When the daily grind gets to be too much, close yourself off from the world. One way to do this is encapsulating yourself in a flotation tank. The Tranquility Flotation, Massage and Healing Center claims to have the only flotation tank in Santa Fe.

"It's a great way to pamper yourself and relieve stress," said Lorri Espinosa, owner of the new business.

Espinosa, 31, knows about stress. For years she worked in finance and managed a portfolio for state pension funds through JP Morgan. In Denver to take an exam, she tried a flotation tank. "In the tank I realized we all have a finite time on the planet and I had to do something different. Three weeks later, I quit my job," she said.

Now her mission is to provide clients with a nurturing environment so they can experience healing, self-exploration and awareness. For Jessica Gardner, learning about the new center came at a perfect time. She had just finished her finals in landscape architecture at The University of New Mexico and says she was "totally stressed out." Someone suggested trying the flotation tank.

"I was bit nervous and was afraid I'd feel claustrophobic. But it was wonderful," she said.

"Oddly enough, research shows these tanks help people overcome claustrophobia," Espinosa said. The first flotation tank was developed in 1954 by researchers at the National Institute of Mental Health in Washington, D.C.

A door on the tank opens and the floater crawls inside, closing the door behind. The water is 10 inches deep and mixed with 800 pounds of Epsom salt, which lets the body float without any feeling of gravity.

"Accumulated muscle and nervous tension that get so locked into our bodies are completely discharged," said Espinosa, who began the process of starting her new business immediately after her revelation in the floatation tank.

She wrote a business plan with the help of Wesstcorp, a support coalition for local entrepreneurs. "I took advantage of all the local groups that help start-up businesses," said Espinosa, who received a loan through the Community Development Loan Fund.

When she found a space to rent, she couldn't afford an architect to remodel the inside. So she took a drafting class and did the plans herself. Then she and her family did the renovations. "The whole process was a combination of ease and obstacles. I just trusted this was the right path to take."

The building is 2,500 square feet and the renovation became part of the rent. She estimates spending a little under $150,000 in start-up costs. The healing center has two float tanks, four massage rooms and a sauna. Espinosa has no employees but contracts with 14 practitioners. People can ask for a chiropractor, a polarity balancing session and other healing modalities. Clients can use the floatation tank, get a massage or both. People are finding the center through word of mouth.

"I tried the Total Bliss package, and it was," said Nina Collins, who is a stay-at-home mom. "Once I got use to the tank, I could actually feel layers of stress floating away. One layer would leave and then another would go," she said. "I had no idea all my worries were packed so tightly inside. Then the massage afterward ... was one of the best I've ever experienced."

One float lasts an hour and costs $60. An hour massage is $80. The Total Bliss package that also includes a 20-minute sauna is $160.

Amber Nai, a bookkeeper who did a float not long ago, said having a whole hour of total quiet with no outside stimulation was a very calming experience. "It helped me let go of boundaries. I even fell asleep. It was wonderful," she said.

Gail Martinez said, "When I first walked into the space, it was so comforting. I love that Lorri draped cloth on the ceiling and that she's so caring. At first I couldn't get relaxed in the tank but when she knocked on the door to tell my time was up, I couldn't believe an hour had passed."

Tranquility Flotation, Massage and Healing Center

Owner: Lorri Espinosa
 
Address: 711-1/2 Don Diego Court

Employees: none

Phone: 983-5628