Advanced techniques for floating

No effort is needed in order to receive the benefits of floating. In fact, it is recommended that your first few times floating you simply allow yourself to “Driftaway” and experience deep relaxation. However, as you become more acclimated to the feeling of floating, there are some additional techniques and tools that you can use to enhance the benefits of your experience if you choose. In particular when you have a specific behavior goal such as weight loss or performance enhancement, these tools can amplify the floating experience. Everyone is different, see what works for you.

Breath & Body Awareness

These techniques can help you to let go and reach deeper levels of relaxation. This technique can be done several ways. One is to simply focus on your breathing. Rhythmic and soothing, it can help to quite the mind and bring the consciousness to a place of stillness. You may also focus on breathing deeply into your diaphragm, so that as you breathe you relax your abdominal muscles and your belly expands. Because of conditioning it is common to hold ones stomach in and tighten those muscles. This contributes to the fight or flight response of the body and inhibits relaxation. And finally, another technique is to breath through ones nose. You may also count to ten as you do this, letting go of any thoughts that might come to awareness.

Another technique is to move through your body, focusing on each and every part as you consciously relax that area. You can also visualize healing light or relaxing warmth radiating on each part as you bring your awareness there. Release all tension and let yourself relax and sink deeper relaxed and hypnotic states.         

Self-Hypnosis and Suggestion

Hypnosis is often thought of as a special state that takes a practitioner to induce. In fact, often in our lives we are in a light hypnotic state - the combination of relaxation and focused attention. Perhaps while listening to music, or watching TV, or engaged in a focused activity. Research shows that this state is beneficial in itself but what really makes it a powerful tool is to use it with the power of suggestion.

Floating and using suggestion is a highly effective way to lessen pain, access memories, make body changes, eliminate unwanted habits, heal more rapidly and to reinforce more positive attitudes and beliefs. Follow these general principles for whatever your desired application is:

• Repeat:  Repetition of your suggestion and perhaps even using variations on words used and images will increase its effectiveness.

• Use present tense:  The unconscious is very literal. Use words such as “I am” rather than “I will” which implies the future rather than it being true NOW.

• Use Positive Statements:  Research shows that the brain responds more favorably to positive statements such as “I am healthy and my ideal weight” rather than “I am not overweight”. The negative statement puts the emphasis on the thought “overweight” rather than the desired outcome of “ideal weight”.

• Experience it as real: Allow yourself to suspend disbelief and feel that the suggestion is true. When you experience it as real in your imagination, the subconscious can then accept it as real.

• Be specific: Focus on specific outcomes rather than general attitudes. “I am closing the Smith account” rather than “I am a good salesperson”.

• Visualize: Combine visual images with your suggestions and see yourself as accomplishing your suggested behavior/outcome. (see Visualization techniques below for more details)

• Be Rhythmic: Accessing the right-brain can be enhanced by finding a natural rhythm to your suggestion – such as chanting, a song or poetry. Find a natural pace and repeat.

Visualization Techniques

Mental images are a powerful tool which is enhanced when brain waves deepen to the Theta state, common during floating and meditation. The trick with visualizing is to find what works for you, be playful and creative. Perhaps try over the top theatrical exaggeration, or slow-motion detailed play by play images. Try invoking realism – smells, sounds, etc. Or perhaps a more romanticized image of you accomplishing your goal is more effective for you. One technique that has been effective is to be the director of your own movie. See yourself performing from all angles, replay important parts, and see yourself in the lead. What does it feel like to accomplish your goal?  Research suggests that visual images that are held in the mind firmly enough can be accepted by the mind as actually memories with the same benefits.

Audio Programming

Prerecorded tapes/CD’s can also be used for providing suggestion during self-hypnosis. In addition, audio provides a great opportunity for accelerated learning. By playing language tapes or other informational programs while floating – you can take advantage of the receptive theta brain state. Overall learning capacity and retention show significant improvements over traditional studying.

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