Moments of musing
Tonight I can’t help but reminisce. It’s funny how a photo memory popping up can hit different some days. How the temperature of the air outside can send you right back- viscerally- to another moment in time. Tonight, as I let my dog out, I could remember another balmy February day years past. I could almost feel the warmth and hear the crackle from the bonfire that leapt out of my backyard that day, as if it wasn’t a mere memory from a different life.
People tend to say that there are seasons in life. I’ve spent most of my life believing this to be true. Even going as far as to say that each season has its’ respective reason. I could tell you exactly what purpose each person had in my life or what lesson each stage and circumstance offered. I could explain anything away. Reason. Rationalize. As if life where this easy thing to dissect. As if, it were truly possible to be an impartial observer of your own version of reality.
These days, I don’t always hold so tight to my previous convictions. I find myself questioning if there really is a rhyme or reason to most of what we call life. Is there some divine plan- some predetermined destiny? Or is everything mere happenstance? And does it really matter either way?
It’s days like this that have me thinking a lot about yogic philosophy. About how life is only ever truly lived in the present moment. That nothing else exists. And if life is really a moment to moment phenomenon then is it even worth trying to untangle? Is there anything to make sense of? Do the memories hold merit? Or do we place whatever coloured glasses best fit with our current outlook over our memories as some unconscious veil through which to see the world?
Anaïs Nin said it best when she stated, “we do not see things as they are, we see them as we are.” It’s a quote that I first learned during my practicum in child welfare. It has always stuck with me. It’s why tonight, the subtle breeze brings me back to a specific moment in time. And that memory morphs. The edges blur. The parts I rationally know to be there stay tucked beyond the limits of the memory. A perfect image of a simple, pleasant moment; rather than, the full picture- where fear and resentment lay wait.
Our minds can be both limitlessly beautiful and undeniably dangerous. I appreciate the beauty that my mind highlights. I respect the reduced emphasis on the painful moments. And I wonder if my mind will stay this way. I wonder if this is by the grace of sunshine, exercise and conscious nutrition choices. Or, if this is just fundamentally me and my worldview. To not be hardened despite it all.
But to cling is to suffer. And so I allow these memories to float in and out. I acknowledge them and the questions they bring. The feelings they illicit. I notice them and then I let them go. An exhale. A relinquishing. Because at the end of the day… Impermanence is the only guarantee.
Xoxo,
Yoga Mama, Buddha Baby
Sensory deprivation
Imagine- you’re being held and supported, suspended in a caress. You’re the perfect temperature. There are no external distractions. No light. No sound. Sensory input has been so limited that you lose track of where your body ends and where the tank begins. Alone with your thoughts. Brought back to a similar state as the womb. A re-birth. A coming home to your own essence, to the part of your being that makes you, YOU!
I often get asked how I can go for a sensory deprivation session. Most people tell me they would be too claustrophobic or they voice enormous fear about being alone with their own thoughts. Without any distractions, input or things to use to alter their state of consciousness, they’re afraid that they’ll go “mad”.
I think this is such a sad reality of our current society. So many people walk around not knowing themselves, not able to spend time alone without the input from media/social media. But how can you develop your interests, find fulfillment and live a meaningful life, without truly knowing yourself?
Your mind is not the enemy.
External stimulus as distraction is not the answer.
Get still.
Work your way up to sitting with your thoughts before heading to the studio for a float session. Start with 5 minutes a day and gradually work up to 20 minutes a day. If you can manage a 20 minute meditation session you can manage a 60-90 minute long float.
A float session is such a beautiful reset. The sensory overwhelm is gone. You’re not being inundated by sounds, sights, smells or physical sensations. It’s basically the equivalent to unplugging your device and leaving it powered off for a bit before re-connecting. Your device tends to function more optimally after this pause and so do you.
The sensory tank is actually quite spacious, you can stretch out without touching any walls, the tank doesn’t lock and you are welcome to exit at any point in time, if needed. The tank is also tall enough to stand up in without hitting your head. If you can meditate and you can remind yourself of just how spacious the tank is and if you’ve practiced any of the breathing strategies I mentioned in my previous post then you shouldn’t have any issues with fear of claustrophobia.
What are some of the benefits of floating?
Physically:
– pain management
-increased blood circulation
-relaxation response
-increased immune function
-heightened senses
-magnesium absorption
Mentally:
-stress reduction
-anxiety reduction
-improved sleep
-improved creativity
-visualization
How does it work?
Here is how GoFloat Burlington structures a session…
1. book an appointment online or via phone
2. arrive 15 minutes prior to your float session
3. take a tour/pre-float orientation
4. shower, put in earplugs & enter your cabin
5. make yourself comfortable, lie still, float away
6. music will fade in to let you know that your session is over
7. exit your cabin and shower
The space is beautiful. Very peaceful with a seating area equipped with colouring books and a communal journal to record thoughts or feelings from your session. They have an absolutely gorgeous turtle mural on the wall. There is a vanity at the back equipped with a hairdryer, q-tips, and body lotion. The only thing you have to bring is yourself. They provide everything else- soap, shampoo, conditioner, reusable ear plugs (that you should totally bring back with you every time), towels and sandals.
My one note of warning would be that the studio does burn some incense and that can be problematic for those with respiratory issues. I personally enjoy the scent of the incense and find it very soothing. This scent is only in the main entryway and seating area, the float rooms are sealed and the smoke doesn’t seem to travel into there.
If you’d like to try a session use the code tp-873258 for a discount off your first session.
I’ve been floating for several months now and it’s become something I eagerly await. I get to the point where I notice it’s been a while since my last float and that I need a reset. I’d love to hear, have you tried sensory deprivation before? Is it a consistent part of your mental health regimen?
Xoxo,
Yoga Mama, Buddha Baby
Yoga Mama Buddha Baby 