Isolation Tank - ultimate and universal OBE tool?

[sqprx]

Have you ever heard of 'iso tank' or maybe used one?

For those who don't know what that is - Isolation Tank is an enclosed sensory deprivation bathtub-container in which you float in total darkness. You can't hear or see anything; the temperature in it matches your body temperature exactly.

In the absence of all sensory input I think it is a perfect condition for an OBE. Also it's a great opportunity for people to trip balls without LSD

http://youtu.be/ROk_3gHnEfU

[Stookie_]

I've wanted to try one for years

[Xanth]

Definitely sounds like it would make for quite the trippy trip. 

[desert-rat]

On the t.v. show Hawaii 5-0- (late 60s ) red China agents use a tank like this to brake spys  .   desert rat 

[sqprx]

On the t.v. show Hawaii 5-0- (late 60s ) red China agents use a tank like this to brake spys  .   desert rat  

I'm not surprised at all, because unless spies were aware of their spiritual nature back then, it would scare the crap out of them, because of the violent hallucinations they were likely to experience which were caused by sense deprivation and multiplied by their animal fear. Definitely spies thought they were going mental and once they had hallucinations to prove it, I would think they did in reality, because as we all know the mind is a powerful thing set to self-destruct. I think I read this somewhere


But seriously though, I'm surprised that iso-tanks are not popular, cause what is possible to achieve (with relative ease) using them - has many, many ramifications..

Xanth, haven't you heard of those?

[Lionheart]

 David Warner does a video review of his experience in a Iso-Tank on the Astral Academy site. It is a goal of mine one day to experience it as well. LeavesofGrass said he and a friend  are going to be opening a business in Sweden in the future, using Iso-Tanks and the Lucia 3 so people can experience a waking NPR Journey. They are planning to open a Non Profit Research Institute by the Summer of 2013.  I hope it goes well for him. I know there is a place in Minneapolis, Mn. where I could go and try an Iso-Tank out. A couple of years ago, I was looking into having one of them in my house. We were going to buy it used. But then, I found out how much maintenance it constantly needs and it wouldn't work because we travel so much doing our Renaissance Faires and wouldn't be home to maintain it.

[Boom]

OMG i wanna try one of these things out!

its got me thinking tho.. how hard would it be to totally deprive your senses.. ie make a DIY home tank? Bit of warm water in a big box , salt etc

[Szaxx]

Hi,
The nearest thing would be a very comfy bed or similar with just warm air blowing gently over your body. You'd need to be alone wearing nothing. Headphones on the perfect volume and a myriad of shuman frequencies beating away. There needs to be some imagination added too.
Maybe some could try this.
If you have a laxman or similar then yay...
The alternative is saving and waiting.
Nice thought though.

[Volgerle]

I know a professional alternative medicine practicioner who looks into these matters also from the maintenance, operational and cost side. He mentioned almost as a side point one fact that would dissuade me from trying this out: hygiene. He claimed that the tanks are NOT cleared out every time another customer enters it (too time and cost consuming). This is especially relevant if you consider that many people get so deeply 'relaxed' that they 'let loose' of certain body liquids during this experience. And he said this happens quite often!

Hence, my little poem:

Floating meditatively in other peoples' pee.
No, I'm sorry, that's not my cup of tea.
 

[Szaxx]

Hi,
If you feel that way,
then give it a miss.
Or leave the tank,
not smellin amiss.

Temptation lol...

[sqprx]

Roses are red
Violets are blue
I really like to urinate in flotation tanks..   

[sqprx]

Here's what Mark Hunter, vocalist of Chimaira has to say about iso-tanks:

(www.gunshyassassin.com/exclusive/dear-hunter-episode-2-the-iso-tank/)


Dear Hunter: Episode 2 — The Iso-Tank
Posted by Mark Hunter on August 6, 2012 in Dear Hunter, Exclusive, Featured


Dear Hunter
Mark Hunter, the lead singer of Chimaira, has returned with a second installment in his Gun Shy Assassin column, 'Dear Hunter.' We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.
When I first discovered sensory deprivation tanks, I jumped to experience one first hand.

For those unfamiliar with iso-tanks, they're like an enclosed bath tub where you float in total darkness. You can't actually hear, or see much of anything, and if done correctly, your mind slows down to where you're relaxed enough that you can effectively problem solve. If you're lucky and well trained, you can hallucinate and have out of body experiences.

I am still surprised how underground the tanks are, but when I bring them up to people, they look at me like I'm crazy. "I'm too claustrophobic for that excrement" my friends say. Hell, I am super claustrophobic, too, but this sounded way too fun not to try. Plus, if they were dangerous, there would be a warning. The real danger is peering into your own mind and potentially unlocking inner demons you might have to face.

Being a touring musician, I am no stranger to stress. I strive to achieve zen. Some methods work, some don't. Most of my friends are well off with a stiff drink. I usually turn into a wigger that can't stop vomiting when I choose that route. Doing things that most people would deem bat excrement crazy is a turn on. Since my job can be as stressful as any, it is crucial for me to learn how to chill out so I don't burn out.

Through my studies, I think most problems can be solved with an understanding of how to operate the brain. We have too many distractions that prevent critical thinking. Humans let emotions get in the way of logic. In order to get my brain at the processing power I desire, it takes extreme methods at this stage of the game. I've been around the world a few times and have seen enough to desensitize me.

The floatation tank was designed in 1954 by John C. Lilly, a neuropsychiatrist. This guy was into all sorts of groovy excrement like psychedelic research, communication with dolphins, and a deeper understanding of human consciousness. A fan of the research, the notion that I could blow my mind with buoyancy was intriguing.

The flotation tank

My first experience was at Optimal Wellness in Lakewood, Ohio. I went there because it was the only option. If you want an opinion on who has the best flotation tank in Cleveland, that's it. I don't want this to turn into a Yelp review, but the place was warm and earthy. Exactly what you'd want from a wellness center. Yes, they had coconut water. No, I don't enjoy it.
The room I was escorted to came equipped with a shower and the tank. I was pleased that they stocked the shower with high-end shampoo's and conditioners. After all, a guy that once went on tour with Slayer was in the building. A good lathering and I entered the tank through an opening at the end.

The tank itself was pretty intimidating at first. As soon as I got in the lukewarm water and shut the hole of an entrance behind me, I suddenly had a moment of panic. My throat closed up a bit, I found it hard to breathe... basically, I was experiencing true isolation. That buried alive feeling, or that I might drown. I quickly opened the lid again to get a glimpse of light, and to calm my paranoid butt down. I was there to relax, have an experience, and hopefully expand my mind. I told my inner being to stop being such a pussy.

Once I got my excrement together, I started to enjoy the experience. For the first twenty minutes, I was breathing extremely slow while my body tingled. It was similar to being on exceptionally strong pain meds. My thoughts raced at an alarming rate; finally, there was only my breath and the darkness.

I don't quite recall much after that, but I do remember seeing some pretty astounding colors. Towards the end of my hour, I was in such a powerful, meditative place, that when the woman knocked to tell me my session had ended, she sounded like she was a universe away. When the last knock came, I jumped back into reality in the same fashion as if I had been sleeping and woken up unexpectedly.

I attribute the whole experience to being asleep while awake. True day dreaming. After my hour was up, I took advantage of the designer cleansing products again and headed home. While on the ride back, I could immediately tell my mind was different. I was focused, driven, and my problem solving ability was enhanced. My workload for the day was completed in less than two hours, and I was in a better mood that I had found myself in a while.

From stress, to writers block, to seeing what the hell is in the depths of your brain, the iso-tank is a fantastic, legal, and (somewhat) affordable way to trip your balls off and get your mind right. There is a minor feeling of rebirth that comes with the experience, and the more you do it — the more you can manage your brain.

What are some ways you guys like to relax and learn more about yourself?

[sqprx]

. [sorry, posted this by mistake, can you delete a post? couldn't find that option]