What was it like? Any hallucinations, visions, anxiety, serenity, fetal regression, past life flashbacks… what?
Nope. Nothing.
I think maybe you have to drop acid and/or Vitamin K to get the full Altered States effect.
I haven’t tried it. But, I’d very much like to.
WAG-You’ve already got to be prone to waking dreams and all that to get the Altered States effect.
I did once. I turned into a monkey and killed and ate some pigeons.
Or maybe that’s a movie I saw sometime…
I did once, and it’s relaxing if it’s only for an hour.
The water is very salty, so you float on the wate,r only your face is above water. It’s also at body temperature, so you’re not actually aware of the water, unless you move.
it’s pitch black, and soundproof, too.
They told me I wouldn’t fall asleep, but i still did. I was in there for 90 minutes, and after I came out i felt very relaxed. Skin ends up nice and soft, too, from the salty water 
I’d recommend it.
As a Psych Instructor I have done both. I’ve been in a full sensory dep. Tank and administered batteries of testing in such tanks.
The William Hurt Movie ‘Altered States’ in my view was a spin off of Carlos Castaneda’s adventures in Mexico.
Sensory dep. Tanks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The more common ones are the upright water tanks with a window. The one in the movie Altered states is now a relic, they are much better now. Most use a high salinity water to make you float much easier.
BTW, I had a student once, who enjoyed the tank so much, he built one for home use. Hallucinations and such are only achieved after prolonged use…
I’d love to. Sounds like a wonderful experience.
Anyone know where to find one in the UK - and what they cost?
I have always wanted to as well. The closest that I get now is floating in my hot tub in the dark.
Washte - ask and ye shall recieve.
This link has locations to Float. Just click the UK…
Maybe you should visit Steve Wright for some sensory deprivation.
There is (or was 2 years ago) a place on the Cowley Road in Oxford that had tanks open to the public
There was a place a couple of blocks away from me that had a couple of Lilly tanks available to the public. I tried it, and felt the most relaxed I remember ever being.
It was interesting to become as aware as I did of my own body’s internal sounds - I’d never heard my eyelids slam shut before.
I would have liked to continue with it, but the guy who owned the place was just a little too mellow to keep a business going.
I couldn’t do it. Years ago I read a Clancy novel where they use one to freak out a spy and ever since then the idea of the things give me the heebie-jeebies.
Where can you do one in the Chicago area?
I used to go to Spacetime Tanks in Chicago somewhat often when I was in high school. Overall it was a relaxing experience… the reception area smelled like incense, they gave you green tea, it had good lighting, music, etc.
The first time I went, I had some lucid dreams and Deep Thoughts (well, as deep as a suburban teenager could think in 1985) that I still remember quite clearly. Not that I discovered any new plane of existence or regressed to the Origin of Life, but it was like a very good nap. After a while it got boring… in subsequent sessions I felt like I was trying too hard to achieve “something.” The last couple of times it was essentially lying in an enclosed vat of saltwater for 90 minutes.
Also, my last session was unpleasant, as I found that if you move around even a little, the salt dries on your skin exposed to air. Having only the sense of “itch” for an hour and a half isn’t relaxing.
I don’t know if biofeedback and alpha waves are real science in any sense, but supposedly you can find peak times when your mind and body are otherwise apt for full relaxation. I also recall being told that you should evacuate your bowels and bladder a couple of hours before. And don’t engage in any activities that might leave residues on your genitals. Heh.
Kalhoun - Spacetime Tanks, on Lincoln.
Brilliant! Thanks Phlosphr for the link.
There is one in Oxford, Tapioca Dextrin, so perhaps a visit to Steve Wright is in order… or perhaps have an OxDope after the soak…
<<oooommm>>
Peace to you all
This reminds me of the Romanian Baby episode of AbFab.
Eddie: How long was I in there?
Pats: About 10 minutes.
At least initially, try it completely drug-free. I always prepared for a session in the Samadhi tank with 45 minutes of hatha yoga and an hour of zen meditation. It’s like Yoda said about the dark cave on Dagobah. “Only what you take with you.” That’s what’s in there. Some tanks can pipe in music, but try it in silence at first. Go on an empty stomach. If you have any minor cuts or even a sunburn, the salt will tell you about it, and for god’s sake don’t rub your eyes with a wet hand. As your body relaxes, you may twitch as the muscles completely let go. This twitching may keep bringing you back, but it will eventually stop. After you get out, it’s important to wash your ears well, or the salt crystalizes and you’ll hear “crunchy” noises. Don’t plan to do anything for at least 8 hours after a session. You may find yourself speaking in hushed tones, and be very sensitive to bright lights and loud noises, so a mellow environment to decompress in is important.
I tried it once. I did get a disembodied feeling, but only if I was perfectly still. Because the water temperature was close to body temp, there was no sensation from my skin. If I did move, the water moved the hairs on my skin, producing sensation, and this stopped the disembodied feeling.
It was an interesting (but not cosmic) experience.