Modern technologies for meditation are in fact, technical equipment and tools that are able to enhance the expansion of consciousness and our entry into a deep meditation.
One of these technologies and also an excellent tool to achieve a state of deep meditation is “Samadhi Tank” or “Flotation Tank”.
Samadhi Tank
Samadhi Tank (floating tank) is a device similar to a covered mini indoor swimming pool, where you can float effortlessly due to the high concentration of dissolved salts. This creates favorable conditions to reduce or even cancel the effects of gravity. The sensation is similar to the sensation of astronauts floating in space.
Modern floating tanks are based on scientific research done in the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health – Washington) and NASA. In fact, this technology is studied since 1954. The studies are based on REST (Restricted Environmental Stimulation Technique).
In recent years, many experiments have shown the remarkable beneficial effects of floating in Samadhi Tank (Floatation Tank) in the areas of health, sports, fitness, education, etc.
Researchers estimate that over 90% of the central nervous system and the brain is used to adapt and support the body in terrestrial gravitational field, where in fact we are constantly bombarded by olfactory, auditory, visual or sensory stimuli.
Flotation tank reduces significantly even total all these stimuli, especially the gravity, providing a pure relaxation and total disconnection. In these special circumstances, it is normal for the human body to restore its recovery mechanisms such as healing and regeneration without any outside help.
The temperature inside of Samadhi Tank is 96.8 degrees Fahrenheit (35-36 ° C) – the same as skin temperature. Thus, the peripheral nerves of the skin do not perceive any sensation of separation from environment. The saline solution also contribute to the creation of this feeling. The result is that your nervous system will slowly stop the signal transmission to the brain. Practically, the physical boundaries start to dissolve and disappear.
More than that, under the effect of a complete relaxation, a pleasant reaction will occur throughout your body. This is the “parasympathetic response.” The muscle tension, pulse rate, blood pressure and oxygen amount consumption will be reduced significantly and largely the chemistry of your body changes. The blood vessels such as arteries, veins and capillaries dilate. That will improve the cardiovascular efficiency and the amount of nutrients and oxygen to the cells are amplified. This is known as “the vasodilator effect”.
The harmful biochemical products resulting from stress as adrenaline and lactic acid are eliminated from the blood stream and are replaced with endorphins – the “happiness hormones”.
These biochemical changes occur naturally and spontaneously as a product of relaxation and total disconnection. Basically, there is no need for any relaxation technique or special meditation; just lie in the water tank and float.
Stripping away the gravity and external stimuli, body and mind go into a state of relaxation, even deeper than a usual sleep – so, an hour of floating equals at least 4 hours of sleep.
Floating stimulates the secretion of endorphins quickly and easily and thus the brain function, learning and memory processes are considerably improved.
It makes sense that if your body goes into a state of deep relaxation, than your brain immerses itself into a state of special attention, proper to the Theta brain waves. EEG analyzes show a lowering of brain frequencies from 20-25 Hz to 4-8 Hz during and after flotation sessions. This is actually the creativity, intuitive processes, autosuggestion, visualization and the area of maximum learning ability. The genius brainwave measurements showed the presence of theta in the waking state. For most of us Theta state is impossible without entering into a deep sleep. In the flotation tank you can effortlessly entry in the Theta state, without meditative practices, in full awareness. The EEG measurements of those who frequently use Samadhi Tank have shown a cerebral hemispheres synchronization and balancing. This produces a special type of consciousness as a result of activation of the right hemisphere – responsible for intuition and knowledge expansion. More than that, floating does not inhibit the functioning of left hemisphere responsible for logic, analytical and linear thinking and, but simply allows the use at our command, to any hemisphere.
However, the most important effect is the breakthrough in advanced stages of consciousness in a deep, deep meditation. From here comes the traditional name of Samadhi Tank. In the Oriental tradition, Samadhi is a state of deep meditation in which our spirit returns to original and merges with the Divine.
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