When I was in Iceland, they invited me to try an Isopod flotation tank experience.
“Errr, what is involved?” I asked.
“Nothing at all except relaxing for an hour in this,” said the rather intimidating Icelandic spa director, gesturing to a gigantic pod thing with an open lid and blue Star Trek lighting.
The idea of relaxing for an hour made me very nervous, I don’t do relaxing well. The idea of climbing into the pod and hermetically sealing myself in made me even more nervous.
The idea is that your body and mind float peacefully in darkness.
“You will hear the sound of whales for the first few minutes and then silence for an hour and then whales again bringing you round to a more conscious state.”
I had never heard of anything so ridiculous. I climbed in and closed the lid on myself.
I heard the whales, I felt the water, and then then I heard the whales again. Well that’s silly, I thought as I opened the lid and got out to find Icelandic Helga to complain that her whale noises were off…. where was the silent bit in the middle?
“But your hour is up,” she said as I stood dripping indignantly in front of her. An hour? I had been in there for a whole hour?
Rumor has it that one daytime hour in the sleep pod is the same as an entire night’s sleep. For the rest of my visit I craved the pod. Craved it.
So, when in Mexico we were invited (read compelled) to experience Sound Healing I was all on for it. Even David, not known for finding a place of stillness through meditation or a mantra but more through a good Bloody Mary was enthusiastic.
“Really?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes,” he replied. “I am a huge fan of anything to do with prolonged inactivity!”
Before we entered the magnificently tall thatched palapa, we were greeted by a silent Shaman holding a bowl with burning something. Apparently, this was to cleanse us before we began our vibrational journey – he is going to need a lot more of that to cleanse this group, I thought.
We were in Tulum for a friends fiftieth birthday and we had already done quite a lot of celebrating.
We lay down, feet towards the musical instruments, pillows beneath our heads, rush mats below our bodies…. we were asked to empty our minds…. the rings of frame drums, rattles, flutes and chanting’s began…. the smell of burning incense, the sound of jungle birds singing above us, and…. the outstanding noise of David snoring beside me.
I woke him …. “Sorry,” he mumbled sleepily. “I was ready to surrender myself to this and was hoping desperately for spiritual enlightenment.”