Float Instructions
A very important fact about flotation/R.E.S.T. that I request you remember throughout this introduction:

Flotation is simple, relaxing and filled with your possibilities.

Flotation/R.E.S.T. is a "pure nothing". Whatever you bring into your flotation experience is your own responsibility. Like most quality things in life, flotation/R.E.S.T. takes time and education. The mandatory sections ("what is a flotation chamber", "float instructions", and "flotation concepts") are long and thorough and very necessary. To ensure total understanding, there will be an orientation during your first appointment. People who float at my clinic will be given total control of their new environment by being aware.

I am under legal and ethical regulations which every person who uses my flotation tank is protected under. There will be a mandatory WAIVER given before your first float to read and sign. The legal and ethical boundaries with Registered Massage Therapy and Hydrotherapy state that using my Flotation Tank is done with your understanding and permission.

I am a Registered Massage Therapist (R.M.T.) who is regulated by the R.H.P.A. (Regulated Health Professionals Act - this provincial act regulates all medical registered professionals like: your doctor, physiotherapist, chiropractor, dentist etc..). My training includes Hydrotherapy which is the therapeutic use of water. Flotation/R.E.S.T. is hydrotherapy and is covered under all extended health care packages that includes "massage therapy".

The cost for a float is $40.00/ hour. I will allow experienced clients an opportunity to float for longer times under my own discretion.

WATER PURIFICATION
i) 800 lbs. of Epsom salts (like the dead sea, nothing harmful can live in the salt, it is how we stored meat before the invention of refrigeration).
ii) ultraviolet water purification system which the entire body of water is filtered through after and directly before each float (many local farms who use well water, choose this water purification system for their drinking water instead of chemicals)
iii) 35% hydrogen peroxide is used every 3 days
iv) mandatory showers with special soap and shampoo before entering the tank
v) natural enzymes used every 3 days to break up any body oils
vi) monthly inspection of the water by certified water inspectors to ensure that the water is pure after every floater, you can request a copy of these reports anytime. Examples of findings below:

SHOWERING IS MANDATORY
Remove your metal jewellery and contact lenses. Shower thoroughly, removing any makeup and body lotions. Shampoo your hair twice, removing all hair sprays, gels and perfumes, rinse very thoroughly. If you have special shampoo and soap you would like to use because of allergies, please bring them and consult me.

The water is a closed water system, any chemical brought into the tank does not leave. Some shampoos and soaps have skin moisturising properties that will enter the tank with you and be left in the water. The soap and shampoo I provide is basic and biodegradable ( meaning the contents of the cleaning agents will break down into basic, natural forms ). I request your special soaps and shampoos be used AFTER the float.

IS THERE MUSIC?
There is music if you choose. There is relaxation music provided, however, please bring your own if you choose.

THE TANK IS NOT AIR TIGHT
The tank is designed so that it is not air tight. There is air exchange throughout your float. You will have plenty of air. The environment is like a tropical rain forest; very warm and moist. To keep the tank air more dry (eg. asthmatics), an air circulation system brings in additional air from the room. The air enters at the rear of the tank.

BUOYANT BODY POSITIONS
The body position is on your back however, your arm position has options ( eg. hands behind head, on your chest, along your sides or beside head (like a "stick up"). If there is tension in your neck, potentially, you haven't quite let go for fear of your head sinking or catching salt in your eyes. There is a "half floating noodle" that can be used for extra neck support.

The position of your head is similar to your head carriage when you are having your hair washed at a hair stylist/barber. The heavy plates of your skull are at the back and your facial bones are light and sensitive. If you draw a line 1 to 2 inches above your eyebrows and circle your face, in front of your ears, reaching under your chin above your Adams apple, that is the portion of you head that will be above the water. It might seem very bizarre but remember, the tank is a GRAVITY FREE ZONE, therefore, your neck is free from the burden of holding the weight of your head (15 lbs!) Let your head role back, it will not go under.

KEEP THE SALT OUT OF YOUR EYES!
If you catch any salt water in your eyes, you will be uncomfortable for a few minutes. To avoid this, push your hair back on your forehead when you change from lying down to sitting up. Also keep your salty hands away from your eyes. If you do happen to catch salt in your eyes, squint your eyes shut tightly, they will clean themselves out or your towel is also easily accessible by the door.

KEEP THE WATER OUT OF YOUR EARS!
A set of disposable ear plugs will be provided. Our ear drainage tubes are reversed with the position of our head. It is your choice to use the plugs. The plugs I provide are very comfortable.SHAVING AND

OPEN WOUNDS
Some people have sensitive skin, if you do, do not shave the day of your float. If you have cuts or scratches, the stinging will only happen for a few minutes. If you have any open cuts, Vaseline will be provided.

DO I NEED TO PREPARE MYSELF FOR FLOATING?
If you have caffeine before your float, it may interfere with your ability to relax. If you plan on having a meal before, remember, gravity keeps all of that swallowed goo and acids at the bottom of our stomachs, lying on your back, flat, tends to challenge the valve at the top of the stomach which wasn't designed to hold back a meal therefore DO NOT EAT LARGE MEALS RIGHT BEFORE YOUR FLOAT.

CAN PREGNANT WOMEN FLOAT?
It is mandatory that pregnant women inform their physicians or midwives and receive their opinion prior to using the tank. The reports received from pregnant women have been enthusiastic. As their bodies become heavier, floating is a great relief from the pull of gravity. Floating has given many women a welcome rest. My clinic has a brief description of floating written for busy MDs who do not have time to study in depth something this complex. It is welcome information for MDs who are busy and are requested to make decisions on the spot.

CAN I USE THE TANK IF I AM MENSTRUATING?
Yes, if you use a tampon.

DO YOU WEAR ANYTHING IN THE TANK?
Since it is a private experience, most people do not wear anything. Anything you wear will press against your body, becoming a distraction. In this regard, imagine it as similar to getting into your bathtub.

DO PEOPLE SLEEP IN THE TANK?
People use the tank for sleeping and "catch up" sleeping. Our sleeping patterns have a significant affect on many aspects of our entire health. My clinic is currently studying and floating sleep pathologies involved with sleep deprivation.

It is safe and comfortable to sleep in the tank. The fear of rolling over is common because most people never sleep on their backs. It is difficult to roll over in the tank because of the density of the solution. The contact of the salt in your eyes, mouth or nose, it is an immediate signal that something must be done. You would wake up immediately.

CAN PEOPLE DROWN IN THE TANK?
No. Not unless they lay face down and are capable of tolerating the sting of the salt on the eyes, nose and mouth.

COULD YOU BE ELECTROCUTED?
No.

WHAT IF I AM CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
People who say that they are afraid to use the tank because they are claustrophobic, potentially assume that they will be confined to an enclosed space. If you use floating in the way it is comfortable for you, it is a peaceful place to be.

It is an original environment. I believe, floating is something no one could simulate outside a flotation tank. There have been floaters in my clinic who have different fears and anxieties and have found floating something very different.

IS THERE A PERSON WHO SHOULD NOT BE FLOATING?
A partially stuffed nose interferes with nasal breathing in the tank. The position of your head in the tank decreases the ability of your jaw to open with gravity, if you are stuffed up, breathing with your mouth becomes more conscious ,therefore less automatic, therefore less relaxing. My solution is rubbing a bit of TigerBaum in my nose to keep it clear for the float, it helps your nasal passages stay open. I have some here.

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