I think Lilly always objected to the term "Deprivation" because it connects more to an implication to forms of torture. I agree, no senses are deprived, but are rather "Isolated" and one can step out at any time from the tank. So I do agree with his distinction and SIT tank sounds about perfect four our purposes.

I think I will start a SIT Tank thread [ Should have called it the SIT thread, but around here...! ] so we can all talk shop about it and collect places where we can use one and trade wild stories about tanktime.

Introduction below.

Have Fun

- triplethink 12/03/13
- triplethink 12/03/13

Introduction to the SIT

Sensory Isolation Tank

An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation and relaxation and in alternative medicine. The isolation tank was originally called the sensory deprivation tank. Other names for the isolation tank include flotation tank, John C. Lilly tank, REST tank, sensory attenuation tank, and think tank.

John C. Lilly

The Deep Self: Profound Relaxation and the Tank Isolation Technique John C. Lilly

Tanks are great for advancing your skillfulness and finding out more about your "self".

I think materials science has come a long way and so has technology since the times when Lilly's SIT [ Sensory Isolation Tank ] was in its 'hay making day'. So there might be some upgrades we could consider as well. Anyways this would be a great upgrade for the DO forums, so looking forward to this one.

Pawel,
I think you are correct.
Then again I may be mistaken. The new language here seems to be designed to confuse and limit conversation via purposeful murkiness.
I'll now type random words that come to my mind.

potatoes, pecans, pornography

Brian

Sensory Isolation Tank

An isolation tank is a lightless, soundproof tank inside which subjects float in salt water at skin temperature. They were first used by John C. Lilly in 1954 to test the effects of sensory deprivation. Such tanks are now also used for meditation and relaxation and in alternative medicine. The isolation tank was originally called the sensory deprivation tank. Other names for the isolation tank include flotation tank, John C. Lilly tank, REST tank, sensory attenuation tank, and think tank.

John C. Lilly

The Deep Self: Profound Relaxation and the Tank Isolation Technique John C. Lilly

________________________________________________________________________________________

Nice mind though. You would do well in one of these.

It's called "The Middle English Creole Hypothesis", look it up on the interwebz.

Send in the clowns....

there's got toooooo beeeeeeee too bee too bee too be to be two.........

-trips
_______________________________________________________________________

Planet of the Clowns


Stare into the moonlight
Silver fingers press my eyes
Probing in my heart with longing

These footprints by the sea's edge
Disappearing grain by grain
Lose their form but keep their substance

As the waves roar on the beach like a squadron of F16's
Ebb and flow like the better days they say this world has seen

Government by outrage
Hunger camps and shanty towns
Dignity and love still holding

This bluegreen ball in black space
Filled with beauty even now
battered and abused and lovely

And the waves roar on the beach like a squadron of F16's
Ebb and flow like the better days they say this world has seen

Each one in our own heart
Desperate to know where we stand
Planet of the clowns in wet shoes


Album: The Trouble With Normal (1983) & (2002)

9 September 1981. Tenerife.

Known comments by Bruce Cockburn about this song, by date:


1994 - "I had just finished reading "Shikasta" by Doris Lessing. I was in the Canary Islands sitting on the beach.

That book is a work of fiction, which the author is very careful to point out in the introduction to the book.

It's a beautiful myth that is built out of the myths of all cultures. The origins of the world and it's short future.

It's very poignant and disturbing, but beautiful at the same time.

Somehow that all went together with the imagery of the place, being on the beach under the moon.

'Planet of the Clowns' is a song I've always really liked, actually. There's that sense of standing on the edge of space, when you're near the ocean.

But a person standing at the edge of the ocean is kind of comparable to the world on the edge of the galaxy.

That sense of being on the edge of something so much bigger of which you are an inescapable part but which will engulf you if you don't keep yourself together."

- from "Closer to the Light with Bruce Cockburn" by Paul Zollo, SongTalk, vol.4, issue 2, 1994. - Submitted by Rob Caldwell.

T,

See, now that wasn't so hard was it? If you are trying to communicate with others perhaps some consideration as to how to do it effectively would be of use.
As far as seeking clarity when you have ventured into the linguistic weeds, for thousands of words, I don't have the time or see anything from your moments of clarity to warrant such an effort.

Hopscotch perogies.

B

ps
the cats and jammer kids are on YOUR block. Don't let them forget it!!

Never is hard. I think I have more or less "gone all in" and I will soon be leaving the DO for another five years again. So relief from stress for the smalls is on the way. Very soon.

rainbows fade to pitch black
-tri,,,,,,,,...... ..... ... .. . . .

I used one of these tanks once. It was like a pod with salt water. I would recommend it. A friend called it "cheater meditation."

Just out of interest and I had look and there is one local to me - but it is 40 of our british pounds. Sounds like fun, but doubt if it would be worth it. If I meditated hard would I trip balls?

Yeah it is expensive. I used one at this place in California and paid 50 US dollars back in 2008. It was at this place www.oaklandfloats.com

Only did it once due to cost. I could see how someone could design and make their own tank though.

I don't know about tripping balls but it greatly simplifies and removes many of the disrtractions found in normal meditation.

I would say if you have a couple days off and can plan to have a great long weekend or something you could make it the highpoint. Get a great massage or something and don't look at it as mediation at all. After all your refreshing activities get a nice expresso or whatever into you to keep you sharp.

Then plunk down your fortune for two hours in "the tank". Then just lie down in the tank with calm alert expectation that something will happen eventually. I expect you will have no sense of time or space if the tank is a proper tank. In about 15 minutes things WILL HAPPEN! After what feels like maybe half an hour of "holy sheeeeeee......ot" or "huhhh" or whatever a muted tap should sound on the lid and you will be out again.

No guarantees of course, but I would expect unless for some odd reason it doesn't work for you then you will be back again sometime for another go.

________
Tank Tip

Some places have music optional inside the tank. Opt out of that as it screws up the whole effect.

hmm, can one put a price on such an experience?!

I have always fancied it (probably the seeds were sown with the film "altered states") so maybe I should just give it go as a one-time experiment. Will report back if/when I have done it. Who knows, maybe I will God in there.

hey Snips!

Well, it's your dime right?

I did have a blast, was floating down the street and all around town, and never left the farm/womb. No offense to any womb bearers intended! But it is like weightlessness in space and over two to four hours it beats pretty much all drugs. No contest.

I consider my sins to be something I have to "pay cash at the door for."

Kamma is like this, you pay the 'price' up front, you pay the 'cost' as you progress with whatever you bought into.

-triplesplash