A few weeks back I had my first experience of a flotation tank (also called by various names such as sensory deprivation tank or float). It was an entirely new experience and I didn’t quite know what to make of it. I probably went to a deep sleep for most of the hour inside the tank, it was such a relaxing experience. The organizers informed me that the meditation experience becomes progressively deep for many people after the second or third session, so I was intrigued enough to repeat the session.
Last weekend I signed up for another float session in Bangalore. This time I suppose I was more experienced and mentally prepared. The idea of a flotation tank is that you lose all kinds of sensory stimuli, you are basically floating in salty water in total darkness, total weightlessness and total silence. We are used to being bombarded with stimuli all our lives, mobile phones, endless news, other people, running around etc. So this experience is rather different from what we are used to.
Difference with a meditation session
A bit about the difference of a float experience with a mindfulness meditation session. In a meditation session (at least the mindfulness one) one typically sits erect on a cushion, is aware of all sensations and in fact, makes an effort to make a mental note of each bodily and thought stimuli (such as breathing, itches, pains, thoughts) without getting too deeply into any of them. In a float, one doesn’t have to do anything consciously, although one can choose to if he or she wishes. The setup is such that deep relaxation and meditative states naturally happen. We humans have a natural affinity with water, floating on warm water gives an impression of floating in space. Its a bit like being in a womb, I suppose.
The setup
The setup, or preparation, is pretty much common sense and designed to let you get the most of your experience. Try to get a good night’s sleep. Eat a light breakfast or have as less food as possible in the morning of your float session, without any stimulants like tea or coffee. Try to keep a calm mind throughout the day. When you arrive at the place of the tank at the time of your pre-booked appointment (mine was at 1000 petals in Bangalore), first you are given a glass of water (there is also a water bottle next to the tank in case you need it). Then have a quick shower. Take off your clothes and anything you are wearing such as glasses or a watch. Put earplugs to protect your ears from water. Turn off the lights in the room and then gently step into the tank. The tank is quite beautiful, big enough to fit your body and shaped a bit like a pearl in an oyster. The managers of the place ensure that the timer is set for exactly an hour and that the tank is warmed up to the appropriate temperature, not too cold and not too hot. You push the buttons to close the lid of the tank and turn off the blue lights, so you are in complete darkness and nobody to disturb you. When the time is up, the earplugs play gentle music at the end of the hour and the room lights are switched on so that you know when to get up. Then you have a nice long shower to wash off the salt that might be sticking to your body. Finally you emerge from the room, rejuvenated, fresh and energized. For the rest of the day, the advice is to not get into too stressful situations so as not to lose the relaxed mind, and maybe later have a short meditation session before going to bed.
My experience
This time round, I was determined to really make the most of my time in the flotation tank, and experiment with different kinds of meditations to see which one would work best.
The experience of first closing the lid of the flotation tank was, at least for me, a little scary, so I opted to leave a little bit open. Some of us have a habit of holding on to our ground, even this body, so in a flotation tank when you have to let go of the body completely it can be an unnerving experience. I had a little difficulty in really letting go and not touching at least one of the walls, but eventually managed to float completely. Its a bit strange since even when we sleep, we have to let go, but the ground of the bed is still holding us. Here in the float session, the water is in a way invisible and at the same temperature as the skin, so one loses any feeling of it. Also, the posture of the body is something to be mindful of in the beginning, one has to be straight and relaxed. The lands may float on the sides on on your chest. Moving too much, on the other hand, causes the water to splash and can disturb you. So its best to try not to move. I later realized I had forgotten to take off my glasses, but I did not notice it during the whole session!
Bodily movements is one thing, but the mind is of a more difficult nature, since we cant always control our thoughts. So I tried some meditation on specific objects. I began a meditation on the breath, being aware of the in and out breath and the flow of the breath. Taking deep breaths makes the stomach go up and down in rhythm with the breathing. In the total silence one can actually hear ones own breathing quite loudly!
Then I tried some loving kindness meditation, where with each out breath one imagines sending out good vibrations to all beings in the universe. That experience was much better and more powerful than in a normal meditation session. I felt almost floating out of my body. The sense of calm was quite deep. It felt relaxing and I felt a deep feeling of gratitude to have this chance, this experience and the feeling of sharing love and compassion with all beings. I also tried a little bit of openness meditation where one breathes out to the openness of space. Even though I was inside a pod, it didn’t feel claustrophobic.
After this mindful session, I drifted off to a kind of deep sleep (which they say is marked by the activation of the theta rhythms of our brain). I only awoke when the hour’s time was over and gentle music came though the earphones. An important thing is not to suddenly jump out of the tank, but to take it in slowly and reflect on one’s state of mind before stepping out of the tank and into the shower room.
This time’s flotation experience for me was far more profound than the first time and I also sensed a feeling of calm that lasted throughout the day. I would highly recommend anyone who is interested in meditation to have a go at a session inside a flotation tank.
