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