Has anyone here ever floated in an isolation tank?
aka a sensory deprivation tank...?
I know it's a long shot, as iso tanks are still expensive to use and aren't widespread especially in the Midwest, but I was looking for personal and straight to the point accounts of what it's like. I'm thinking of letting my friend treat me to one 90 minute session for my birthday, but want to know if it's worth it or what I can expect from just one session.
For those who don't know, iso tanks deprive you of sound, hearing, and sight primarily. You can achieve theta brain waves, you are in a meditative state, and are infinitely calm and relaxed. You float in buoyant water that is body temperature and filled with Epsom salt, so it essentially feels like you are floating on air.
Most people use them for chronic stress related illnesses, to achieve higher brain function for an event or to simply relax. But there have been a lot of vague accounts of hallucinations, space/time travel, speaking with a higher self, etc. Basically it's the most psychedelic experience you can have without drugs.
So has anyone tried it before that can share? Or, alternatively, would you want to try it?
I know it's a long shot, as iso tanks are still expensive to use and aren't widespread especially in the Midwest, but I was looking for personal and straight to the point accounts of what it's like. I'm thinking of letting my friend treat me to one 90 minute session for my birthday, but want to know if it's worth it or what I can expect from just one session.
For those who don't know, iso tanks deprive you of sound, hearing, and sight primarily. You can achieve theta brain waves, you are in a meditative state, and are infinitely calm and relaxed. You float in buoyant water that is body temperature and filled with Epsom salt, so it essentially feels like you are floating on air.
Most people use them for chronic stress related illnesses, to achieve higher brain function for an event or to simply relax. But there have been a lot of vague accounts of hallucinations, space/time travel, speaking with a higher self, etc. Basically it's the most psychedelic experience you can have without drugs.
So has anyone tried it before that can share? Or, alternatively, would you want to try it?
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Replies
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no, but I would love to
let me know about it, if u do it!0 -
That sounds amazing!0
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First of heard of it. Sounds interesting...0
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Aah I wanna go in one so bad!0
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As interesting as it sounds, I have mild claustrophobia so this isn't for me.
If you do try it, I would love to hear what you thought of it. I have friends that meditate, they swear by it. But, by not being able to see, or hear anything, that certainly would take it up a notch.0 -
Sounds cool, I'd probably freak out though.0
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I used to do it regularly and loved it. The one I used had audio and lights you could turn on or off, and it didn't have to be completely closed if you didn't want it to be.
You might want to think about whether you want to do 90 minutes. Not that it's scary, but at some point you might just be "done".
Otherwise: just try it! It can be very relaxing.0 -
After the initial panic of being in a pod, lid down in the pitch dark, it is an amazing experience.
I always come away feeling fantastic. Try Floatworks near Tower Bridge0 -
Make sure they don't forget you...0
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If I'm not mistaken you will hear the woosh sound of your blood circulating.0
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As interesting as it sounds, I have mild claustrophobia so this isn't for me.
If you do try it, I would love to hear what you thought of it. I have friends that meditate, they swear by it. But, by not being able to see, or hear anything, that certainly would take it up a notch.
This is my fear too! I'm am episodic claustrophobic, so I don't regularly have it but being in a dark pod would certainly activate it. The thing that puts me at ease is knowing that you can step in and out of it when you want, and can even leave the door open.0 -
Well, it's wet and it's warm and it's dark; I had better results with mushrooms0
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Make sure they don't forget you...
haha0 -
I used to do it regularly and loved it. The one I used had audio and lights you could turn on or off, and it didn't have to be completely closed if you didn't want it to be.
You might want to think about whether you want to do 90 minutes. Not that it's scary, but at some point you might just be "done".
Otherwise: just try it! It can be very relaxing.
I didn't know about the audio or lights aspect, I'll have to look into that.
I also fear that sitting in silence for an hour and a half could be mind numbing after a while, but if it's as intoxicating and relaxing as people say, perhaps the time will go by fast.0 -
I don't remember intoxicating (or hallucinatory, for that matter), just relaxing.I used to do it regularly and loved it. The one I used had audio and lights you could turn on or off, and it didn't have to be completely closed if you didn't want it to be.
You might want to think about whether you want to do 90 minutes. Not that it's scary, but at some point you might just be "done".
Otherwise: just try it! It can be very relaxing.
I didn't know about the audio or lights aspect, I'll have to look into that.
I also fear that sitting in silence for an hour and a half could be mind numbing after a while, but if it's as intoxicating and relaxing as people say, perhaps the time will go by fast.0 -
Thinking I might just need a panic button...0
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Thinking I might just need a panic button...
Agreed. Unless they have floating wine in a box. I'd love to hear an update, I can barley make it through yoga without getting twitchy. I'd also be curious about how they keep everything relatively hygienic.0 -
http://www.truerest.com - this is where I went for my experience.
I've done this once. It was a pretty strange experience. From what I understand, the first session is very much about getting used to it, and you get more benefits from all the sessions after the first one.
If the place you're going to has a similar pod, it is HUGE inside and you will NOT feel claustrophobic. Also, you're in complete control of the door so you shouldn't feel trapped.
They can not "forget" you in there because it's all controlled by a computer system. When you go in, the timer starts and when time is almost up, the music and lights come on gradually to wake you up and let you know it's time to start getting out and getting showered off.
Also, you pretty much can NOT drown. The water is heavily salted so you actually have to TRY to even reach the bottom of the pod. The place I went to has ear plugs so you can lay completely weightless. The water is heated to skin temperature so that once you get relaxed and acclimated, you don't really feel where you end and the water begins.
So, I've only done it once and it was weird. I managed to get salt water in my eye, so I had to waste a few minutes with the squirt bottle of fresh water they provided to get my eye rinsed out. The place in my city is pretty far from me, so I haven't gone back.
Disclaimer: the owner of the float center in my city (Phoenix) is a friend of my brother-in-law, and my brother-in-law did their website. Also, a friend of mine was basically the manager of the location for over a year. So, I know quite a bit more about floating than the average person.0 -
And yes, they do have a panic button in the tank.
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Did it. Was totally underwhelmed. Sorry.0
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Not tried it yet, but I think it's a matter of having the right mindset going in. One session really only gives you a hint of what it can do. The idea of losing sense of your body can be terrifying to some, freeing to others that allow you to relax or freak out. Someone who has one is currently going to test it against a fitness tracker that tracks sleep. He claims that in a hour you replicate 6 hours of sleep. Wouldn't that be nice.0
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love them, need a friend to go with me again over the summer,
theyre super relaxing0 -
I've done it and it was boring.0
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