which thankfully has been dealt with Remaining centred and controlling my
successfully. breathing, I continued to answer each
Hot air ballooning is a different kettle question fully to myself until there was
of fish. Now I know hot air balloons fly nothing left to ask.
(sort of) however there are no in-flight From answering my own questions I
rations, flight attendants, movies, discovered my fear was based on the fact
headsets, or pressurized cabins. There that there was no jet engine, steering
is just a big balloon (also called an wheel, seat belts, escape chute and we
envelope - I paid attention during the were in a basket attached to a really big
pre-flight briefing), a basket, a gas balloon!
burner and a group of excited people. To From those answers I then:
me this was not flying, more like * Determined that the likelihood of
drifting and floating randomly above the disaster was minimal to nil.
earth. * Knew the present moment was the safest
What possessed me to voluntarily take a place for me.
hot air balloon flight I'll never know. * Future paced me. I imagined myself
A flight was booked and as luck would eating my champagne breakfast with the
have it, perfect weather conditions. We other passengers after the balloon
arrived at the departure point on a cool, flight, and retelling my story.
crisp morning before the sun rose. The * Realised I was actually having an
other passengers had already arrived and experience of a lifetime which I probably
were eagerly awaiting the pre-flight will never do again and decided to make
briefing before take-off. the most of it.
That was the good bit. Not only that, the captain seemed to know
Fear washed through me, it became what he was doing (always encouraging), I
difficult to breathe, and my heart was knew the equipment was in great shape (I
pounding rapidly. It took supreme effort had a good look), and there was someone
to keep my panic in check and instead, following the balloon in a vehicle below.
not wishing to put a damper on anyone's Taking several deep breaths, I refocused
enthusiasm, tried to appear as nonchalant on my internal world and connected with
as possible. peace again, silently giving thanks to my
As time for take-off approached my fear years of meditation practise.
intensified. Finally, as the ropes were At last I was able to truly enjoy this
released from the basket and the balloon exhilarating experience! The peace and
slowly made its way upward, my knees tranquillity above the earth with the sun
turned to jelly and the urge to rid rising in the East, and the green rolling
myself of the previous night's dinner hills below was absolutely awesome - I
became overwhelming. was in heaven!
Totally trapped I silently screamed as we Being in the present moment, focusing on
rose higher and higher from the ground. controlled breathing, as well as becoming
What did I do next to overcome this centred helped enormously in dealing with
panic? my anxiety. Not only that by asking the
I changed my state. question "and what is important about
I remembered to breathe, and with that that?" got to the heart of my fear.
was able to centre myself (knowledge of Try asking yourself that question
meditation helps!) to step fully into the sometime when a need crops up. You might
present moment. It also helped to shift be surprised as what you discover about
my focus and become more curious, about yourself.
the purple hills I could see on the






1- A- B- C- D- 2- 3- 4- 5- 6- 7- 8- 9- 10- 11- 12- 13- 14- 15- 16- 17- 18- 19- 20- 21- 22- 23- 24- 25- 26- 27- 28- 29- 30- 31- 32- 33- 34- 35- 36- 37- 38- 39- 40- 41- 42- 43- 44- 45- 46- 47- 48- 49- 50- 51-