Book review: Floating in Quiet Darkness by Lee and Glenn Perry
How the Floatation Tank has changed our lives and is changing the world
This book will be enjoyed and valued by many, not only those with an interest in floatation. For everyone loves a good story, and here is a swashbuckling tale of adventures on the frontiers of consciousness.
Written by two people who birthed a whole industry, reading this book feels like discovering a treasure trove. Lee and Glenn Perry founded the Samadhi tank company, and worked closely with John Lilly to design and build the first commercially available floatation tank. Their steadfast dedication to bringing the benefits of floatation to the world led them to set up the first commercial floatation centre, and to support the creation of hundreds more around the world by supplying them with tanks, training, and inspiration. It is thanks to them that there is probably a float centre not too far from where you are right now, and it is thanks to them that countless people have been able to transform their lives through floatation.
We are in it!
It’s certainly thanks to them that Float in the Forest came into being. Shari and I had the privilege of spending some time with them in 2016. It came about through an unlikely series of coincidences, as things to do with floatation often seem to. I had been working with Garrett Daun of Command Z, and I mentioned to him that Shari and I had thought about setting up a float centre. It turned out that he was living right next to Lee and Glenn! We wrote this short blog about our visit with them. When we heard they were writing this book we asked if we could help in any way, and they said yes we could write a piece to go in it, which you can find in the appendix. Yay, what an honour!
A fascinating story
In the book Lee and Glenn tell their story, and it is a fascinating one; part memoir, part manual, part manifesto. It is a joy to read and to share in their outlook. The text is packed with wonderful vignettes and anecdotes, deep insights into our humanity and the situation we find ourselves in, and pearls of practical guidance for float tank design and use.
Along the way you will learn of the history of floatation, the development of the float tank, and the creative solutions Lee and Glenn found to challenges of all kinds, from the technical to the interpersonal. They share their discoveries of how to make spiritual development and business development a single activity, and how to best support others in their float practice. The book is rounded out with a fascinating collection of first-hand accounts of float experiences.
The spirit of adventure
The reader finds themselves immersed in Lee and Glenn’s spirit of adventure as they forge ahead into the unknown, bringing floating to the world, rising to meet the challenges, and navigating the seas of synchronicity. Their passion and collaboration seems to have formed a vehicle not only for their own spiritual journey, but one wihch they have offered to share with everyone willing to step into the quiet darkness of a float tank. Their work seems of great benefit to all beings everywhere, and its clear they are having a lot of fun along the way.
You can buy your own copy in the float centre or here.
Thank you Lee and Glenn for sharing your story, and floatation with the world.
Goodbye Lee
We were sad to hear that Lee Perry died on the 13th March 2021. Like all who had the priviledge of spending time with her we were inspired by her passion, energy and love.
