De-Stressing & Exploring Consciousness Using Sensory Deprivation Float Tanks with Matt and Kelsey Elston
Michael Hughes
Welcome to the Gymnazo podcast where you get to peek behind the curtains of what it takes to create and run a seven figure fitness facility that ranks in the top 5% of boutique fitness studios for revenue. But to be honest, that’s the least important thing about us. Founded by me, Michael Hughes, Gymnazo has created an ecosystem of services that blend performance with restoration techniques and attracts top coaches to its facility hosted by its owners Paden, and myself and our top coaches this podcast shares our best practices on everything, from how to build a sustainable fitness business, to how to program for maximum results to how to build a hybrid training module that’s online and in person. We have marketing secrets, movement, innovation, and breaking down trends in the industry. If you’re a fitness professional or fitness business owner, this is where you learn how to sharpen your skills and to see maximum results.
CJ
Hey, everybody, welcome back to the Gymnazo podcast. I am your host, CJ Kobliska and today we’re going to be breaking down the very beginning of consciousness and the very end of consciousness through like two beautiful business owners of slow the Central Coast Central Coast floats to be exact. Kelsey and Matt Elston they are siblings and amazing people from the 916 actually from where I am as well. So you know, if you you know what’s up
Matt
If you know, you know,
CJ
so super, super excited. I’ve had quite a few float opportunities from somewhere Coast floats and one before there, and we’re definitely to get into the mix of why I love this place so much and why slow needs to know about this place and at least have one float in your life. If you’ve never done it, you’re a little nervous about it, we’re going to break down kind of the common themes that come up when sensory deprivation and float tanks are brought up. Number one being claustrophobia. Number two, being afraid of the shark being in the water. irrational fears are still fears. So this is gonna be a fun one to break down. Different talking about our fluid experiences, altered states of consciousness, who floats why float? What are the benefits of floating and so much more. So Kelsey, and Matt, welcome onto the Gymnazo podcast
Matt
So pumped to be here stoked.
Kelsey
All around. stoked? Yeah, so
Matt
I guess first just dive into who we are.
CJ
Yeah, who are you? Let’s do with this. Man. Let’s start. Oh, man,
Matt
I’m gonna keep Yeah, so yeah, I’m Matt Elston. One half of the duo for Central Coast loads from Sacramento moved to slow about eight years ago, seven years ago, something like that. I can’t believe it’s been that long. Yeah. And yeah, so I guess for the float journey. Prior to live in in slow I lived in Seattle. And that was where floating got introduced to me. Seattle, like the whole Pacific Northwest actually is like, in on floating, like Portland is kind of like the Mecca. They’ve got, I want to say five or six float centers just in that city alone. Seattle now has about the same number. So it’s like, almost part of the culture up there. Yeah. And so through a roundabout way. One of my really close friends was super into Joe Rogan. And Joe Rogan is like a big time floater. And so he just brought it up to me. He had been floating in the Bay Area. He was living in Sacramento and driving all the way to Oakland to go float. And he’s like, Yo, man, I’m into this thing. Like, it’s super cool. He got to try it out. And it was like, kind of introduced as like a cool experience was like, Oh, I Googled it. Seattle had a float center. So I was like, Yeah, I’m gonna go check this out and try it. And yeah, I had my first float in Seattle at this place called float Seattle. And so our our float tanks when we created Central Coast floats, kind of as a direct result of my first float ever, I really wanted us to have like huge, big spacious, welcoming float tanks, float tanks where you look at it and you’re like, oh, I can definitely relax and fully let go and drop in and in this kind of space. Because my first low tank was not that. So our float tanks for those who like don’t know or I’ll try to describe it, but there it’s essentially like a room inside of a room like the tank itself. I say tank but It’s more like they call them cabins. It’s like eight feet tall. Eight feet long and five feet wide.
CJ
Sounds to me like a coffin. I mean capsule, like some kind of space pod.
Matt
Yeah, but, but ours are not that ours are like super tall and spacious. Like you can fully stand up like, you know, the one that I went into was not it was these things called Samadhi tanks. And they’re like, the first generation float tank that was ever made. Oh, geez. And it’s it is a coffin. The thing is, like, three feet tall. And it’s just like, kind of a long body. And then there’s just a hatch. There’s no like, it’s not like a tanning bed. You fold it open. There’s like a little square hatch at the tip. And you like open this hatch you step in, and then you kneel down. And like, close the hatch on yourself and lay back. I was surprised you didn’t fit in. And then you’re just in darkness. Yeah, no, no options for lights, no options or anything. It was just like you’re in. But I had an incredible experience.
CJ
Yeah, that’s let’s break that down a little bit. I mean, we’re gonna I think we’re all gonna get into our first fluid experiences because it’s a it’s the intro to Joe place. Maybe? Maybe you have so so you get in this thing. I mean, what’s what’s going through your head? This is your first flow. You’ve heard about it. Now. It’s this this capsule coffin cabin thing. Samadhi tank. You now sit in?
Matt
Yeah. So I’ve I’ve done I’ve done the Neil. I’ve closed the hatch have laid back. And like it was just such a such a different experience than anything else I’ve ever felt. You’re completely like a weightless and held by this water that’s really warm and really comfortable. And so I was just like, What is this? This is ridiculous. And then it didn’t bug me at all. I don’t have any issues with like being in darkness or anything like that. So it was like really comforting for me. And my whole goal that whole time was like, this is like such a unique opportunity for my body. Like, there is no way on any my joints like I just kept coming back and trying to relax my muscles as deeply as humanly possible. I was like, I’m trying to let go of everything. And the guy who gave me the little pep talk was like, you know, this is a unique experience. When you get in here, there’s no gravity, there’s no nothing like sometimes they say that you can be almost like a full inch taller when you get out of the tank. Because your spine will fully decompress. And I was like, oh, I want that. I want my spine to just like turn into jelly. And so yeah, that was kind of one of my goals was just like frickin relax physically as fully as possible. At that point in my life, I had no meditation practice, I had no like, mindfulness or anything. So this was totally just like me going in. I was super into basketball at that time. I was like, oh, man, my body’s gonna feel great after this. And that was that was kind of the goal there. And I got out and I felt so good. You feel like you’re high after? Like, I just need to sit down on this couch for a while. And I did.
CJ
That’s awesome. We’ll get deeper than that one. I’m sure. Yeah. So just overall experience felt good coming out of there. And
Matt
yeah, physically, like so relaxed. And just like, rejuvenated, but also like, just so mellow. And then it was like when I first left, I opened the front door, and I’m like walking in my car. I’m like, Oh, my gosh, I feel so good right now. And then, yeah, I drove home in, it was fine. And then I got home and it’s just like, man, like, I just feel so like excited for life. Almost. I just, I just felt great. So I was like, I want to come back and keep doing that. And then I did.
CJ
That’s so rad. Yeah. Kelsey, what was your first experience? Like where were you? How did you What led you to the tanks the first time.
Kelsey
So my experience my first float was actually with that, at the float center of that friend. He was just mentioning who was driving to the bay to float. He opened the float Center in Sacramento that I went to called capital floats, and same style tanks that we have. So they were quite nice. And we’re there like our sister center. So similar posts, float space, just all around really like same vibe that we have. So I was spoiled. I got I got the big tanks and I actually it was my birthday. My first thought was on my birthday. And I took three friends with me to float to and they were like, I don’t know if I want to do this and I was like, Oh no, you have to do this like it’s my birthday. And I was like, No, I’m gonna pay for it. So you really have to. So they’re like, Okay, well you’re gonna pay like, do they loved it? They loved it. So I went in there. And I was just like, blown away. Yeah, like, I really had no idea what to expect. I knew Ryan knew about floating a little bit through my brother, but was just kind of like so green. So like, just strolled in like, cool. I’m gonna float spa, there’s Brian on this supports my birthday. And then I got in there didn’t listen too much to the facilitator who was like explaining. So I was just so just like, What is this contraption? You know, like, I’m naked. And so get in there. And I’m just like, trying to let go. Definitely was like dealing with that internal voice like in such a more intense way. And kind of just like, having that whole, like, you know, conversation with your consciousness, where you’re just like, What am I thinking about? And why am I thinking about all this stuff and like, just like was really, like, heady about it. I remember feeling really just like blown away by my own consciousness and thoughts. And I had a hard time fully relaxing all the muscles in my body because I was in a super stressful job at that time. And so having that realization of just like, dude, I’m actually stressed out a lot, you know, which is super powerful thing to realize. I didn’t even make it through my whole first float. No. Yeah.
Matt
How long do you make it?
Kelsey
I think I was in there for like, 15 minutes, but I was kind of nervous. Yeah, because I didn’t really listen to it. I was like, Wait, is this Do What am I supposed to just know this is over. It’s like, got a chip in myself out. I always tell people that because I think they get a big kick out of it. You think I’m just like in there. And this is so natural. But it was super tough, you know, for me, parts of it. And then I got out and I just couldn’t believe how relaxed I was. I was like, This is crazy. Like he said, like you feel high but no head high. You’re just body is completely weightless. And we had me and Margaret like they loved it. The girls loved it that I went with and we got in the car and like we had to drive on the freeway, and it was so hard to get up to speed. We were all like, Dude, we’re going super fast. It was like 55 Like we couldn’t drive like all of us were so slow down. So it honestly set the night off to be very, like relaxing and tranquil. But that was my first Whoa.
Matt
Do you remember what year that was? Can you put a year on that?
Kelsey
I’m pretty sure it was 2017.
Matt
Okay. Yeah, and how far we’ve come do.
CJ
Four years. That’s insane.
Kelsey
Yeah, but I feel like in the last four years, things have just have so so like radically changed in my life on so many different ways that like that could be 20 years away for how I feel as a person, professionally. Everything where I live, like I was in the bay, in that grind, kind of, and I’m like out here chill,
CJ
transform. Transform that awakening of stress in your life. And it wasn’t the float that changed it was the float that offered an opportunity to have that conversation say I’ll make some changes it seems right
Kelsey
yes, absolutely. It was the beginning of really like the end of my like careers a salesperson. Like really like a couple months later Matt had we’ll just roll into this Matt had asked I was coming down to visit him and he was like dude, I think I want to open a float center
Matt
because 20 yet so 2017 was the year was like when the seed was planted with the idea with
Kelsey
bliss Cafe locally, shout out some lists. And yeah, like he was like, Dude, I think I want to do this and I was like, Bro I am so down to help with this however I can Yeah. And then
Matt
know your exact words were I’ll quit my job right now and work for you for free.
Kelsey
I was like just let me state your house. Yes, I won’t have money for rent like now
Matt
you can get paid man, so yeah, 2017 Yeah. Straight up. That’s a lifetime ago.
Kelsey
Yeah. Truly went to the float conference. And
Matt
so yeah, for those who don’t know the float conference, so I said Portland’s like the Mecca. Every year they have a float conference there. That’s essentially like the industry wide meeting where like floats Enter owners from all over the country come to this thing and they had just have like, two and a half days full of guest speakers ranging from like, you know how to run a how to run a better float center to like the clinical researchers that are working with floating and actually doing the research to see how it can, you know, benefit us to like, you know people’s artwork crate, Yeah, crazy, like just personal stories. But it’s a lot of research and a lot of like, what’s on the horizon for the industry of floating. So it’s a super, like, amazing environment to be in just a lot of float center owner nerds, like just hanging out here talking about floating for like three days. Sounds like some explorer in Portland. Oh, is it? There are some wildcards at this thing? Oh my gosh. Yeah. So anyways, but yeah, the flow conference was amazing. It was a cool experience. And that and so we went three years in a row. Yeah, so it was good. It was like kind of foundational for us figuring out what our vibe was going to be and
CJ
it’s so cool because I mean, I’ve been in slow since she was 11. And I had started going into kind of consciousness exploration and really getting involved like investigating myself and what I wanted to do with my life and hitting that place. So I graduated from high school in 2011 and then went to went to poli and as soon as I went off to college, I was faced a lot of like mental challenges things that now I’m on my own like, this is great. But I gotta figure some stuff out because I got a few years before I really gotta get my shit together and I’m in I’m fully in charge of my life.
Matt
When you went did you have like, like your your life roadmap like mapped out kind of like know what you wanted to do? I
CJ
know what I want to know what I’m gonna do after this. Just go where life takes me like you know, I wanted to go into fire would maybe want to own a gym maybe wanted to go physical therapy, I could this guy but I was training kind of on the side with outdoor at parks one on one coaching wrestling coach, you know, youth sports and stuff. And yeah, I just started hearing about or reading about sensory deprivation and like turning off all the stimulus from the outside, so that you can focus on the inside. And that concept to me, was new. You know, I definitely had this voice inside my head that I’m always like, dude, I’m a freak, man. I’m hearing like not like eating myself alive for just like you. I can’t tell anybody about that.
Matt
When in reality, every other person is thinking that same thing.
CJ
Everybody kind of goes to that stage of like, I’m not comfortable talking about this. But that voice in my head started getting louder and louder and searching out experiences that were meditations, yoga, movement, surfing, just stuff that would kind of get my mind off of the everyday life and just into like nature and Earth and the Sun and started going more barefoot started, you know, looking at the sun.
Matt
Early, early. Awesome.
CJ
I couldn’t relate to a lot of people around me. They were like, Dude, what are you talking about? I was like, let me tell you.
Matt
I remember those. Those first college years is like, you’re partying you’re like doing your thing in class, no one is talking about.
CJ
over a drink that morning. Went to bed at three in the morning. At that point, I was also looking into like places where I could go and experience this. And I wasn’t necessarily searching out meditation teachers or anything, but I wanted to just explore my space, like my own space internally. And I would do that through hikes and through going out into the ocean jumping in cold water getting a little bit uncomfortable doing saunas and stuff, but there’s no float tank around. I was searching float tanks and they were nowhere. It’s like, five hours. Yeah, I don’t know if it’s really worth it just to experience it for the first time. There was one down there down the street in a Tuscadero. But I wasn’t comfortable going to somebody’s home and doing it. I wanted like an official place. Obviously, it was a bad place. I’ve never gone there. But one of the real experience. Yeah. And I ended up heading to Hawaii. And like the day after we had arrived and my wife and I did a float and a wahoo drove up to this place on top of a hill looking over the ocean and just searched it out. And I was like I hope this place is legit. You know, it’s like it’s like a house inside of this neighborhood. That’s like two stories in the top story. They live on the bottom stories all the all the photos. Yeah, yeah, float tanks and then you have a whole outdoor patio. And it’s like this is really neat. I hope one day slow, like has one of these. This was like, Gosh, 2016 Maybe 2016 I think maybe 2017 Two it could have been the exam. Now that we’re putting this to just say 2017 Absolute back into my journals When I did this thing, it was kind of the same experience of going into this capsule thing in the darkness. My wife, they had a big one too, that they had just installed. I was like, Jess, you can go use this. Yeah, there you go. Because I’m be fine. Wherever I go, I experienced the hell out of this. I’d like to experience the capsule one. This sounds kind of cool. So I wrote that into my narrative of like, this is the one I was supposed to be in first. went in. You know, I couldn’t really spread out or anything. I’m like, There’s no way anybody taller than me. Or why did the mean is built from my body? And I was like writing a destiny of like, Wait, is this where I die? Am I he was like the stirring of like, the first 10 minutes like, what am I doing? I’m sitting in this warm tub inside somebody’s bottom story of their house on the beach. In Hawaii, curries is kind of cool, actually. And I just let go, and it was that experience like you have, okay, I’m gonna take full advantage of this let go of everything that my body fully relaxed. And as soon as I did that, I was like, same thing is you Kelsey is like, Wait, how long have I been in here? And he didn’t tell me or maybe he didn’t, I just totally forgot what to expect after one to come out. And so maybe it was 30 minutes in there. And I felt like it had been two hours. Like I think they forgot about justice doing nobody’s knocking on the door.
Matt
But it’s so easy, just like to spin on like spiralised. How much longer
CJ
but then it’s like immediate switch of, I don’t give a shit how long I can live in. And
Matt
that’s the breakthrough moment. Like when you’re able to, like let go of the thoughts of like, oh, you know, actually don’t have anywhere to be right now. Like, I can just chill instead of be like, when do I get out? When do I get out when I get out? Oh, man. Yeah, that’s when that’s when the magic happens.
CJ
Well, then I was like, why my eyes closed in here. It’s so dark, opened my eyes. And I was like, whoa. And so I started playing around with my eyelids going like, Wait, can I get to a place where I don’t know if my eyes are open or closed? And so I don’t know, if I spent five minutes doing that. 30 seconds during that whatever. But regardless, I was okay. I think my eyelids are open. And then I’d be like, yes, okay, they’re open. I think okay, now I think they’re close. But then I would like go to open them and they’d already be open. I’m like, Okay, this is so weird. Now we’re getting to a relaxed state and my eyes that now I can let go of that I can forget about this part. And so I got to the point where I didn’t know. And then I started seeing colors and things like, I was like, Wait, this room is glowing? Now. I can like see the edges. And I was like, Wait, am I radiating light? Or is there light seeping through and it was like it was just this constant stream of questions. And when that hit, I was like, Wow, I feel like I have become curiosity. And then at that moment, I was like, it was just kind of a whirlwind of like dreaming and like awake within like, it was this weird state of just thinking about things and then seeing it very clearly and vividly. But almost scary in the sense of I don’t want to get lost in here. Yeah. And so at that point, I was like, hey, there’s more to explore here. And I had gotten out I feel like I’d been there for hours because of what I’d experienced was like lifetimes of thought. But I came out so relaxed of like, Wow, there’s so many thoughts going on in my head, that really just don’t matter. But whatever I focus on is going to pull my attention and now I can vocalize those thoughts but when it was going on I wasn’t I was wasn’t processing it. Like that was just like that was so trippy.
Matt
And it’s it’s also new to like the difference between your first float and your second float. It For Me was like pretty significant. Because you know what’s you know what’s gonna happen? You know how to get into a float tank. You know what it feels like when you lay back when the first time it’s all so new. So,
CJ
yeah, I think I think we’ll we’ll definitely go I want to go into that too. Because I think there’s timelines of floating there’s like how many floats you’ve done just like XP points in this for yourself. Like you’re not competing. It’s other people. Only yourself and how deep you go down the rabbit hole. Yeah. Or if it even is the rabbit hole years opening things up? Who knows? But regardless, I was so happy to come back too slow. And then you’re too I mean, you guys what 2019 2019 And
Matt
then June of 2019. And
CJ
at that point, there was another float spa that was I was like, slow had like two maybe three ideas of a hey, if there’s gonna be a flood spot coming in, but I was like, Wait, are all these the same place? Are they different? Now? I think I was talking to you guys about this, because you’re the only ones that popped out of this. Yeah. Which I don’t know. Dude. I’m happy you did?
Kelsey
emotional roller coasters.
Matt
Oh, that was one that was week one. Yeah. What was the process
CJ
of opening Central Coast floats like that? That’s initial stages to once you like, okay, we’re doing this.
Kelsey
It was absolutely insane years, right. Yeah. Two freaking years, dude.
Matt
Yeah. So I sat down to like, write the business plan in May of 2017. Yeah, I wrote the business plan. And then from there, you know, there’s just like, an endless checklist of things you got to do in order to get open. I was lucky in that, like one of my very best friends had done the same thing in Sacramento. So he could like, kind of help me out and be a sounding board. But there’s a yeah, it’s just me and anyone who’s like, started a small business from scratch, like props, because for us, it’s like, you have the idea, you have this thing you want to do. And then it’s like, Alright, now go find a crazy amount of money in order to do it, like, okay, so I’m gonna go, go, go try and do that. Right. So now we’ve done less, yeah. And now it’s like, okay, now now I gotta find a location in SLO. And talk to a landlord and tell him I want to install these saltwater float tanks that people get into for an hour and you know, have this experience and then they’re going to shower. And it’s going to be clean, and we’ve got this like, specific layout. So I gotta find someone who’s going to let me cut up their real estate space, their commercial property in order to build this and then have them also believe in the business that it’s going to be sustainable for the length of the lease. And so we found that but it was like a lot of back and forth of like, getting the lease terms ironed out. And then we did that. And then the next step is like, okay, now I gotta find someone, an architect to design it with how I want it to be. So we found that and then it’s like, Alright, now I gotta find a contractor. And let them know, like, how it needs to be built. And all these little nuances that only float centers have. We basically have a shower center. Yeah,
Kelsey
we have a shower center. Yeah, think about that. I’m like, professional janitor. Yeah,
Matt
it’s cuz it’s like, in a weird way.
CJ
So it’s such a beautiful
Matt
day. Yeah. So it’s an environment that’s gotta be able to tolerate a lot of like moisture and humidity. And it’s like, very unique. And so like, lit and the biggest X Factor is like, Okay, now factor in the fact that not a single person, I’m ever going to talk to you about this and knows what floating is or has ever floated in their life. So, so they’re looking at me, like, what are you trying to build right now? Like, no, no, trust me. It’s people. Do.
CJ
You ever been to Seattle? Yeah. Like,
Matt
yeah. So it all the pieces lined up? And sure enough, yeah, two years later, doors open.
Kelsey
And while he was doing all that, I started working at the float Center in Sacramento, like, I quit my job a couple of months after we had the conversation. And then so I got tons of training on like, how to run one, which was so incredible, very powerful information,
CJ
what did you learn in that experience, because it seems like I just shower, tell people how to float and you get to go, but there’s so much more to it. And you’re dealing with people’s minds like to hold space for them to do their own kind of therapy really, or opportunity to just restore and load, relax,
Kelsey
I think at first, like just knowing the intention, the mission statement like that exercise is so powerful, so you know why you’re there. And then how that’s kind of in the back of your mind the whole time, like, I’m here to be a safe place for my community to heal. That’s simple, easy. But then like all just logistics of tank maintenance, water levels, salt levels, cleaning procedures, staff, what kind of people do we want to be in here, greeting our community, walking them through this like, group like asking them about their experience. Like, it’s interesting, because floating hits on so many levels, it can be, oh, I just relaxed for 60 minutes, I feel great. Or I was sore. I feel great, too. Like, I had a deeply personal experience in there, where I had a memory that I haven’t had in 20 years about my father who has recently passed away and had a huge emotional release. And you’re just like, sitting there, like holy book and go, Yeah, but you’re just holding space for them to share that with you feel like they could trust you enough to even share it with you. And then say, hey, like, that’s amazing, like, thanks for sharing, like, come back. See what this has in store for you. You know, and they like want to it’s so cool. Like, you just get everything coming out of there. So just went on a bit of a side tangent there, but go working at the float center. Previously, I had experienced like having all those run ins with all these different types of people and all the reasons why they’re floating and it vary so differently for each person, but like, you know, I what I learned most is like this has got to be a place that people feel comfortable and people feel safe. You know, and that’s like our jobs in that’s like keeping it clean and just being so kind and so open to every person and the reasons that they want to float.
CJ
You basically a float shaman
Kelsey
Yeah, maybe Big time. Sounds good.
CJ
Yeah, I mean, you can be something of somebody just who checks people in, they can tell them how to do it. But coming out of that experience, there’s so much opportunity to share. And it’s, it’s not required to share at all. I mean, a lot of times even suggest people to that are going through like breath work or some kind of transformative experience. Allow yourself time to process and like not have to think about too much of what happened. But just like observe now how you think, or how you see things, or a lot of times people become very reactive to these things that like, made them very, very vulnerable, like you experienced an old trauma or an old memory or just a thought or an image that like, makes you feel something so real, like what was that? But having somebody to share that with I think is so powerful, just to have the opportunity, or even having a book or a journal topic, right? And maybe you don’t write very much but you still experience something you could put into words and say like, how do I capture what I experienced? I think that’s such a fun, rewarding part of like, what you guys do, I imagine
Kelsey
yeah, getting into the getting to know the community like that is just so unique. And we’re just feel so grateful to be able to be there.
Matt
Yeah, we have that we have a post float journal that like people can journal in and it is like, God, it’s there’s some there’s some incredible stuff in there total the book of poetry, what did you do really is like some people have like really deep like personal stories they’re willing to put on there. And it’s like, oh my gosh, like this happen. Like, this is amazing. And then some people have like, hilarious like haikus. Yeah, yeah. CJ showing us a journal.
CJ
colors and design.
Kelsey
You can kind of like flip through these journal. And just like you’re just like, oh, this is the human mind like this, the epitome of the human mind. One second. I’m here at the next second. I’m here the next second. I’m you know, just like all through it. Yeah. It’s so cool. You’re
CJ
You’re it’s it’s mapping and consciousness cartography. Wow.
Matt
Yeah, in the in the purest form, no external interruptions.
CJ
It’s just, yeah, a vessel. Yeah. The journal is the vessel through them reality. Think about it. It’s so cool. What? What kinds of people come into your float spa? I mean, we’re in Sacramento. And here. Is there is a type of person that comes in, is it an age range? Is it a certain demographic,
Matt
it’s, it’s it is every line, and like everyone’s floating for different reasons to like, like, I was in there recently, and there was a client who like had just recently gone through like a tough breakup. And so he was like, using floating as a way to just help them through that. But then you have a lot of people that are just like, I just want to time for myself, like, I need a break from my kids. Yeah. And they’re in there. And they’re just like, trying to freak and relax. And that’s, that’s their thing. They get what they get out of it. And it’s, it’s awesome. And then, and there’s just we get like mother daughter combos that come in, like, people have kind of like little getaway days, we’ll get a sauna and then a float. Yeah, so it’s so tough to nail down like the one type. Yeah,
Kelsey
it’s more just like, people that are open minded enough to try something new. Like I would say, that’s the connecting thread, because it’s so random. And like we try to we want to know, like, who is our like, who’s coming in the most? Who are these people? Do? It’s too random. Yeah, like we’ve tried. It’s too random. So we’re getting so much of everything. And then it’s just like, from there, like, who tries it twice or three times? Those people will a lot of times become a member because now they’ve like, usually like you once you get to the third float. You’re like, I get it. I feel safe. This is dope. I feel way better after this than I did before this. I’m gonna keep going. Yeah. It’s like for people also, like not everyone’s into massage. But massage is super powerful. People come out all the time and say, God, it was just like getting a massage. But no one touched me and like, I don’t really like massages. That’s, you know, for the people that are into that. So like, they’re like, this is great how to have a human interaction with anybody. I just fell asleep. No one heard me snore. Yeah, so that question is hard to answer. But yeah, I would say just like super open minded people, and also people that are like either super health conscious already and like, just like animals about new ways. They can take care of themselves, or people who are really going through something and they’re like, I need some healing here. Physically, mentally, emotionally.
CJ
It’s so good. What my wife and I come in together maybe once every two months, sometimes once a month. And it’s such a individualized experience but coming out of there together and be like
Matt
Oh, dude, I love flow like with other people, and then you can talk about your experience after. It’s that’s fun.
CJ
Yeah, it’s Yeah, I mean, my mind goes a million miles in all directions. Very relaxed when it does that because I’m just like, look at what so okay otter love. And I’m so blessed right here not moving in a pool that’s holding me, you know, yeah, I feel like you get to that state and you feel like you’re being held in a in a vat of jello. And you’re just like, this is nice. This is definitely
Kelsey
getting to wow. Yeah, someone came out and I cracked me up, I was like, Oh, my God, I’m never gonna forget you.
CJ
It’s so lovely. And it does feel like you’re being held when you get to a certain point. And to be able to journal communicate about those things. My wife and I are already very open with each other. But that that tank allows us to I don’t know, it’s like a star reset, per se. But it’s just a very restorative experience to come back together and chat about totally even, we don’t even chat about it sometimes just like, you give them the look. And you’re like, Yeah, I’m ready for the week. But so I’m glad this is a nice Sunday morning, go grab coffee afterwards. It’s a date morning. It’s self care. Everybody needs to do self care. And
Kelsey
we have some couples that come in, later at night on Friday and Saturdays. And that’s their date. That’s cool. They’re like we’re not doing dinner, or just got a sitter, so we could come in here. Like Love you guys. And they sit and have tea in the back and just hang out, just be totally relaxed together. You know,
CJ
there’s something there. And it allows I think, it’s like that subconscious mind or like that spherical energy kind of around you your aura, like your auras, like can now like mesh more comfortably. There’s no like internal thought that’s like, you’re fighting yourself or you’re replaying what’s happened from the day or you’re you know, you have all these thoughts that are just constant static, and those there’s nothing wrong with those. It’s just, if you have a bunch of static, you’re going to try to get rid of that static. But if you don’t have ways to get out of that static, it just overwhelms. And then now you become reactive with your partner or your friends or your co workers and having that time to take away that static. I mean, I do other things like earthing or grounding, like just sticking your feet in the earth, it’s like, so obvious, right? But you’re using that Earth’s energy to like, take out all that positive charge that’s built up in your head and like just plug in, dude. Yeah, you stare at the sun, like, it’s like no, like recharging. Like, you may be looking at your phone, like a certain kind of light, or you’ve been in office for too long, and you’ve got fluorescent lights everywhere, like, go get some natural light D static like your mind. And I think the floats do that. And that maybe has a lot to do with the magnesium. I don’t know if you guys know, like a lot about you want to share, like, kind of, like, what are the benefits of floating and how it works? Because it’s part of it? Is you taken with the senses? To do you static the mind? Right? Yeah, but also you’re absorbing key nutrients. Yeah, you know, into your, into your blood.
Matt
Yeah. So I can just give a little breakdown of like, kind of almost how it’s been presented to me. But as. So as like, as human beings as we go through life, like our brain is actually processing a ton of input that we’re not even aware of. And that includes like, Sight Sound like wind or temperature on your skin. Even your body is like constantly processing things in order to stand up straight, and like Battle gravity and like walk, it’s like you take it for granted. But that’s actually kind of a complicated process, like that’s going through your brain that you’re just not even aware of. So your brain is like working through all this stuff. But when you get in a float tank, you have the ability to like, eliminate light eliminate sound, the water is the same time as your skin. So you can’t tell like really what your skin stops and the water starts. And there’s no gravity so you’re because you’re just floating. So when you eliminate all those inputs, it frees up your brain to function at a completely different frequency. And they’ve measured it and it’s the same frequency you’re in when you’re in like that super healthy REM sleep cycle, theta delta theta theta state. So it’s really like healthy restorative rest from like a mental perspective. And when you go into the theta state, I think it just it releases a lot of like endorphins and just like was just super healthy recovery time for you. So it’s like a really distilled healthy hour long session of just like pure recovery and like good good mental good mental state. So yeah, I think there and there’s other like elements and layers to it too. I’m not a huge like, expert on the the magnesium aspect but literally the only ingredients is water and Epsom salt And Epsom salt has two things. It’s got magnesium and sulfate. So magnesium itself is super important for a lot of different like brain functions. And then I’ve heard people talk about, like your GI, like your guts, actually, the sulfur can help improve your GI somehow. So someone presented this thing where like, each of us in our own bodies possess this thing called the heart mind. And it’s like this connection between your brain and like your heart space. But in order to get to like seeing the world through your heart, mind, which is supposed to be I guess, like, the purest form of your human soul, or whatever you want to call it, like the gut, and your intuition is a huge important part of that component. So you’ve got the magnesium, which is helps with your brain function, then you’ve got the the sulphate aspect, which helps with the GI. So it’s supposed to promote, you know, a better lens of the world through the heart mind is what I’ve heard. Hey, man, I love it. Yeah. And I don’t know how it works. But
CJ
I was just having a conversation with one of our coaches the other day, about the brain and the heart. And, you know, like, if one dies, does the other survive? Or like, if one’s dead? Does that make you dead? Like, if the hearts dead? Are you dead? Or if your brain dead? Are you dead? Or are they like, you need both? It’s like, above and below, right? I mean, I love the guy. But I think the guts the ultimate like source, but I really think like we’re life is is that, that bring that heart connection. And what’s directly in between the two. You got your voice, you got your breath, life energy that connects what’s what you’re thinking about where your hearts, like you’re rooted in the ground. But you’re also up in here and up in here, is really in there. And here’s really your heart and see like, what’s what’s external and your powers through your voice powers to your breath that connects the two and we could talk about sound we could talk about, you know, you have, yeah, when you’re in, you’re in a place where there is no sound, you’re in a flow, there is no sound. You still hear a lot of things.
Matt
But you and one of those things you hear the most is your own breath.
CJ
For sure. And your heartbeat. Yeah. And you hear your brain thinking, yeah,
Matt
you hear your brain thinking, Wow. Did anyone else just feel that?
CJ
Always? Oh, yeah, I think is power to that. And know, what are some of the maybe trippier more whoo experiences maybe that you had visually or very, what’s something you’ve had, it’s been very central, like you feel it. But you’re in a place where you are deprived of your senses, you’re having a very internal experience that is can be sometimes so real, or it is so real, that you feel it, and then it pulls you into, like, wherever your environment is a you almost feel like there’s a connection point. Or maybe there’s a big difference between that internal environment, external environment, I think that’s kind of a also gauge of health is like, how close are those two? Is there a bridge between the two? Or is one so separate from the other that you can’t create or manifest from this internal reality to bring external, you’re so separated that it’s like they’re two different worlds. In that tank, they almost become one, because nothing external is being seen or hurt.
Matt
It’s all heavy. Yeah, it’s like your internal is your whole world when you’re in the tank? Yeah. Have
CJ
you ever had a super visual experience? Or a very central experience?
Matt
Absolutely. I’ll let you go in on that.
CJ
Break one down, let’s, let’s write a chapter. Well,
Kelsey
I would I’ve had one. So I’ll go with three of them and go a little in on each because these are thing one is only happened once. So so crazy, almost like like it was a hallucination. And then the other two things happen off like often. So I was floating actually in a pod in San Francisco. And I went in and I knocked the eff out, bro, I just boom in the water. Like I my body needed it. My brain needed it. And I had like a full on hallucination of me. I was a panther. And I was in water coming down, like in the Amazon or wherever and a jungle. And it was just my eyes were right above the water, and I can just feel myself wading through the water. And I was so I’m blown away that I like snapped. Like I snapped out of it. And I was like, damn it, I lost it. But I was so like, blown away by that experience for the rest of my float and managed to like knock back out because I was still like just needing rest. And I’ll never forget that. I was like, was that a parallel life of mine? Like I’ve always felt really connected to big cats. But it was the most visceral like hallucinate. like kind of experience I’ve ever had in the tank. And then more regularly, like, Third Eye activation. Colors, like the sacred geometry coming in and out during the floats happens often to me. And then I have the colors, purple, green, and sometimes gold that like very much Come on. And they’ll just be kind of like orbiting around. But those are like kind of the trippy, you know, stuff. But like, I’ve had crazy emotional breakthroughs. And they’re, like, all about the spiritual development. I’m all about that process. And I float all the time. And I can’t even tell you how much I’ve like I come out, I go in fragmented, like you’re talking about, like, something’s come up, like it always is, I go in there and I just feel aligned, when I come out, I can look at it from a new perspective, I’m way more in the watcher. If I’m still feeling it, then I know, oh, my gosh, this is, uh, this is, uh, something I need to give even more attention to. Either way, like, I come out of there. And I just feel like I understand and know myself so much better than if I was just kind of like, going just like, kind of in it, you know, in the wheel of just like Monday through Sunday, then I have this now like, life is good, but like, how often am I going and like really checking in, like, with what’s going on? And what’s come up in the float tanks just like, provide, they are the providers. Like I truly feel like I’m in there. And just my guides and my angels are just cradling me. And it feels so freakin good. Yeah.
Matt
Solid Energy, big cat big see?
CJ
Got to do. That’s yeah, those are very profound experiences. And it’s so individual to like, you could read into a lot of these things on the external side, but as the person experiencing it, that’s the most important thing. And yeah, you know, I’ve always been told, like, own your own your trip or own your, your space. Like, if you experience something like that, it’s kind of always like telling stories, right? Like, well, this is what I experienced, but like, the way you share it is like, okay, it’s a it’s a past life, or it’s something that I’ve like gone inside and then seen from that body, or that that space or that time, whatever it is, you just get to like, tap into this collective. If you want to call it collective consciousness kind of source where you just you get guided into something you need to see or experience, and then reflect on those things. And some things can be very powerful, and like uplifting and empowering. And the things can feel like you need to reflect on this, to do something about
Kelsey
Yeah, totally. Whatever the Metis like, it gives you what you need, you know, you just gotta be open to like receiving it, you know, it’s not always gonna be like, Oh, now I get it, everything’s good. It could like kind of bug you a little bit like, Oh, I gotta look more into this, you know, prepare
CJ
to transform it to right, right. Or your body may try to do it for you. yourself, man, any?
Matt
Yeah, it’s tough. There’s, I feel like there’s been a lot. So it’s like hard to pin down these specific ones I would say. So one time recently, like a lot of times for me personally, when I’m going in the float tank, I like to, like set an intention, something that I’m working with or working through before I even get into the float tank. So it’s like I’ll kind of say it or like what I’m working through and then right like, as I’m stepping through the door and closing the door, it’s just like, alright, let that go. The float is going to be what it’s going to be like I’ve set my intention and just kind of let whatever happens happens. But a lot of times when I’m in the float tank, it’s like you talked about with the static like I totally resonate with that. I feel like as I go through life, I just like things just sticking to me like conversations I’m having with people days I’m having at work it just like you get stuck and you build up this like just extra. I don’t know, junk that kind of kind of disconnects me I feel like from my highest self. So in the float tank, it’s like a huge opportunity for me to reset. And I’ll try to like work through like kind of like the the chakra system and just like get that energy flowing like up and down my spine. And one time like I was kind of going through that exercise and I I can’t fully remember what the intention was for that one. I think it was something to do with my heart but like I’m in the float tank. And I’m just kind of like going eyes closed relaxing, like trying to feel that energy flow and just like loosen things up and get like a good a good a good flow there and like all of a sudden my like, my heart space just starts like pulsating. Not necessarily like with the beat but just like this like Guy and like my eyes are closed tanks black but I’m just seeing like green everywhere like the whole thing is green. And it just felt Like overwhelmingly like I am, like just cleaning up anything that’s blocking up that heart space. And so I’ve just like sitting in that and going with that for a while. And that felt like, felt really good. So yeah, and it was just like also like, yeah, the color of the heart chakra is green. So I’m in that and, like, that was a really, that was a really powerful moment for sure. And then other ones have like the visual stuff. One time I was in it in Sacramento in a tank, and I remember this is and all of a sudden, I’m like dropping in deep and then I’m just instantly transported into this like, like Valley at the foot of these like incredibly picturesque, like mountain ranges like clear blue sky, a couple of like really pretty white clouds mountains in the background in this like valley floor. Not with like a ton of tall grass, kind of like dirt, little grassy landscape, and I’m like there and I looked down and it’s like, I see these pores in the earth, just like opening and closing, like rhythmically anims like, oh my god, the Earth is breathing. I’m watching. Breathe right now. And I’m just like, in awe, you know, watching this happen. And so that was like part of the I got I was like, holy cow. What just happened in there?
CJ
So beautiful. Yeah, you’re gonna make me cry? Because
Matt
you, you know, you get out you put in your fingers like, oh, the Earth does breathe. It’s like I also breathe. Yeah, just so that one stuck to. But then yeah, like Kelsey said, with the colors and everything. I think everyone that gets enough flow tank is getting in for different reasons, and wants to get different things out of it. Wherever your mind is add. It’s like, that’s the beautiful thing about it is an hour for yourself. That like we just don’t get that often. So like, doesn’t matter what you’re into, like, if you just want to go in and just like sleep for an hour. Get that? That’s all you Yeah,
CJ
I think going into the tanks with some kind of understanding of your frame of mind or your condition. You’re not no negative or positive attachment to it just simply how you think it’s something that we don’t really think about as humans as a general population. Or maybe we do we don’t talk about it as much. No, we’re not that’s a good point to understand that it’s okay, that this is a place that we can dive deeper into to understand ourselves as a species more how we’re connected. And this other space, that’s not necessarily other, it just, it’s always there. We’re just maybe more attuned to it or not.
Matt
And nothing is like, being not being bummed about what you’re feeling totally just like, Oh, I’m sad. I’m a little depressed. And now I’m upset about being sad or depressed. It’s like, totally,
CJ
or even recognizing. There’s layers of recognition to for sure. And knowing like, Wow, I feel upset about being upset about being upset
Matt
about and you just like digging yourself a hole. But
CJ
then I think the more you allow yourself to dig it, you’re like, What have I dug? You know, you’re like, wait a second, get back. I don’t know, the more you practice it, you can then take a different hole. It’s like, Wait, this one actually goes to a tunnel that I can like keep exploring that I didn’t even know is here. Yeah, it’s always been here. And wow, this is the way I react or see these situations and it gives you time to almost make right how you’ve stored your memory. You know, like that memory has been stored but you never address it. Maybe because it was traumatic. But also maybe because you there’s just so much going on in your life. You don’t have time to reflect on these things that have made you who you are today. Think about who you are right now. What’s brought you to who you are right now, your thoughts. The things that have happened in your life the people you’ve surrounded yourself with the environment you work in the room you sleep in, like the car you all these pieces of, of matter, matter most, right? Because that’s who you are here. But there’s this other place that you can build from a different material. It’s not made of this matter, right. It’s made of thought it’s made of sound. It’s made of vibration and emotion. Yeah, you start to you know, you listen to a song that makes you cry. You’re like, why is this making me cry? The song is like beautiful, but like it feels so good to cry right now. There’s like, there’s power in those things. And I think there are opportunities to reflect on how we think. And just to understand more of, we can maintain that frame or we can shift that frame to to make life Kevin on Earth, right? It’s the frame of mind really, they say you can see heaven exists right here right now. I’m saying just from a place of pure whatever it’s bliss or just understanding or knowledge or wisdom or two connection of people gratitude, compassion, you know, a lot of these powerful high vibe things that they’re always there. But it’s like the things that get stuck in your web. You like, okay, my web was really clean, and it’s just allowing air to flow through. It’s this beautiful spiderweb. Right? Yeah. But then shit starts getting attached. It’s a leaf here, and it’s a bug here that you’re like, God damn, I don’t like to eat that thing. I’m gonna remove it. And I’ll just keep it there. Like, I got my way. Eventually, your website’s broken down. You’re like, Okay, I gotta restore this thing. Yeah, well, we get the opportunity to rebuild that we can say, Fuck this web. Like, let’s rebuild this network. But that’s it takes work. It takes integration of what you’ve experienced. And it’s not like an overnight thing. Most of the time, it’s experienced this thought or this trip, or this hallucination or just this thing that made me feel. So how do we then integrate that into real life? And I think that’s where the power really is. And why that what I call your Bardo room is so cool is that’s an opportunity to reframe, reconnect, and not change anything necessarily in your past, but understand things better to set you up for a better like, present, and future. You’re rebuilding your self right now.
Kelsey
Totally. Yeah,
CJ
I think just the practice,
Kelsey
people that come in, like, regularly really start naturally going into like, personal responsibility mode, which has been a huge factor in my just like, development is just like, things happen. And you kind of go through these phases with parts of things that happened to you. And once you really own like, I created that situation, I can create getting out of it, I created stress in my work, I created that whole friggin job I can get out of it, like, then you start moving into, I’m the creator of my reality, holy shit, that’s a positive place to be and nothing can really, like everything is always gonna still go. Like, externally, you can’t control but you get to control now, how you create your reaction to your life that you are creating. And it’s just like, it’s a very natural part of the process of tons of self reflection and the float tanks give you just like self reflection on crack. I was explaining it to this new world the shop the other day out because she’s starting to float and I always encourage the staff like do get in there, like be connected to this. And she was like, I’m talking about stuff she’s going through and she just like I just need more time for me and I was like, Bro hit the tank on that. And and then I told her I was like, in terms of self development, life improvement, all the things. These float tanks are like picture Mario Kart, you know, when you hit those Zoomers getting in the tank is like you hit a zoom. Like you just you just you just self reflected for like an hour no one does that, like intentionally screw your doing it intentionally you’re making yourself uncomfortable if you have something going on, or you’re just going in there to relax and enjoy yourself, which is, you know, just like the medicine in there. It’s crazy.
CJ
It’s direct experience is so powerful. And it helps us connect with each other. Because if you don’t experience is just theory and thought which can has its place, you know, you philosophy philosophize on stuff. But if you’re not living out that philosophy and taking action, it’s tougher to go deeper in a very intentional manner. Because, I mean, I’ve been stuck in my head a lot. Not recently, because now I’ve got some ways to help refine that process. But totally, you know, I end up getting reactive because it felt like all the static of my own thought it just needed a place to organize and needed a place to connect with other thoughts that didn’t, that weren’t part of my daily day to day condition. I’ve just this how I live my life. But it’s like how it’s like the what if I get I love the what ifs? What if? What if? What if? What if my wife’s like, oh my god, what I’ve seen
recently, recently, I asked myself, What if I float for two hours? Yeah. And then I was waiting. You got to live your life as like a choose your own dose. Yeah, other people can. Anything that’s for, you know, you want to choose your own dose of alcohol, of a certain kind of food of certain kind of health or certain kind of exercise. Like, yeah, there’s prescriptions in general rules of thumb out there, that gives you the benefits. But in reality, you got to choose your own dose for everything, you got to choose your own nutrition, choose your own reflection and how you’re going to restore. So for me, it was like, floats are definitely one of those things, I feel like I’ve taken a dose of reality. Like I’m living in a place of non reality, because I’m always in my head of things that don’t currently exist. It’s just what if stuff, then I get to step into this place of like, okay, what is you know, and that two hour float gave me a direct experience of like, what I was thinking about, then what I wanted to make a reality or what I just wanted to understand more about myself and how to, like communicate to other people. And what I did in that to our float was a lot of different, like, what do you do when you’re floating? You know, I think that’s a it’s a really accurate question to ask ourselves because that At some points, I was just sitting there going, Okay, two hours. I wonder, you know how long it’s been? Yeah, what how much longer? I have? Yeah. And then, but getting over that thought. And if you haven’t experienced this before, don’t worry about that stuff. It’s just, you’re here. Okay. So then you keep going these layers deeper. And always after an hour, it’s like, okay, that was like, just the right amount of time. But also, I was just getting somewhere. Yeah, but you’re always just getting somewhere, there’s no real destination, you just
Matt
can keep freaking life man.
CJ
Called from playing attention. Yeah, attention can be in different places. But a lot of times, it’s stuck in one place, and you get stuck in your life. So how can you play attention? Well, you just allow your attention to wonder a little bit. And so I let that happen and didn’t even recognize anytime judgment was coming up, like, Oh, you shouldn’t be doing that. Or like, that’s not why you’re here to float. And I meant, like, I’m floating in the tank, and you know, you’re not really still, for parts of it, your body shakes, or you hit an edge, and you bounce to center and you kind of center yourself. So I think part of the float is center yourself in the tank, right? Reach out to the sides, touch the edges, know where the top and bottom are. So you have a framework of what you’re in. So you feel safe. Yeah, because you can be in the water, but then you touch like, well freak you out. But as soon as you start to kind of find that central point, you now know where you are physically. And so you can relax and find safety. And so I hit that point, and it bounced off the bottom hit the edge and like okay, and I’m kind of tilted and I’m like trying to visualize my body position in this tank. I’m very 3d minded. And I want to know where I am concretely hear if that even makes sense. So I’m in the tank. And then it’s a game of, okay, am I awake? Or am I asleep? Or do I want to try to sleep? Or do I want to try to stay awake? And so this process is probably all taking about 1520 minutes. And then I get to a point like, Okay, I’m not awake fully. But I’m also not sleeping. Okay, now I’m just here. So now what’s coming up for me? What what needs to come to surface what’s, what am I prioritizing in my own thought, my own brain? And stuff like work or like, Hey, I had a conversation earlier yesterday or that morning, or whatever it was, and okay, I’m doing this this weekend. What am I doing later after this tank is like, wait, no, I’m right here. Yeah, but not judging. You just like recognizing where the attention is until I can get right here right now. And then I can guide that thought. Right. So now in that center. Now, I don’t know how long I’ve been in here.
Matt
So you’re, you’re at the process for like you’re settling in. Yeah, you’ve settled and have said, now you’re trying to get into like observer mode.
CJ
I love the flow. Arms up, palms open. And yeah, universe take me. Yeah. Where do I need to go? You are my spaceship on
Matt
the freaky club.
CJ
Again, man, it’s like, this is a fun game. You know? I don’t know if I’m getting anything out of this. But I totally am. allowing myself to explore Yeah, Judge. And so then it hits like, Yes, I think I’m awake fully and just processing my thoughts. Like, nothing. I’m thinking nothing. But nothing is still something like there’s Am I blocking? You know, am I putting a wall up of that next layer? Or am I really thinking nothing? And they’re like, Wait, what is nothing? I think about something Okay, wait, there I am again, okay. These are my, this is the observer thinking again, like you’re observing something, but nothing is coming up yet. And then like, Go, breathe. Hear your breath, right nose mouth. And then I jolt awake. And I have this memory of a dream that I was just having. But I thought I was awake that whole time. I thought I was like, just processing my relaxation, but like that flash of like, whoa, assaulted, like I had been electrocuted. And I was like, What the hell was that? He thought I was awake. Okay, as a Twitch, maybe there’s some like, where did that come from? You know, and then the fact that there was a bunch of imagery of like, a skydiving experience I had of like, just floating and I was like, how did I just have a dream that felt like it lasted 1015 minutes. Like I was skydiving, but I thought I was awake this whole time. And like, I was having flashes of time. And I was like, Whoa, that was cool. So I had the thought of doing something experimenting at that point, which is if I can get back to that place again, not dissing that dream, but that state of like, I think I’m awake, but then a jolt Can I catch the jolt where it started? I was like, that’s a cool thought. Like, where did I twitch? Because I felt my whole body like oh, don’t splash the salt water in my eyes because that’s gonna hurt nothing. It’s gonna ruin my, my next five minutes, right? So then okay, relax again, a jolt this time. It felt like I had a slower jolt, but I could feel like oh, that was my ankle or my calf. It’s like, well, that was cool. I wonder if I can go deeper and like catch that jolt to where I can make that jolt happen. Like, can I electrocute myself like that? And I was like, where are these thoughts coming from but it’s just like experimental fun things like who knows means anything? That’s not the point. It’s just playing with what just happened. And so that happened quite a dozen times. And then I was like, shit, dude, I don’t know if I’ve been in here for two hours. I don’t know if I’ve been in here for 30 minutes because Time doesn’t really matter at this point. It’s just, I’m here and I’m experiencing these things as they’re happening. I started laughing at myself. I was like, oh my god, I’m going crazy. Can you hear me? Laughing? Like, wow, this is really cool. I feel really happy. Right?
Matt
Did you get to that point, though, where you could like catch the Twitch and make it happen?
CJ
No, I couldn’t make it happen. Okay, I could recognize it as it was happening. So that whatever was coming up right before that point, I could then go into that memory or that thought, like, so that’s kind of like just a flash. But I was there. Yeah. But I wasn’t controlling my body there was astral traveling. Maybe it’s just memory that was lodged in me. That was like, I need to visit that. Like, why didn’t that part come up? Why did that memory show up? Because to me, it wasn’t such a profound experiences cool to skydive. Yeah. And like, wow, like, not scared. But just like, why am I not scared falling to the sky right now. And it seems like a trust this person who’s a lot of these things came up about trusting the person like trusting my own mission, like I’m not gonna die. And other people may have fears like, I’m never gonna skydive, I could die. But like, so it brought up a lot of these things, connection points, where I wasn’t myself, I was just a lot of ways to view and perceive and experience I was like, hmm, maybe I’m just digging myself a hole in this experience. But then I came out with like, I’m glad I revisited my skydiving. I haven’t thought about that in a while. Yeah. And so I kept getting these jolts where I could, like, go back in to that memory or that experience, not to a level of like, right now I could just close my eyes make, alright, fully experienced that memory, viscerally like, in my body as it’s happening. But I’ve had those experiences with other like medicines and explorations of like, that was so real. And I can integrate that into my next experience of life. So I’m still processing it. But like, I mean, I only write a little page about like, what happened in that hour, because that’s all I felt like writing. Other times, I have an hour float. And I have like three or four pages written with like colors and shapes. And like, What the hell did I write, but it’s like, I can reflect on that experience. Yeah. So yeah, it was really, really neat to maybe it was like theta state. That’s actually what came up for me. It was like, when that shock hat hit, I was like, Kate was I in theta state? Was I in this brainwave that then, like, took me back to like this beta, or I’m, like, not stressed out about it, but I’m reflecting actively. And then I get back into that relaxed, like, I felt like my brainwaves. Were going like this room. Yeah, like, be there. Yeah. It’s like, show me
Matt
a waking dream state. A lot of times in the float tank, especially
Kelsey
when you go over 60 I feel like for me, when I do the 90 things slow down more than the 60 What does that feel like? It was a lot of what you just described, unless I’m completely go out. And I’m like, sleeping, basically. But then even then, when it’s longer, I’m in and out of the sleep, and I’m aware or like be aware of the dream I’m having. But when it’s really intense. It’s just like you said, and like the word waking, dreaming is totally the phrase like, I’m, I’m completely aware that I’m relaxing in a float tank, and yet, I’m having dreams. And I’m like, why am I dreaming? And when I don’t interfere with asking, Why am I dreaming that they’ll just run? It’s like fucking movie, man. I don’t even it’s like not even thing. Like, not even sometimes. No, it’s usually for me not even experiences that have happened. I’m just like, this is a trip. Like, what part of my brain is deciding this? Yeah, this is what I’m viewing. And then I’m like, fuck it. Here. I am like let it run. And I do the same thing you say? I’m like, just show me what you
CJ
show me what you’ve gone. Yeah, totally. It’s a cool place. It’s but it can be overwhelming. And like you said, if you don’t interfere, you can end up someplace that you like the scariest thing for me is like it’s it’s probably irrational, but it’s like what if I don’t get back? Always and like I don’t think that because now I’m snide gets flung back into hyperspace back where I’m like, Okay, I’m right here still, but dammit. My thoughts once again. Okay, CJ, we got you. Thanks. Yeah,
Matt
cool place. Yeah, Central Coast
Kelsey
floats is floating the journey of floating.
Matt
Yeah, it’s a it’s a thing to where it’s like, we do get some people that they come in. They have a great experience. They have their float and it’s like, oh, that was really cool. Like, I’ve never done anything like that before. See later. And then there’s the people that come in and it’s like, that was amazing. They commit to it, it becomes part of their personal wellness practice and that’s when like the doors open. It’s like the the getting the reps in and like really, kind of making it part of your own personal practice. Is like that’s when the magic happens. What’s
Kelsey
100%? Yeah, we have a kid right now who drives up from Santa Barbara to float. And he’s floated like over 100 times already. Wow, I’m like, six months. See him? Like as a floater? Yes. Yeah. Thumbs up, and he’s really working through stress in his life, like stress is kind of like almost become like a debilitating thing for him where he’s like, I gotta figure this out now, do we all just, like, love him so much. Just to say, I’m putting everything on hold. I’m just gonna figure out this thing so that I can move forward in my life having it like a medicine for myself, and that I’m integrating into my life right now. I’m putting everything on hold. Like right now. It’s all about my mental health, like, so badass. Like, and a lot lately. Like stress is like just such a big part of why people float, emotional stress, physical stress, like that word, and you go in there. And then you have this practice of like, basically, you become like a professional relaxer. So now I’m like out in my environment, and if I feel tension, I’m like, Just pretend like you’re floating and my whole body’s just trained it completely. I mean, that’s pretty good. It feels good. Like, I don’t want to start doing that. I never had that. Thought about. I know how to relax. Yeah, good. Stress, not fun, relaxing, good time
CJ
to have a reference point. Because it’s one thing to say, Okay, I’m going to try to relax. But if you have a reference point of feeling relaxed, yes. Now you can say feel that way. Yeah. It’s been sitting in recall. It’s never had that before. Yeah, me neither.
Kelsey
Well, well, you’re welcome.
CJ
Such a fan. Before we close this conversation, I mean, there’s we’d go for hours, honestly, this trip story. So we’ll share that for another time. But for somebody who’s brand new to floating, especially, especially Central Coast float, somebody’s coming to slower currently lives and slow. What is that process? Like when they come into the doors? What can they expect from from you guys? Also from that? Like, okay, do I just lay in the tank, like, there’s a couple more steps that are very helpful so that you don’t get water in yours? You’re gonna get splashed in your eyes and can’t see. So you don’t burn yourself? Like what’s, what does that step by step process look like? So somebody could visualize it like, Oh, I totally get it. I could just show up and I’ll be good
Kelsey
to tackle this one. Oh, yeah. Okay. So you’d book an appointment with us, you’d show up to the shop at your bride around your appointment time, and there’d be a facilitator behind the desk. And that person is going to just guide you through it. So you have basically what you’ve done when you book an appointment is you’ve booked a tank that is in a private room. So you, you have a full private room to yourself. And then our facilitator, she’ll take you back to your room, and walk you through how it all goes. And it goes like this, you’ll be in your room, you’ll have earplugs and a little water vial of fresh water to take in the tank with you. And basically you’re going to put in the earplugs. And then you’re going to undress your clothes, there’s a shower in the room right next to the float tank, you’ll take a shower to clean your body, just get yourself as clean as possible. And then you’re going to enter into the tank. The tank only has 10 inches of water. And there’s 1100 pounds of salt in the water. I don’t know if we ever said that. Yeah, but you’re floating because of the salt. No, no, we went over that. Anyway. So you’re gonna step into the tank, sit down, slowly ease into the water and then just be swept right up to the surface of the water completely effortlessly with 00 effort, right? You’re just laying on the top of this warm body of water. And there’s lights and music in the tank that have buttons and you’ll just decide do I want to float with music? Do I want to float with no music? Do I want to float with lights? Do I not want to float with lights that’s all completely up to you. And then you’ll find a body position that’s comfortable for yourself to relax for the hour and you’ll just lock it in baby like CJ said, always nice to find your center in there Look, put your arms up on the sides and just find a subtle space and then just breathe. And 60 minutes goes by who knows what happens during your 60 minutes. That is up to you. And then at the end of 60 minutes, you’ll hear our exit track and that’s basically our version of an alarm. It’s very pleasant, but obvious and that’s going to indicate that your sessions come to an end at which point you will carefully get out of the float tank. Take another shower to get all the salt off of your body. There’s fresh towels in the room. There’s shampoo, there’s shower gel, so all the amenities are completely taken care of. You’re gonna put your cozy clothes back on Listen, and get out, man. Hang out in the back. Ideally, integrate take some time we have tea in the back of Central Coast floats. And then when you’re ready to exit the building, it’ll just float on right out and honestly, dude, most people forget their shoes on the way out. It is so funny, because we ask people to put our shop flops on and they just it’s so funny everyone leaves the shop and goes like this. Alright, well, nice to meet you guys have a good one. Like, it’s like this deep side. It’s like, just like I just want to film it like every freaking person. Just it’s so cool to see and then you just leave in for the rest of your day just gonna be really relaxed. Sometimes you’re really energetic though. I don’t know everyone’s different after
CJ
there’s been only been one float where I like I went in pretty relaxed and I came out just like hype to caffeine in the water this time. happened I was like this is their energy. Let’s go. Yeah, awesome. can people find you?
Kelsey
Online? Central coast floats.com on our IG Central Coast floats.
Matt
Facebook to Facebook, we got
Kelsey
that as well. And we are literally right across from the airport and slow right across from Jim knows. Oh, yeah. Yeah, as the grid will have it. Got Bruce. Where I was like, Are you kidding? They’re right across this
Matt
very close. Very, very close.
CJ
Divine space timing. Precise. Wonderful. Cool. It’s been an absolute blessing having you too on. Thank you, Kelsey. And Matt. Until next time, y’all have any closing remarks or statements or things you want people to know?
Matt
Yeah, we’re know Kelsey kind of touched on it was like the whole intention behind creating Central Coast floats and like what we really stick with and hang our hats on is like we wanted to create a space for growth and healing for the community. So we’re here for you guys. Come get your float on what’s the safe space? Kelsey is goal and my goal to quote we want to have the cleanest float senator in the fucking country. And I think we’re pretty close to it. So yeah, we take our cleanliness and safety like super high priority. Yeah. Better myself. Yeah. Yeah. Well, you did say it I just quoted,
CJ
quote and unquote.
Kelsey
Yes, come check us out. Hashtag feel better.
Matt
Yeah. Love you guys very much
CJ
to next, Emil, who’s Oh.
Michael Hughes
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