Float Finder

Curious what the brain would do without external stimuli, American physician and psychoanalyst John Lilly began researching sensory deprivation therapy in the mid 1950s. Shortly thereafter the floatation tank was born. Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy or REST utilizes a specially designed floatation tank filled with ten inches of tepid water (warmed to skin temperature, about 94˚F) and saturated with 800 to 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts, making the water both sterile and very buoyant. Clients enter the one-person tank in the buff, close the lightweight door, and lay down in total silence and darkness. The density of the water makes it impossible not to float, and the close-to-skin temperature eliminates the sensation of heat and cold making the floatation tank a true place for the mind and body to rest. Michael Hutchison, whose work, The Book of Floating (Gateway Books, 2003) is widely considered essential reading on the subject, describes it as “the most profound relaxation available on the planet.”

With such scientifically documented benefits as reducing blood pressure, relieving pain, decreasing levels of stress hormones, boosting immunity, promoting circulation, and even harmonizing and integrating the left and right hemispheres of the brain, it didn’t take me long to book an introductory session at the local floatation center. An experienced yogi, I imagined floating would be something like a long, blissful savasana without the asanas and the sweat. Though my mind wasn’t in it’s usual thought-overdrive, I was fidgety. Where do I put my arms? Can there really be that much tension in my neck? Should I be focusing on my breath? The darkness was immense, the solitude extraordinary. When I finally let go of my mental chatter and controlled breathing, time seemed to stop. I sank into a place of just being. I could hear only the sound of my own heartbeat, much like a baby in the womb. Within minutes, the session was over. Clearly, ‘good’ floating takes some practice.

Allison Walton, co-owner of FLOAT in Oakland, California, advises first-timers to float three times in three weeks to receive the full effect. She notes, “The first float is most unusual, and about 80 percent of people need more than just one to really let go.” Brian Ludlam, owner of Zen Blend in Austin, Texas, tells his new clients “to let go of effort. Don’t try to meditate. Don’t try to concentrate. Just let go and let be. . . And if at all possible, try to float again the very next day or within a week.” I couldn’t agree more. Being in the floatation tank feels familiar, yet it is totally different than traditional spa therapies and other relaxation techniques. It takes some time to unwind and release, and like all new experiences, the environment itself takes some getting used to. Keeping at it, however, has well-documented rewards.