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