Entering The Psychedelic Space Without Medicine: Sensory Deprivation Tanks
by MADELINE FERGUSON
Recently, we’ve been introducing you to ways of entering the psychedelic headspace without the use of plant medicines. During an interview with the owner of a local apothecary shop and bodywork space, I learned of sensory deprivation.
Sensory deprivation is yet another way to enter the psychedelic space without the use of plant medicines. There are different types of sensory deprivation tanks and chambers. You may have seen or heard of float tanks in spas, it’s a tank filled with water meant to eliminate as much sensory input from the outside world as possible. .
Marinda Bowen of Natural Law Apothacary told me about the sensory deprivation experience they offer, which is a chamber meant to mimic the womb based on the true John C. Lilly protocol.
Lilly was a neuroscientist who worked when LSD was more available for use by physicians and scientists. He also offered people psychedelic experiences through the float chamber. He felt the float chamber mimicked the LSD experience. His intention with the float tank was to study the origins of consciousness.
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The float chamber experience encloses users in a saline bath, meant to eliminate as many external stimuli as possible. The water is the same temperature as the human skin, it also blocks out light and sound. The salt in the water makes it dense enough that humans simply float, eliminating the sensation of gravity.
Float tanks first started popping up in the 70s, but now it is pretty easy to find one in any city (including here in Salt Lake City). Research suggests there are health benefits involved with sensory deprivation tanks. Findings show time spent in a float tank can aid muscle relaxation, help with better sleep and decrease stress and anxiety.
Anecdotally, people say the float take can cause hallucinations and boost creativity, similar to psilocybin or LSD.
Bowen said she has spent many hours of her life in the float chamber, it has helped in many aspects of her life both mentally and physically. So whether you use it as a form of consistent self-care or sporadically to enter that psychedelic headspace, there are many known benefits and it comes with very minimal risk.
In this series on the psychedelic headspace, we have also talked about acupuncture, meditation and more.
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