Float Guidebook by East Coast Float Spa by Matt Kay

TABLE OF CONTENTS Float Tips ........................................................................................................... 1 How To Let Your Mind Float: Follow Your Breath ............................................... 2 How To Let Your Mind Float: Follow Your Thoughts ........................................... 3 How To Let Your Mind Float: Solving Thought Problems .................................... 4 How To Let Your Mind Float: The Scanner Method ............................................. 5 How To Let Your Mind Float: The Scanner Method Variations ............................ 6 How To Let Your Mind Float: Gratitude .............................................................. 7 How To Let Your Mind Float: Chanting ............................................................... 8 How To Let Your Mind Float: Visualization Techniques ...................................... 9 How To Let Your Mind Float: Positivity / Navigating Negative Emotions ......... 10 About The Float Guidebook .............................................................................. 11

TABLE OF CONTENTS

! Float Tips .......................................................................................................... 1! How To Let Your Mind Float: Follow Your Breath ............................................... 2! How To Let Your Mind Float: Follow Your Thoughts ........................................... 3! How To Let Your Mind Float: Solving Thought Problems .................................... 4! How To Let Your Mind Float: The Scanner Method ............................................. 5! How To Let Your Mind Float: The Scanner Method Variations ............................ 6! How To Let Your Mind Float: Gratitude .............................................................. 7 How To Let Your Mind Float: Chanting ............................................................... 8 How To Let Your Mind Float: Visualization Techniques ...................................... 9! About The Float Guidebook ............................................................................. 10!

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HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT FOLLOW YOUR BREATH “Follow Your Breath” is a great method for helping the mind block out all of the random thoughts, scenarios, stories, memories, etc. that pop into your head when you are trying to make the exact opposite happen.

HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT BY FOLLOWING YOUR BREATH: 1. Close your eyes and don’t adjust your breath in any way. 2. Simply pay full attention to your belly rising and falling as you breathe in and out. 3. Notice there is a very brief pause between when you breathe out and in where you are not thinking about anything. Try to shift your focus to that split second of pause between exhaling and inhaling. 4. Once you feel like you can notice the pauses, try to focus on the pause for longer and longer periods of time (still without changing your natural breathing patterns – you should not be holding your breath at all). In those pauses is where you find the nothing that we call clearing your mind. 5. If you find that your mind starts to wander and goes somewhere else, bring your attention back to your breath (step 2), notice the pause (step 3), try to continue focusing on the pause even after it is gone (step 4), and repeat this process anytime you lose focus. Follow the Breath can be used as a complementary tool with any other technique used to let your mind Float. Give it a shot during your Float session and you might find that a good amount of time has passed when you take the time to just follow your breath for a bit!

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT FOLLOW YOUR THOUGHTS For your first Float, it may be easiest to NOT follow a specific technique to relax. The “Follow Your Thoughts” method allows your mind to take its own natural course on the way to ultimate relaxation.

HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT BY FOLLOWING YOUR THOUGHTS: 1. Go into your Float Room and do not purposefully think of anything in particular. 2. Get comfortable, lay back and be a passive observer of what your mind starts thinking about. 3. Don’t try to change what you’re thinking about, just let it go and enjoy the show! You may naturally solve some thought problems, uncover memories you didn’t know you still had, find a happy place, understand a given situation you previously couldn’t, or figure out new ways to better yourself. This method can be a lot of fun because you never know what is going to pop up in your mind while Floating.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT SOLVING THOUGHT PROBLEMS Some of your biggest thought problems can be solved while Floating, using the “Focused Problem Solving” technique. It is perfect for whenever there is a situation that you are mentally wrestling with or you have a problem with no clear, easy answer. When you are able to fully focus all of your attention and brain power on just one thing, you’ll be amazed at what can happen!

HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT BY SOLVING THOUGHT PROBLEMS: 1. Close your eyes. Breathe normally. 2. Think about your question, issue, or problem; and then think about it some more. Focus all of your attention on that issue and don’t allow yourself to become distracted. Think about all of the factors and variables surrounding your issue. Dig deep. Think about your ideal outcome and what it would take to get there. Host a brainstorming session inside your brain. 3. If your mind jumps to something else (like that catchy song you heard on the way home), refocus your attention on the problem that you want to solve. The following are examples of thought problems: How can I get a new job and what career is right for me? What should the logo look like for this new client? How can I be healthier? Why should I be healthier? Which is a better place for my vacation, Florida or California? How can I find time to pick up a new hobby and what should that hobby be?

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT THE SCANNER METHOD The Scanning Method is basically a guided tour of relaxation for your body from the bottom of your feet all of the way up to your top of your head. One of the best things about this method is how simple it actually is.

HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT WITH THE SCANNER METHOD: 1. After you get into a comfortable Floating position, start focusing on the muscles in your feet. Mentally tell all of the muscles in your feet to take a break. 2. When you feel like none of the muscles in your feet are working in that moment, move up toward the calf and shin muscles. 3. From there, slowly move up to the thighs, the ham strings, the hips, glutes, lower back, midback, stomach, chest, upper back, biceps, triceps, forearms, fingers, back up your arms, your neck, and finally to all of the muscles in your head including the jaw, face muscles, and forehead. 4. If you find a spot that is tight or hurts, focus on that area while taking deep breaths until it feels better. 5. Continue scanning until you get all of the way up to your head and then repeat the process until all of your muscles are relaxed. If you find that your mind starts to think about anything else besides the body part you are focusing on, kindly acknowledge that your mind has wandered and move back to your body. It is important not to get mad at yourself or frustrated if you have to frequently bring your focus back to scanning your body--be patient with yourself as you learn to quiet your mind.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT THE SCANNER METHOD VARIATIONS The Scanning Method is the foundation for several other relaxation techniques. These variations include the Clench and Release, Focus Pocus, and Observer methods.

Clench and Release The Clench and Release is a biologically proven method to reduce stress. It is basically the process of slowly focusing on every muscle in your body from your toes to your head while mentally telling the part of your body that you're focusing on to relax.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT WITH CLENCH AND RELEASE: 1. The Clench and Release follows the same basic process except that before you mentally tell a body part to relax, you first clench it as hard as you can for a few seconds. And then… you guessed it, you release the clenched muscles and move on to the next body part. 2. For every piece of you that has an identical (or near identical) friend on the other side of your body, you can clench both of them at the same time (e.g., feet, legs, hands, arms, and ears if you’re that talented). 3. After you are done with scanning, clenching, and releasing every part of your body, clench your whole body for a few seconds before releasing everything.

Focus Pocus Focus Pocus comes in handy when you are experiencing something like a sore hip, hurt back, or tight neck muscles. If you are Floating to help with a physical ailment, going straight to Focus Pocus might be a good place to start after you get settled into your Float.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT WITH FOCUS POCUS: 1. Focus your attention on whatever part of your body you want and keep your attention there. 2. You can do a combination of Clench and Release and Visualization (which is just a mental movie you create of that body part healing – similar to basketball when they say to “visualize the ball leaving your hands and going through the hoop before you take the shot”). 3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for the surrounding muscle groups to the part of your body you are focusing on. Move on to any muscle group that is connected to the target body part after you finish with the surrounding muscles.

Observer The Observer lets you tune into your body in a way most people never experience. Your body talks to you regularly; you just have to listen.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT WITH THE OBSERVER: 1. The Observer method starts with clearing your mind and not focusing on anything at first except the auditory and mental silence that happens when your mind isn’t concentrated on something. 2. Once you are, what we’ll call “in the silence,” allow your mind to observe any part of your body that jumps out first. It may happen quickly or take a while before a body part wants your attention. This may even start with your heart beat. 3. Take a couple of seconds to determine whether you want to do Focus Pocus once you notice a specific part of your body and then go back to clearing your mind. 4. Then you just wait in the silence until another body part says “hey focus on me!” Rinse and repeat. 6

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT GRATITUDE An easy way to feel good about your day is simply saying thank you to the world for each of the positive things that have come your way. If you don’t think you have much to be grateful for, try this little exercise: think about all of the positive things that happened throughout your day since you woke up. If you can’t think of anything, I’ll help: you woke up! Coming up with things to be grateful for can be difficult at first if you are not used to reflecting on your day. To let your mind float gratitude-style, the things to think about do not need to be grandiose and extravagant. They could be as simple as: You got a little bit better at something today Someone let you merge into a lane while driving You had a healthy breakfast Your body allowed you to exercise today You finished a book/article/crossword puzzle You learned something You met a new person You challenged yourself Your kids behaved

HERE’S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT WITH GRATITUDE: 1. Go into a quiet place that is free of distractions and get into a comfortable position 2. Start to replay the events of your day in your mind’s eye and specifically search for even the little things that happened which made your day better. 3. When you find an event or moment in the day that you are glad it happened, stop your search and say (either in your mind or out loud) “thank you for _________” 4. Continue the recollection of your day to find the next thing you are thankful for and go back to Step 3. If you happen to be letting your mind float at the beginning of the day, perform Step 2 by referring to yesterday’s events. If you have gone through your whole day, feel free to go on to recall the events of the previous day, week, month, or even year. If it has been a few days or week (or ever) since you have done this exercise, think back as far as you can. There is a lot to be grateful for! It’s not happiness that brings us gratitude;; it’s gratitude that brings us happiness.

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT CHANTING In its simplest form, chanting is simply repeating a series of words to achieve a specific goal. It is a unique, meditative act, more active than your typical passive meditation. Chanting can help your mind relax and prevent it from starting wandering worrying about other things. Chanting may be an effective, and fun, method for some to try during their Float! Chanting is a cornerstone of some Eastern religions, and thus many popular mantras are Buddhist phrases. However, you definitely don't need to follow Buddhism to try chanting, nor do you have to leave your native language. It is akin to positive self-talk and self-affirmations, as usually a phrase or phrases are chanted to reinforce an aspect in which one is trying to potentially improve, focus upon, or develop.

HEREâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S A BREAKDOWN OF THE STEPS FOR LETTING YOUR MIND FLOAT BY CHANTING: 1. Pick an intention or a phrase you want to chant. You can try chanting aloud with a quiet, calm tone, or you can also chant in your head. 2. Maintain the chant and do not let your mind wander away.

Different Popular Chants: Om or Om Mani Padme Hum Nam Myoho Renge Kyo I have enough, I do enough, I am enough I change my thoughts, I change my world To lose weight: I am slim and trim; I only eat when I'm hungry To stop smoking: I deserve to breathe clean, fresh air; I am stronger than any habit. For depression: I am a worthwhile person; I attract joy into my life. For anger: I feel wonderful today; I have peace of mind. For fear and anxiety: I release all my negative emotions; I am confident.

Chanting Considerations: Don't expect, be attached to, or even contemplate immediate results. Doing so may lead to frustration and loss of determination, and practice is usually needed. Chanting (and any type of meditation) is a long-term process. It can take years to refine. If you want more information, visit our Library in our Post Float Lounge for additional resources. No matter what your background or experience, try and see if there is some aspect of the process you could improve on. What's most important is finding what works for you!

HOW TO LET YOUR MIND FLOAT VISUALIZATION TECHNIQUES Using visualization techniques is another great way to Let Your Mind Float during your session. You can also think of this as simply using your imagination - something everyone can do! But I don't have a good imagination... Nonsense! Your environment while Floating is the perfect setting to visualize anything: achieving a goal, different options for approaching a problem, what to say during a speech, what to write for your book, what notes should come next in your song, a new business strategy... Since you're Floating free of distractions, you can truly hone in on ideas and let your mind run wild, picturing things using your mind's eye. Besides those more creative visualizations, another great way to boost your Float even further is to explore visualizing stress reduction. How do I imagine being stress free? Try to imagine the most peaceful setting or environment, whether it's a meadow, the beach, or right where you are, Floating! The aim is to associate the sensations of relaxation with the peaceful visual image, so that future practice sessions involving imagery alone will quickly bring back to mind the physical sensations of relaxation as well. Visualization techniques are in essence a non-verbal instruction or suggestion to the body and unconscious mind to act "as though" the peaceful, safe and beautiful (and thus relaxing) environment were real. (In the case of visualizing while Floating, it actually is real!) While there is no one right way to use visualize, try the following easy steps: Start by taking a few slow and deep breaths Close your eyes (although some people find keeping their eyes open with the lights out is also helpful) Start to imagine yourself in the place or setting, or start to imagine the content you are trying to think of If you find yourself moving away from your intended visualization, simply start again, or consider exploring this new avenue by using the Follow Your Thoughts technique discussed previously What can you imagine?

ABOUT THE FLOAT GUIDEBOOK East Coast Float Spa was started with a simple mission: to allow as many people as possible to experience the amazing benefits of Floatation Therapy and to provide the best Client experience with every visit. Since Floating is typically an unknown and unfamiliar concept to most people, this Float Guidebook was created to help anyone interested in learning and exploring different techniques to Let Your Mind Float. Written to be high-level overviews accessible to everyone regardless of background or experience, the different techniques and tips found within the East Coast Float Spa Float Guidebook are just that: guides that can be followed by anyone that might not be sure what to “do” while Floating. It’s important to note that no one needs to truly “do” anything during their Float, and some of the best advice to guide you on your first Float, and even during future Floats, is to go into your session without expectations, an open mind, and simply experience Floatation Therapy!

HOW DO YOU LET YOUR MIND FLOAT? The Floating experience is unique to each individual and is often a little different each time. There are countless ways to Let Your Mind Float. Have a technique or tip for How To Let Your Mind Float? Share your Floating experiences and personal tips with us and your fellow Floaters! Let us know by sending it to hello@eastcoastfloatspa.com for your chance to be included in a future Client-based Float Guidebook and get a free Float in return!

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