[ensonar]

Has anyone here ever tried any type of sensory deprivation to reach inner silence? I'm thinking of going to a float tank in my area just out of curiosity after seeing the movie "Altered States" (LOL)

[ensonar]

I've never tried it, but I don't see how it could hurt. Seems to me that meditation, sensory deprivation, driving a car, gazing at leaves, clouds, washing dishes, etc. could all help one reach inner silence if that was the intent.

If you do try it, I definitely be interested in hearing how it goes!

[Merged]

Sounds to me like an extreme form of not-doing. After all you can't do anything in that situation!

It reminds me of the description of the pergatory of the assemblage point where one experiences total sensory deprivation when the assemblage point is between moving from one solid position to another. I've never experienced this myself but I would be very interested in what your experiences are on this if you go through it.

PS. just make sure you don't revert back to a primate, or become some crazy part of the universe and start melting!

[forfuckssake]

Thanks to the Interwebz, we don't have to experience anything for ourselves anymore:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=YEjTXX2rHgA

[ensonar]

I tried it. And it was great in some ways. I'll definitely do it again sometime soon.

The tank I used looked just like the one in that video basically. It took me a long time to finally relax. My neck was sore and I had to readjust myself every now and then because of it. About half an hour or so my body became more relaxed and I started sinking into the darkness. Eyes open or shut looked the same. I could feel the water on my skin so it also took a while to begin actually feeling sensory deprived.

Anyway, about the time I really started feeling a sense of boundlessness, the hour was up and I had to get out. Next time I'm going to see if I can pay to stay in longer.

These tanks are available to purchase for your own too. I may look into this eventually.

http://www.floatation.com/

One word of caution though! DO NOT EAT right before you go in. I did and about an hour after I got out of the tank it felt like I'd eaten before swimming! Bad abdominal cramps! I'm assuming it was from eating before going in, but I guess I can't be certain.

[remember]

Sounds to me like an extreme form of not-doing. After all you can't do anything in that situation!

It reminds me of the description of the pergatory of the assemblage point where one experiences total sensory deprivation when the assemblage point is between moving from one solid position to another. I've never experienced this myself but I would be very interested in what your experiences are on this if you go through it.

PS. just make sure you don't revert back to a primate, or become some crazy part of the universe and start melting!

Hyena, your mention of "the pergatory of the AP" prompts me to concur on the aspect of pergatory. My head got smashed, spine broken and shoulders also broken from a Harley landing on top of me (upside down) and pinning me to the ground. I suspect that my AP was pushed at the time and has been either unstable since or has relocated to a spot that remains alien to my pre-accident normal self (my reality of then).

Yes, pergatory is a good drscriptive word for this phenominon.

Regarding sensory depravation: I know that Sarah is talking about mechanical means of acheiving reduced sensory input and I'm in agreement. It could be a good way to affect physical feedback and subsequently "thought" and "perception". However, I think a caution is in order: I went crazy with a whole fabricated psychotic scenario (in my case paranoid) when I awoke from the coma and was experiencing sensory depravation. Yes, it was a very different thing than Sara's talking about, but I strongly think that being completely numb on the left side of the body with almost no physical dexterity, badly damaged eye, no taste and no sense of smell constitutes sensory depravation..........and I gotta tell ya, sensory depravation under some circumstances can cause some minds to loose it. Chances are, time spent in those tanks won't cause a psychotic reaction, but it scares me to think that someone could do this at home, by ones self, without potential assiatance......what if something goes wrong?

Hey, I'm just the new kid on the block..........I'll shut up and read some more strings.............

My Best Wishes To All,

Bill (Remember)

[BratscheWarrior]

How to prisoners in solitary confinement (the hole) escape without going nuts...Or do they?...