The interesting and unusual origins of the float tank
The floatation tank was dreamt up and developed by Dr John.C.Lilly in 1950 while working at the National Institute of Mental Health. Lilly was an American neuroscientist, psychoanalyst, philosopher, writer and inventor. Intrigued to explore the nature of consciousness, he set out to create a system that would restrict environmental stimulation as much as possible and hopefully bring about discoveries of the mind.
In Lilly's original design, the floater was suspended upright, entirely underwater, using a breathing apparatus and mask to cover the head.
Over the years Lilly continued his experiments with sensory deprivation, simplifying and improving the general design of the floatation tank. His later design would incorporate Epsom salts to enable the body to lay in a more relaxing position without the need to protect the head with gear, as well as other refinements such as water heaters, filters and air pump. By the early 1970s, Lilly had perfected the floatation tank, which is typical of the designs used today.
By the 1970s, research began to explore the added health benefits float therapy provided. With the increase of scientific evidence, the floatation tanks popularity would rise all over the world and has now become a routine modality for personal well-being.
“Sometimes I wake up in the middle of the night with the idea that I want to work out, so rather than disturb my wife, I float in the tank and work out the idea at great length and in fine detail. I am then able to put it down on paper or to dictate it in the morning. For a businessperson, a scientist, a professional of any sort, this is a boon: to be able to think, free of physical fatigue of the body. The method allows one to become free within a few minutes.”
More about the man behind the creation
Lilly was often controversial as he continued to research the nature of consciousness. He went on to explore more than just isolation tanks, including dolphin communication, and hallucinogenic drugs.
Lilly was a part of a generation of counterculture scientists and thinkers that included Ram Dass, Werner Erhard and Timothy Leary. Lilly has been considered to be a fascinating figure and the archetypal embodiment of a brilliant yet mad scientist. His work later inspired Hollywood movies, including The Day of the Dolphin (1973) and Altered States (1980).