❶ Optimal body position for relaxation
To dive deep into meditation, one’s body need to be fully relaxed. When your body is not comfortable, those uneasy sensations will interfere with the practice.
Normally, a meditator will need some months or even years of practicing just to be comfortable with the sitting position. The pain and unease often force people out of meditation after just 30 minutes or less. They are unnecessary obstacles for your mind, making it hard to achieve true meditative state or stillness of the mind.
Inside the float tank, you float on the water surface. It feels like there’s nothing underneath you. This unique position help your body to fully relax but keep your mind awake. Your head is on the water, there is a small flicker of awareness that let you know you are on the water, so you cannot fall into unconscious sleep.
The warm and embracing environment of the float will give you a sense of security & familiarity after just 2 session. It greatly shorten the time required to get familiarized with the meditative state.
❷ Perfectly still environment, even more quiet than meditation school, monastaries, etc.
Because of the unique design, there is no light or sound inside the tank. There’s nobody to disturb you, no wind breezing, no bird chirping, no external sight that distract, no sweat dripping, no mosquitoes or small insect that crawl on your body.
Inside the tank, you are truly isolated from all external stimulations.
❸ The water is the best medium to reflect the relationship between body & mind.
The body, especially the act of breathing, has a deep connection with your mind. When your mind is filled with anger, your breath becomes heavier. When you are relaxed & calm, your breath becomes light, slow, gentle.
Floating on the water surface, every breath you take will move your body, up and down. Inside the tank, you can feel these delicate movements very easily. From that you can see the connection between your body and your mind. Every time your mind wanders, your body will respond appropriately.
Had a nice and friendly staff member help us out! A great first experience and I hope to be back soon! Unfortunately the power went out towards the end but that is beyond their control as blackouts occur quite frequently in Vietnam
Great experience! It was my first time there and the staff member/ owner took his time to explain to us the benefits and walked us through the process. Unfortunately there was a power trip towards the end of my session, but the staff member/ owner were witty calm about it and brought it a huge speaker to wake us up (just in case we hadn’t got up).
This is an absolutley amazing find in Hanoi. I always tell people that floating is the perfect practice if your looking to improve your health, inner peace, and general wellbeing - and that is certainly the case at 'float Hanoi' as well! I have been floating regularly for a few years in the US, and I can say that the tanks and facilities here are truly top of the line. Also Minh, one of the owners, was incredibly welcoming and helpful - he even took me to find an ATM machine after my float so i could pay him! Then followed by showing me a gas station so I could fill up my motorbike (Ive only been here two days). 🙂 Float Hanoi exemplifies what selfless service is all about - I feel at home in Hanoi already just from my first experience here (Of course im also relaxed and rejuvinated from the float itself). I bought a package of 5 "one hour" floats, and when those are up, I will be buying a package of 5 "ninety minute" floats. All that said, just do yourself a big favor and give this place a real shot! You wont be at all dossapointed. ????
The last time I floated was back in Bangkok in 2019. My husband and I were regulars at the facility there. The Hanoi float center feels much more “homemade” than the one in Bangkok. Not saying that neither is better than the other; the setting feels very different, which is something to keep in mind. Otherwise, the tanks work the same - the only difference would be that you have the option to pry the tank’s cover open slightly with the ones in BKK but here, it’s either fully close or open, which can be uncomfortable for first-time floaters. Also, if you haven’t meditated for a long time, it can be pretty challenging during the first few sessions as your mind WILL keep wandering. We did the couple floating session for 60 minutes, and we didn’t regret giving it a try. It was nice, dark, and quiet (something you don’t get much from living in Hanoi). The staff understands and speaks English very well. The online reservation was hassle free, and the team will contact you a day before by phone to reconfirm. Note that they are not really responsive on Facebook messenger, so it’s better to call. It’s a straight forward experience, you go in, pay, rinse a bit, float, get out, rinse again, dress up and leave. Nothing to complain about and would personally return.
Quietest place in HCMC*. I've been floating for over four years and was so happy to find this place in Vietnam. The set up is very professional and sanitary. Owners are knowledgeable and extremely helpful. The prices do seem a bit high and geared towards tourists. I'll will return, but not as frequently as I'd like. *I would not suggest you float if there's going to be rain. During my float it started to pour and the noise was to the point you can not tune it out. I had to cut my float short as a result. No offer of offset cost or float time in the future, disappointing.
❹ No sense of time
Sense of time is one of the greatest barrier for a meditator. The act of staying still, doing nothing for an extended period of time is something our mind not used to. We get bored, we feel it’s been a long time when in fact it’s just 10 or 15 minutes.
The sense of time comes from our awareness of the change in our body and external environment. Inside the float tanks, the amount of information that comes into our mind is vastly limited so we can’t sense time anymore. That’s why with Float Tank it is so easy to overcome the boredom when one start practicing meditation.
❺ Meticulous preparation gives rise to Determination
One quality a meditator must practice is patience & determination. With patience we can overcome the urge to stand up, do something else and distract ourself from the meditation practice.
As float tank is a complicated equipment and sensory deprivation is a very special therapy, you need to be well prepared for a float, no food, no caffeine, no alcohol, be on time, be clean. You also have to pay for the float so you’ll want it to be worth the money. That will make you more attentive and determined. You will turn off your phone, set aside a time for yourself with absolutely no distraction.
For that reason, once you get into the float tank, your body and mind will be ready to fully concentrate on the act of meditation, creating a good mindset to achieve your goal.