I tried a calming Yoga in the Dark session at this five-star Edinburgh hotel

What if I crashed into a fellow yogi, or poked my finger in their eye when attempting a warrior two. Surely health and safety would have something to say about this?

I needn’t have feared. This is not like the pitch black dining in the dark trend of a decade ago.

At one of these ‘luxury Friday night sessions’, which are part of a collaboration between Glasgow studio West End Yoga and events company Only Human, the yoga is performed in a dimly lit room, with flickering candlelight.

These 90 minute classes take place at various five-star hotels in Edinburgh and Glasgow, including the Kimpton Hotel Charlotte Square on February 28 at 6:30pm, and the same venue on March 28, at 6:30pm.

I’m at the Edinburgh hotel, where they have a cavernous and blissfully quiet basement-level room set up with cushions, mats and those faux flickering tea-lights (no real fire is involved).

These mini retreats don’t only incorporate yoga. They also start with a guided skin ritual facial massage, and there’s a glass of prosecco (or nosecco if you’re spinning out dry January) for afters.

Once we’ve chosen our mats, we begin with some gentle neck stretches, then instructor Clare tells us to grab the purple rubber ball that’s provided.

Our yogi demonstrates how to rub this into areas of the face, including around the jaw. I notice that one side - the chewing one - is much tighter than the other, so I press the ball harder here to release the over-worked munching muscles.

It’s also rubbed down our necks, and along our foreheads, and pressed into the third eye area.

We’re shown a face to pull, which stretches all the little muscles, from forehead to chin. It’s cringe, so I’m very glad of the darkness, when we pull our mouths into ultra-surprised O-shapes that look very Edvard Munch-esque. While holding that pose, we massage, using the heels of our hands and upward movements into our brows and cheeks.

Then it’s back to the balls, so we can stand on them, while rolling and pressing, to release some of the pressure in our feet. This feels pretty horrible, especially along my arch, which the instructor says corresponds with the liver in reflexology.

Afterwards though, they feel wonderfully warm and relaxed. I wonder if I still have a tennis ball at home, so I can incorporate this practice into my daily self-care routine.

After that session, we’re onto the vinyasa flow yoga with Scarlett.

It’s going to be relatively easy - but not THAT easy.

We progress through a few simple twists and downward dogs, before reaching our crescendo in a high lunge pose, then bringing it back down into some easy stretches and a spot of relaxation, with eye mask provided, on the mat.

There’s no hurry to leave. And I want to stay as long as possible. It’s nice to have a break, from the hustle and the glare, up there in the heart of the city.

I’m like a very relaxed mole, down here in the dark. Pass me my prosecco.

Yoga in the Dark sessions at the Kimpton Charlotte Square are £65, see https://bookwhen.com/yogainthedark