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New Litchfield Park business: Celestial Float Center a dream several years in the making

Posted 6/30/20

Opening the Celestial Float Center in Litchfield Park is a dream come true for its owner, Amanda Hawkins.

Ms. Hawkins said she began her holistic wellness journey in 2012 after a failed back …

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New Litchfield Park business: Celestial Float Center a dream several years in the making

Posted

Opening the Celestial Float Center in Litchfield Park is a dream come true for its owner, Amanda Hawkins.

Ms. Hawkins said she began her holistic wellness journey in 2012 after a failed back surgery left her with chronic, debilitating pain and fatigue. After two years of trying different treatments to find affordable, drug-free pain relief and whole body-mind rejuvenation, she discovered flotation therapy.

In 2015, she decided to open her own float center.

“Flotation therapy can be a powerful tool to help alleviate and sometimes even eliminate chronic conditions of the body,” Ms. Hawkins said. “Every day, our senses are bombarded with constant stimuli, from the minute we wake up in the morning until the minute we fall asleep and somewhat even while we are asleep. The effects this has on our mind and body are numerous: our heads hurt, our bodies ache, and we deal with daily stress and anxiety that can be overwhelming. What if there was a way to pause all of that, all the background noise, reduce the stress and turn down the volume on the pain? Even if it was just for a little while.”

Celestial’s float tank is filled with 350 gallons of filtered water combined with 2,000 pounds of magnesium sulfate, also known as Epsom salt, which Ms. Hawkins said creates a sea of perfect buoyancy that allows the body to float effortlessly in a sensory-reduced environment.

“The pull of gravity, sight, touch and sound are almost nonexistent. Without external stimuli, the body can enter a healing parasympathetic state as well as allowing the brain to enter a theta wave state which is typically seen in very experienced meditators,” she said. “Essentially, this is what you get to experience in a float session. Celestial Float Center’s goal is to create an oasis for the mind where people from all walks of life can experience whole body rejuvenation and unwind from the over-stimulation of our modern world.”

In addition to the float tank, the center has a Clearlight full-spectrum sauna.

Opening her business during the COVID-19 pandemic was a daunting task, but Ms. Hawkins said she takes the safety of her customers and staff seriously.

The facility can accommodate a total of six patrons per day, she said. Only one patron is allowed in the building at a time, and they must undergo COVID-19 symptom screening before entering, and wear a mask until they are settled in their private float room.

“Before your float everything is sanitized and disinfected, inside the tank and inside the room,” Ms. Hawkins said. “After your float, everything is removed from the room and replaced with new items. All touch surfaces are then disinfected and cleaned. The water inside the tank goes through a rigorous sanitation process where the solution in the tank is pumped at 65 gallons a minute up through 1 micron filter, then passed through a UV sanitizer which creates ozone and the ozone/water is then pumped back into the tank, at 65 gallons a minute for 20 minutes.”

The insides of the tank are also cleaned and wiped down after each use, Ms. Hawkins said.

The float center, 3350 N, 137th Ave., held its grand opening June 25. Hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Sundays, and services include one-hour float and 30-minute sauna sessions.

For more information and pricing, call 623-703-2203, visit celestialfloatcenter.com or search @CelestialFloatCenter on Facebook.