After a stressful day of work, an AE Block address holds out the promise of relaxation through flotation. An alternative therapy centre called Satoru has installed a tank that allows one to float in the silence of a pitch dark room in warm water saturated with Epsom salt, also known as magnesium sulphate.
“Magnesium deficiency could enhance the body’s susceptibility to stress just as stress could increase magnesium loss. Floating in water that is so rich in magnesium is one of the simplest and most effective ways to absorb the mineral,” says Uddalak Ghosh, who has set up the space.
After being subjected to sensory overload through the day, he points out, the pool offers sensory deprivation. “The water, heated to body temperature and saturated with the Epsom salt, has buoyancy which makes it easy to float. In that zero gravity state in a room without sound and light, the brain gets tricked into a restful mode. An hour of being in this mode is equivalent to four hours of REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. That reduces stress, improve circulation and alleviates small aches and pains,” says Ghosh. Spending time with oneself also clears the mind and helps one focus, he adds.
The room with an in-built pool is dimly lit and bare, with an earthy feel. The pool, about one foot deep, is oval shaped, 9ft at its lengthiest and 6ft at its widest. “The therapy usually uses a pod, which is a rectangular or an egg-shaped box, to create an womb-like effect. But I prefer a room as it is less likely to cause claustrophobia,” he says. Before the flotation, Ghosh offers a meditation session which settles the mind for the more calming experience in the next room. A lawyer by training, he took an interest in alternative therapy during a stint in Bangalore when he started meditating. “India's first float tank centre had opened there around that time.”
On his return, he first built a prototype in IA Block. He took lessons from the experience and opened the current set-up. While flotation therapy is especially suited to treat niggles of sports persons, people with acute liver and kidney problems and those with pacemaker are advised to get a medical clearance if they wish to avail of the therapy, Ghosh says. Open wounds are also a strict no-no for getting in the pool. “One needs multiple floats for the desired result. A twohour session costs Rs 2000,” he adds. Ghosh, a resident of Madhyamgram, plans to offer yoga classes and sound therapy as well at the centre.
