Floating – Looking Within
Reflections on Floatation Therapy
A recent visit to Reboot Float Spa in the Marina with Cam and Howie.
Back in January 2017 I started feeling pain in my lower back after doing some heavy deadlifts and squats. My primary care doctor referred me to a chiropractor, so I went for six or seven sessions after which I decided to stop because I could still feel the pain and I didn't feel like the treatment was working. I talked to my supervisor at work about it and he suggested floating to me. I asked him, "floating? What do you mean floating?" He said it's great for all kinds of chronic pain and he referred me to Reboot Float Spa where he goes on a routine basis. I gave it a try really enjoyed it. The first time I went, they asked me to watch this introductory video on a tablet while I was waiting for my float tank to become available. After the first session, I felt a very distinct difference in lower back and later learned that it was likely that the spinal decompression effect of floating helped relieve the pain.
I was very happy after my first float session and became interested in the other health benefits associated with floating. I came across this documentary on YouTube, Float Nation and I thought it was very interesting, especially the positive effects on the brain and the aspect of achieving a higher state of consciousness. It reminded me of what Oprah says about her goal to raise humanity's consciousness. I definitely feel that for me, floating gives me an opportunity to really look within myself and feeling like I connect with some greater intelligence. I think it can be scary sometimes in that I've had moments in the tank where I seem to slip out of this joyful state and into moments of terror and panic, for seemingly no reason at all - then I have to think myself back into that relaxed, joyful, dream-like state.
I recently came across this clip of Daria in psychotherapy where she talks about her sister: "Quinn wears superficiality like a suit of armor because she's afraid of looking inside and finding absolutely nothing..." I thought it was really funny because I've been seeing a psychologist for the last few months since a friend of mine committed suicide last September and I felt like I could relate to Quinn because I can often be a little superficial – in turning to shopping and other materialistic activities as a way to cope with my emotional problems. It made me ask myself, am I afraid of looking inside myself? Then I thought, no... I'm not. I think one of the most important health benefits of floating is that you get the opportunity to look inside yourself, without any other kind of sensory distraction. I highly recommend it. I would even say it's better than psychotherapy – and less expensive.
This is what the float tank looks like.
Here I am about to get inside the tank. When you get inside the tank the light slowly dims off and you float away to nirvana... The temperature of the water and the air inside the tank is the same so it causes this extraordinary feeling of nothingness.
