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Welcome to Mind Echo™ Float Tank Experiences
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“How long after you are gone
will ripples remain as evidence that
you were cast into the pool of life?"
- Grant M. Bright
"Charles Barkley, (NBA Basketball Player) - who soaked his 6 foot 4 1/2 inch body in Epsom Salt all day Friday - scored a career playoff high 44 points."
- The New York Times
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Closed
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We are currently CLOSED while we look for a new location for our float tank.
We thank all of you who enjoyed floating in our tank.
The float tank pictured on this site is for sale. CAD$2,500.00. Peter. 604-736-2461.
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MindEcho™
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"Floating is a method of attaining deep rest in a sensory relief floatation tank."
Mind Echo Float Tank Experiences, floatation tank experiences in support of your journey of enhancing your human performance and expanding your consciousness.
MindEcho, exploring your own mind discovering your human condition.
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Comments from our Float Guests
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"Wonderful, glorious, and all other words that carry the same feeling and more!!! In a nice & safe home environment, with inspirational images & quotes on the walls to inspire your spirit".
- Luann, Bodyworker
"I've just had my first floating experience after a full day of physical work and I feel great - totally revived. I feel calm, relaxed and rested both mentally an physically. Thank you."
- Stephano, Painter, Artist, Rennovator
"I feel nourished, relaxed and more alive. At 7 months pregnant it was a great break to feel weightless & the baby seemed to it enjoy it too!"
- Nichole, Expecting Mother, Painter, Artist
"I enjoyed a nice float, very relaxing and a nice time, found it was a good place to think and visualize."
- Rob, Martial Arts Student just before major competition.
"Relaxing & refreshing -> Revitalized. Mentally Healthy."
- Simon P., Martial Arts Instructor
"Just had my first float and I feel fabulous, it truely was a unique experience. Felt like I returned to the womb. ahhhhhh and thank you."
- Sara
"And then... I opened my eyes To The Universe and found my deepest reflexion floating weightless. I touched infinity and then I arouse."
- Beatriz, Psychologist, Poet, May 2002
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Before Floating
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What you need to know for your first float experience.
We want you to have a successfull floating experience. Please read the following so that you know what to expect, how to prepare, when to book your appointment, when not to, and what is required for your float experience to be both enjoyable and successfull.
Mind Echo Floating, a warm, cozy, private space to experience your consciousness like you never have before.
Floating in the echo of your minds eye discovering the human condition of you. Working to expand your consciousness through
awareness and the calming deep relaxing sensation of the floating experience.
The Bodhi Tree Floatation Tank
We have one Bodhi Tree Floatation tank which is an enclosed tank made of wood. It's about 4 feet wide and 8 feet long. There is a liner in side that contains the water epsom salts crystal solution that we float in. Yes, your are floating in a liquid salt crystal!
Other than using one of their tanks we have no association with the former Bodhi Tree Floatation center, which has been closed since the early ninties. I did float there my first few times in the early ninties, possibly in this very tank! During my early float experiences I decided that I wanted to have a float tank. A few years later this tank became available. - Peter.
Sensory Relief
It's dark inside the float tank when the door is closed, this is what provides the sensory isolation and sensory relief. Most people also keep their eyes closed during floating. You can open the door anytime you want when floating.
Do I need any towels?
We supply two towels for your float experience.
What keeps me afloat?
You float in 9 inches of water mixed into a solution with eight hundred pounds of disolved epsom salts cyrstals. It's just like water only much thicker (25 times the concentration of ocean salt water) and of course, salty. The salt enables your body to effortlessly float when you are lying down on your back. This even makes it possible to sleep during the floating experience. The epsom salts water solution surrounds you from underneath and the sides holding you upright with your face upwards. Your body tends to stay this way unless you move on your own.
Will my skin prune?
Your skin will not prune as it does if you stay in the bath tub for extended periods. In fact your skin will likely feel very smooth after floating as the epsom salts have been in contact with it.
What does floating feel like?
The experience of floating is in some ways similar to what it must be like for an astronaught floating in outerspace. Once you've settled in your motion will stop, although you might drift especially when you move. Generally the main thing is to completely let the epsom salts water solution carry your body weight. Let you kneck completly relax, as your head will float. It can feel liberating, although you might be sore from tension in your body. As you float, breath in and let your body relax.
Hygene
For personal hygene reasons we require that no bodily fluids of any kind enter the tank. This includes any open cuts or scrapes. We recommend that you not shave before your float or even on the day of your float. We ask that women schedule their floatation experiences around their cycle.
Showing Before Floating
Everyone is required to throughly shower before entering the floatation tank, with no exceptions, for hygene reasons. You also shower after floating, and after a taking a bathroom break. You are required to wash your entire body throughly with soap and then rinse well. This ensures a successfull float experience for everyone.
Water Sanitization
The solution of water and epsom salts in the floatation tank is filtered via a pump and very large filter unit after each person uses the floatation tank. We use the same water treatment methods that are used in professional spas and hot tubs. We are required for health reasons to use a bromine based disinfectant (which does contain a small amount of chlorine). The bromine oxidizes organic molecules and effectively disinfects the tank.
We are looking into alternative methods of disenfecting the water (ozone, ionization and ultra-violet) that don't use spa/pool chemicals. However, we would still be required to have a measurable level of bromine.
If you have a known sensitivity to the spa/pool chemicals, such as irritated or dry skin, itching or rash, then we recommend that you not float. Most people have no problem with the amounts that are used in our tank.
Eyes, Nose, Minor Cuts and Scrapes
Epsom salts sting a lot when you get some in your eye or nose and on rare occasions some other sensitive and private areas of your body. If your eyes get salt water in them we recommend that you immediately wipe your eyes dry with your towel, as this will usually solve the problem. If that does not help then rinse them with fresh water. The same goes for your nose. We adise you not to put your finger into your nose while floating since it's very hard to reach the inside passage of your nose where the salt water may have gotten. Simply put, don't pick you nose while in the tank. Please clean your nose with tissue paper before entering the tank. This will help with your breathing as well.
Minor cuts and scrapes will sting, even after they've closed. It's well, putting salt on a wound. You can use some vasaline jell (supplied) to cover them up and this may help prevent the stinging. For hygene reasons you are not permitted to float if you have fresh cuts or scrapes that are bleeding or ozing fluids. Please inspect your body before coming for a float.
Ears
Your head will be floating with your ears below the water line. Your ears, will as a result, fill with the water epsom salt solution. Some people float with ear plugs while others don't. It's personal preference. We supply disposable sanitary one-time use only ear plugs for your use. We recommend that you use the ear plugs as they keep your ears dry and they cut down (-28db) on the noise that you might occasionally hear while floating. Please dispose of your ear plugs in the trash bin after using them.
Bathroom breaks
If you need a bathroom break while in the float tank please exit the tank and use our rest room facilities. They are located in the room next to the float tank's room. You must then wash your hands and if necessary shower again before re-entering the tank.
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Booking an Appointment
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Call 604-736-2461 to Book your Appointment Now
Booking your float tank appointment.
We want you to have a successfull floating experience. Please read the following so that you know how and when to book your appointment.
By Appointment Only
All float experiences are by appointment only. You must call and confirm your appointment on the day of your float. Please call Peter at (604) 736-2461 to book and confirm your appointment. If you must cancel or change your appointment please advise us as soon as you can and preferably a day before your float appointment.
You will be cared to by Peter, Bruce, Steve or one of our other helpful float assistants. It is our job to ensure that you have a quality float experience.
Location
We are located in an old character home in a quite and safe east Vancouver neighbourhood. While the house doesn't look like much from the outside, it's quite cosy and welcoming inside. It has some stained glass and nice wood trim and doors inside. Most importantly, the float tank is located on the main floor in it's own room for your privacy. In addition, the float tank room is directly next to the bathroom. We are located one and a half blocks east of Renfrew Street on 5th Avenue in Vancouver, British Columbia. Since floats are by appointment only, we will provide you with our address when you book your appointment.
Directions
It's easy to find travel to our location via bus, skytrain, bike or car. For Translink bus information please click here. From downtown Vancouver take the Renfrew bus. You can also take the Broadway bus. Note that the nearest 99 Broadway express bus stops at Rupert and not at Renfrew, so it's a bit of a walk. The existing Commercial street skytain is the stop to get off of if you are traveling by skytrain. Then take the Broadway bus east to Renfew Street. If riding your bike you'll want to take the bike route on 7th or 8th (which?), as there is less traffic than the main roads. When traveling by car you can take either 1st, Broadway or 12th and travel to Renfrew Street. Once you get to Renfrew Street head to 5th Avenue, then turn West onto 5th, and head up and over the hill a block and a half east. We are just east of Nootka on 5th Avenue, but west of Liloett. We are located on the south side of the street on the hill.
Appointment Times
We take float appointments most days of the week and on the week end, if needed. We prefer if you book your appointment a day, two or three in advance. Booking for next week is also fine. We generally take appointments in the morning, after noon and evening.
We even take over night float appointments for those who wish to float all night. Bruce Q. holds the current record at MindEcho with a seven hour overnight float! Way to go Bruce.
Available Float Durations and Opening Special Rates
Currently we have an opening special. We recommend a two hour float so that you get the full benefits and a complete R.E.M. cycle. This is the rapid eye movement cycle should you fall asleep or experience the meditative theta brain wave state while floating.
MindEcho
Float | One Person
One Float
Duration | Opening
Special
Rates | Regular
Rates |
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| Minimal | One hour | $35.00 | $40.00 |
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| Recommended | Two hours | $50.00 | $60.00 |
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| Three hours | $65.00 | $80.00 |
Dedicated
to Vision | Four hours | $80.00 | $100.00 |
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| Five hours | $90.00 | $115.00 |
Endurance/
Overnight | Six hours | $100.00 | $130.00 |
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| Seven hours | $110.00 | $140.00 |
| Eight hours | $120.00 | $150.00 |
Floating with a Friend
Share your float experience! If you want to float with your friend, one apointment booked right after the other that is, take advantage of our very popular friend floating special.
$5 off the total for two, one hour floats that are booked right after each other.
$10 off the total for two, two hour floats that are booked right after each other.
Bring a book, some note paper to write your fresh floating throughts with, study, or listen to music while your friend floats. Stay in our cozy living room while your friend floats. Prepare your throughts for your float. Review your floating experience. Add comments to our guest book. Lot's of couples and friends enjoy the shared experience of floating one after the other.
Bulk Floating Rates
Once you know that you want to float a whole bunch, ask us about our bulk floating discount program and referral programs.
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While Floating
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What do I do while floating in the Float Tank?
What do I do while in the float tank? Well, you float, relax and unwind from your day.
Relaxing.
It's important to completly relax while floating. Let the epsom salts solution take the weight of your head. Your eyes will remain out of the water while your ears will be submerged. The water line will be just below your eyes. Let go of the muscles in your neck.
Breathing.
Breath into any tension that you feel. Observe your breath.
Fresh air enters the tank via an air intake pipe at the opposite end of the tank. Hot air leaves the tank via a hot air outflow pipe at the door end fo the tank. This natural cycle keeps the air fresh. If you feel that the air is stuffy, carefully turn around and face the door so that your head is near the air intake pipe, or open the door briefly to let in fresh air. Make sure that you clearn your nose before entering the tank so that you don't feel stuffy from a clogged nose.
Massage.
You may find it necessary or usefull to massage your neck, back, legs and arms while floating.
Reduce Ping Ponging (bouncing around by stopping your motion with your hands against the sides of the float tank).
Sing, chant, tone or talk.
Stretch
Sleeping
Sleeping is fun in the tank. You can end up having a very deep sleep while floating.
Visualize
Meditation
We recommend a two hour float so that you are sure to experience a complete R.E.M. cycle if you should sleep or if you enter the theta brain wave pattern. This brain wave pattern is similar to the time when you're just about to wake or fall asleep yet are still conscious. Monks take years of practice to achieve this state via meditation and most people expeience it during every float! Cool.
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Questions?
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Email us at info@MindEcho.net with any questions that you might have about floating.
Could you give me a bit more infomation on what this does to your body and why it works, etc?
When you are floating in a floatation tank the super saturated epsom salts
solution takes your body weight. If you let go and relax your body has the
opportunity to relax muscles that are normally active all the time. For
example, floating is one of the very few times that your neck and back
muscles have a chance to totally relax. By trusting the epsom salts solution
to carry the weight of your head you can relax your neck muscles completely.
It's like floating in outer space while floating in your inner space.
It has been discovered that most people
enter the "theta brain wave state" when they float for a sufficient length of time. This is that twighlight
state before and after sleep where you are partly asleep and partly awake
yet consciously aware. People report that they can achieve this state easily
in the floatation tank. Studies have shown this as well. This state is good
for visualization, biofeedback, feeling the connection between your mind,
body and spirit, and many other purposes.
"Charles Barkley, (NBA Basketball Player) - who soaked his 6 foot 4 1/2 inch body in Epsom Salt all day Friday - scored a career playoff high 44 points."
- The New York Times
It has been discovered that
althetes can gain measurable performance benefits for up to three weeks after
even very short floats of 35 to 45 minutes. Some Universities have float tanks for
their athletes to make use of for guided visualization. Can you imagine the depth of visualization that
you can accomplish in an all day float? You could visualize every aspect of your sport, your life, your business, your relationships and
develop plans that match your life's direction in a harmonious way.
You can do many things in a
float tank including mediation, sleeping, singing, toning or chanting,
listening to your thoughts or mind's echo, feeling the tension in your body
and relaxing it, visualization and rehersal, organizing your thinking, and
simply letting go and doing nothing. The float experience is usually deeply
personal and unique to you.
What are Epsom Salt Crystals?
Epsom Salts are the common name for magnesium sulfate heptahydrate, MgSO4·7H2O, a water-soluble bitter-tasting compound that occurs as white or colorless needle-shaped crystals. It was first prepared from the waters of mineral springs at Epsom, England; it also occurs as the mineral epsomite.
Epsom Salt Industry Council
"Most everyone knows that Epsom Salt is the ultimate foot soak. The soothing mineral crystals ease aches, while softening rough spots and absorbing foot odors. But Epsom Salt - magnesium sulfate - can also help out the rest of your body ..."
Original Epsom Salt Well
"The original well, restored by the Epsom and Ewell Borough Council.
The Medicinal Waters that in the 17th century made Epsom the first spa town in England,
great resort and famous throughout Europe."
Peter, what do you feel when you float?
I feel my heart in every cell of my body as my conscious mind drifts within. The thumping rhythmic dance of my cells
connecting with my mind invigorates my spirit and inspiration for life. I feel myself relaxing into a deep canyon as the liquid crystal solution
molds to the shape of my body gently liberating and balancing me from gravity's embrace. Exploring inward towards those living images,
sounds and sensations that drive forward with my life energy. I see my past, present and future unfolding in front and around my zone of awareness.
I can almost reach out and touch my future as it lucidly unfurls within brightning and diming alternatives.
Accessing my thoughts while connecting with my whole body provides a special time to review what has occured in my perceptions and enables me to project a compelling future. A future that derives from now and takes what is most important to me into it's design. A future that isn't solely determined or shaped by my past. A future that opens the door to new experiences and improved performance. The freedom to choose at any moment in life. The power of choice. The power to act. The thought behind action.
Undoing past projections of futures that didn't work out is equally, if not more important than simply adding new projections layered upon old dusty ones. The power of the mind and spirit to undo the thoughts that guided us forward and that now bind us to a past future that never was. An alternative path that we never took but that still might bind us or hold us off our path in some way. Locked into a past future that never will be stifles life. Shaking the future free of the past. The dance of life. Unlocking now and the future from past projections, undoing while keeping the essence for now and future possibilites. Driving one's life forward from a multitude of possible futures guided by the reality of how now unfolds provides a deep satisfaction that nurtures the spirit, the body and the mind.
Oh, and I usually feel very rested and deeply relaxed, expecially my neck and spine. I do a lot of work on computers writing so this form of relaxation of the whole spine and body muscles is critical for health. Enjoy your float experiences.
Does everybody feel their heart beat when they float?
No, some people experience their heart beat while others don't. To a high degree it depends upon where you place your conscious attention.
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