How To Use A
Floatation Tank
By Oz
Fritz
"Relax turn off you're mind and float downstream . . . "
- The Beatles
Lately I've been asked by a few people the best way to use a floatation tank. This has been my response so far. I've been working with a tank for almost 10 years on a daily basis and I can say unequivocally that the best way to use a floatation tank is to open the door and get in it.
I'm only half joking because there really is no way to tell someone how to float other than encouraging them to find out for themselves.
There are so many ways to use a tank that its impossible to say what's best for one individual. And what works now might not later.
Things you can do with the tank: almost any meditative technique, creative visualization, simulate the experience of death, listen to guided meditation tapes, work with important questions like who am I?, pray, recapitulate recent events seeing them in a new light, etc.
Or you can just hang out in a state of reverie and let it take you where it will. Many deep insights happen in this way.
If you're studying something, inputting lots of data, floating right after a study session will help you retain the new knowledge much better.
Generally, the longer you float, the deeper you go. 2-4 hr floats are very good. If you have the time and can work you're way up to 5-7 hr floats you'll notice rather profound shifts in consciousness. But any amount of time can be good. I once worked all night, floated for 20 minutes then had the energy to work another 30 hours.
I feel that it took me 6 years of daily floating before I learned how to optimally use the tank AND THAT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING !!! But each one of those floats was an adventure in itself and brought tremendous discoveries, even the failed ones. There were times when I knew something was happening that was out of the range of my conscious mind. There are also periods of gestation when nothing seems to be happening.
I advise all floaters `not to lust after results.' Find joy in every step on the path and pay close attention because this journey will never happen in the same way again.
I think that the Lord's new instruction to humankind admirably applies to the question of how to use a floatation tank:
"Be who you are. Do what you do."- from the play Creation Story Verbatim, by EJ Gold.
So I say float as Thou wilt.
Happy Voyaging,
Oz Fritz
