The sensory deprivation tank, also known as an isolation chamber, is a modern day relaxation therapy that has been gaining widespread attention for its remedial and healing benefits for the mind and soul. Drawing upon meditation theory, it forces the participant to let go of all external sensory stimuli to focus on the infinite universe that is within.
The tank is filled with water that is harmonized to the same temperature as the surface of the skin. Heavily salted with Epsom salt, the water is extremely dense, allowing the person to float on their backs with their nose and mouth above the water. The participant enters the tank nude, and because of the precisely correlated temperature of the water and the skin, the person is led to feel as though they are floating in mid-air. Neither light nor sound can enter the chamber, which means the person is completely cut off from outward sensory stimuli and, after relaxing into the environment, is absorbed into a concentrated mediation.
The environment allows for the person to easily slip into an altered state of consciousness, and with practice through successive sessions, users report being able to explore deeper and deeper aspects of their psyche and consciousness with improved efficiency each time. As a person gets better at letting go a bit more each time, they come to a point where they release the attachments to identity, and by doing so become connected to a source of energy and awareness like never before.
Within the first 15-20 minutes, users report experiences wherein they observe themselves and their lives with a new transparency, gaining clarity on things such as their behaviour, relationships, and thought patterns. As time goes on within the chamber, the mind and soul become completely segregated from the body, wherein some can experience the ‘god-head,’ or the feeling of complete oneness with the universe and the source of love and light.
The tank provides a helping means for anyone to practice meditation, whether they are completely new to the exercise or are already a master. The benefits can be substantial for people who are experiencing stress and who wish to escape their busy lives, for people who have difficulty meditating in their normal environments, or even for people who simply wish to gain clarity on issues in their daily lives.
In today’s society, a vast majority of people search outwards for help and assistance, and the common vices that are promoted through mass advertising and media include pharmaceutical and/or illicit drugs, alcohol, and television, to name a few. Modern day therapies such as the isolation chamber may be the future of psychotherapy, which focuses on ridding oneself of external distraction while empowering oneself to heal by means of personal observation and conscious awareness.
open float pool behind light-blocking glass (real photo at Ōmni Space)Float Hanoi Samadhi-style float tank (real photo: Float Vietnam)The glass float room seen from the doorway (real photo at Ōmni Space)
Want to try it yourself? Float Vietnam’s float rooms are at Ōmni Space, 16C Quoc Huong, Thao Dien, Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon), open daily 9:00–21:00. Book a float or read our float therapy FAQ first.
Frequently asked questions
What happens inside an isolation tank?
You float on your back in water heavily salted with Epsom salt and matched to skin temperature, with no light or sound. After relaxing, most people slip into a concentrated, meditative state.
Can an isolation tank help if I find meditation hard?
Yes. Because external stimuli are removed, the tank offers a helping hand for people who have difficulty meditating in their normal environment, whether they are new to meditation or experienced.
Do the effects improve with more sessions?
Users report that with practice through successive sessions they can explore deeper aspects of their psyche with improved efficiency each time.
