The Sensory Deprivation Tank
Hey guys.
On my rare weekday off, I decided to do something wild and treat myself to a spa day in a sensory deprivation tank. I'd heard good things from people and decided that I wanted to try it for myself after talking to a few people who've gone for floats. I probably should called this section Daniel's Day Off, now that I think about it. Oh, well, too late.
I decided to go to Go With The Float, a cute play on the phrase "go with the flow" (for those who are not native English speakers & may not know the phrase) all the way up in Easthampton. It's a 40-45 minute drive from where I am, but on the public transit buses, it can take anywhere from 2-3.5 hours one way! I booked online, tried to book online, but it wouldn't let me. I figured that I may be able to get some time in when I arrived at the spa to let them know I was having issues with the site and there were open slots available online.
I decided to go to Go With The Float, a cute play on the phrase "go with the flow" (for those who are not native English speakers & may not know the phrase) all the way up in Easthampton. It's a 40-45 minute drive from where I am, but on the public transit buses, it can take anywhere from 2-3.5 hours one way! I booked online, tried to book online, but it wouldn't let me. I figured that I may be able to get some time in when I arrived at the spa to let them know I was having issues with the site and there were open slots available online.
I pull back the curtains and realise that today was one of the days of the week it was going to rain. And I have to be on and off buses all day. Fuck. Well, it's my day off and I really need this, seeing as I may work Friday if a shift becomes available. I deserve a good time. Maybe the rain will let up. By the time I get to Holyoke to transfer and I see there is a half-hour wait on top of the 45-minute bus trip to the spa, I'm in no mood. I've ridden through East Longmeadow, Springfield, East Springfield, Chicopee and Holyoke. I don't want to have to ride anymore into Easthampton. I check how much it is to Lyft or Uber to the spa; $13.00. I can afford that. It shaves so much time off the travel and I really want to be able to get in today after all the effort I've made to get there.
As we drive around Mt Tom, I look up into the mountain that towers over us. The fog hangs heavily on the top of the mountain, cloaking the top half. Everything feels dark and brooding. It feels like I'm in a horror film of some sort and the Lyft driver is going to turn out to be some sort of serial killer who wants to kill me, skin me and turn my skin into decorative pieces of his lair. I feel my anxiety throbbing in my arteries and veins, threatening to burst through my chest. (Physically, I know this cannot happen, it's just a sensation.) I make it to the spa and realise that it's right next to Insa, the dispensary that I always go to. I choke back laughter upon realising that I never noticed that it's literally around the corner from the place I've been going for months. I felt like a blond for a few moments.
I walk into the building and down the hall to the float spa. Upon walking in, I'm hit with a wonderful calming scent, dim light and an extremely relaxing atmosphere. There's a woman in her late 40's typing at a small laptop behind a desk. She looks up and warmly welcomes me. I really didn't know what to expect walking in here. I'd never been to a proper spa before this. There's light, calming music playing in the background as well.
I explain to her that I was unable to book online, it wouldn't let me and I was hoping that there would be an appointment available today. I had my fingers crossed seeing as if not I'd made the trip all the way up here for nothing, well not nothing, I could go to the dispensary next door. She looks through the computer and tells me that she has the very first spot for the day open, she could help me pay for the float online now and then set everything up for me. I couldn't have been more ecstatic.
My float paid for, she heads to set up the bath and the tub while I make myself comfortable. We chat about our lives, making good conversation. It's been a while since I had such a good conversation like this. Generally, I'm pretty shy, but I felt really comfortable there. She returns a few moments later and tells me that I need to read and initial a waiver stating that I understand what floating is, the rules of using the tank and things of that nature. I quickly fill out the paper, read through it and mark my initials on it. It doesn't take long for the bath to warm up. (It's always best to pee before getting in the bath so you don't have to get out.) I follow her down a short corridor and into the first floating room. It's beautiful. It has a large shower right in the room, the colour of the wall is a warm cream that just makes you feel calm and draws in warmth. The heat of the bath I can't feel yet, but I'm sure as soon as I open the sealed door the humidity will hit me like a train.
We go over the rules for the bath, how I will know when my time is up and some of the tips on having the best float that I can. She tells me to enjoy myself and shuts the door behind her. Promptly I strip naked and take a few selfies. I want to document this trip, not only is it my first time, but I wanted to be able to share it with my mates and people who read the blog so that they could try it if they really wanted.
You need to take a shower before you get in the bath to wash away any dirt, grim, lotions, hair products and any other things that may be in your hair on your skin. It's kinda like using a public pool or sauna in that respect. I'm not bothered by that, I love showers. (Yeah, I'm one of those people.) I take a shower, making sure that all my hair product and deodorant is off me. Standing wet, naked and with earplugs in (you need to put them in before getting in the bath to help keep the saltwater out of your ears.)
I open the door to the chamber and I'm hit with pure warmth. It's humid like a Florida summer. Jumpin Jesus. Well, here goes nothing. I step into the barth. The water isn't that deep. I don't know why, but I expected the water level to be a little higher. It looked higher when I took a photo of the bath. I almost instantly start to float. The water is warm and feels silky. Within a few minutes of soaking in the bath, glowing blue under the light my skin feels the smoothest it's ever been. It feels like I've had my entire body shaved and smothered in baby oil. ((I wonder why they call it baby oil. I mean, I know they put it on babies, but it sounds like they're about to put the baby in the oven with some potatoes, rosemary and carrots. Dunno, maybe it's just me.)) I'm so smooth.
It takes some effort but I manage to flip myself over. I don't want to put my face under the water, so I hold my head up, letting the front of my body really soak in the salt bath for a little bit. I flip back over, turn off the little blue light and shut my eyes. I let my mind wander.
It's almost like I can see everything. My mind produces colours and sensations I've never experienced before. I see a dragon. I am the dragon. I slither through the sky, wings outstretched, helping me glide above the hills and valleys. I see mountains rise above me, I'm unburdened and unbothered. I'm higher than high, sailing through my fears. The warmth spreads through my entire body. I'm calm, letting the colours of the spectrum colour my thoughts. I'm completely weightless. I can stretch my entire body out in the tank and I do. I feel a calm that I haven't felt in the longest time. I kinda don't want it to end.
When I step out of the bath, I'm still just as soft as when I was floating in there. The weightlessness is the one thing I will miss. Letting my body and mind fully relax. Feeling the muscle tension and aches from work sooth themselves out was a rare treat. I sit for a few minutes going through my thoughts, wondering what I want to put in the blog and how I want to go about writing it. Whilst floating in the tank I had so many great ideas for drawing and writing. I just need to figure out how to execute them and find the time I need to do it all. There are some things that I will need to learn how to do. I asked a few people for help but to no avail. That's one thing that bothers me endlessnessly. There are few people who actually care enough about me to help me. Those people I appreciate endlessly. Sometimes I'm not the best at expressing that.
I just really want to take a shower I can really enjoy. I want to feel out in the open and just let the hot water splash over me. I want to bask in the continued calm while my mind runs, so I get out of the bath a few minutes before. My sister texts me, but I ignore the text message alert. This is Dan time. I don't want to step out into the real world just yet. I work the shampoo through my hair, and down my neck. Everything about me is soft and salty. I love it. This is better than any ocean I've ever been in. I'm crusted with salt. Though I do want to go to Isreal and float in the Dead Sea. It's supposed to be the same thing.
I step under the showerhead and turn the temperature to roast. The hot water washes over my softened muscles. It feels like Heaven. The only way it would be better if I were high. I work the soap all over my entire body, washing away all the soap and all the tension that was left in me. Having time to me where I don't have to worry about bills, work, the train wreck my life is has been very therapeutic for me.
I explain to her that I was unable to book online, it wouldn't let me and I was hoping that there would be an appointment available today. I had my fingers crossed seeing as if not I'd made the trip all the way up here for nothing, well not nothing, I could go to the dispensary next door. She looks through the computer and tells me that she has the very first spot for the day open, she could help me pay for the float online now and then set everything up for me. I couldn't have been more ecstatic.
My float paid for, she heads to set up the bath and the tub while I make myself comfortable. We chat about our lives, making good conversation. It's been a while since I had such a good conversation like this. Generally, I'm pretty shy, but I felt really comfortable there. She returns a few moments later and tells me that I need to read and initial a waiver stating that I understand what floating is, the rules of using the tank and things of that nature. I quickly fill out the paper, read through it and mark my initials on it. It doesn't take long for the bath to warm up. (It's always best to pee before getting in the bath so you don't have to get out.) I follow her down a short corridor and into the first floating room. It's beautiful. It has a large shower right in the room, the colour of the wall is a warm cream that just makes you feel calm and draws in warmth. The heat of the bath I can't feel yet, but I'm sure as soon as I open the sealed door the humidity will hit me like a train.
You need to take a shower before you get in the bath to wash away any dirt, grim, lotions, hair products and any other things that may be in your hair on your skin. It's kinda like using a public pool or sauna in that respect. I'm not bothered by that, I love showers. (Yeah, I'm one of those people.) I take a shower, making sure that all my hair product and deodorant is off me. Standing wet, naked and with earplugs in (you need to put them in before getting in the bath to help keep the saltwater out of your ears.)
I open the door to the chamber and I'm hit with pure warmth. It's humid like a Florida summer. Jumpin Jesus. Well, here goes nothing. I step into the barth. The water isn't that deep. I don't know why, but I expected the water level to be a little higher. It looked higher when I took a photo of the bath. I almost instantly start to float. The water is warm and feels silky. Within a few minutes of soaking in the bath, glowing blue under the light my skin feels the smoothest it's ever been. It feels like I've had my entire body shaved and smothered in baby oil. ((I wonder why they call it baby oil. I mean, I know they put it on babies, but it sounds like they're about to put the baby in the oven with some potatoes, rosemary and carrots. Dunno, maybe it's just me.)) I'm so smooth.
It takes some effort but I manage to flip myself over. I don't want to put my face under the water, so I hold my head up, letting the front of my body really soak in the salt bath for a little bit. I flip back over, turn off the little blue light and shut my eyes. I let my mind wander.
It's almost like I can see everything. My mind produces colours and sensations I've never experienced before. I see a dragon. I am the dragon. I slither through the sky, wings outstretched, helping me glide above the hills and valleys. I see mountains rise above me, I'm unburdened and unbothered. I'm higher than high, sailing through my fears. The warmth spreads through my entire body. I'm calm, letting the colours of the spectrum colour my thoughts. I'm completely weightless. I can stretch my entire body out in the tank and I do. I feel a calm that I haven't felt in the longest time. I kinda don't want it to end.
When I step out of the bath, I'm still just as soft as when I was floating in there. The weightlessness is the one thing I will miss. Letting my body and mind fully relax. Feeling the muscle tension and aches from work sooth themselves out was a rare treat. I sit for a few minutes going through my thoughts, wondering what I want to put in the blog and how I want to go about writing it. Whilst floating in the tank I had so many great ideas for drawing and writing. I just need to figure out how to execute them and find the time I need to do it all. There are some things that I will need to learn how to do. I asked a few people for help but to no avail. That's one thing that bothers me endlessnessly. There are few people who actually care enough about me to help me. Those people I appreciate endlessly. Sometimes I'm not the best at expressing that.
I just really want to take a shower I can really enjoy. I want to feel out in the open and just let the hot water splash over me. I want to bask in the continued calm while my mind runs, so I get out of the bath a few minutes before. My sister texts me, but I ignore the text message alert. This is Dan time. I don't want to step out into the real world just yet. I work the shampoo through my hair, and down my neck. Everything about me is soft and salty. I love it. This is better than any ocean I've ever been in. I'm crusted with salt. Though I do want to go to Isreal and float in the Dead Sea. It's supposed to be the same thing.
I step under the showerhead and turn the temperature to roast. The hot water washes over my softened muscles. It feels like Heaven. The only way it would be better if I were high. I work the soap all over my entire body, washing away all the soap and all the tension that was left in me. Having time to me where I don't have to worry about bills, work, the train wreck my life is has been very therapeutic for me.
WHAT IS FLOATING?
It's a bath filled with Epsom salts that you float in naked. That's the simplest I can put it. You lay in a chamber, they fill the bath with warm water to match the body's temperature and add the salt to it. You can either float in the chamber with a small source of light or you can float in the dark. While in the chamber, you should really do it in the dark, you let your mind water and your body relax. Whilst in the chamber you put in earplugs, to not only keep the saltwater out of the tank but to help you to block out any noise.
It's a bath filled with Epsom salts that you float in naked. That's the simplest I can put it. You lay in a chamber, they fill the bath with warm water to match the body's temperature and add the salt to it. You can either float in the chamber with a small source of light or you can float in the dark. While in the chamber, you should really do it in the dark, you let your mind water and your body relax. Whilst in the chamber you put in earplugs, to not only keep the saltwater out of the tank but to help you to block out any noise.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Some people consider floating a form of alternative medicine for both the body and mind, I have to agree. It may be a case of mind over matter when it comes to the physical aspects, but it does let both your mind and body completely relax. When you get out of the chamber, your muscles feel pliable, your skin is smoother, your mind feels decluttered.
Some people consider floating a form of alternative medicine for both the body and mind, I have to agree. It may be a case of mind over matter when it comes to the physical aspects, but it does let both your mind and body completely relax. When you get out of the chamber, your muscles feel pliable, your skin is smoother, your mind feels decluttered.
Go With the Float Website:
From their website you can book floats online, massages online, buy a gift certificate for yourself or a loved one and much more. If you live in Western Massachusetts or feel like taking a little drive, check out Go With the Float in Easthampton!
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