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