Float & Flow—Yoga & Floating in Park City

It was a busy weekday in November—emails flying and piling. Traffic was as congested as my inbox … and as congested as my nose, where a lingering head-cold had set up camp.

My partner and I had signed up for Float & Flow Yoga at SYNC, a place I’ve always associated with the most profound calm I ever find. (The best way to draw my brain waves away from my cell phone: floating weightlessly in a womblike tub.)

Yoga in Park City

When we arrived at the float studio, I was as flustered and in need of a float (and a yoga flow) as I ever am. The roads had been dicey, I wasn’t feeling well, and the workday had been a mind-bending bear.

I didn’t have time to do yoga or float. Which is exactly the reason I needed to do yoga and float.

The Float & Flow had sounded so perfect—the ideal combination, as I usually arrive harried and frenzied for my float, then spend the first 20 minutes trying to separate my mind from my day. I figured it would be perfect to unwind with a little yoga first and get present and feel my body before going in to unwind.

Sure enough, it was true—this was the best way yet to float.

We walked in, ditched our shoes, enjoyed a warm welcome, and settled in to one of the yoga mats laid out on the little studio floor. The SYNC space is small and intimate, with just room for a few mats including the instructor’s. It meant that with every pose, we could get plenty of one-on-one attention and helpful adjustments, as well as a flow that was more tailored to our bodies’ needs than the conventional yoga class.

Betty, the instructor, brought a soothing demeanor that eased us into our practice. She gently hushed my apologies for running late and for forgetting my mat, easing me into a simple, deliberate sun salutation flow followed by soothing stretches and heart-openers. Betty invited us to let the day go and be present on the mat for those thirty minutes.

Float Therapy in Park City

As yoga concluded, my body felt less static and more awakened. We disbanded and headed for our respective float rooms, feeling relaxed yet tuned in to the present. It amplified the all-enveloping feeling of the pod’s warm salt water as I stepped in.

Since this float was all about the sensory, I went ahead and left the soft glowing light on. Quiet spa music lapped against my ears as my hair floated around my head.

As usual, I fidgeted for the first portion of my float—overly focused on my usual question, “How does one unwind?” But, thanks to the yoga prep, I showed up to my float all the way, ready to engage with that question and engage with the floating experience. I brought more of myself, my brain and my body, to the float. I was more prepared than usual for my customary mental dance—and the therapeutic lucid dreaming that always awaited on the other side of it as I moved from hyper-conscious to calm.

As always, the hour of floating flew by. I slowly showered to rinse the salt water from my skin, taking the time to notice how my body felt. It was a far cry from my harried arrival at the studio just ninety minutes earlier.

Sipping tea under the quiet glow of the salt artwork in the studio lounge, my boyfriend and I simultaneously sighed away the day. We’d soaked in our first float and flow.

I want to find a way to bottle the result, a recalibration of the senses. I want to pack the calm up neatly and take it with me to be dispensed as needed. But, I think the whole point is taking the time, making an appointment and putting on your calendar that you’ll get back in touch with your body, giving it the time to unwind and reset. You walk away better. And that will always be worth the float—and the flow.

 

Float and Flow nights are truly our favorite night of the month. Space is extremely limited, so reservations are required and best made early. You can always find the schedule by contacting us directly or by following us on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter. You'll be so glad you came!