Ever want to just let your mind drift away and not think about anything going on in your life? Some may say to practice meditation but that can be hard if that’s not a part of your daily life. One solution for those who are interested in actionable ways to practice finding inner peace and connecting with your spirit, is to try floatation therapy.
What is floatation therapy? It is the practice of entering a pod-like tub (a sensory depravation tank) that contains 10 inches of body-temperature water, blended with 1,000 pounds of epsom salt (or magnesium sulphate). The salt content allows the participant to float in salt water at skin temperature. This amount of salt and detoxification promotes stimulation, and is used as an anti-inflammatory for any aches and pains.
It was such an inspiring experience to be able to try this at the new studio in Marina Del Rey, called Pause Float Studio.
When you first enter the studio, you’re greeted with warm blue tones on the walls and a quietness that immediately calms you.
Your experience begins by removing your shoes and getting taken back into individual rooms, where each of the sensory deprivation tanks are located.
Each room has a private shower, where you rinse off before and after stepping into the tank.
Once you’ve rinsed off, you step into the pod and begin your hour-long float.
Some could say a float session is a form of “forced meditation”. There is no where to go, you are “forced” to stay in the pod for the complete hour (you can of course get out if you’d like, but not recommended), and there is either the option of listening to soothing quiet meditation music or to have complete silence in a dimly lit pod that can also be adjusted to complete darkness.
Because of the lack of external stimulation, being in the tank really forces you to breathe slower, unwind your body, and open your mind. When you let your mind drift off into the half-awake/half-dreaming space – this is called the Theta state – this is where meditation and creativity exist. Once Theta state is reached the production of the stress hormone Cortisol drops and dopamine (feel good hormones) rise.
Actually being in the tank was a bit surreal. It was almost an out of body experience – I knew I was floating and my body was there but because it is so effortless and you are floating without trying, I had to actually mindfully move my toes and fingers to remind myself that I was there. There is definitely a likelihood to fall asleep in the tank and if you do, let yourself go there! It just means you are truly relaxed. At the end of the 60 minute session, a recording will come on that will help bring you back to full consciousness.
After emerging from the tank after sixty minutes, I rinsed off and went to the separate meditation room where turmeric tea was waiting for me. This was a quiet place where you can remain quiet and begin to regain some of your senses.
My general recommendation is to come at a time when you are ready to be open-minded and find peace in other ways. I’m a huge advocate for journaling, yoga, and general rest, in order to calm my mind, so I was looking for other ways that could further my goal to general mental clarity. This definitely did the trick!
Contact
13353 Washington Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90066
310.439.1972
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