Why are there are three names for one amazing experience! Some refer to the tank as a floatation tank while others say deprivation or isolation. Words can have an interesting impact on ones emotions; either supporting the desire for the experience or creating a little hesitancy.
From my perspective the tank offers effortless floating while depriving the body and mind of external input in an isolated environment. Where else would we get this sort of experience? Of course it’s the FLOAT TANK! Even the word tank is interesting when people consider stepping into a “tank”, could sound scary and yet it is the safest and most sacred experience one could have when approaching with an open mind.
Cara floating peacefully.
The experience one gets from stepping into a solution of 100 gallons of water and 800 lbs. of epson salt is like nothing else on this planet. Kudo’s to our founder; John C. Lilly for having the foresight as a visionary of current times of added stress in our society.
Forty years since the birth of floating and still the general public struggles to understand this phenomenon; to ponder the thought of climbing into the tank; into an unknown experience and the deepest form of relaxation and rejuvenation known to the planet. At least for most!
Others may listen to the idea of floating; ponder yet never get to experience the silence of the sounds of the inner landscape of our being. Some may never take the plunge to hear the sweet sounds of their own heart or the oxygen flowing ever so gently into and out of the lungs or hear the spine as it realigns itself to it’s natural state of perfection. And yet others will take the plunge and experience themselves at the deepest levels of being, simply being in the silence, the experience of a connection to themselves and a higher consciousness.
Is the Isolation, Deprivation, or Floatation experience calling out to you? If so, don’t keep putting this off, your body and mind so need this time out from this game of life.
We are here for you in a sweet little town of West Boylston, MA where the water is surrounded by wooded area and wild life. Located in a strip mall with a fabulous healthy pet food store, Maggies and next to our town Post Office. Two great places to eat lunch or dinner in our lot for after your float or before. Just don’t eat too much before your float, you will spend your time listening to your digestive system process and assimilate your meal.
“For depression, flotation was equal to counseling at near 70%, with relaxation training at 53% and physical therapy and medication at 20%.”
Flotation REST in Applied Psychophysiology Thomas H. Fine, M.A. and Roderick Borrie, Ph.D.
Thomas H. Fine is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry of the Medical College of Ohio. He began his research and clinical work with Biofeedback in 1975, and, with John Turner, initiated the Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy research program at MCO in 1978.
Roderick A Borrie, Ph.D. is a Clinical Psychologist at South Oaks Hospital, Amityville, New York. He began his exploration of therapeutic uses of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy at the University of British Columbia with Dr. Peter Suedfeld, and continues to use it in current work with patients suffering chronic pain and illness.
Introduction
Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) has fascinated many researchers, clinicians, and explorers of consciousness, promising something special - a powerful transformation, a mystical peak experience, an intense change in biochemicals, improved performance, or a healing of our ills. Beyond the fascination, Flotation REST has established itself as a unique method in the field of applied psychophysiology. Flotation REST has proven to be a technique with predictable psychophysiological effects and powerful clinical and performance applications. This article will provide the reader with an introduction to the basic research into Flotation REST’s psychophysiological effects, and a brief overview of the clinical and performance applications currently in use by REST clinicians and researchers. The article will examine in greater detail the use of Flotation REST as an intervention for chronic pain.
REST is an acronym for Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique, a name developed in the late 1970s by Peter Suedfeld and Roderick Borrie for a technique that had previously been called Sensory Deprivation (SD) or Sensory Isolation. Since much of the early SD research had been misinterpreted, especially by writers of introductory psychology texts, a widely accepted myth developed that SD environments were highly stressful, even models for producing psychotic like experiences. This led to difficulties with the Sensory Deprivation concept. Ultimately Suedfeld and Borrie proposed that, since the process involves restricting the environmental stimulation that the patient or subject experiences, REST would be a more accurate and less provocative acronym.
Flotation REST is a special type of REST popularized by John C. Lilly, M.D. Lilly developed an immersion system in the late 1950s at that was used in early SD experiments. In the 1960s he developed a flotation system in which a person floats in a light free, sound reduced chamber in a highly concentrated solution of Epsom Salt and water maintained at a constant temperature of 9,4.5 F (Lilly, 1977, p. 118).
Both Wet and Dry REST systems have been utilized in research and practice. Wet-REST systems utilize flotation in salt water, and Dry-REST systems utilize a modified REST environment in which a pliable 15 mm. polymer membrane separated the floater from the fluid (Turner, Gerard, Hyland, Neilands, & Fine, 1993).
At the Medical College of Ohio, John Turner and I conducted a series of studies investigating the psychophysiological effects of brief sessions of Flotation REST. The REST environment used in all of these studies was a plastic or fiberglass chamber, approximately 1.1 m. x 1.3 m. x 2.5 m. filled to a 25 cm. depth with saturated epsom salts (Mg SO) solution having a specific gravity of 1.28 and temperature maintained at 34.5 C. The chamber was light-free and the sound level was less than 10 decibels, with further attenuation due to submersion of the ears in the solution. The general protocol consisted of 30-40 minute sessions repeated approximately every third day with a total number ranging from 4 to 20 sessions per study.
The first parameter we addressed was the subjective report of the REST experience. We utilized several indices of subjective reports including the Spielberger state anxiety scale, Zuckerman multiple affect adjective checklist (Turner & Fine, 1990a), profile of mood states (POMS) (Turner, Fine, Ewy, Sershon, & Frelich, 1989), and subjective rating scales of emotion and relaxation. All of the initial studies found marked pre-post and across-session changes indicating relaxation, an increase in positive emotion and a decrease in negative emotions. In addition, an analysis of well over 1,000 descriptions of the REST experience indicated that more than 90% of subjects found REST deeply relaxing.
Psychophysiological Effects of Flotation Rest
In choosing physiological parameters of the REST effect on relaxation, we examined the basic physiological and biochemical hormonal changes associated with stress responding. Physiological parameters measured included blood pressure (BP), muscle tension (EMG), and heart rate (HR). Hormonal parameters included both adrenal axis hormones such as ACTH, epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol and aldosterone, and hormones not mediating stress responding (luteinizing hormone and testosterone). Both within and across-session decreases have been observed in various hormones. Hormones directly associated with the stress response. Cortisol, ACTH and epinephrine showed decreases during REST sessions, whereas luteinizing hormone, which is not associated with the stress response, showed no change (Turner & Fine 1983). Likewise, across-session decreases were observed in adrenal-associated hormones (cortisol, aldosterone, renin activity), while a hormone unrelated to stress response (testosterone) did not shown across-session changes (Turner & Fine, 1990a). In a separate study, we examined the across-session effect on both mean cortisol values and their variability, observing a decrease in both parameters (Turner and Fine, 1991). This suggests the possibility of a resetting of the regulatory mechanism of cortisol across sessions. Furthermore, cortisol, which has received more attention than the other hormones, and Blood Pressure, have been shown to maintain the REST effect after cessation of repeated REST sessions (Turner & Fine, 1983). This phenomenon suggests that the REST effect may be more than a simple, immediately reversible response.
Interestingly, in comparing hormonal and BP changes in REST with these changes in another relaxation condition (biofeedback), REST consistently showed greater hormonal effects but similar BP effects to biofeedback assisted relaxation (McGrady, Turner, Fine, & Higgins. 1987). These results led us to consider that REST affects different mechanisms than the biofeedback (since it affected cortisol levels when other methods did not) or was simply more powerful (i.e. REST reached the threshold for cortisol change but biofeedback did not).
Clinical Applications of Flotation REST
These results provide strong support for the hypothesis that Flotation REST serves as a powerful relaxation inducer and has clinical potential in working with patients who have stress-related disorders. There have been several clinical studies that have employed REST as a treatment. The disorders treated include essential hypertension, muscle tension headache, anxiety disorders, chronic pain, psychophysiological insomnia, PMS, and rheumatoid arthritis (Fine and Turner, 1985; Rzewnicki, Alistair, Wallbaum, Steel, Suedfeld, 1990; Fine and Tumer, 1985; Goldstein and Jessen, 1990; Turner, DeLeon, Gibson, & Fine, 1993). The treatment paradigms used in these studies were similar, with REST serving as the primary method of relaxation induction and training. All of these studies demonstrated positive results from the use of REST. One of the unique effects of REST demonstrated in these studies was that chronic pain patients frequently experienced an absence of all pain during flotation, and that this spontaneous anesthesia could remain for up to several hours after the session. Unfortunately, as with many bio-behavioral treatment approaches, the large scale controlled trials have yet to be undertaken.
Flotation REST and Performance Enhancement
A separate, exciting area is the use of Flotation REST in the enhancement of human performance. Several studies, carried out primarily in the research programs of Peter Suedfeld at the University of British Columbia and Arreed Barabasz at Washington State University, have demonstrated enhancement of scientific creativity, instrument flight performance, and piano performance. Several studies of sports performance have had positive results including studies of basketball, tennis, skiing, rifle marksmanship, and dart throwing. In several of the studies the Flotation REST condition was varied with relaxation, or imagery training and always had a more powerful effect. Often, Flotation REST was used with imagery or without imagery, and no difference was, found. Flotation REST, either wet or dry, was sufficiently powerful to affect a change in performance. Barabasz suggests that because REST potentiates imagery while disrupting over learned psychological processes, the technique is especially suited not only for the acquisition of new im- proved skills but the unlearning of less adaptive ones.
Flotation Rest and Pain Management
An in depth examination of the role of Flotation REST in the management of pain can provide us with a clear picture of the psychophysiological nature of the treatment. Pain programs are generally used as a last referral resort for patients whose intractable pain has not responded to the traditional medical treatments. Biobehaviorally based pain management utilizes counseling and behavioral medicine techniques such as relaxation training, meditation. biofeedback, guided imagery, and self-hypnosis. The goals of such treatment are the development of pain avoidance skills, the establishment of routines for optimal fitness within the limitations of a disability, the reduction or elimination of pain, when possible, and/or the patients acceptance of some level of pain.
Flotation REST can have an important role at several stages of the pain management process. By reducing both muscle tension and pain in a relatively short time and without effort on the part of the patient, flotation provides a dramatic demonstration of the benefits of relaxation. Relief is immediate and, although temporary, offers promise of further relief from REST and other relaxation-based strategies. Symptom reduction gained from flotation can increase a patient’s motivation and interest in the remainder of the therapy plan. Pain patients generally come into treatment feeling suspicious and skeptical, requiring a clear demonstration that they can be helped. Flotation can be the vehicle for that demonstration.
Cara floating for peace
The relaxation following flotation can be used to facilitate relaxation training. In the treatment reported here, training in relaxation and other psychological pain control strategies occurred during the flotation REST sessions as well as in counseling sessions. Specially prepared audio programs introduced patients to breathing techniques, progressive muscle relaxation, autogenic training, guided imagery and hypnotic suggestions for pain reduction while they floated. Training and practice in those same techniques followed in counseling sessions and at home.
The most common etiologies of pain in this group of patients were from motor vehicle accidents, work accidents, or chronic illness. Most had endured their pain for longer than six months and had also suffered various levels of anxiety, anger, and depression. These emotional problems must be considered in the treatment of chronic pain patients.The first data are pre-post pain ratings from 16 patients who floated from one to 16 flotation sessions. Each patient reported on up to four body areas, providing a total of 253 pre-post , measures. The average percentage of relief, as measured in decrease from the pre-session value, was 31.3% for all sessions and all measures. To determine whether flotation REST provides more pain relief to some parts of the body as opposed to others, these measurements were examined by body area. Pain reduction in most body areas was close to the overall mean of 31%, except the upper back, which showed a 63.6% pain reduction, the arms which showed a 48.2% reduction, and the legs, which showed a 15.3% pain reduction. The duration of relief varied from two hours to seven days.
A second set of data came from a survey mailed to patients who had completed the program. The questionnaire asked patients to assess how much pain relief they received from the various components of the pain program (Flotation, relaxation training, and counseling) and from other treatments they had received medication (pills and shots), physical therapy, chiropractic, and surgery. Short-term pain relief, long-term pain relief, relief from anxiety or stress, and relief from depression were indicated separately. Additionally, they were asked whether each treatment improved their outlook and/or helped them cope with their pain.
All 27 respondents had received treatments other than those from this pain program: 81% had used pain medications; 56% had had some form of pain injections; 70% had received physical therapy; 59% had received chiropractic treatment; 22% had undergone surgery. These patients reported more short-term and long-term pain relief from flotation than from the other therapeutic modalities.
For non-pain symptoms, the comparisons were even more striking. Patients reported far more relief from anxiety and stress from flotation than any other modality. For depression, flotation was equal to counseling at near 70%, with relaxation training at 53% and physical therapy and medication at 20%.
Enjoy your unique experience.
Patients also claimed to have reaped a variety of other benefits from flotation, reporting improvements in sleep (65%), mental concentration (77%), energy (46%), interpersonal relationships (54%), ability to work (35%), ability to cope with pain (88%), ability to cope with stress (92%), and feelings of well-being (65%) resulting from flotation REST.
In answering the question, “Did this treatment improve your outlook toward your pain?” 96% responded positively for flotation, 100% for counseling, 100% for relaxation training, 50% for physical therapy, 24% for pain pills, 17% for pain shots, 15% for chiropractic. To the question, “Did this treatment help you cope effectively with your pain?” 96% responded positively for flotation, 92% for both relaxation training and counseling, 50% for pain shots, 44% for pain injections, 38% for physical therapy, and 17% for chiropractic. It is clear that flotation was rated on average as more effective than other treatments with respect to pain, anxiety and depression relief.
Flotation REST and Chronic Illness
Summing up thus far, the data are supportive of flotation REST being useful in pain reduction, stress and tension abatement, and mood enhancement. Besides chronic pain, other patients treated at our facility were those with chronic physical illnesses, those with cancer, those with trauma to the nervous system, those with depression or bipolar mood disorder. anxiety disorders, and those suffering overwhelming stress.
Uniquely, Flotation REST provides an effortless introduction to deep mental and physical relaxation. The majority of our chronic illness patients suffered from autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, scleroderma, and Reiters syndrome. For these patients, discovering relaxation meant a dramatic reduction in symptoms, such as joint pain, headache, fatigue and depression. Several patients with lupus reported that regular flotation permitted them to reduce their dosage of prednisone while experiencing less frequency and severity of symptoms. Two patients with scleroderma reported relief from flotation. One reported relief from pain and stiffness that lasted almost a week after her third flotation session. As this patient continued she also experienced relief from her depression about the illness, a dramatic reduction in her use of steroids and other medications, a reduction in joint pain and swelling, and less frequent heartburn and headaches. After a three month course of treatment with flotation and counseling she was able to return to her job.
Flotation REST and Depression
When depression is in reaction to the circumstances of a physical injury or illness, Flotation REST can produce an immediate elevation in mood, probably due to the mood enhancing effects of deep relaxation as well as the optimism that occurs with the experience of physical relief. When depression is the primary diagnosis, flotation is best used as an adjunct to counseling and then only after the patient has gained a modicum of feeling in control. Caution is necessary in administering REST with depressed patients due to the often obsessive nature of negative thinking that will continue during the REST session. Once these patients have developed a better understanding of their disorder, flotation REST can be a mood elevator that speeds the course of therapy, especially when combined with positive guided imagery during the sessions.
REST and Applied Psychophysiology
The REST environment can be viewed, from a biofeedback perspective, as a system that enhances the connection between consciousness and physiology by reducing external information rather than amplifying internal information. We describe biofeedback as a process of amplifying and displaying information about processes that we normally do not attend to or are unable to discriminate from the wealth of informational noise always present. REST reduces environmental noise, and in a flotation environment one is able to be aware of all sorts of physiological information, (i.e. muscle tension, heart rate, etc.) that we are often not aware of in normal quiet environments.
REST is an ideal environment for the acquisition of biofeedback based learning. Many years ago Lloyd and Shurley published a paper demonstrating its effect on the acquisition of single motor unit control. Acquisition of single motor unit control was superior in the REST chamber (Lloyd & Shurley, 1976). Our investigations found the same advantage with heart rate control. Similarly Dry-REST environments might be exceptional environments for neurofeedback training. While we have learned much about REST in the last twenty years, its potential in applied psychophysiology has barely been exploited. In this age of cyberspeak, we might begin to think of expanding the clinical bandwidth of applied psychophysiology by taking another look at REST. References
Fine, T.H., & Turner, J.W., Jr. (1983). The Use of Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (REST) in the Treatment of Essential Hypertension, First International Conference on REST and Self-Regulation, 136-143.
Fine, T.H. & Turner, J.W., Jr. (1985). Rest-assisted relaxation and chronic pain. Health and Clinical Psychology, 4, 511-518.
Goldstein, D.D. & Jessen, W.E. (1987). Flotation Effect on Premenstrual Syndrome. Restricted Environmenntal Stimulation: Research and Commentary, 260-273.
Lilly, J.C. (1977). The deep self. New York: Simon & Schuster.
McGrady, A.V. Turner, J.W. Jr. Fine, T.H. & Higgins, J.T. (1987). Effects of biobehaviorally-assisted relaxation training on blood pressure, plasma renin, cortisol, and aldosterone levels in borderline essential hypertension. Clinical Biofeedback & Health, 10(1), 16-25.
Rzewnicki, R. Alistair, B.C. Wallbaum, Steel, H. & Suedfeld, P, (1990). REST for muscle contraction headaches: A comparison of two REST environments combined with progressive muscle relaxation training. Restricted Environmental Stimulation: Research and Commentary, 245-254.
Turner, J.W. Jr. DeLeon, A. Gibson, C. & Fine, T. (1993). Effects of Flotation REST on range of motion, grip strength and pain in rheumatoid arthritics. In A. Barabasz & M, Barabasz (Ed.),Clinical and experimental restricted environmental stimulation (pp. 297- 336). New York: Springer-Verlag.
Turner, J.W. Jr. Fine, T.H. (1983). Effects of relaxation associated with brief restricted environmental stimulation therapy (REST) on plasma cortisol, ACTH, and LH. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 9, 115-126.
Turner, J.W. Jr. & Fine, T.H. (1990a). Hormonal changes associated with restricted environmental stimulation therapy. In P. Suedfeld, J. Turner, & T. Fine (Eds.), Restricted environmental stimulation theoretical and empirical development in flotation REST (pp. 71-92). New York, NY: Springer-Verlag.
Turner, J.W. Jr. & Fine, T.H. (1991). Restricting environmental stimulation influences variability and levels of plasma cortisol. Journal of Applied Physiology, 70(5), 2010-2013.
Turner, J.W. Jr. Fine, T. Ewy, G. Sershon, P. & Frelich, T. (1989). The presence or absence of light during flotation restricted environmental stimulation: Effects on plasma cortisol, blood pressure and mood. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation, 14, 291-300.
Turner, J.W. Jr. Gerard, W. Hyland, J. Neilands, P. & Fine, T.H. (1993). Effects of wet and dry flotation REST on blood pressure and plasma cortisol, In A. Barabasz & M. Barabasz (Ed,),Clinical and experimental restricted environmental stimulation (pp. 239-248). New York: Springer-Verlag.
Author’s address for information:
Thomas H. Fine, M.A.
Department of Psychiatry
Medical College of Ohio
Richard D. Ruppert Health Center
3120 Glendale Ave.
Toledo, OH 43614-5809 [email protected]
Schedule your REST session in combination with any other therapeutic service to maximize results. Hypnosis, Energy Work, Polarity, Massage, Coaching, Meditation, you design your experience.
Growing in popularity, yoga has become one of the main activities, almost as popular as going to the gym if not more. Who’s doing yoga? Everyone, from young kids to elders. Why? The benefits of yoga are endless, a mind body connection, greater focus, awareness of the physical in space, and most of all a deepened connection to self-realization.
There are many forms of yoga and yet the public seems to be less informed about the styles and more familiar with the word “yoga”. If I were to offer a class on Kriya Yoga I am sure students would wonder how difficult the postures were. The fact is that the only posture required is the ability to sit with the spine as straight as possible and a desire to focus on the breath and a single point.
Going back to the greater meaning of Yoga, communion with God, a posture, vigorous movement, hot rooms, restorative postures, or simply sitting, are all ways in which we support the energy centers of the body. Realizing our greater potential with a deeper connection and awareness to the flow of energy, or blockages in our energy field. The practice of Yoga is critical to quality of life, whether it is simply sitting, engaging in Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, QiGong, TaiChi, Kriya, Raja, the goal is the same… communion with GOD!
Strike a pose
The ultimate goal is to carry through the day our attention and focus to the God in all living things. Starting our children in the practice of Yoga, whether movement or meditative teaches them to quiet the mind, connect with a greater presence, become more intuitive, make decisions that are aligned with goodness, and maintain emotional health and well-being.
In my teaching of YOGA, I combine QiGong, Polarity Yoga, Kriya, and TaiChi to keep it interesting as well as focused on those in the class. If a student has a knee challenge, back challenge, physical limitation of any kind, modification is necessary. What is most important is allowing students space to be in the moment whether in motion or in stillness and experience a Divine Presence within.
Great balance kids
Classes for Adults, Kids, and Family are offered year round. Visit the website for a schedule and to connect with the energy of each class and instructor, most importantly your energy and deeper presence.
The interview in it’s entirety was close to a half hour. This segment covers careers and floating. Questions? Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or give me a call at 508-612-7488.
Enrolling Now for Conscious Coaching (The Psychology of Energy) starts late summer.
This is an easy entry for a chance to win 10 FREE FLOATS! You use them any way you choose; combine the sessions for longer floats, give them to your friends and share the wealth, it’s up to you!
The people I have met through floating have all communicated their creative expression and ability. You are unique in your understanding to the benefits of floating and as far as I can tell, nobody says it better than you.
What I am looking for through this contest is to get the skeptical intrigued, the sometime in the future floater to act now, and the masses to awaken in this part of the country. Quite honestly after thirteen years I would have thought we would be much further ahead of this than we are. I need your help to continue the enlightenment process.
Let me inspire you with the master of floating, Mr. Joe Rogan
I can’t begin to repeat the amazing conversations I have had with floater’s through the years. The level of enlightenment is so refreshing to me as I sit and listen to not only their experience of the float but the level of insight to the meaning of life. Honestly, I could sit and chat with floaters all day long because of the depth of conversation we engage in.
We have the contest now and I am looking for anyone who has floated or has some unique experience in the work place that relates to awakening in some way to record an interview with me. Do let me know who you are and let’s share some of these amazing conversations with the public.
The rules to the video contest are easy to follow, a little bit of copy and paste and then promote it to as many as you can for a large number of shares and likes.
Schedule your float appointment and ask for details. We can video you and post to our YouTube account. Once completed, we share to your facebook page and you go to town to promote it.
Your video can be done anytime after your float, it is not the immediate response, however that is great as well. Tell your audience what you love about floating. This is going to be a lot of fun.
Best of luck to you with your entry. PS, even if you don’t win, your entry earns you one free float after the winner has been selected! This is a great opportunity to experience floating more often. A video after the winner has floated 10 times would be a bonus to the public. We can talk about that later, until then, best to you!
Conversations with floater’s over the years have provided such insight into what makes the experience enjoyable. I have had the opportunity to meet and talk with so many people from so many backgrounds, and many who want to experience a deeper meaning to life.
Today I met with one of the early morning floaters who shared with me that floating in a small town in the country supported the whole experience of peace and calm. No rushing out to heavy traffic and horns honking. The peace continues on the journey home with the possibility of stopping at the Old Stone Church in West Boylston to enjoy the peace found in nature.
Peacefulness in nature presented itself this morning as I headed out for an early morning walk with the dogs. One would imagine running into another early morning dog walker; in this case a fox stands on the edge of the woods. Events like this help me to appreciate all nature has to offer. A couple streets away from my home in Boylston I can hear the sound of the rooster who seems to be as aware as I am of the presence of the fox. The fox fades into the trees and the sounds of the chickens and roosters become louder as if they are warning each other of the potential danger.
Peaceful Summertime
My five mile drive over to the West side of Boylston offers the connection with the Turkey life as they extend their wings as if to say good morning. On the way home it’s not unusual to see the deer gracefully claiming their territory of the woods.
For anyone driving in from 495 to 140 the beauty of the reservoir is breath taking. In the winter months it’s not unusual to see the crossing of coyote as they navigate the ice and the land in their business of hunting. The travel from the Route 2 and I-190 offer the traveler more breath taking views of nature, particularly in the spring, summer, and fall. The greenery this time of year is outstanding.
As a float provider, the best part of offering floatation is that I have discovered that there are a lot more people in this area who are welcoming the idea of awakening in a whole new way. Most floaters are people who are connecting with nature, a deeper part of who they are and why they are here. Connecting with nature supports this awakening process. I loved hearing a client express the idea of holding the float experience in a small town just outside the hustle and bustle of the city. Excellent feedback for me in consideration to a second location, should that opportunity present itself in the future.
On another note; very happy to see that Massachusetts is opening up to what Oregon and California have been doing for years. Oh well, we know we are a little slower to open up to the less than main stream activities.
Offering floating since 2002, the first location was challenging to some as the traffic was a little distracting, and leaving the parking lot was the next challenge. With many locations, including the home based, all have their ups and their downside. Ideally a tank deep in the woods would be best, since that is not possible we settle into the quaintness of small town of Boylston and West Boylston.
A brief update on the move: The wheels are in motion, it should not be long before the tank joins the rest of the amazing offerings at our center in West Boylston.
The foundation of all my work is polarity therapy. It really doesn’t matter what path a client decides to take when they are faced with a challenge in life. Some come in wanting to try hypnosis, another conscious coaching, another enzyme therapy, and sometimes massage therapy.
Polarity Therapy is one modality that stands powerfully on it’s own. Addressing so many challenges from anxiety, depression, back pain, neck pain, structural alignment, sciatic pain, headaches, to empty nest syndrome and life changes such as divorce, grief, to job changes.
For those of you who took the time to respond to the survey, a huge thank you! The percentage of people who responded was great and gives me some great information. The surveys are still coming in, at the moment these are the results.
Cara floating peacefully.
Here is what you had to say:
How interested are you in using the floatation tank for health benefits?
Very Interested 78.4%
Interested 17.0%
Somewhat Interested 1.9%
Not Interested 1.9%
Please rate the following based on importance to you: (This was a scale of 1 least important and 5 most important)
Flexibility of schedule 4.0
Price 4.0
Professional Environment 3.8
Member Options 3.4
Would you float more frequently if there was a yearly membership fee with unlimited float sessions?
You answered:
Definitely Yes 35.4%
Possibly 58.3%
No 6.2%
If you were to purchase a yearly float membership for unlimited floats; how often would you float?
Daily 0%
Weekly 34%
Monthly 46.8%
Bi-weekly 14.8%
Bi-Monthly 17.0%
How likely are you to combine services of polarity, hypnosis, or other bodywork sessions to your float session?
You answered:
Highly Likely 33.3%
Less Likely 64.5%
Additional feedback from you and my answers:
What you are looking for?
No light coming in
Please know that you can request all exterior lights off while floating. There are no windows in the new space which support the darkness.
Shower & bathroom in same room
In the new space you will have the shower in the same room, the bathroom is right next to the tank room.
No chlorine smell
I don’t blame you on this one. We now sanitize the tank with commercial grade hydrogen peroxide. This is safer and better for the everyone.
More than one tank
I hear you on this and appreciate your request. For the past thirteen years of providing floating the number of times people bring a friend still does not justify the expense in doing this. I will keep my eye on it and when timing is right will work to provide the second tank.
Reward for cancelling early
I believe that everyone needs to honor and value the time of other people. The reward for cancelling in advance is that you will not be charged. This also allows another person to schedule that time slot.
Free first float
Sorry on this one. I can’t provide this as I need to pay people to supervise floats and do orientations. The first floats will continue to remain the same full price as they are more time consuming. You may however stop in to see the tank and ask questions, please let me know when you would like to come by and I will meet you.
Discounts for bringing a friend
We currently provide a monthly membership where you can float once a month for the cost of $40. per month, if you choose to share your membership with a friend, they too can float for $40. If you float more than once a month, you still get that same price, your second float in the same month is an additional $40.. This a a monthly auto bill to your credit card when you sign up.
Member Yearly Discounts
There seem to be quite a few floaters who would float weekly or bi-weekly if the yearly membership was available.
*****Yearly Float ONLY Member: Cost $ 650 (If you float 26 times in a year this package will save you $910.) For the committed floater, you cannot beat this deal.
Terms: Must be paid in full, upfront and non-refundable. May bring a friend for an additional $30 for 50 minute float. May upgrade to an 80 minute float for an additional $10.
*****Yearly ALL Services Member: Cost $1200. (This membership provides you with one monthly bodywork session of polarity, massage, hypnosis, unlimited floats, free yoga, qigong, meditation, and 50% off workshops & certification courses.) Your savings will depend on how many services you use and what certification or workshops you attend. If you are highly motivated, the savings is HUGE.
MORE MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS ARE NOW AVAILABLE TO PURCHASE. YOU HAVE THE OPTION OF USING PAYPAL’S NO INTEREST SIX MONTH PAYMENT PLAN IF YOU QUALIFY. Personally, I use it when I make larger purchases, beats credit card interest and I get my product right away.
Just yesterday I received word from the Architectural Access Board that I have their permission to go ahead and put the tank at the new center where everything else is happening. Yeah!
Moving there without the tank has felt like leaving one of your kids at home. Floatation has become such a huge part of the business that having it stay behind in the old location just feels wrong. Now that I have permission to move the tank I face the next challenge. Strategically planning the cost associated with the final phase of the build out. Stretching, imagining, and possible bartering, I am determined to bring the tank home to it’s new location to complete the center.
It’s exciting to bring the tank over to West Boylston! For those of you who are not aware; when I started my polarity practice in 1999 I was across the street from this new location. Something keeps bringing me back to this town, not sure what it is but West Boylston is an awesome little town and central to so many major routes and highways. It makes perfect sense to be there.
As I anticipate the tank up and running in West Boylston I see the need to eventually hire someone who can manage the front of the space as well as support the floaters. This is very exciting time for Crystalline Awaken, it is the next stage of expansion, one that became very necessary in order to get the idea of floating in front of so many more people. I am looking forward to seeing a big expansion with the opening with the floatation tank room. It’s exciting to look at the plans; shower directly in front of the tank, an ideal situation, space for hanging the clothes, towel storage, bathrooms right next to the tank room, it really doesn’t get any better than this.
For the next few weeks I will carefully plan this move out to bring it to completion as quickly as possible. At the present time I am surveying all the current floaters and future floaters to determine which factors are most important to people. As I see it right now, it appears this location will be inviting, hours will be expanded to offer evening appointments during the week. There is a meditation space right outside of the float room for anyone wishing to arrive early or waiting for someone. And there is plenty to do in West Boylston for the person waiting, trails, water, scenery, it’s just a beautiful little town to visit.
From many major highways our location intersects with 140, traveling from Leominster, Lancaster, Princeton, Holden, Marlboro, Northboro, Westboro, Worcester, Boston, Springfield, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, or local residents, it’s an easy and pleasant travel.
I would like to highly encourage floaters to book their appointments in advance, take advantage of the specials that I will be sending out. Check emails, these are how the specials are delivered. I look forward to a waiting list to float, and you should to. Book ahead and pay ahead for the discounts, make sure you get yourself in now.
It’s happening… finally!!!! I hope you are as excited as I am to see this happening later than I anticipated but happening still.
See you soon! Remember that you can always add bodywork to the float session or simply sit in the meditation space and maximize your visit. We offer organic teas, water, and comfort for your wait time. You may want to read a little, we have a shop copy of the Book of Floating for those who want to know more about what they are doing in the tank.
What is the secret to manifesting? What if the mind, nervous system, and energetic systems impact the other?
The answer is; they are all interconnected, one effecting the other, like the ripple from a wave, nothing can remain the same.
You cannot change your mind without changing the energy systems and you cannot change the energy system without changing the mind. The nervous system is the bridge of synchronization.
While the law of attraction is focused on the power of the mind, hypnosis is the tool to getting past the conscious mind and into the sub-conscious mind where change occurs. Think for a moment of a situation where you wished to change something. Maybe it is manifesting a relationship, quitting smoking, losing weight, working out, whatever the case may be; there is usually something we wish to change about ourselves. Now ask yourself honestly if this change is something you truly want? Did you, like most people, hear two different answers? This is common and this is the reason it is critical to create synchronization of all parts in order to manifest change.
Two different answers can make you feel like two different people; the reality is that there are different parts of self, the part that wants to and the part that doesn’t. We can compare this to the conscious and the sub-conscious mind. The part that wants to is the mind of reason, the part that doesn’t is more powerful and therefore change is difficult.
If change is to occur these minds must agree on one thing, the goal. When the sub-conscious mind or sub-part aligns to the goal the ability to change is greater. These sub-parts of self have the power to help you to succeed or to sabotage your visions.
Hypnosis combined with energy systems work aligns the energy systems of the sub-parts allowing the powerful sub-conscious mind to take the necessary steps in attaining the goal.