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

First thing I would like to say is that I STRONGLY suggest having this experience.

So what is it?

A Float tank (also called a "Think tank") is essentially a "Pod"; it has 10 inches of water inside, heated to body temperature, filled with an episome salt solution, making you float just as you would in the dead sea. It is soundproof, and completely dark; a place offering these services just opened up in my town, and I have to say, it was the greatest experience I've had.

In the world full of monitors, tv's, internet, blinking, beeping, screetching, stop go, make money, etc, it is very easy to loose yourself, and become disconnected.
I will tell you that this is an experience you should have, because there is NO other environment like it in the entire world.

To be seemingly weightless, floating, in a dark space, without sound; quite literally it is bliss.

Here are a few videos describing what I'm talking about; if anyone has any questions, feel free to ask!

Oh man I've seen other videos on this too. I want so badly to try it out. Unfortunately I'd have to travel hundreds of miles to try one out

It's definitely something I want to do soon!!

reply to post by iamhobo


Put it on the bucket list my friend! It is well worth it, simply an amazing experience! I am so lucky to have a center open up in my small town!!

My own experience was interesting.... I didn't see much, some colors maybe. I had this odd feeling like I was floating in the middle of blackness, my entire existence reduced to that within my mind. If closed my eyes tighter, I would hear this incredible rumbling inside my head (cannot hear it anywhere BUT the float tank for me). At one point, I titled my head forward, and I felt as if I was tumbling head over heals. I plan on going back; when I left, the world seemed fresh, new. I was totally at ease and there was nothing which could spoil that feeling on that day. That night, I had the best sleep (and incredibly vivid dreams) that I've had in years!

I have one not too far away from me...I definitely wanna do it...I'm just broke right now...

First- don't flame me about "drugs".......
But the only serious way to experience an isolation tank is with the aid of "entheogens"....
such as [snip]

When John Lilly (inventor of said tanks) was experimenting with these tanks in the 50s- 60's- it was with the aid of these sacred molecules. (Albert Hoffman was a close friend)

Here's a link if you don't believe me.... en.wikipedia.org...

I speak from experience since I built and used a tank in the late 80's. The universe and Reality itself opens up in the tank with help from said entheogenic helpers. You come out as a different person........with no fear of death and an understanding of what you really are......an eternal, powerful spiritual being that has temporarily forgot who he is....playing the game of being human to gain experiences that will be returned to Source when you "die".

Namaste!

Originally posted by Boypony
First- don't flame me about "drugs".......
But the only serious way to experience an isolation tank is with the aid of "entheogens"....
such as [snip]

When John Lilly (inventor of said tanks) was experimenting with these tanks in the 50s- 60's- it was with the aid of these sacred molecules. (Albert Hoffman was a close friend)

Here's a link if you don't believe me.... en.wikipedia.org...

I speak from experience since I built and used a tank in the late 80's. The universe and Reality itself opens up in the tank with help from said entheogenic helpers. You come out as a different person........with no fear of death and an understanding of what you really are......an eternal, powerful spiritual being that has temporarily forgot who he is....playing the game of being human to gain experiences that will be returned to Source when you "die".

Namaste!

Have you ever read Lily's books? He used it with great success with and without entheogens...though I too am a big supporter of them...

reply to post by anon4m05


Cool I have been wanting to try one for years but there wasn't one in my town. 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...

reply to post by anon4m05


cant watch vids but i have a question if ya dont mind. after the tank and the blissfulness, did you experience any kind of sensory overload when you went back to normal life? sorry, try to clarify my question. did you go through any time in the days following the tank experience, did you feel like you "needed" to get back to that experience? kinda like the next "hit" .

Originally posted by IsawWHATtheyDID
reply to post by anon4m05

 

cant watch vids but i have a question if ya dont mind. after the tank and the blissfulness, did you experience any kind of sensory overload when you went back to normal life?

Alright I've had a few but I'll try to explain.

I wouldn't call it overload; I'd call it more heightened awareness. I mean, you kind of notice things more (the drive home was interesting); I browsed ATS that night and my printer, maybe elbows length away with arm stretched out, was making a noise. Now that I'm writing about it, I can hear it again. Anyway, there is an orange LED light that flashes for standby, or if there is a jam; the night I floated I could hear it producing a tone every time it blinked on/off (there is a tone for both), and ever since then, still hear it, but I don't recall hearing it before the tank. I hear that it influences people in different ways, simply because people are different from each other. For example, I am a musician;played for roughly 7-8 years,by ear, can't read tabs. My guess is that I can hear this tone because that's the way the tank influenced me? I don't know.

Anyway, hope that answered your question!

Also, if anyone has done a float/are going to do one, post your experience in this thread! It would be awsome to hear what happens to everyone when they're completely shut off from everything but themselves

The movie "ALTERED STATES' from the 80's...is about this...same topic and tech...and what he goes through.

Movie ALTERED STATES (courtesy of Wikipedia)
en.wikipedia.org...[en.wikipedia.org...[/url]

"Edward Jessup (William Hurt) is a university professor of abnormal psychology who, while studying schizophrenia, begins to think that "our other states of consciousness are as real as our waking states."[2] Jessup begins experimenting with sensory-deprivation using a flotation tank, and he travels to Mexico to participate in what is apparently an Ayahuasca Ceremony, although his guide states that the Indigenous tribe they are meeting works with Amanita muscaria which they are collecting for next year's ceremonies. An indigenous elder was seen with Banisteriopsis caapi root in his hand prior to cutting Jessup's hand, adding the ingredient of blood. Immediately after consumption he experiences bizarre, intense imagery. The professor then returns to the U.S. with a tincture and begins taking it orally before each session in the flotation tank where he experiences a series of increasingly drastic psychological and physical transformations.

Edward's mind experiments cause him to experience actual, physical biological devolution. At one stage he emerges from the isolation tank....."

Used to have a float session every week when it was all the craze years ago ..if you meditate inside the tank then the experience goes to the next level.
Just be sure to apply vasoline to your thighs ect if you have any chaffing as the salt stings any vulnerable skin and can spoil the experience.

Are there plans somewhere where one can MAKE one of these pods?

reply to post by anon4m05


Wow I would love to try this! I wonder if they have any around my area...

I bet It's a total trip, not sure if I could handle an hour in there though. Thanks for this OP

I just took a look and for anyone in Washington state, you have to go up near Seattle or Spokane area. Maybe sometime next year I will try it out.

I found a place about an hour from me, the gf and I are gonna check it out after thanksgiving

Originally posted by Boypony


Here's a link if you don't believe me.... en.wikipedia.org...

I speak from experience since I built and used a tank in the late 80's. The universe and Reality itself opens up in the tank with help from said entheogenic helpers. You come out as a different person........with no fear of death and an understanding of what you really are......an eternal, powerful spiritual being that has temporarily forgot who he is....playing the game of being human to gain experiences that will be returned to Source when you "die".

I used to visit a commune in Taos New Mexico that had a Lilly Tank. My experience with the entheogenic helpers and the tank opened up a dimension that to this day I can't even begin to understand or describe The phrase that was in use at the time was "mind blowing"....that describes it perfectly.

It looked like this one.

www.borderbuy.com...

Yes float tanks are great!

My friend has done it a few times and highly recommends it. Apparently it produced quite an interesting altered state. Unfortunately there isn't one within a few hundred miles of me.

Made an appointment to do my first float next Tuesday... Will post here about it afterward.

reply to post by hawkiye


Awsome, can't wait to hear about your experience. Enjoy

Ok as promised I did a float on Tuesday and it was very interesting. It took some getting used to and takes a while to really let go. It took me a long time. It can get you into a deep meditation pretty quick without years of practice, I have not been meditating like I used to so my mind took a while to calm and I kept trying to control it. The ego is like a spoiled child demanding attention. I finally got to a good place and had some visions and flashes of revelation but definitely not as much as I had hoped before my time was up. However I know with another float or two I could get there faster and go deeper so to speak. When I finally really started getting to that place the time was up.

It also helped with some old injuries I have from MMA. I did notice I was much more calm afterward for the next couple of days and everything seemed a bit new or kind of like when you were a kid at Disneyland or someplace similar for the first time all wild eyed and fascinated with the magical world around you. Things that normally would agitate me were no big deal. As I write this that feeling has faded quite a bit. I could definitely see doing this regularly changing my life in many areas I would like to. They offered me another float for half price and i definitely want to do it again anyway. I will probably use them for a while and then build one for myself.

Well worth it...

I think if we could get people doing this on Sundays instead of going to church the world would be a better place.