When Time Stopped

Soaking in the bath is my happy place. I love the solitude and quiet but the moments are rare and therefore very precious to me. When Arctic Wellness opened a friend of mine told me about float therapy and how it would be perfect for my achy body, busy mind, and worried soul. She started telling me about the silent peace, salt healing, zero pressure, and then she said that dreaded word, ‘pod’. She ruined it for me, or so I thought.

As much as floating in a thousand pounds of salt, no interruptions, complete darkness and an ENTIRE HOUR TO MYSELF sounded so great, there was just no way this claustrophobic was going to be able to relax myself enough to enjoy 5 minutes of it. The dread of not only being confined to a tight space, alone, in the dark, you want to add water to that? Ya… no!

But I was still intrigued. Being able to stretch out my body and actually float sure sounded better than my oversized tub on its best day. I finally mustered up enough courage to talk with the owner. She ensured me that I should give it a try and that closing the pod was at my discretion. I pondered the thought of putting my head at the opening and just leaving it wide open. This way I could experience the float and live to tell about it.

So I booked the float and with every hesitation still made it into the door of the building. “I can keep the lights on?,” I asked. “The pod won’t fall down and lock me in?” “I can come out at anytime?” All of my questions were answered with a smile. Yes, No, & Yes, came the replies so patiently and her gentle certainty gave me enough peace to close the door behind me.

I followed all the rules and stepped my foot into the water. Normally when I step into the bath I’m hit with that almost too hot sting and it sends that warmth through my body making me very aware that I’m in water. But this was a different feeling. Almost magical. I thought to myself, ‘you aren’t afraid of the dark, so turn it off and try to relax.’ I turned out the light and entered into the pod. It was much bigger than I thought. I took a deep breath, plenty of air. I laid back and my body rose to the top of the water. Now this, was a different feeling in it’s entirety. Because I like to take a deep breath and arch my back so I can float in the pool. You know like they teach kids in surviver swim. But truth me told, my feet are made of lead and they always sink. Not this time. My little piggies were floating effortlessly.

I had it my head that I was going to try to close the pod, just so that when the time came to face the owner again, I could paint her a very vivid image of how my life flashed before my eyes, and she could witness the panic that came from people like me when they are put in these types of situations. I know how awful that sounds as I write this, but I think it’s important to be transparent.

So down came the lid of the pod. A little bit, a little bit more, and before I knew it, the pod was closed, so were my eyes, and chest was still rising at a steady pace. I did it! I opened my eyes and saw darkness but I kept breathing and everything was fine. I closed my eyes again, took a deep breath, and the worries exhaled. Everything disappeared, the water, the pod, I couldn’t feel anything. I considered the fact that this pod was indeed magical, and instead of a tiny space full of water that was closing in on me, I found myself floating around space. Time had stopped. At this moment there was no reason for me to be doing anything but healing. The solitude was amazing. I was able to let go of the to do list, the schedule, the pain from sore muscles, and it was incredible. Every once in a while I would reach my fingers out to feel the pod just to ensure myself I was still on Earth and to feel the water move around me.

Time stood still for one hour that day. My friend was right. The sweet owner was right. It is what I needed, I could do it, and I would enjoy it. During my second float, I drifted off to sleep for a few minutes. At least I think it was a few minutes, time really stands still in the pod. By the third, I was dreaming. The fear of the pod was quickly overcome and my body, mind and soul are so glad because through float therapy at Arctic Wellness, all are healing from the harshness this world puts on them.