A Salt Room You Say?

I walked in not quite sure what to expect from salt therapy (halotherapy). An avid researcher, my Google attempts didn’t quite give me the information I was looking for. Was I properly dressed? Should I have come directly after a kickboxing class? Does sweat mix well with salt? Is there really salt in the room?

As I entered Intown Salt Room, Carrie, the owner, greeted me in a whisper. There was a session still in progress in the salt room. She graciously allowed me to wait in the meditation sound therapy room while the other group finished up. I slinked into the zero gravity chair, slipped on the provided headphones, dropped my cellphone (on the floor) and got swept away by the light vibration of the chair as it synched with the chanting in my ears. I stared at the Buddha in the corner, he stared at me. I decided closing my eyes was probably a better option. I drifted and breathed.

A few minutes later I was brought back to reality by the other session ending. Already feeling lighter, I was ready to see what this salt thing was all about. I walked into the room. There was salt on all of the walls and a pit, like a bouncy ball pit, but filled with salt. I walked barefoot into the sand and sat on a cushion. It was chillier than I expected. I immediately felt grateful that I wore a sweatshirt and pants. Even after I sat on the salt and wrapped myself up in a blanket, I was still cooler than I normally like to be.

Since this was a group instead of the usual session (there are normally zero gravity chairs in the normal session), we had an instructor lead us in a guided meditation. But first, a light mist of Himalayan salt was pumped into the room. It didn’t feel overwhelming, but I could definitely taste it.

Even though I meditate every morning, I’ve never gone somewhere to do it. I realize now that I’m comforted that I can stop whenever I want. During the 20 minute session, I found myself getting a bit restless. (I am also the same person that gets restless at the movie theatre, no matter how much I’m enjoying the movie.). However, it’s also the most effective meditation session that I think I’ve had to date. Normally I stop at about 10 minutes. This showed me that I am capable of sitting and breathing for much longer.

After the 20 minutes, we laid in the salt for what was another 10 minutes or so. (I may or may not have fallen asleep.) Then it was all done.

The benefits of salt therapy are said to be stress and anxiety release, aiding sleeping and snoring problems, resolving skin issues (psoriasis, eczema, acne, etc), reducing allergies, and breaking up mucus in your body from any of numerous issues.

I’m still not exactly sure how effective this all was, but I do know that when I came home I had the best nap ever. If that’s the only benefit I get, I’ll take it.

I’ve had a fairly relaxed few months and I think my daily meditation practice is a big part of that. I think this space has tremendous value for people that have never mediated or say they can’t do it. I’d definitely go back for another session, even if it was only so that I could bring someone along.