Have you tried floating yet?
And then it went dark. And I mean very dark. Pitch black. Never could I remember it being quite this dark. Even in the remotest parts of Australia, there is the moon. And the stars. Planes flickering across the skies. Satellites. Now, nothing. Then the soft, soothing music stopped.
Is this the loudest I have ever heard silence? What does silence sound like? It is not often we get the chance to experience it this purely. We go about our lives bombarded by a cacophony of sound. Whether we realise it or not. When all this disappears, it can be deafening. All I could do was embrace it. I was going to be here for some time.
Floating at the Swan Valley Retreat
I was staying at the Swan Valley Retreat, 30 minutes from the Perth CBD, and finally got to “float”. Having read numerous reports about the benefits of floating, I figured it was time to get undressed, and try it for myself.
A float tank, sometimes called a sensory deprivation tank, is a large, sci-fi looking pod, filled with enough salt water, at a temperature perfectly matched to your body, to allow you to float and give your body the sensation of zero gravity. You climb inside, close the lid on top of you, and lie on your back, gently floating. For the first few minutes there is soft music to accompany you, and then nothing until one hour later when the soft music returns to signal your time is up.
Claustraphobia Whilst Floating?
It is a strange sensation. No sound. No light. Just you, floating, with your thoughts. It sounds a little bit daunting, doesn’t it? And I did find myself wondering how long I had been in there. Whether I should meditate. Or just breathe and be mindful.
“Your mind will run away with you”, I was advised, as I was being shown around. Just relax, and let it. Maybe my meditation practice will come in handy for the next 60 minutes.
Hopefully, mediatating may help me stop worrying whether I would get claustrophobic. I once had to make a hasty exit out of the tunnels of Cu Chi in Ho Chi Minh city, Vietnam. Would I be hastily looking for the lid of the float tank to let in some light?
Thankfully, I was not claustrophobic. I opened my eyes. Everything black. I closed them, same outcome. I let my eyes adjust to the dark, and well, it was just dark. All light is completely shut off.
As it turns out, I did meditate. And it did help. I also did some mindful breathing. I let my mind wander wherever it wanted to go. Always coming back to the breath. Then, I heard the music come back on. One hour has passed already? Couldn’t I stay in just a little longer? I was just getting comfortable.
I honestly felt a lot more relaxed, and chilled, even after just one float. I read afterwards that a 60 minute float is equivalent to a full nights sleep. I’m all in. Already I am wondering, when I can next float?
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