At the heart of what happens in the float tank is a paradox:
"By reducing sensory input, we increase sensory awareness"
The tanks, which are only 10-12 inches deep, are filled with water and about 1000 pounds of Epsom salt creating a 35% solution. The water and surrounding environment are then heated to body temperature and sound and light are reduced. By achieving near weightlessness and removing sensory stimulation and the “gravity tax” on our bodies, the mind is free to explore and meditate while the body can achieve deep euphoric relaxation and focus on recuperation and healing.
"A float tank is not as much an object as it is an environment. An environment with the purpose to act as a counterbalance to every other interaction we have with the world around us."
"There is no magic in the float tank, the magic is us." The Float tank simply provides the opportunity to plug in to ourselves.
~ Michael Hutchison — The Book of Floating, Exploring the Private Sea ~