In this ongoing series, Pulse contributor Steve Morley explores the effects of sensory deprivation and reports on his experiences using the flotation tanks and other therapeutic resources at Murfreesboro’s Float Alchemy. (Previous installments can be found at ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­boropulse.com/floativation). Float Alchemy plans to reopen on May 13, although use of the flotation tanks may not be immediately available. Keep up with updates at floatalchemy.com.

So . . . things look significantly different right now than they did when I wrote my previous installment of Floativation in late February, six months into my exploration of floating and reporting on the experience. Today, the concept of floating takes on another level of meaning, as in rolling with changing tides: staying as mentally and emotionally limber as possible, so as not to squander precious energy by fighting forces that are simply more powerful than we are.

Anything you’ve previously invested in that brings serenity—prayer, meditation, deep breathing, stretching, a barefoot walk in a meadow, (fill in your own blank)—has lost none of its value. If anything, its value has increased. The extent to which you’ve already invested in any form of self-care should now be paying dividends as circumstances invite stress into our minds and bodies. That’s an invitation you don’t want to accept.

I miss my sessions at Float Alchemy, and I miss the smiling faces of business and mission partners Amy Grimes and Mark Chesshir. And, make no mistake, they sorely miss the community of folks who have until recently been regulars at the healthful haven Amy and Mark have created on Cason Lane.

But while I look forward to the next time I can get myself horizontal and weightless for a blessed hour, my brain now has a backlog, an imprint of that quiet, still, weightless sensation. Floating, I’ve learned, has residual benefits, and right now this is clearer than ever. If you’ve not yet had the pleasure, then at least focus on breathing deeply and steadily, on stilling your mind, on releasing tension from your muscles—all of which are elements of the typical float experience.

My personal prediction is that health-supporting, pain-relieving and anxiety-busting serenity zones such as Float Alchemy will be more in demand than ever once we all begin circulating around in something resembling “normal” fashion. As a unique and therapeutic resource among the ’Boro’s local businesses experiencing severe challenges during lockdown, Float Alchemy will certainly appreciate your support, and it’s highly likely you will appreciate theirs, too. A win-win.

The good folks at Float Alchemy are doing what they can to serve the community until they can reopen: In addition to Facebook videos from Amy offering updates, warm wishes and info on virtual group meditation sessions, the doors to Float Alchemy’s adjacent Kombucha Taproom will be open on Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. and Wednesdays from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Their tasty variety of fermented beverages contain live probiotic cultures that support immunity from sickness.

Ditto for their kefir and sauerkraut, items that reside among a host of healthy, high-quality foods available in the Taproom. Especially under current conditions, these kinds of nutritious foods and beverages can provide delicious insurance for the immune system. You might also want to keep Float Alchemy’s custom-formulated CBD oil in mind. Theirs is the best quality you can find.

So, in the last installment I was busy considering and researching the notion of the float tank as a suitable place to address some longstanding issues I now believe may have resulted from less-than-ideal conditions in the womb. I’m not finished, but since the Big Pause Control has been hit, it’s afforded an opportunity for reflection. Truly, the world poses its share of wonders and dangers. We all come into this life with no guarantee of a smooth ride, whether upon entrance, exit, or at any point on the road running between the two.

Where does it all really begin—life, that is? We step in, not knowing what we’ll meet. Is life, at least in part, the adventure of responding to what happens, learning to respond as productively as possible, and to—with assistance either human or divine—break through barriers that would prevent a life more fully lived? There are things that one can do to seek out the least bumpy route, and places (like Float Alchemy) to get the struts and shocks worked on. But it may be equally wise to pull over and take time to be quiet and grateful, even if the journey’s been rough and repairs are in order.

As we all begin to move forward and find our footing, I wish you hope, courage and peace. If I may, I’d like to also encourage you to focus on anything you can truly be grateful for in spite of the very real challenges and unanswered questions we are all facing as a community, as a nation, as a planet. How you choose to re-emerge, and what you decide to bring with you, can make more of a difference than you might imagine.

In closing, I want to pay respects to a dear friend and spiritual sister who recently crossed over to the other side. Holly Cumming was a world-class agent of healing, a licensed and fearless counselor who knew how to let God pour out the answers through her words and tools. Intuitive and highly curious about—and well-trained in—alternative healing modalities, Holly not only fought for those who came to her for help with their inner battles, but did so while bravely fighting her own battles for wellness.

Late last November I got an email from Holly, who knew I’d been experimenting with float tanks as a tool for healing physical tension, anxious tendencies and the like. Beginning with a greeting, she then jumped right to the point. We have noticed in the last month or two you have seemed different . . . in a good way. You just seem more settled and more clear of mind and more able to speak up. I find myself wanting to hear what you have to say. . . .

I am wondering if maybe the flotation tanks have something to do with this. I have been reading how flotation tanks help heal PTSD and how floating affects the brain. It’s absolutely fascinating. It apparently is actually re-writing connections of trauma memories to a new experience of calm.

As she always did, Holly was digging deep to understand a therapeutic tool that offered new possibilities. I’m not sure how much I personally influenced Holly’s decision to explore the tanks, but I know I felt highly encouraged to receive her report that she’d observed positive changes in me since I’d begun doing regular floats. She told me she’d decided to try floating on a weekly basis, and was excited about what she might gain—though the intrusion of illness and necessary procedures prior to her passing brought her floating journey to a premature end.

I’d like to think that her few excursions into effortless buoyancy served as a sneak preview of coming attractions. Today, I’m quite certain, Holly’s spirit is floating free.

Stay tuned—and healthy—Murfreesboro, and may the freedom of the float be with you.