AUM

It'll Be OK.

When I was a young mother and I needed some Peace and Quiet, I’d lock myself in the bathroom, draw a large tub of water & soak for an hour.  I’d tune out my little girls tapping  on the door & asking, “ Mom, Mom – what are you doing?”

So recently, when I heard a young podcaster describing his first time in a float tank,  I was  really intrigued by the idea of connecting with God  as he did through a sensory deprivation experience.

I called my  grown  daughters and invited them to join me at a True REST Float Spa. They must have been thinking, “Mom, Mom – what are you doing?”  ‘cause one of them said, “You go ahead & try it. Then  you  tell me  about it.”  

And the other one text, “No, thanks!  I’ll pass.”  That made me laugh.

The older I get I definitely have more desire & more time to try new experiences.

I was a little nervous until I entered the Zen-like spa with its ambient music and herbal teas. A kind woman then explained everything to me. After I changed into my bathing suit, took a shower and inserted  the ear plugs,  I climbed into the  float tank that held 180 gallons of skin temperature water (about 2 ft. deep)  and closed the lid.  The instructor told me she would turn off the music that was playing after 10 minutes, but I could choose whether or not to turn off the lights.   

I shouldn’t have been  surprised that I began to float as soon as I lay back since there were 1000 pounds of Epsom Salts in that water.   When the music stopped, I turned off the lights because I wanted to have zero distractions.   Although I didn’t feel like I connected to God, the weightless, no stress darkness was amazing.  I was actually disappointed when they turned on the  music & lights to signal  the end of my tranquil hour. 

Afterwards, when I entered the room where I could dry my hair, I glanced in the mirror and was shocked. Shocked!!!  I was so pale I actually looked like a ghost.  And, this time I thought, “Mom, Mom – what are you doing?” 

On the way home,  I couldn’t believe it. I slowly turned into a Pillar of Salt behind the steering wheel of my SUV. My hair -- concrete. When I looked back now, I realize I was like LOT’s wife who didn’t follow directions.  I had rinsed off my  new bathing suit after the float, but I didn’t scrub hard enough to get the Epsom Salts off my body & out of my hair.  I was REALLY laughing by the time I got back to Upper Sandusky – what a sight,  shaking salt all over as I walked into the house.  

Some people think float tanks, meditation, prayer, yoga &  mindfulness exercises are  mystical voo doo.   However, there are scientists  who say meditation has been linked directly to a healthier and more preserved aging brain. A UCLA study found participants that practiced  meditation for an average of 20 years had more brain grey matter volume than non-meditators.  Even AA’s Step 11 suggests meditation to help improve one’s conscious contact with God.

Well, I’m going to try the float tank again soon – it was so relaxing.   But this time I’m going to cut back on salt. 

“Come on…Come on Inner Peace I don’t have all day.”  ~ Yoga poster

HAVE YOU TRIED A FLOAT TANK OR SOMETHING ELSE NEW LATELY?

The Blue Grotto — a sea cave on the Island of Capri