History of the flotation tank

The origins of the flotation tank started in 1954 when Dr. John C. Lilly, a medical practitioner and neuro-psychiatrist was training in psychoanalysis and started to do research regarding the origin of consciousness and its relation to the brain. He tried many experiments with different kinds of float tanks that gradually evolved to the highly technological and comfortable flotation facilities that we have today.

The main focus of Dr. Lilly was to create a device that would deprive or restrict the number of external stimuli so that the brain and the individual could be tested in an atmosphere of isolation. Initially these devices were called sensory deprivation chambers but in recent years, with research showing a growing understanding of the benefits of flotation therapy, the terminology has changed to Restricted Environmental Stimuli Therapy (R.E.S.T.).

Flotation tank philosophy

The present philosophy of flotation therapy or R.E.S.T. is to offer people in the community the possibility of one more way of regaining aspects of health, either physical, emotional or psychological. There are many schools of thought at the present time in medicine and psychotherapy that are oriented to teach people how to master their bodies and minds in order to achieve a state of deep relaxation. This is essential in the very highly pressurised society of the Western World. This new concept regarding the need for deep relaxation has been validated by recent research showing that up to 80% to 90% of people that go to visit a General Practitioner do so because of a psychosomatic or stress related disorder.

The advantage of flotation therapy using a flotation tank is that it enables most individuals to experience very deep levels of relaxation from the very early stages of this therapy. It has the advantage of the patient not needing to learn any special technique to trigger the relaxation response. Other very useful methods like biofeedback, self-hypnosis, autogenic training, progressive muscular relaxation or meditation generally need a period of learning the specific technique to be followed require a certain period of time and practice to reach deep levels of relaxation, especially when the patient practices on his own using flotation.