The Float Tank (i.e. Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy)

Gee.... This sounds just like what I do in my bath tub. Nice hot water, floating, lights out. Except it is free.

Originally posted by elouina
Gee.... This sounds just like what I do in my bath tub. Nice hot water, floating, lights out. Except it is free.

Gee except the bathtub is too small to float unless your a midget, every little noise and crack of light will distract you and keep you from stilling the mind unless you have done years of practice in meditation. Also you don't spend the money on 8000 pounds of Epsom salts to put in the bath tube to use once so you can float flat on your back and make the body disappear, open your eyes still pitch black etc. that's why its called "sensory deprivation" there is nothing left but the mind or the real you that animates the body, no body, no sight, no hearing, no touch or smell just you. That scares some people...

##snipped##

reply to post by hawkiye


I can float in a tub without salt and I am no midget. And the comment was not snarky. It was a valid contribution to let others know that it can be done in a tub. I do it all the time.

reply to post by hawkiye


Great review, I'm looking forward to hopefully doing it myself soon
Star for you

Originally posted by hawkiye
reply to post by anon4m05

 

I saw your thread and just did a search and there is one here now so I am going to try it... If I like it I may build one for the house...

PS here is a cool ebook on floating called what else "The Book of Floating" :

www.project-humanity-earth.org...

edit on 14-11-2012 by hawkiye because: (no reason given)

I made the float tank you linked in my garage two years ago. I spent over two thousand dollars for materials, pumps, epsom salt, etc.. It ended up being a bust cause I made the tank with very basic garage tools and had zero experience in making things like that. I decided to try my luck because I had experienced floating a few times and wanted that experience in the comfort of my own home, without the time constraints. Buying a professional float tank is very expensive (8000+), so I thought that it wouldn't be too hard to craft one on my own. Good luck if you decide to try building one yourself, what ended up shutting me down was mold. It can be done, you just have to make sure that no condensation can make it's way into the nooks and cranny's of your tank.

I had my tank operational for about two months, in that brief time I used the tank daily and usually stayed in for 2-3 hours at a time. One of the many differences between floating in your bathtub and the float tank is that you can stay in as long as you like and your skin never gets pruned because of the super dense salt water. I have had many wonderful experiences in the float tank, even if you don't have a supernatural type experience you alway's leave the tank with an amazing sense of well being.

The experience that stands out for me was one when I was in the tank and all of a sudden this super bright light came on inside my mind, at the same time that I was experiencing this brilliant light (in a pitch black tank) I felt this intense joy. My mind was grasping with what was going on I suddenly got ripped back to reality.

I feel like float tanks are very underrated, 95% of the people on the street have never heard of a float tank. It is beneficial for so many things!

Whilst floating, the pressure of gravity is taken off the joints and muscles and the body as a whole is put in to a high state of physical relaxation, with blood pressure and oxygen intake reduced but at the same time blood flow and the distribution of red blood cells increase. The combined effects are of particular benefit to athletes, speeding recovery from injury and assisting in the flushing of lactate, cortisone and adrenaline.

Floatation has been shown to loosen the muscles and give athletes a greater degree of control over their nervous systems. This reduces the risk of injury during training or competition. Floatation not only accelerates the recovery process, but releases vast quantities of endorphins, the body’s natural painkiller.

Modern training methods focus on helping the athlete to master the ‘inner game’ to develop the perfect synchronicity between mind, body and emotion which is the hallmark of a champion. In the tank the athlete can attain the level of concentration necessary for visualisation to have a quantifiable impact on his or her performance.

Physical exercise can cause a build of lactic acid, which is often experienced as pain and a cramping of the muscles, and has been linked with the feelings of depression known as ‘post-game letdown’ which can affect even part-time joggers. Floating resets the body’s chemical and metabolic balance, thus reducing the risk of over training.

Following is a short list of some of the effects which have been reported by researchers and users:

Promotes total calm, peaceful relaxation, eliminates fatigue and jet lag; improves sleep; alleviates stress- mental and physical; energises, rejuvenates and revitalises.
Stimulates left/right brain synchronisation; shifts brain waves from Beta to lower frequency Alpha, Theta and even Delta.; creates mental clarity, alertness; increases creativity, problem solving; heightens visualisation; deepens meditation; expands awareness, intensifies acuteness of all the senses, accelerates learning.
Enhances hypnotherapy and self-hypnosis; increases motivation, diminishes depression, anxiety and fear; facilitates freedom from habits, phobias and addictions.
Improves athletic performance and helps prevent sports injuries and speeds the healing process.
Decreases the production of Cortisol, ACTH, Lactic Acid and Adrenaline; Increases production of endorphins; quickens rehabilitation and recovery; relieves pain- arthritis, migraines, injuries etc.; boosts immune function.
Improves circulation and distribution of oxygen and nutrients; reduces blood pressure, pulse, heart rate and oxygen consumption.

link

reply to post by jaws1975


Would you say that you were, possibly, on the verge of conscious death, or that you were on the cusp of either an alternate existence or something akin to it?

reply to post by Creep Thumper


Honestly I think that we experience this every night when we sleep, but there is a built in amnesia that keeps us from remembering. The float tank allows one to reach the same level with conscious awareness. The key is to get into the tank with no expectations, only that you are going to relax and just be.

I've been dying to try this for years. The closest tank is three hours away.

Do you feel it is worth the effort and expense? If so, I will make the pilgrimage.

reply to post by Creep Thumper


I would say no, it's not worth it. The reason why is your expectations will be thru the roof if you are driving 3 hours each way, which means that when you are laying in the tank your mind is going to be on full alert for the experience that you are hoping for. You can have some incredible moments in the tank, but it happens when you least expect it, when you are very relaxed. It is almost impossible to fully relax when you are waiting for something to happen.

My suggestion would be to wait until you plan on being in that area already, it would be optimal for you to be there for a couple days where you could get more than one float in. It's hard for your first float to be the benchmark, because it takes some time to get used to being in the tank and usually it's right towards the end of the first session that you start to separate from your mind and body. On your second float you will get there much faster.

reply to post by jaws1975


Thank you for the advice. I will plan as you have suggested.