This week, as a birthday present to myself, I decided to go and do what I thought would be putting myself into the ultimate state of relaxation.
I went and did a 60 minute float in an i-sopod flotation tank full of 1,100 pounds of epsom salt, which causes you to stay on the surface of the water and float the entire time. The buoyancy is greater than the Dead Sea, so you cannot sink. Prior to the float you are given detailed instructions, which include a button to turn the light back on if you need it and a panic button.
As I climbed in the tank and was getting ready to close the lid down, I thought “what have I gotten myself into!?!?” The first 10 minutes I was just getting settled in to the idea of being in the capsule for an hour. And after 10 minutes, the lights and soothing ocean sounds shut off and you are in complete darkness and dead silence (if you choose that option, which I did).
At first, I was realizing that I now believe I know what it would be like to be trapped alive in a casket. Then, I started to tell myself that “I’ve got this” and that I know I can go for the next 40 minutes until the blue light comes back on when I have 10 minutes left.
It was a silence like nothing that I’ve ever experienced. All you can hear is the sound of your own breathing. And the occasional water drop if you move your hand that instantly had me go to a vision of “Silence of the Lambs” and being trapped at the bottom of a well (amazing where our minds can go sometimes).
I learned alot about trust and surrender that day. I had to trust that I was not going to fall asleep, roll over and drown in the water somehow. I had to trust that there wasn’t some creepy creeperson secretly checking me out in my “birthday suit” in my private room somehow and that this was a classy facility (which it absolutely was, it’s incredible :)). I had to trust that I could work through any claustrophobic feelings that would arise and that this capsule wouldn’t somehow lock behind me and I would definitely be able to get out when I was ready.
If you think you like to spend time alone, go float. It will be alone time like you’ve never had before. My friend that went with me and was floating in a different room at the same time and I were talking afterwards about how we became more aware of our thoughts and the things we tell ourselves than ever before while we were floating.
It was interesting to see how truly at every moment in our lives we are either telling ourselves something positive or something negative. Something encouraging or something that could be detrimental.
I was very aware of my thoughts and instantly realized that I could either make or break this whole experience for myself. I turned my thoughts into positive ones and told myself beautiful things about myself and the experience. I ran my fingers over my skin and felt a silkiness like no other and appreciated the benefits I was giving my mind, body and spirit. I prayed.
And then I feel like I learned the definition of surrender like never before, which is something I needed to keep learning for myself in my life. I need to trust in the perfect unfolding of my life and continue to stop trying to control things so much and just surrender and trust all that is to come.
Once I was able to surrender, I was able to relax and completely enjoy myself. I made it through until the blue light came back on. Then, at that point I thought “oh that was totally easy, I could stay in here all day now” since I could now see again.
Would I do it again? Absolutely! And anyone in the DFW area, I recommend you check out The Float Spot in Frisco because it’s amazing! And anyone in other areas, you could search for these types of floatation facilities. I’ve heard the more you do it, the more relaxed you become and that’s when you can really start to reap even more benefits of what all floating can do for you. It can help with injuries, expand your creativity, improve circulation, promote sleep, boost your immune system, reduce stress and provide the ultimate state of relaxation…just to name a few things.
We spent time before and after in a massage machine as well, which was another incredible experience that I would highly recommend. You can read more about that on the link below.
What is your ultimate state of relaxation and have you given yourself the gift of getting to experience it lately? If not, would you consider doing it soon? Birthday or not, we all deserve to give ourselves a break every once in a while and relax. To step away from the computer and put the phone away, even if it’s only for an hour. The results can be astounding and are so well-deserved for each and every one of us.