Discover the profound healing and therapeutic potential of floatation therapy in this comprehensive guide. The Book of Floating explores the history, science, and practical applications of sensory deprivation through floatation tanks. Delve into the mind-body connection as Michael Hutchison uncovers the benefits of floating for stress reduction, anxiety relief, pain management, and enhanced creativity. With a new foreword by Lee Perry, this edition offers updated information and insights into this transformative practice. Learn how floatation works on a neurochemical level, promoting self-regulation and altered states of consciousness. Whether you're seeking alternative healing methods, improved athletic performance, or a deeper understanding of your inner self, this Consciousness Classic provides a roadmap to exploring the private sea within. Perfect for those interested in alternative therapies and improving mental and physical well-being. "A superb book for initiates into the tank.”  —Dr. John C. Lilly, author, The Deep Self "If everyone on the planet floated everyday there would be no war, no poverty, no crime, no hunger—and nobody on the streets."  —E.J. Gold, author, The American Book of the Dead Michael Hutchison  (1945-2013) was a journalist, author, and researcher of brain/mind devices. Lee Perry is the co-founder of the Samadhi Tank Company, which built the first commercial floatation tanks according to Dr. John Lilly's guidelines. The Book of Floating Exploring the Private Sea By Michael Hutchison Gateways Books and Tapes Copyright © 2017 Galen Hutchison All rights reserved. ISBN: 978-0-89556-152-7 Contents FOREWORD by Lee Perry, 2017, INTRODUCTION Stepping into the Private Sea, Part I A SHORT HISTORY OF THE FLOAT, ONE Less Is More — The Sensory Restriction Tradition, TWO The Development of the Floatation Tank, Part II EXPLANATIONS: HOW FLOATATION WORKS, THREE Deep Relaxation, FOUR The Anti-gravity Explanation, FIVE The Brain Wave Explanation, SIX The Left-Brain Right-Brain Explanation, SEVEN The Three-Brain Explanation, EIGHT The Biochemical Explanation, NINE The Biofeedback Explanation, TEN The "Benefits of Boredom" Explanation, ELEVEN The Relaxation Response Explanation, TWELVE The Visualization Explanation, THIRTEEN The Flow Explanation, FOURTEEN The Aquatic Ape Explanation, FIFTEEN The Homeostasis Explanation, Part III WAYS OF FLOATING, SIXTEEN Deep Relaxation and Beyond, SEVENTEEN Beyond Relaxation – Self-Hypnosis, EIGHTEEN Floating for Relief of Pain, NINETEEN Improving Athletic Performance, TWENTY Floating and the Inner Game, TWENTY-ONE Floating Free from Habits and Addictions, TWENTY-TWO Floating for Weight Loss, TWENTY-THREE Floating Away from Depression, Anxiety, and Fear, TWENTY-FOUR Floating to High-Level Wellness, TWENTY-FIVE Superlearning in the Tank, Part IV NEW PERSPECTIVES ON FLOATING (2003), TWENTY-SIX The Enlightenment Explanation: Floatation As a Gateway to Pure Awareness, BIBLIOGRAPHY, APPENDIX – The Early Days in Photos, CHAPTER 1 LESS IS MORE — THE SENSORY RESTRICTION TRADITION The Discovery of the Blind Pew Effect I was about four when I had my first experience of the nature of sensory deprivation. My father was reading me Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island. We'd reached the exciting chapter in which Jim Hawkins and the sea captain are seated in the Admiral Benbow Inn; suddenly Pew, a blind beggar, comes in, finding his way hesitantly, tapping a cane, until he reaches the captain, whereupon he gives him a message bearing the dreaded Black Spot and races out of the inn. "But wait", I said: "How can this blind man, who could barely find his way into the inn without tripping over chairs and tables, now race out of the tavern so easily?" My father explained that blind people, because they had to rely on senses other than sight, were able to develop those other senses to a very high degree. Blind Pew, he assured me, could certainly find his way out of any place he entered, because as he found his way in he was unconsciously visualizing the floor plan in his head. It is, he said, like a sixth sense. I immediately decided I would keep my eyes shut and pretend I was blind until I could make use of that sixth sense. In the coming days I spent a lot of time stumbling into chairs, tripping over curbs, and sitting in the total darkness of an empty refrigerator box I'd discovered in the garbage, but no matter how hard I tried I couldn't seem to generate that elusive inner sense. Then, while sitting in the coal bin in the basement, I realized that I was anticipating the tuna casserole mother was making for dinner. Hold on — I hadn't even known what she was cooking! Then I understood that real knowledge had come to me unconsciously through my nose and ears. Excitedly I paid attention, heard my mother talking to herself upstairs, and every pot clanking, every floorboard squeaking, every odor took on meanin