I went to Tank Action at 1663 Carling Ave in Ottawa ON. They have two tanks available, and the owner, Ryan is super nice. And the really awesome thing is that you can book your appointment and pay for it online. No fuss!
Here's their website: www.tankactionspa.com
The Basics + Pregame:
When I got there, I filled in my personals and signed a basic medical waiver. Then're I was escorted to the tank room. There was a rainfall shower (God, I love those), complete with shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, a table with various sundries (earplugs, moisturizer, qtips), towels, and hooks for my clothes. I was given a quick rundown of the process (shower, float, shower), the timer was set, and I was left to my own devices.
One really nice thing is that I was able to set the mood right away by shutting the lights off while I showered. The room had a few dim blue LEDs and the showerhead had blue and red LEDs that were just light enough to make my way around. It's relaxing and (I think) helps ease the transition into the complete black of the tank.
I knew I had product in my hair, so I quickly washed it, popped in some earplugs (optional, but I don't like water in my ears) and headed over the the mystical tank
The Tank
The tank itself was 8'x5'x5' with a hatch on one end (picture above - pic taken from the Tank Action website) and filled with body-temp, ultra-salted water. What I didn't expect was that the water was SO salted that it could scarcely be called water anymore. It was a little slimy, but so pleasantly warm that I didn't even care. I climbed into what was about a foot of water (maybe a bit more?), and shut the hatch.
Objective Experiences
I say "objective" here because, I think they are what most people will experience if they do this.
Since the water is so salty, my body immediately floated. I had to starfish to brace myself against the sides until the water settled, but once it did and I let go of the sides, it was a pretty neat feeling. It also took a couple of minutes to find the right arm position. The owner had made a few suggestions earlier, but eventually, I settled on hands interlocked, cradling the back of my head.
Since the water and air is body temperature, once the water stops moving, you feel weightless. Gravity no longer exists. Now, this is taking into account that I was able to relax fairly quickly, which some may not be able to do on the first go. Apparently, some need a of couple tries in the tank before being able to fully relax. I'm one of the lucky ones, I guess?
So once my body was sorted, I looked to my senses:
Sight: sight was right was out - I eventually opened my eyes and there was zero difference (though mentally, there was, which I'll touch on later).
Smell: There was a slightly unpleasant smell due to the salt, but you get used to that pretty quick and it becomes a non-issue.
Touch: as long as you stay still and don't touch the sides of the tank, you feel absolutely nothing. It's both eerie and fantastic. And funny thing: you don't want to touch anything either. The need vanishes.
Taste: Don't do it. I accidentally got a drop of it in my mouth. Blech.
Sound: The only sounds are the sounds of your own body, which become intensely loud. Your breathing, heartbeat and in my case, occasional tummy gurgle, can become a point of focus, or even a distraction.
Subjective Experiences:
This is where it gets weird.
The thing about sensory deprivation is that it basically strips away your senses - your body - and the focus is solely on your mind. And everyone's mind is different, so everyone's experience will be different is that aspect.
I went into this thinking it would either be really relaxing, or very trippy. And it was both.
I was in the tank for about 75 minutes. But to me, time turned all wibby-wobby. Sometimes it felt like I'd been in there forever, and sometimes, time didn't even exist.
A lot of things happen when you're alone with your thoughts without the distraction of the physical or, you know, time itself. So here is a collection (in no particular order) of things that I remember doing, thinking, feeling or seeing/hearing(?) while I was in the dark:
-focusing only on my breathing or heartbeat (okay this was actually the first thing I did, but it didn't take long for my mind to take over)
-being at the dawn of the time in the "primordial ooze"
-floating alone in the middle of the ocean
-the song "Bodies in Space" from Hair
-hearing a voice speaking to me in my mind - well, not "a voice", it was my own voice. My own voice speaking to me, giving me advice, both general life advice and romantic advice (heh, heh)
-the sensation of slowly floating upwards, but not being able to go further than the ceiling of the tank and a fleeting moment of frustration when I felt like I was pressed against the top of it. Also at this particular moment, the feeling of having a veil being over my face and wanting it to be pulled away, like there was something/someone important to be seen on the other side.
-travelling through a starfield
-often I would just marvel at the inky vastness of what I was feeling, particularly when my eyes were open. When my eyes were closed, I felt like I was bodiless in my own mind. When they were open, I felt like I was a body and mind in infinity.
-twitching my arms and legs from time to time just to ensure that they were, indeed, still there
So yeah, there was a lot going in my mind during that time. A lot or weirdness. But it was never frightening. It could be that I've always been very comfortable in my own mind, though.
The Aftermath:
The beeper on the timer went off, and I heard it from inside the tank, so it was SUPER loud when I opened the hatch. Which sucked. I was really glad I decided to turn the light off before getting in, because I think the loud beeping PLUS harsh lights would have seriously damaged my calm.
The first thing I noticed was the cold, so I hurried into the shower, the glorious rainfall shower and stayed there probably longer than I needed to, but whatever. It felt so good. I washed all the salt out of my hair, dried off and went back to the lobby. The first thing I noticed was that I felt SO RELAXED.
The owner asked how it went, and I didn't even want to speak, just smile dreamily, but I forced myself to speak. Noticing that I was far less enthusiastic as my usual self... I was. Just. So. Mellow. Outside, on the busy street, the sounds of traffic seemed deafening, much it was a minor annoyance. My whole body was ultra-relaxed - let the world worry for me for just now. Even witnessing an arrest on the bus home couldn't shake my calm. It was handled appropriately and professionally, so no worries....
All in all, it was a great experience that I would definitely do again. So whether you're looking for relaxation or meditation or just a neat experience, sensory deprivation tanks have my seal of approval!
