Letting Go and Floating Away

Patch readers may recall an article about Tucker's Harmony Yoga & Wellness Center and the many therapies they offer. They recently added another to their exhaustive menu – the sensory deprivation flotation tank.

What is a flotation tank?

It's an enclosure slightly larger than a twin-sized bed that stands about five feet tall. Inside the tank, there is ten inches of water saturated with around 700 pounds of Epsom salt. A door at the front of the tank allows the user to climb in and out with ease, and once inside, the salt solution creates extreme buoyancy allowing you to float weightlessly on the water's surface. Heaters keep the water warm and the air moist, helping prevent condensation buildup and drip from the tank's top. However, if you feel too warm or the darkness is too extreme, there are two buttons inside – one to turn on a small, underwater light and one to turn off the top heater.

After each floatation, a chime will ding alerting you to the end of your session. If you don't hear the chime, the filtering begins two minutes later. The water in the tank is then circulated through a complex filtration system for cleaning.

Prepare for your float

Before your hour-long – that's the shortest float period – session, you'll be provided with earplugs to keep water from your ears. Also, if you have any scrapes or hangnails, you'll want to cover them with the Vaseline provided so the salt water won't burn. Visit the shower room to wash and rinse before entering the tank, and when you get out, you'll shower once more. Although it's not at first apparent when you leave the tank, you are covered in salt that will dry and crust on your skin if not rinsed away. Remove any jewelry and contact lenses before floating, and avoid getting the water in your eyes – you'll be given a small towel just in case.

Common fears

The thought of climbing into a warm, dark and silent tank may cause some trepidation at first – it did for me. Yet common fears are easily assuaged. If you're claustrophobic and worry about the confined space, leave the door of the tank open at first. You'll notice the door is very light and made of a different material than the rest of the tank's interior – it's very quick and easy to get in and out. The darkness can be lessened by using the internal light or leaving the door open, as well.

For some, it may seem somewhat difficult to breathe at first. That's because it is very warm and moist in the tank, but rest assured, it's not airtight. There is plenty of oxygen inside, yet if you experience this feeling, you can open the door or turn off the top heater. The extreme buoyancy eliminates the risk of drowning, and although some fear falling asleep, I can tell you from experience, floating isn't an activity that encourages sleep.

Why float?

With the logistics of floating laid out, the question still remains, why float? “It's the fastest, easiest, most comfortable way to become clear. Mind chatter stops, and you focus only on what's here and now, in the present moment,” Harmony's  explained. Morrison has been floating for six years, and after a two-hour float, she has "about five days of what [she] would have to call bliss,” she said. The clarity and relaxation she achieves inside the tank helps her manage life with more patience and grace outside of it. “I handle what life throws at me and move on,” she said smiling.

“The experience is different for each person and no one float is exactly the same as another,” Morrison added. This I knew to be true because I had stepped from the tank myself only moments ago.

It was my first time floating and one of the more interesting meditative experiences of my life. I'm not a fan of tight spaces – elevators even push my limits a bit – but once inside, the warmth, quiet and weightlessness eliminated my worry. My body had no problem at all slipping into a state of relaxation. My mind, however, had slightly more trouble letting go. “ When the mind makes up its mind to go away, it will come back more focused and clear,” Morrison said. Although I often found myself thinking about the experience instead of simply experiencing it, I was able to achieve moments of mindfulness, where the sound of my breathing and beat of my heart were the only things taking place in the tank.

The salt water in the tank helps to detox the body, as well, and throughout the remainder of my day, I did feel more relaxed, passive and less physically weighed down. For expecting mothers – women who feel the pull of gravity to an extreme – Fibromyalgia sufferers and people with pent up pains and tensions, the weightlessness of the float can be a great relief. My knee, which troubles me fairly consistently, benefited from the hour of not having to support the weight of my body.

Following my float, I was certain that the experience would become one of more meaning with practice, and Morrison assured me this was true in many cases. She, for example, no longer requires a timer. Her body internally senses the duration of the float, and it's much easier for her to quiet and still her mind. Harmony's  told me once, “The mind controls the body. In the tank, the body effortlessly holds down the fort so the mind can take a break. When you still the body, it's easier to still the mind.”

You can learn more about the sensory deprivation floatation tank from the Corerelax website, and you can schedule floats from there, as well. First-time floaters are eligible for a great discount – a package of three for $125  – sessions are typically $75  per hour. Be sure to check out packages and spa day pricing for other deals.

“I call the tank the teacher,” Morrison concluded; “It teaches us how important it is to be still and quiet, how important it is to truly relax.”