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Floating at Harmony & Frequent Questions

Why everyone should float !

Watch this short youtube video :)

What should I do to prepare for my first float? 

Although body wash, shampoo,conditioner and Ear plugs are provided,and of course the post float room in which you may use to prepare yourself for work or play you may want to bring any other bathroom accessories that you may need. If you shave 2 or 3 hours before using the tank, the shaved skin may sting for a few minutes because of the salt water. If you can postpone your shaving, you will probably be more comfortable. Petroleium jelly will be available to cover small cuts, i.e. paper cuts as it will sting due to the salt water. If you wear contact lenses, you should remove your contacts prior to entering the float tank.

 

Do I need to bring a bathing suit? 

We suggest you not wear anything while floating. We feel it's important to not have any senses impacted while floating and the feeling of a tight or constraining bathing suit may distract you from true relaxation. Remember, the room is secure,and you have your own private shower, fresh towels and the upmost privacy in your float room.

 

Should I eat anything before floating?

We recommend that you consume some form of small food items at least one hour prior to floating. Too large of a meal will not allow you to relax properly and if you're starving all you'll be able to think about is food and hear the rumblings of your stomach. It is also important to try and use the restroom before your float. You don't want to have to get out of the tank to do your business, as you will lose your meditation state and relaxation not to mention your minutes! Avoid any caffeine products beforehand such as coffee, colas, etc as those will not allow you to relax. Again, it's important not to allow anything to distract you.

 

How long does the float session last?

Most float sessions are generally a 90-minute first float experience to make sure they get as relaxed as possible.The more you float the less time you may require to reach your ultimate relaxation or meditation state.Or you may find that a 90 min float is the best for your goals of many types, including relief of pain.

Will I get cold, like staying in a bath too long?

No, the Float tank is heated all the time to the perfect temperature to heighten your floating experience. We try to maintain the water temperature near to the body's skin temperature of 93.5 degrees Fahrenheit, the perfect temperature for floating.Your body will adjust to the temperature within a couple of minutes.If you are still cold, there is a contol button inside the tank to add heat.

 

Who should not float?

 We'd love to allow everyone the chance to experience a float but unfortunately there are some conditions we must exclude.

 

* People under the influence of drugs or alcohol are not allowed. 

* Women on their menstrual cycle are not allowed to float.

* Persons with pacemakers or other heart related issues.

* Persons experiencing epilepsy [not on controlling medication for the condition]

* No dreadlocks are allowed

* Severe skin conditions 

* Infectious diseases 

* Respiratory disorders 

* Incontinence

* Open wounds

 

Hygiene: This facility is founded on the principals of a healthy mind, body and soul. In that regard we exclusively reserve the right to evaluate and refuse service to any persons prior to floating at Harmony Float Centers for cleanliness & healthiness.

 

If you have a medical condition that you're not sure is compatible with floating please check with your healthcare provider.

 

Our Float Rooms

They are private rooms. The room assigned to you is secure . Each room has its own shower, changing area and float tank. It's for your exclusive use during your float session.And you will not be disturbed during your session. When your session is over you will hear or feel the filtaration system begin. That is when you will want to gather your thoughts, sit up slowly, and begin to exit the tank to take your exit shower. We do supply the shampoo,conditioner and soap. We then ask you to dress and then move to the post float station to blow dry your hair etc.So we may do house keeping to allow the next floater to experience the same cleanliness as you did.

 

Can pregnant women float?

Yes. Pregnant women probably get more relief from floating than most people. The extra weight carried by the mother-to-be can be very stressful due to the forces of gravity. Floating eliminates the negative effects of gravity, which causes joint pain, inflammation and stress on the organs as well as the unborn baby. Many mommie's, wether it is your first baby or your 5th baby report that they have a more bonding experience with the baby,as they feel they are also in the womb and during meditation or not, love the talking feeling or to try and make the baby move if the baby is in breach position. Babies love to be talked to and to be sang to. Research has shown that the babies can hear you, What a great way to talk to your baby, but also in a womb setting.

Any woman that is pregnant who wishes to float at Harmony Float Center must discuss floating and it's effects with their primary doctor. If you are at the beginning of your first trimester or in your third trimester you must have a release form from your doctor. And must sign a release with us.

 

What effects does floating in a floatation pod have on the mind?

When you float, you can produce slower brain-wave patterns; known as theta waves, normally experienced just before falling asleep or during deep meditation. This can be accompanied by vivid imagery, very clear creative thoughts, sudden insights and inspirations. Your mind is free to explore thoughts without distraction, your brain pumps out dopamine and endorphins, the neurotransmitters of happiness. Because of these effects, floating is used effectively in the treatment of depression and addictions, including smoking and alcohol. It is also used in schools and universities as tools for enhanced learning. Stress, anxiety and other stressful everyday things may also be very relieved. The more you float the more benefits you will experience.

 

How often should I float?

There are no proven rules as to how often you should float, but the more regular you float the more you will benefit from floating as the effects of floating are cumulative. Everyone's experiences are different and vary. This is another reason why we offer our complimentary post lounge station and the journal room. You may write in our journals or draw on our artist pad, or journal in your own journals. We also maintain a quiet setting and ask that other floaters respect each others SPACE. Some people will want to talk about their float, while others wish to ponder and think and journal right a way. If questions on this subject, please use Youtube as a reference guide in isolation floatation therapy.

Many people experience significant benefits on their first float. Continued usage of any form of active wellness, consistent and repeated usage will only amplify the results. We've found that after your second or third float you'll start to relax both physically and mentally and will really start to feel how wondrful floating can be.

 

Is there a toilet in the Tank room?

No there is no toilet in the float room. There are men's and women's bathrooms across the hallway for your use. We strongly encourage you to use those facilities prior to undressing, showering and floating. Being interrupted for a bathroom break while floating wastes precious time and can definitely distract from the experience.

 

Is there music in the Tanks?

No. There is not music in the tanks at this time. The tanks were developed to clear your minds and your sensory inputs.If you wish to have music,we do have water proof ear buds and waterbag for your device for rent. You must sign a release stating we (Harmony Float) is not responsible if you do not get the bag sealed and water enters and damages your device

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What's included in the float room?

Each room contains a towel. Within the private shower there are shampoo, conditioner and body wash. There is also, vaseline gel for small cuts and scrapes,and ear plugs.

 

Me and Floating

What will my first float be like?

We're very excited you're coming to us for your first float experience! Floating is a very unique and different experience for each floater. You'll experience a sense of profound calmness, weightlessness, relaxation and the opportunity for deep concentration and increased creativity. ​

However, the most important thing we can say is to not have too many expectations. We try to avoid saying too much before you float so that you aren't influenced by it. Not only will it be different for you than it is for anyone else, you'll probably find that it's also different each time you float. We just cant stress enough that this is your own SPACE and maybe your nothingness.

 

What if I can't swim, will I float?

Yes. It is impossible not to float in the tank. We have over 1,000 pounds of Epsom salts dissolved in the warm water that makes a buoyant solution much denser than water alone. Believe us, no matter your weight or height, you will float on your back without effort. As you lay back, the water will reach the temples; leaving your eyes, nose and mouth fully exposed. We do provide a short pool noodle to support your head,until you fully trust the floatation. That will happen in either the first float,or you may always want to use it. BUT your head will not go under water.

 

Will I be bored?

No ! But your first float will be exciting because of the zero gravity. That is a very fun first time feeling. During normal life we are constantly being bombarded by sensory input and mental activity. When you have no gravity and the outside world constantly distracting you, your mind and body have a lot of extra resources that it can finally use, you may enjoy the total darkness,no noise, or the light on with no noise. Your mind will then begin to wonder. If you use meditation in your daily life, this will be a wonderful addition. If your just wanting to have peace and quiet, you can enjoy that too.

With floating your mind is completely free to wonder, no distractions in it's way. As you continue to relax and allow the mind to let go, the deep relaxation and sense of calm that happens is not boring and is often timeless.

 

Is there an age limit to floating at Harmony Float Centers ?

If you are under 18 years old, you will need your parent’s permission. If you are over 100, you will need your child’s permission.

 

I recently colored my hair, is that a problem?

If you have colored or permed your hair within 7 days of your float appointment you should refrain from floating. Dyes and colorations may not have set permanently and when exposed to the warm salt water may bleach out or contaminate the water.

 

What if I'm claustrophobic?

The thought of being in a dark space can be frightening to some. However, as with your eyes closed, total black does not create an enclosed, confined, limited or restricted feeling; it actually seems vast or unlimited. Remember, you are in complete control of your surroundings, so if need be, you can exit the tank at anytime. You can also lift the lid slightly or all the way for your comfort level.

 

Do I have to close the lid?

You don't have to close the lid if you are worried or feel that you are claustrophobic. If you leave the lid open you may still see some transient light. You may also feel cooler with the lid up. The interior of theTank is quite expansive. Many people are concerned that they will feel claustrophobic but find that once they are in the float tank and see how much space there is and how easy the door is to open and close, they are not worried at all.Can I get locked inside the float tank?Absolutely not. There is not locking mechanism on the tank and you will have complete control over your environment for the length of your session. The tank lid pushes open easily. There is a light button located on the left inside the floatation tank. You can turn the light on and off at your discretion. We recommend that you turn it off as soon as you get settled in as this is part of the true power of floatation, the lack of sensory stimuli.

 

Do I shower before or after using the float tank?

Both times actually. A quick, cleansing shower prior to the entering the float tank helps relax your body, removes oils, dirt and hair gels and gives you a sense of starting fresh. After stepping out of the float Tank you have another quick rinsing shower that will remove any left over Epsom salts accumulated during the float. Rinse your hair thoroughly as well as cleaning out left over salt water from your ears is recommended.

 

I wear contact lenses, is that a problem?

The salts are not dangerous to your eyes but can be quite uncomfortable if you get any water splashed into them. And it's easy to do. For that reason we ask that you remove your contacts prior to floating. 

 

 

Do I need to wear ear plugs?

The earplugs are optional. Some floaters like them, some don't. If you have a tendency towards 'swimmers ear' you should probably use them. If you do use them make sure you place them into your ears 'before' the first shower. Either way we recommended that you thoroughly rinse your ears out with water after each session.

 

What if I fall asleep while floating?

Many people safely fall asleep in the tank as a result of being so relaxed. Even those who say they never sleep on their backs in bed, do so very easily in the tank. People may think it is unsafe due to the fear of rolling over, but if this were ever to happen the salinity of the water would irritate the eyes and nose- immediately waking the floater.

 

Will my skin wrinkle?

No. The Epsom salt is composed of Magnesium and Sulphate which will leave your skin feeling soft and silky smooth. It does not dry out or evaporate water from your skin.

 

 

How much time do I have before and after my float?

We allow you 3-5 minutes before your float session starts for undressing, showering and stepping into the float tank. At the end of your session we allow up to 10 minutes. This is time for you to shower again removing the salts, shampooing and drying. There is the post float room for drying of hair etc.. We ask that makeup only be used in the restrooms.

 

It is important that we gain access back into the float room so we can clean the showers, restock towels, wipe down the pod and do an overall cleaning for the next floater. We strive to maintain a clean sanitary environment for all clients so this time is valuable to us. 

Our Floatation Tanks at Harmony Float Center

 

How big is the float tank and what kind is it?

Our float Tanks are the best in the industry. We utilize the Samahdi float Tanks. They are the very first float tanks ever invented by Dr. John C. Lilly. Many books are on the market on how and why he invented these tanks. Other float tanks are now being manufactured by other companies on the philosophies of these originals. We believe it's superb to all others. The dimensions of the pod are 8.5 feet long x 5.5 feet wide x 4 feet high. Plenty of room for you to get lost in yourself and the float experience!

 

Can there be two people in the same tank at the same time?

No, floating is intended to be a private, individual experience. Each tank can only accommodate one person at a time.

 

Is there enough air in the tank ?

Yes. There is plenty of air in the tank and fresh air is also brought in by a passive air circulation system

 

How is the water cleaned?

We comply with stringent health and safety regulations. The water in the tank is extremely clean. The water in the float tanks has a very high concentration of Epsom salt (Magnesium Sulphate) which creates a sterile environment in which microorganisms cannot survive.

 

The Float tank also includes several professionally engineered sterilization systems which filter and sanitize the water between each float. The complete water system is turned over and passed throught the filtration system at a minimum of 4 times between each floater. The filter element is a 1-micron unit which captures, strains and filters extremely small organic matter.

 

All clients are required to thoroughly shower on-site before entering the float Tank. We add a very small amount of chlorine and 1 oz of 35% hydrogen peroxide  as required by the Health Department, as an additional sanitizing agent.

 

Our staff tests the water every day for sanitization, pH, alkalinity and temperature. Salt density concentrations are also tested and maintained at a consistent level.

 

What kind of Epsom Salt do you use?

Harmony FloatCenter utilizes only pharmaceutical grade USP Epsom salt that we order from a national distributor. Epsom salts are made up of a naturally occurring mineral that is found in water, more properly known as magnesium sulfate.

 

Studies have shown that magnesium and sulfate are both readily absorbed through the skin, making Epsom salt baths an easy and ideal way to enjoy the amazing health benefits. Magnesium plays a number of roles in the body including regulating the activity of over 325 enzymes, reducing inflammation, helping muscle and nerve function and helping to prevent artery hardening.

Sports Enhancements by Floating at Harmony Float Centers

 

 

Sportsmen, women and professional athletes around the world use floating to prepare for and recover from their sport of choice. In the float tank, gravity is not a factor. 

The lack of stimulation and reduced senses allows muscles, neurons, tendons and joints a much-needed break, and the benefits can be startling. Mental event visualization can also improve performance.

​While in the tank, every single muscle is allowed to rest and recover. While you may think that lying on your bed or sofa would have a similar effect, gravity is still applying vast amounts of stress on various parts of the body.

The rate of recovery after physical exercise is improved beyond recognition. What normally takes a long period of time - usually days for recovery from a marathon - the tank compresses into a number of hours. By relieving the stresses of gravity, floating takes the weight off strained bones, joints and muscles, and increases the efficiency of the blood circulating through the body. Recovery time after injury can also be much improved.

Athletes who use the tank in conjunction with visualization techniques have experienced rapid improvement in their sporting performances. As the brain enters the theta state, it becomes more open to suggestion. The central nervous system can essentially be trained to produce the 'perfect performance'. The technique has been used for many years in countries such as Australia and America. Well-known athletes such as Carl Lewis have attributed part of their success to visualization within the float tank. Experts from sporting and medical institutions have carried out lots of research in controlled experiments. The quantifiable results have even led some to claim that an hour in the float tank using visualization and imagery is better than 10 hours of repetitive field practice.

Many people who experience pain or inflammation of any part of their body would turn to pharmaceutical remedies to alleviate these symptoms. Floatation therapy can also be a great benefit to relieving pain, using your own body to heal itself. As soon as we submerge our bodies in warm water, we start to release endorphins. This relaxes both our bodies and our minds. In being relaxed, we no longer tense, strain or avoid areas where we experience pain, allowing these parts of our bodies to heal.Because of all these benefits, athletes around the world have started to use floatation therapy. Athletes push their bodies to the very limits of human capabilities and this leads to significant and serious injuries. They are often in better physical condition than non-athletes, leaving them less susceptible to common infections, but when they do have an injury, it is often far more severe. However, you may have noticed that athletes also have very short recovery periods. Someone with a torn ligament, sprained ankle or even broken bone can be seen back on the field in a time so short that it leaves ordinary people baffled. Although this is also due to their fantastic physical condition and the fact that they have access to the best medical care in the world, it is also because they use floatation therapy. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There has been scientific research for many years that has proven the benefits of floatation therapy in the support of pain management, mental relaxation, meditative enlightenment, addiction cessations and many other human debilitating conditions.

 

Researchers and float tank users report many different beneficial effects from floatation, from general well-being through to mental and physical benefits.

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The density of the water provides the floater with the ability to float with complete buoyancy. Over 1,100 pounds of Epsom salts are added to 12 inches of water, which makes it impossible for the patient to sink.
 

The water inside the float tank is maintained at a constant temperature which is very close to the temperature of human skin. This assures that the floater is protected from the unpleasant sensation of overly hot and cold temperature.
 

An alternative name that has been given to flotation therapy is R.E.S.T. therapy. R.E.S.T. is an acronym for Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy. Just as the name implies, the idea behind R.E.S.T. is based on the premise that, in today’s fast-paced world, we are constantly subjected to external stimuli and stress, so much so that we experience sensory overload. Flotation therapy is a technique where almost all external stimuli are screened out. This greatly reduces the central nervous system’s workload, and allows the floater to focus his or her energies inward to promote healing. 

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Floating For Stress/Pain Management
 

Flotation therapy can be a very effective tool for stress management, as outside stimuli are almost eliminated and central nervous activity slows considerably.
 

With nothing to react to, the floater’s levels of the stress hormones epinephrine and adrenaline are decreased, while the levels of endorphins increase. These “feel good” substances are produced in the body by the pituitary gland and the hypothalamus, and work as natural pain relievers.
 

With the promotion of relaxation also comes the promotion of the parasympathetic response (Paradise, 2009). The parasympathetic response allows the body to naturally balance itself out chemically and metabolically, allowing healing to take place.
 

A recent study measuring the effects of flotation R.E.S.T. on chronic pain yielded some promising results. 37 patients suffering from chronic pain participated in the study, with 17 patients in the control group and 20 in the experimental group. The results of the study showed that those who had been suffering the most severe pain saw their pain levels drop appreciably after nine sessions in the float tank over a period of three weeks. The study also saw the patients’ levels of optimism rise and levels of depression and anxiety decrease (Kjellgren A., 2001).
 

Also, flotation therapy is important in terms of being a small component in a larger, more comprehensive pain management program (Fine, Barrie). Relief from pain is noticed immediately during and immediately following floating and this can allow for a more positive outlook from the patient about the success of a more comprehensive pain-management program. Studies show that flotation therapy, along with other techniques, such as counseling and relaxation activities, worked more effectively than just one of these therapies alone (Fine, Borrie).

 

Floating for fibromyalgia is a unique treatment for people suffering from fibromyalgia. The International Flotation Research Group, an informal group of scientists and entrepreneurs interested in Flotation REST, has been studying the effects of floatation in relationship to fibromyalgia and chronic pain relief. FFP is a voluntary, international effort. The first study completed by the FFP was presented at the Float Summit 2012 in Gothenburg Sweden. The results provided compelling evidence that floatation REST can greatly improve the lives of people with fibromyalgia by significantly decreasing their pain, muscle tension, anxiety and stress. It also significantly increased freedom of movement, energy, mood and quality of sleep. Most of these improvements showed longer-term relief as the participants floated repeatedly.



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Floating for Increased Motivation/Elimination of Addictive Behaviors


The use of flotation therapy for the elimination of addictive behaviors has been well-documented. It seems to be particularly effective when used as a complement to other therapies, including hypnotherapy (David).
 

Studies with follow-ups from 18 months to 5 years show an average abstinence from smoking rate of about 50 % when flotation therapy is combined with other treatments (David). This is a much higher average than other single-treatment modalities. For example, the nicotine patch alone has been found to be only 5 % effective, while the use of antidepressants have been 40 to 50 % effective, but without long-term follow-up studies (David).
 

The way flotation therapy seems to help with regard to addictive behaviors and motivation again centers around its role in facilitating the release of endorphins. These natural pain relieving substances seem to help with the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms associated with addiction. In this way, flotation therapy offers the important benefit of helping eliminate cravings, thus decreasing the chance of a relapse episode (David).
 

The relaxing nature of the therapy also influences the floater to have a more positive outlook on the rest of the treatment program and to be more open to suggestions made by the practitioner.

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Effects of Flotation Therapy on the Mind


When a person lies in a flotation tank, the brain gradually begins to relax, and brain waves shift from higher frequency Beta, to Alpha, and eventually Theta.
 

As the brain waves shift into the Theta stage, endorphins are released which help to alleviate pain and fatigue and provide the floater with an overall sense of wellbeing (Paradise, 2009).

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Usually, the Theta stage is reached only before falling asleep for a brief period, but flotation therapy allows the person to enter the theta stage for a longer period, usually for a few minutes during the last half-hour portion of an hour long float session. During the Theta stage, the person experiences clear mental imagery. The Theta stage allows access to the right brain, which is associated with increased alertness, creativity, mental clarity, problem solving ability, and learning.

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General Health Improvements

Promotes total calm and peaceful relaxation
Eliminates fatigue and jet lag
Improves sleep
Alleviates stress (mental and physical)
Energises, rejuvenates and revitalises
Increases motivation, diminishes depression, anxiety and fear
Facilitates freedom from habits, phobias and addictions

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Mental Benefits of Floatation

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



Physical Improvements of Floatation

Decreases the production of cortisol, ACTH, lactic acid and adrenaline
Increases production of endorphins
Speeds up rehabilitation and recovery
Relieves pain (arthritis, migraines, injuries and so on)
Boosts immune function
Improves circulation and distribution of oxygen and nutrients
Reduces blood pressure, pulse, heart rate and oxygen consumption
Improves athletic performance
Helps prevent sports injuries, speeds healing processes

                              Spiritual Benefits

               of Floating at Harmony Float Center

Deep Meditation
Higher Self
Spiritual Guide
Sense of oneness

Yogis, shamans, mystics and spiritual advisers the world over have extolled the benefits of going to remote places for meditation and contemplation where they become in tune with their ‘real’ selves.  The floatation tank provides a convenient modern method of isolating oneself from the outside world to transform consciousness into a higher level of awareness, without there being a need to stay holed up in a Himalayan cave for weeks. Floatation can also be utilized to enhance spiritual practices. In a way you are connecting with the collective unconscious—the source of all knowledge. Floatation helps the brain attain a state of theta or gamma waves which are necessary for deep meditative states and providing insight and realization not found in other brain wave states. During a float, you produce slower brain-waves patterns, known as theta waves, (normally experienced only during deep meditation or just before falling asleep and when waking up). This is usually accompanied by vivid imagery, very clear, creative thoughts, sudden insights and inspirations or feelings of profound peace and joy, induced by the release of endorphins, the body’s natural opiates.Because of these effects, floating is used effectively in the treatment of depression and addictions, including smoking and alcohol. It is also used in schools and universities as tools for Super Learning..

Enhanced Consiousness
Theta Brainwaves
Visualization
Lucid dreams

Metaphysical Benefits to Floating

Float Notes

 

Lucid dreams are often evoked

OBE's are possible

Astral travel projections

Self existence is enhanced

Separation of body and mind

Floatation allows the traveler an opportunity to delve into other experiences usually not attainable by conventional means. The lack of senses frees the mind and body and aids in the release of the conscious mind to go someplace else.

 

Lucid dreaming is enhanced, OBE's (out of body experiences) are possible and overall external existance experiences are all possible. As John C. Lilly expressed, "In the province of the mind, there are no limits."

 

Lucid dreaming is the conscious perception of one's state while dreaming, resulting in a much clearer experience and sometimes enabling direct control over the content of the dream. In other words dreaming while knowing that you are dreaming, you are in the driver's seat.

 

OBE's or "Out of body" experiences are personal experiences during which people feel as if they are perceiving the physical world from a location outside of their physical bodies. At least 5 and perhaps as many as 35 of every 100 people have had an OBE at least once in their lives (Blackmore, 1982). OBEs are highly arousing; they can be either deeply disturbing or profoundly moving. Understanding the nature of this widespread and potent experience would no doubt help us better understand the experience of being alive and human.

 

Epsom Salts Used for Floatation

The type of salt that we use in our floatation pods to give buoyancy to the water is called Epsom salt. The salt granuals are a composed of magnesium and sulphate.

 

There are various grades and purities of Epsom salts used. Souler Float utilizes only pharmaceutical grade for floatation.

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The benefits of Epsom salt aren’t just folklore. In fact, numerous studies have demonstrated the profound and wide-ranging benefits of magnesium and sulphate, the two major components of Epsom salt. Doctors, celebrities, personal trainers, gardening experts and supermodels have all extolled its virtues.

 

Epsom salt is made up of magnesium and sulphate, which can help improve health in numerous ways. A lack of magnesium—which helps regulate the activity of more than 300 enzymes in the body—can contribute to high blood pressure, hyperactivity, heart problems and other health issues, doctors warn. Sulphate is essential for many biological processes. It helps to flush toxins and form proteins in joints, brain tissue and mucin proteins.



Our magnesium levels have dropped by fifty percent in the last century due to changes in agriculture and diet. Industrial farming has depleted magnesium from soil and the typical diet contains much less magnesium than that of our forefathers. And in fact, our modern diet includes many processed foods contain large amounts of fat, sugar, salt and protein that actually work to speed up the depletion of magnesium from our bodies.



Another factor in decreased magnesium levels has been our focus on getting enough calcium. It’s a delicate dance–calcium depletes magnesium yet calcium functions best when enough magnesium is present. Studies indicate that taking a calcium supplement without enough magnesium can increase the shortage of both nutrients. Researchers have found that many of us have five times as much calcium as magnesium in their bodies, although the proper ratio for optimum absorption of both minerals is two to one.



With such widespread magnesium deficiency one might think that magnesium supplements would be called upon, but studies show that magnesium is not easily absorbed through the digestive tract. The presence of specific foods or drugs, certain medical conditions, and the chemistry of a person’s stomach acid can render magnesium supplements ineffective.



This brings us to Epsom salt which is naturally rich in both magnesium and sulfate. While both magnesium and sulfate can be poorly absorbed through the stomach, studies show increased magnesium levels from soaking in a bath enriched with Epsom salt! Magnesium and sulfate are both easily absorbed through the skin. Sulfates play an important role in the formation of brain tissue, joint proteins and the proteins that line the walls of the digestive tract. They stimulate the pancreas to generate digestive enzymes and are thought to help detoxify the body of medicines and environmental contaminants.

 

• Improved heart and circulatory health, reducing irregular heartbeats, preventing hardening of the arteries, reducing blood clots and lowering blood pressure.


• Improved ability for the body to use insulin, reducing the incidence or severity of diabetes.


• Flushed toxins and heavy metals from the cells, easing muscle pain and helping the body to eliminate harmful substances.


• Improved nerve function by electrolyte regulation. Also, calcium is the main conductor for electrical current in the body, and magnesium is necessary to maintain proper calcium levels in the blood.


• Relieved stress. Excess adrenaline and stress are believed to drain magnesium, a natural stress reliever, from the body. Magnesium is necessary for the body to bind adequate amounts of serotonin, a mood-elevating chemical within the brain that creates a feeling of well being and relaxation.


• Reduced inflammation to relieve pain and muscle cramps.


• Improved oxygen use.


• Improved absorption of nutrients.


• Improved formation of joint proteins, brain tissue and mucin proteins.


• Prevention or easing of migraine headaches.

 

 

Floating History and the first tanks developed by Dr. John Lilly.

The American neurophysiologist Professor Dr John C. Lilly developed the first floatation tank in 1950, perfecting it in the 1970s. He designed the float tank as a system to help him investigate conscious activity in the brain.

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While working at the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in Bethesda, Maryland, Dr Lilly and his colleague Dr Jay Shirley became interested in the origins of conscious activity within the brain.



They wanted to know if the brain needed external stimuli to keep its conscious states active. So, they began devising a system that would restrict environmental stimulation as much as possible.



In Dr Lilly's first tank, the floater was suspended upright and completely submerged, with their head covered by an underwater breathing apparatus and mask.

 

Over the years, Dr Lilly continued his floatation experiments, simplifying and improving the tank's general design. He found that he could float in a more relaxing lying-down position if he used salt water (which is more buoyant). In time, he added other improvements such as water heaters with thermostats to keep the water at a perfect temperature, an air pump to keep the air in the tank fresh and a water filter for re-using the Epsom salts.



By the early 1970s, Dr Lilly had perfected his floatation tank. The design was largely the same as that of modern-day float tanks.

John C. Lilly was a physician, biophysicist, neuroscientist, and inventor who specialized in the study of consciousness. He grew up in Minnesota and then attended CalTech, where he graduated in 1938. He studied at Dartmouth medical school and earned his M.D. from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1942. He then studied biophysics and psychoanalysis and taught at the University of Pennsylvania from 1942 to 1956.

 

In the mid 1950s he worked on Cortical Integration as part of the National Institute of Mental Health. In 1954 he invented the isolation tank and experimented with sensory deprivation. In 1959, Lilly founded the Communications Research Institute at St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands and served as its director until 1968. There he worked with dolphins exploring dolphin intelligence and human-dolphin communication. It was during this period that he was introduced to LSD and other psychoactives. He began using LSD and ketamine in combination with the tanks as a method of consciousness and metaprogramming exploration.

Two movies have been inspired by Lilly's life: Day of the Dolphin (1973), in which the military attempts to use dolphins as a weapon, and Altered States (1980), in which scientists explore reality through the combination of isolation tanks and psychoactive chemicals.

John Lilly lived in Hawaii for the last years of his life and was known for his eccentricity and heavy ketamine use and addiction. He died in 2001 at the age of 86.

 

 

Floatation Visionaries

 

Joe Rogan - Actor, UFC Commentator, Floating Advocate

 

Joe Rogan is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, color commentator, entrepreneur, and trained martial artist. He is best known for playing Joe Garrelli on the NBC sitcom NewsRadio, commentating for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, as well as hosting the NBC reality show Fear Factor and The Joe Rogan Experience podcast. 

 

The following is a transcript from one of Joe's videos describing floating and its wonderful effects. 

 

"The sensory deprivation chamber has been the most important tool that I’ve ever used for developing my mind, for thinking, for evolving.

 

The tank is filled with water. The water is heated to the same temperature as your body. And there’s 800 pounds of salt in the water, so you just float there and relax. And because the water is the temperature of your body, you don’t really feel it after awhile.

 

It’s like layers of an onion. When you first start doing the isolation tank, you can only get a couple of the layers of the onion in, a couple skins loose. You can’t really go to the core. It’s too hard. It’s too large to completely let go who you are. But as you get better at it, and as you get more and more comfortable with the experience, you get better at actually letting go—really letting go, letting go from letting go, letting go from the feeling of letting go, letting go from THAT point. “Okay I’ve let go now. No, you haven’t let go more.” And then you become “gone.” You disappear, and while you’re disappearing, this is what happens. You start thinking, “I can’t believe I’m disappearing,” and then you’re back again. You got to start from square one.

 

You got to let go and you got to let go and you got to let go and get to the point where you literally completely relax, and your body, it gives you amazing energy. Your body, the tension release that you have in your body from a couple hours in the tank is incredible. You feel lighter. You feel like more oxygen is in your body. You feel like more vibrant. And it’s just because you have somehow or another, you know, calmed the tension. It’s incredible, man.

 

The first 20 minutes or so, for me at least, it’s like sort of a seminar on my life. It shows me all the different issues in my life that I don’t like and that I need to fix, and things that are bothering me, and things about my own behavior that could have been better, and things where I’ve disappointed myself. And then it’ll show me some things where I am on the right track: this is good, continue here, continue doing this, continue thinking like this, continue exploring these ideas. But then, once it gets me done, it’s like, let’s clear out all this bull in your life then let’s think about the big picture. And then it goes from that, to like the sort of relaxing position where my whole body is just settled into the experience. And then it’s like, it’s just pure thought. It’s like the mind completely un-tethered from the body. And then I start contemplating everything. I start contemplating the universe, contemplating the role of human beings in each individual’s actions, all accumulated together into one specific event. I start thinking all kinds of crazy, crazy stuff, but without the body in the way.

 

You know even us having this cool conversation here—we’re sitting here on a couch, we’re looking at each other, we’re looking at computers and there are sounds and noises and there is a lot of distractions. You know, just your body is a distraction. And you’ve got some crazy environment that doesn’t exist anywhere else in the world, and it’s fairly inexpensive to achieve. If the tank was something where it was a machine and you would have to like strap yourself in and it would take you through a course where you would learn how to get to the center of consciousness where your body and your mind didn’t exist, it would be like a ride in Disney Land and the line would be seven hours long. But because it’s this weird sort of organic method of doing it, it seems strange, like you are going to get in this big coffin filled with water and you close the lid.

 

And people start coming up with reasons why they don’t want to do it. It’s so important. Everybody should do the tank. You will learn more about yourself than any other way. And if you have an aversion to drugs—which totally makes sense if you think that drugs are dangerous, that you can get addicted to things, that’s true, you can—if you don’t trust yourself, if you don’t like the idea, you can have very introspective psychedelic experiences naturally in the tank. Everybody should be doing it. It’s an amazing way to think.

 

When I have a concept or something that I am working on, two things I will do. One, I’ll sit down, I’ll flesh it out or write what I think about things just off the top of my head. And then, once I’ve done that, once I’ve really kind of explored, then I get in the tank and I rethink the whole thing. And then when I rethink the whole thing, sometimes in the tank I consider other places, or other points of view. I consider other ways of looking at it where I may not have been sensitive to another person’s opinion coming from another position. And I look at the whole thing almost outside of myself.

 

There is so much thinking that goes on in that tank. There is so much evolution that goes on in there. It seems like it’s almost impossible to do outside of it, because there’s no distractions in there, nothing at all. It’s just a thought. It’s an amazing environment. It really should be taught in schools. All universities should have them. They should have them and they should make them available to all of their students. One of the greatest tools ever for exploring, thinking, exploring the way you think, and sort of making an audit of all your own personal thoughts and ideas—which ones you’re hanging onto because of your ego, which ones you’re hanging onto because they are beneficial to you, which ones you’re hanging onto because you hate your dad and you know he put these in your head. And so they’re stuck in there. And it’s so fascinating, man, and so few people do it."

 

Additional Links & Information

  • John C. Lilly Webpage

  • Tanks for the Memories (1995)

  • John Lilly, So Far (1990)

  • The Scientist: A Metaphysical Autobiography (1988)

  • Communication Between Man and Dolphin: The Possibilities of Talking With Other Species (1978)

  • The Deep Self: Profound Relaxation and the Tank Isolation Technique (1977)

  • The Dyadic Cyclone: The Autobiography of a Couple (1976)

  • Lilly on Dolphins (1975)

  • The Centre of the Cyclone: An Autobiography of Inner Space (1972)

  • Programming and Metaprogramming the Human Biocomputer (1967)

  • The Mind of the Dolphin (1967)

  • The Dolphin in History (1963)

  • Man and Dolphin (1961)

  • Simulations of God: The Science of Belief (1956)

                       Seven Theories of Floating

 

                                     Excerpts from Michael Hutchison, author of The Book of Floating

 

There's no doubt that sensory deprivation floating works - as a therapeutic, educational, and entertainment tool it has powerful effects on a number of levels, including the physical, emotional, intellectual, and spiritual. ​But why is the flotation environment so effective? What can be so actively beneficial in an essentially passive device? This is a question that has intrigued scientists, and today there is an explosion of flotation research going on in laboratories around the world. The evidence accumulated so far falls into a number of distinct, though interrelated, explanations. Among the most important of these are:

                                                 Seven Theories of Floating 

 

​1

The Antigravity Explanation for Sensory DeprivationThe buoyancy afforded by the dense Epsom-salt solution eliminates the body's specific gravity, bringing the floater close to an experience of total weightlessness. Gravity, which has been estimated to occupy nearly 90 percent of all central nervous system activity, is probably the single largest cause of human health problems - the bad backs, sagging abdomens, aching feet, painful joints, and muscular tensions that result from our unique but unnatural upright posture. This theory asserts that, by freeing our brain and musculoskeletal system from gravity, floating liberates vestments of energies and large areas of the brain to deal with matters of mind, spirit, and enhanced awareness of internal states.

2

 The Brain Wave Explanation for Sensory DeprivationMore interesting than the well known alpha waves generated by the brain in moments of relaxation, are the slower theta waves, which are accompanied by vivid memories, free as- socialization, sudden insights, creative inspiration, feelings of serenity and oneness with the universe. It is a mysterious, elusive state, potentially highly productive and enlightening: but experimenters have had a difficult time studying it, and it is hard to maintain, since people tend to fall asleep once they begin generating theta waves. One way of learning to produce theta waves is to perfect the art of meditation.A study of Zen monks conducted by Akira Kasamatsu and Tomio Hirai, in which the monks' brain waves were charted as they entered meditative states, indicated that the four meditative plateaus (from alpha to the more sublime theta) were parallel to the disciples' mental states, and their years spent in Zen training.

3

The Left-Brain Explanation for Sensory Deprivation

The two hemispheres of the neocortex operate in fundamentally different modes. The left hemisphere excels at detail, processing information that is small-scale, requiring fine resolution: it operates analytically, by splitting or dissection. The right hemisphere, on the other hand, is good at putting all the pieces together: it operates on pattern recognition-visual intuitively, rapidly absorbing large- scale information. Just as in the sunshine of a bright day it is impossible to see the stars, so are the subtle contents of the right hemisphere usually drowned out by the no is noisy chattering of the dominant verbal/analytical left brain, whose qualities are the more cultivated and valued in our culture. But recent research indicates that sensory deprivation floating increases right-brain (or minor hemisphere) function. Floating turns off the external stimuli, plunges us into literal and I figurative darkness - then suddenly the entire universe of stars and galaxies is spread out before our eyes.

​

4

The Three-Brain Explanation for Sensory Deprivation

In a series of seminal studies produced over the last twenty-five years, Paul MacLean, chief brain researcher at the National Institutes of Mental Health, has produced convincing evidence that the human brain has three separate physiological layers, each corresponding to a stage in our evolutionary history. In this "Triune Brain Theory," the most ancient layer is called the reptile brain, and it controls basic self-preservative, reproductive and life sustaining functions. Sitting atop the reptile brain is the limbic system, which MacLean has dubbed the visceral brain, because it generates all our emotions. The most recent part of the brain to develop is the "thinking cap" of convoluted gray matter called the neocortex, seat of our abstract, cognitive functions: memory, intellect, language, and consciousness. While these three separate brains have many overlapping functions they are all quite different in chemistry, structure, action, and style.

​

5

The Neurochemical Explanation for Sensory Deprivation

Neuroscientists have recently discovered that the brain is an endocrine organ that secretes numerous neurochemicals which influence our behavior. Our brains secrete hormones that make us happy, anxious, depressed, shy, sleepy, sexy. Each of us creates different amounts of these various neurochemicals, and those who create, for example more endorphins - natural opiates - experience more pleasure as a result of a given experience than those who create fewer endorphins. Tests indicate that sensory deprivation floating increases the secretion of endorphins at the same time as it reduces the levels of a number of stress-related neurochemicals, such as adrenaline, norepinephrine, ACTH, and cortisol substances that can cause tension, anxiety, ignitability, and are related to ailments such as heart disease, hypertension, and high levels of cholesterol. One other neurochemical theory is the "return to the womb" explanation.

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6

The Biofeedback Explanation for Sensory Deprivation

Because of biofeedback research (including Johns Hopkins researcher John Basmajian's conclusive study of subjects consciously firing off single motor-unit neurons), we now know that humans can learn to exercise conscious control over virtually every cell in their bodies. Processes long thought to be involuntary, such as the rhythm and amplitude of our brain waves, healing, blood pressure, the rate and force of heart contractions, respiratory rate, smooth muscle tension, and the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters are now thought to be controllable. The way biofeedback machines work is by enhancing concentration: by focusing on a single, subtle change in the body, which is being amplified by the sensory deprivation machine, we are able to shut off our awareness of the external environment. This shutting off of external stimuli is exactly what the flotation environment does best - almost as if in an "organic" biofeedback machine, in the tank every physical sensation is magnified, including relaxation.

​

7

The Homeostasis Explanation for Sensory Deprivation

The human body has an exquisitely sensitive self- monitoring and self-regulating system that is constantly working to maintain the body in homeostasis -an optimal state of balance, harmony, equilibrium, stability. Considered in these terms, we can define stress as a disruption of our internal equilibrium, a disturbance of our natural homeostasis. Research now indicates that many of floating's most powerful effects come from its tendency to return the body to a state of homeostasis. When we view the mind and body as a single system, it becomes clear that external stimuli are constantly militating against the system's equilibrium: every noise, every degree of temperature above or below the body's optimal level, every encounter with other people, everything we see and feel can disrupt our homeostasis. But when we enter the tank, we abruptly stop this constant adjustment to outer stimuli. Since there are no external threats, no pressures to adapt to out- side events, the system can devote all its energies to rest in the sensory deprivation tank.

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