I’ve mentioned before that I’ve been doing a lot of YouTube yoga this year, but until yesterday I had never taken part in a real life yoga class with actual humans. So when I did go full yogi, it turned out to be a memorable one – 450 feet up in the air, with a Yoga in the Sky session at the BA i360.
This sky high yoga class, led by the delightful Bella, is suitable for all levels of experience. If you’ve never done yoga at all before, you’ll be absolutely fine (although you do have to bring your own mat).
Your sky high venue
The British Airways i360 is an observation tower on Brighton seafront, consisting of a central pole and a doughnut-shaped metal viewing pod that glides up and down the pole, giving 360 degree views across Brighton, Sussex and the English Channel. The pod can hold up to 200 people, although for the Yoga in the Sky sessions, participants are limited to around 30.
Going up in the i360, which I’ve done before, is a funny sort of experience. The company refers to it as taking a ‘flight’, I guess to match the sponsors British Airways. As someone who doesn’t particularly like heights and has tendencies towards claustrophobia, the first time I stepped on board I was half expecting it to be a bit of an anxiety trigger. But honestly, it was fine. Looking at my heart rate on my Fitbit for yesterday, I can see that I was absolutely chilled throughout.
I think it helps that the i360 viewing pod doesn’t feel enclosed, because there is so much air around. And yet it feels quite stable because the pod itself doesn’t move, even when it’s windy outside.
We were paused 450 feet up at the top for most of the yoga session. A big theme with yoga is feeling grounded, so it was kind of strange to do this whilst being hundreds of feet up in the air.
As we finished the class in Savasana (Corpse Pose) I took in the blue sky and picture perfect fluffy white clouds and felt totally at peace. You don’t get this with Yoga with Adriene in the living room.
Yoga in the Sky – Find out more
Yoga in the Sky sessions are run by experienced teacher Bella Somerville from Brighton Bella Yoga. They take place regularly, around once a month, with the next one scheduled for Saturday 4th December 2021. Tickets from £24.65. Find out more here. Or check the BA i360 website for this and other events here.
*PR event – session provided free of charge for the purposes of review
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