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has anyone tried floating?


hornblower
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I have floated.

 

In an inner tube on a spring fed river with a cold drink in my hand and friends for company.

 

I saw Altered States. It left quite an impression on me then, though I don't really remember it now. I don't think I, personally, would feel at all relaxed by floating in dark isolation.

 

But then again, for a short while I wouldn't have to answer someone about what's for dinner, where the math book went or whether or not I remembered it was our turn to bring snacks somewhere. Maybe that would make it worthwhile!

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I googled and found a place near me that does this but it's 90 minute sessions.  That seems like a long time!  I just read this article about it.  I would love the floating part but the being alone with my thoughts part would be difficult.  I have a terrible time shutting my brain off at night to sleep.

 

Also I have some hygiene questions.  It says it's a tank of 10" of water with 800lbs of epsom salts, which in addition to making you float,  helps pull toxins out of your skin.  I am all for toxin elimination, but am I floating in the toxins of the last person?

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I did it like 20 years ago back when I was a massage therapist.  It was fun….and the place I went to included a massage after which was nice.  I'm not sure what was supposed to happen, but it was just like being in a big dark bathtub.  

 

I also did this funky John of god crystal bed thing…which I had more weird experiences during than the sensory tank.  

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re the sanitation - ours says they have a filtration process that has to run in between clients  (+  the salt inhibits bacterial growth)
ours are 75 min sessions & the have a variety of tanks, including larger ones where you can stand up for the claustrophobic people, doors are not locked so you can get out, you can leave a light on or ask music to be piped in.
 

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I have floated in Great Salt Lake. Does that count?

 

hehe he... I floated in the Dead Sea too...

 

The idea of being utterly and completely alone appeals to me but not in an isolation tank.  They had a couple of episodes of Fringe where she did that.  It didn't seem like something I'd find relaxing.  Oh yeah, and then there's Altered States... >>>shivers<<<

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I have floated in the Dead Sea as well.

 

hehe he... I floated in the Dead Sea too...

 

The idea of being utterly and completely alone appeals to me but not in an isolation tank.  They had a couple of episodes of Fringe where she did that.  It didn't seem like something I'd find relaxing.  Oh yeah, and then there's Altered States... >>>shivers<<<

 

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Dh does it regularly - like every few months. But to be fair, he also just seeks out crazy experiences all the time, so there's that.

 

Apparently a lot of the tanks are just in someone's house - sort of the way many massage therapists have a small massage room and work out of their home. So be sure you get some reviews and recommendations before going.

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Complete sensory deprivation sounds amazing for a little while.

 

I agree. I would love to do it.

 

If anyone does do it, I would love to hear about your experience.

 

I hate noise, get overwhelmed by smells, etc.... My sister has always said that if she wins the lottery, she will buy me my own sensory deprivation tank. Lol.

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I also did this funky John of god crystal bed thing…which I had more weird experiences during than the sensory tank.  

 

Umsami, are you going to tell us more about this or leave us hanging?!! I am dying to know. LOL.

 

I would totally do the float. Sounds so relaxing.

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Heard about it and know one person who did it. He said it was "weird." Some people have panic attacks because they cannot orient themselves. Not sure if you cannot reach a state of relaxation in another way...but if you are curious and do it, please tell us, or PM me about your experience. This is very interesting for my field of work.

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Umsami, are you going to tell us more about this or leave us hanging?!! I am dying to know. LOL.

 

I would totally do the float. Sounds so relaxing.

 

So, I'm an ex-massage therapist…which means that I tend to lean towards crunchy.  I'm also a bit skeptical of all of the "healers" out there.  I follow a local crystal/massage/yoga shop on Facebook and sometime last Spring they announced that a patron was coming to visit and was bringing her John of God crystal bed.  Book now!  Spaces limited, type thing.  

 

I've been doing more energy work over the past year or two… some Donna Eden type stuff… morning routine, etc.  So I'm more open to energy work.  I remember way back when I was in massage school….early 90s…one of the instructors came over to me as I was on the table and she put her hands over my lower back…and said that it was cold…and wondered if it bothered me?  Well, it never did…so I brushed it off.  Ten years later a dermatologist was removing a very nasty precancerous mole there.

 

Anyways, so I had heard of John of God, but I thought he was a nut…but I wondered what his magical crystal bed could be.  I googled and found a blog of this person who did it like every day for a month or something.  It sounded fascinating, so I booked an appointment.  http://johnofgodcrystalbedhealing.blogspot.com

 

Basically, it's a massage bed with seven crystals suspended over you.  Each radiate different colors…and it's all tied to chakras (I'm assuming) and choreographed with music.  (picture at http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs115/1102861739208/img/211.jpg?a=1115722189203)

 

I did not expect anything….but maybe 5 minutes in, I totally would feel different parts of my body tingling/radiating energy.  Started to have some trippy dreams too.  When I got off, my body had so much energy…and I was like "wow".  It didn't last more than a day…but still, I totally felt a change, and I did not expect to at all.  

 

Very weird, but neat.  

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Now I'm wondering… how do they keep them clean? I don't mind a bit of dirt but what about viruses and, well, bodily fluids? I wouldn't want to float in that!

 

They do sound amazingly relaxing.

 

Oh dear. I had not thought about that...I continue to choose not to think about it.  :laugh: Perhaps every visitor gets a freshly filled tank...?

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I've not floated, but I have been in a cave with all the lights turned out. It was really strange. You could sense, or hoped you could sense that there were people with you, but the utter blackness was overwhelming.

I did that too once. I thought I had been in darkness before, but being in an underground cave with all the flashlights and lanterns turned off was a new level of darkness. It was cool but alarming.

 

I wouldn't want to float in the dark.

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I did it but the lights were on. I think I would have liked it better with them off. I had a hard time just relaxing and letting go. My mind would not turn off (not unusual for me!). However, I went straight from floating to a massage and I was so relaxed that I nearly fell asleep. I really felt like it enhanced the massage.

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So, I'm an ex-massage therapist…which means that I tend to lean towards crunchy.  I'm also a bit skeptical of all of the "healers" out there.  I follow a local crystal/massage/yoga shop on Facebook and sometime last Spring they announced that a patron was coming to visit and was bringing her John of God crystal bed.  Book now!  Spaces limited, type thing.  

 

I've been doing more energy work over the past year or two… some Donna Eden type stuff… morning routine, etc.  So I'm more open to energy work.  I remember way back when I was in massage school….early 90s…one of the instructors came over to me as I was on the table and she put her hands over my lower back…and said that it was cold…and wondered if it bothered me?  Well, it never did…so I brushed it off.  Ten years later a dermatologist was removing a very nasty precancerous mole there.

 

Anyways, so I had heard of John of God, but I thought he was a nut…but I wondered what his magical crystal bed could be.  I googled and found a blog of this person who did it like every day for a month or something.  It sounded fascinating, so I booked an appointment.  http://johnofgodcrystalbedhealing.blogspot.com

 

Basically, it's a massage bed with seven crystals suspended over you.  Each radiate different colors…and it's all tied to chakras (I'm assuming) and choreographed with music.  (picture at http://ih.constantcontact.com/fs115/1102861739208/img/211.jpg?a=1115722189203)

 

I did not expect anything….but maybe 5 minutes in, I totally would feel different parts of my body tingling/radiating energy.  Started to have some trippy dreams too.  When I got off, my body had so much energy…and I was like "wow".  It didn't last more than a day…but still, I totally felt a change, and I did not expect to at all.  

 

Very weird, but neat.  

 

Cool. Energy medicine is so fascinating. Years ago I read about chakras and felt that many of my health problems -- mostly lung problems -- were tied to my 4th chakra, so I worked on *improving the flow* there and those specific health problems went away completely. I find I still have to be vigilant, though.

 

I'm glad to see that some of the teaching hospitals are finally studying energy medicine. Northwestern here in Chicago has been studying it for about 10 to 15 years that I know of. Very interesting.

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Well you could put tons and tons of epsom salts in your own personal bathtub, turn down the lights, and float away with only your own germs to worry about. :)

I would probably like that better, anyway. :)

 

I couldn't be bothered going out someplace just to take a bath and float around for a while. I would spend the whole time thinking my time and money would have been better spent on coffee and fancy pastries. ;)

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My worry about going is that, just like during meditation, a loud voice will be yelling in my head "OMG, your life is whizzing by and you're just sitting here WASTING TIME?!!!!"

???

 

But meditating, relaxing, recharging is not wasting time. It is necessary for both physical & mental health. The nice side benefit is that it is also pleasant.

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My worry about going is that, just like during meditation, a loud voice will be yelling in my head "OMG, your life is whizzing by and you're just sitting here WASTING TIME?!!!!"

This is akin to what happens to me when I schedule a rare massage. I keep trying to enjoy it but can't stop mentally listing all the other things I really should have spend that money on!

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I watched Altered States on HBO when I was 7 yo, not sure where my mom was. Needless to say I would not do it.

 

Nothing against those who do, I've just been scarred for life ;).

 

I don't like quiet and dark at the same time. I like quiet libraries, but those are not dark. I like dark nights in the country to star gaze, but that's not completely dark and nature does provide a soundtrack.

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There's a place here that offers this. I have always seen it advertised as a pain management type thing, not a just relaxation thing. I have a friend who goes once every couple of weeks since being in a nasty car accident. She says it helps her body from aching for 45 mins.

 

I injured my back a couple of yrs ago and still have excruciating pain, so I have thought about trying it out to see. Would be an interesting experience if nothing else.

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There's a place here that offers this. I have always seen it advertised as a pain management type thing, not a just relaxation thing. I have a friend who goes once every couple of weeks since being in a nasty car accident. She says it helps her body from aching for 45 mins.

 

I injured my back a couple of yrs ago and still have excruciating pain, so I have thought about trying it out to see. Would be an interesting experience if nothing else.

 

I had suggested it to my husband for back issues, but he replied that his mind would probably always go to people who were tortured using sensory deprivation tanks. Or, if he could get his mind off that, to the big whales stuck in little tanks in the dark for decades in Sea World.

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  • 7 months later...

Well, I tried it.

 

And, I hated it.

 

I have severe motion sickness & this set me off in a big way. Between the warmth, humidity, floating, motion, I felt so nauseated. Not the feeling I was hoping for.

 

Maybe I'll just sit in a padded room next time. That would give me the quiet, but not the motion. Lol.

 

Oh well. Figured I'd post my experience (esp. in case anyone else suffers from motion sickness).

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Now I'm wondering… how do they keep them clean? I don't mind a bit of dirt but what about viruses and, well, bodily fluids? I wouldn't want to float in that!

 

They do sound amazingly relaxing.

Especially in the couples float tank linked above.

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Well, I tried it.

 

And, I hated it.

 

I have severe motion sickness & this set me off in a big way. Between the warmth, humidity, floating, motion, I felt so nauseated. Not the feeling I was hoping for.

 

Maybe I'll just sit in a padded room next time. That would give me the quiet, but not the motion. Lol.

 

Oh well. Figured I'd post my experience (esp. in case anyone else suffers from motion sickness).

 

That sounds truly awful.  

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Yes, there is a panic button.

 

There is also an adjustable lid, so you can have it entirely closed or open on the top. I originally thought I would like it closed, but it was too stifling. Then, I opened it about halfway, but I still found it too stifling. Even with the lid open, it was too much for me.

 

There is also a small (blue) light inside, so you can have a little light if the top is closed. But, there's a switch inside where you can also turn it off if you want.

 

I'm sure plenty have had positive experiences & I really wanted it to be one, but I just never imagined motion sickness being the part that would kick in for me on this one. (I do swim in pools & enjoy floating on my back in those.) I'm not sure why the difference other than the heavy salt smell & oppressive humidity (imo)?

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