Don't You Want Samadhi To Love?

Synopsis

The talk explores the origins of the Samadhi Tank Company and the evolution of flotation tanks as a tool for personal transformation. Glenn Perry and Lee Perry discuss their influences, particularly John C. Lilly’s scientific and experimental work with isolation tanks, and how they moved from personal experiences to turning flotation into a business. Themes include self-discovery, breaking habitual patterns, fear, and the transformative nature of the floatation experience.

Summary

The discussion begins by debating the title of the talk, which centers around "Do You Have Samadhi to Love?" Ivan Lurie interviews Glenn and Lee Perry, the founders of the Samadhi Tank Company, about their journey with flotation tanks. Glenn recounts his early exposure to John Lilly’s work, how his scientific background initially limited his worldview, and how floating helped him break free from rigid perceptions. The talk delves into the early history of sensory deprivation research, John Lilly’s role in exploring consciousness, and Glenn’s decision to manufacture tanks commercially.

Lee shares her personal journey, beginning with her work in special education and her subsequent introduction to flotation through a research study. Her later connection with Glenn led to a professional and personal partnership that fueled the development of the Samadhi Tank Company. They reflect on early designs, including failed cardboard tank models, and their efforts to introduce floating to the public through commercial centers, despite cultural fears tied to isolation and self-exploration.

They also discuss the pervasive fear of floating, linking it to Freudian subconscious anxieties, and how varying responses shaped their approach to marketing and user education. They emphasize that floating serves as a tool for personal transformation, accelerating self-awareness and challenging ingrained beliefs. Interestingly, early adopters of the tank were primarily men inspired by John Lilly’s work, while women who tried it often responded more naturally.

The conversation highlights how floating alters the perception of time, facilitates behavioral changes (such as breaking addictions), and offers a non-dogmatic path to self-awareness. They touch on the challenge of marketing something that is, at its best, "nothing," emphasizing the purity of the floating experience. Glenn and Lee stress the importance of running their business with an ethical approach, ensuring minimal programming of users to allow for genuine, individual experiences.

The discussion ends with reflections on how the Samadhi Tank Company evolved from curiosity and necessity, underscoring their belief that floating is an invaluable tool for personal exploration—though not for everyone. They invite listeners to ask themselves if they are the kind of person who would benefit from floating.

Keywords & Key Phrases

• Samadhi Tank Company
• John Lilly
• Sensory deprivation
• Flotation therapy
• Isolation tank
• Dolphin breathing
• Self-exploration
• Habitual patterns
• Subtle transformation
• Fear and programming
• Consciousness research
• Time perception shift
• Cardboard flotation tank
• Commercial flotation centers
• Marketing the void
• Non-directive approach
• Behavioral change
• Float furniture
• Deep self
• Space-age packaging
• Freudian unconscious
• Catalyst for change
• Personal awakening
• Gravity-free experience
• Portable tank design
• Subversive technology

Graphic Prompt

A dimly lit room with a futuristic, minimalist sensory deprivation tank. The tank is slightly ajar, revealing a soft, glowing interior. Wisps of surreal, dream-like mist emerge, forming abstract shapes that hint at transformation and self-discovery. The scene conveys a mixture of scientific precision and mystical curiosity, with subtle nods to 1970s experimental aesthetics. The environment is both inviting and mysterious, evoking a sense of deep introspection.