Okay, you probably already understand what floating means, and what effects you can expect from floating therapy. If you haven’t read our article on floating in general, read it here.
It is also highly recommended to watch the approximately 15-minute video that is posted on the site.
So if your appointment is already booked (or you’re on the verge of doing so), what can you expect from your first experience?
The most important thing is to let go of all expectations. It’s highly unlikely that floating will be exactly the experience you expect. However, if we need to compare, we can say that floating is comparable to a kind of deep form of meditation. The feeling of being alone with yourself, in silence and peace, can be similar.
At the same time, the experience is different because you don’t need to sit in a specific position, because it’s pleasantly warm and dark, and because your skin is completely free. Some also compare floating to a very relaxing massage.
Although every experience is a little different (even if you are a regular floater), we will still try to picture you what usually happens during the first session.
Please arrive at least 15 minutes before your appointment.
You can even arrive a little earlier, chat with our receptionist, ask any questions you might have or mentally/emotionally prepare for the floating.
Don’t forget that traffic in Ljubljana can sometimes get rough so hit the road on time.
If you’ll be late, the work of the receptor will be more difficult and at the same time your floating will not be as calming because the anxiety and the burden of being late can stay with you throughout the float.
If you’re a regular floater, it’s okay if you arrive about 5 minutes before the start.
In case you’ll be late for more than 10 – 15 minutes, your appointment will unfortunately be canceled.
The fact that you don’t rush on your way to our Float Center is already part of your purpose. Ask yourself where did the decision to float come from in the first place and try to dig deeper.
These are the questions for you and you don’t have to explain them to anyone, but it’s nice to think about them sometimes.
Why have I decided to go floating?
Am I just a little tired?
Am I stressed? Why?
Do I have any big questions, doubts?
Do I have any physical injuries?
Do I want better regeneration after sports?
Everyone has their own reasons why floating calls them.
And this exploration is already a big part of a good floating experience…
When you arrive at Float Center Ljubljana, the receptionist will first greet you. She will show you where you can take off your shoes and change into comfortable slippers and hang your coat.
It will be necessary to fill out a form or two. Then the receptionist will explain the floating process to you:
– go to your room with a floating tank
– take a shower (please use shower gel, shampoo)
– lie down in the floatation tank
– close the float tank lid (if you want)
– let the intro music take you to your session
– at the end, the music and lights turn back on to announce the end of the session
– take a shower again (use gel and shampoo to wash off the salt + hair conditioner if you want)
If you’re floating for the first time, or if anxiety or claustrophobia is present, just don’t panic. You can start floating with an open lid and lights on. When it suits you, you can turn off the light (and/or) the tank lid a little bit and see how it is in the dark. Or not. It’s entirely up to you, and there’s no “right” way.
Nevertheless, the deepest relaxation and mental insights come in complete darkness, silence, and when you are completely at peace. Buddhists say that when the body is pure and quiet, the mind is also calm and quiet…
You can lie in the floating chamber just as it suits you. You can have your arms behind your head, under your head, next to your body, spread out… purely as desired.
You can move a bit, or you can lay still. For deeper states of relaxation we recommend that you first settle down so that you are comfortable, and then try to be completely still for a while.
If it gets a little uncomfortable in your neck area, there’s also a foam pad in the chamber to help support your head.
Ok. You’re lying in warm water, it’s peaceful, so wonderfully peaceful. Quiet. No lights.
These feelings alone are worth their weight in gold, because you can hardly feel such peace in everyday life. Even during sleep, you probably have more light, voice in the bedroom… First, you’ll probably spend a few minutes moving around the float tank, touching it… In short, it’s about getting to know a new space and its boundaries, and how you feel in it.
Again, if you’re more comfortable with or without lights and music, that’s just fine.
Then, in a few minutes, if you’re a more experienced floater or meditator, or a little later for newbies, you’ll meet a wonderful person – yourself.
Now all the factors of the outside world are detached. What’s left is just you. Nothing more, nothing less.
Floating on the water is one of the few activities where gravity is almost not felt. But do you remember swimming a “dead man” in the sea, how wonderful it feels? Well, that’s similar, but even better!
You don’t even need to move a muscle to stay on the water, because there is so much more salt inside than in the sea. But there are no waves that can flood your face. In short, it is a complete physical relaxation.
It is also magnesium salt, not the conventional table salt. Surely you already know that magnesium has a relaxing effect on the muscles and, among other things prevents cramps. After a warm bath with magnesium salt a lot of muscle tension is relaxed.
60 minutes of hovering will seem very long to some.
Time is one such strange thing.
I think physicists and serious meditators perceive it a little differently… 60 minutes is still 60 minutes, but if you’re watching Netflix series, time will go by a lot faster than it does in a sensory deprivation tank.
If you’ve ever “downloaded” the headspace app and tried to meditate for 10 minutes… it was quite a long time, wasn’t it?
Well, 60 minutes in a hovering chamber is quite a long time for most people.
It’s not uncommon if you start to get a little bored.
We advise you to observe what happens at that time.
If the feeling of “nothing” is too strong, you can also go out of the chamber a bit, just try to do it without making too many noises so as not to disturb others who are floating.
However, when you are a little more used to floating, sometimes even 60 minutes will not be enough.
You’ll want to try another 90 minutes, or maybe even 120 minutes.
What to do while floating is entirely up to you.
What we can suggest:
Our advice is to always follow yourself. Simply ask yourself, “What am I doing right now, this minute?” And do that. If something else comes up in a minute, do that. And if 30 minutes will suit you to do the same, just don’t change anything.
Floating is a tool. Just like psychotherapy, running, walking in the hills, meditation, massage…
All of these can be tools that help you discover yourself and regulate everyday stress, both physical and mental.
Over time, you can get better and better at using this tool, and you will also feel deeper relaxation, and personal discoveries. But it’s enough if you try it once, and you’ll quickly see if it’s for you or not.
