It’s the middle of the 7th inning. The score’s tied, with two outs and two on base. The crowd is erupting as the home team’s best hitter walks to the plate. But, the pitcher is in another world. The crowd is barely a dull murmur in the background of his consciousness. He’s in the zone: he’s ready to perform.
We often refer to someone who is deeply entranced with what they are doing as being “in the zone.” This “zone” is a very real phenomena. In psychology, it is often referred to as the flow state. Yet, this state has been identified under other guises throughout history. Most notably, in Eastern religions and philosophies, the flow state is directly related to concepts of enlightenment. Both Buddhism and Taoism refer to a state of being, calling it “action of inaction” and “doing without doing.” Additionally, several Hindu texts, such as the Ashtavakra Gita, refer to a similar state.
But what is this state of mind? From a neurological standpoint, the flow state is correlated with a decrease in activity in the frontal cortex and an increase in certain neurotransmitters. This is likely due to the streamlining of the activity: you are performing without interference or censorship from your inner voice.
From an experiential standpoint, it is when you have your attention completely absorbed by one task. The task may be split between several individual components, but it is still the performance of one unified consciousness in a familiar environment. Often, you will be focusing on one aspect and automatically completing several others by muscle memory. It is often accompanied by a sense of arousal, much like being engaged with a movie at its climax.
Most of us have experienced this at one point or another. In fact, the traditional philosophy of education is built around consistently stretching the students’ ability, keeping them out of boredom and relaxation. This illuminates an aspect of flow; it cannot happen passively. There is a direct relation between our current environment and ourselves which hones our focus into this attuned state.
Think about making breakfast. It’s something each of us has done countless times. It’s simple; routine. Like me, you probably zone out while going through the motions. This is not the same as being in the zone. In the lack of stimulating activity, your attention drifts elsewhere as muscle memory takes over as your autopilot. Contrast this with starting a new, challenging job. You’re thrown into the mix in unfamiliar territory. Everything is new, which requires you to constantly be learning and adapting. Soon, you’re uneasy, anxious. Everything you’re doing requires your conscious attention and you can’t find a rhythm as a result.
Thinking about these juxtaposing scenarios reveals that there is a sweet spot where flow occurs. It is the combination of challenge and skillfulness which sends us into this hyperfocused state of awareness and ability. This is a result of keeping our unconscious mind busy with simple tasks while the novelty of the challenge absorbs our active attention completely.
Additionally, the flow state is difficult to maintain while being pestered by outside interference. By extension, this means that certain environments are better to get into a continuous flow state. A toxic environment is one which fills your mind with distractions or intrusive thoughts. We can find these anywhere in the modern world. You can’t even walk down the street without getting yanked out of your head by a speeding motorist or someone spreading bad vibes. I can’t count the number of brilliant ideas I’ve lost to the chaos of this world that has lost its identity.
Getting back to a natural environment filled with people on the same wavelength is one key way to ensure you can maintain a steady flow state. To simply be able to just get away from other people by a short walk to a forest grove is something that is denied from the majority of the world’s population.
Fortunately, solutions to this problem are manifesting at this very moment. Earth Nation is a bastion in paradigm-shifting innovation. Partnered with many like-minded organizations and projects, such as the Ubuntu USA and Ceptr, the Earth Nation is dedicated to freeing ourselves from the dysfunctional systems which are holding humanity back. The keystone to this plan is the creation and support of sustainable eco-villages around the world. With several already successfully growing in the Americas, eco-villages are a very real solution for people seeking to escape toxic environments and find that creative energy that makes their inner world turn.
Artists are under-appreciated by a world obsessed with money. Don’t fall victim to acceptance! The further our collective travels to the distant horizons, the more opportunities will emerge for you to achieve your dreams and manifest your muse into the physical realm.