Flow states are something that you can train yourself to experience more and more and become quite adept at. But you can’t hack your way there you have to put in real effort. Posture always perplexed me in terms of meditation and wondered why is was so important and is it really necessary? From the perspective of posture in executing performance in sports or the arts it is part of the process of excellence. But did you know that meditation is a process that involves talent and skill also? The more you meditate the better you get at it and posture is important in this process for the same reason. And both will get you into the magic of flow and the more you do either the more you will be positioning yourself to experience flow.
In 2016 I wrote this post about the magic of flow and it’s worth taking a look at: The Magic of Flow and Why Hacks Are Bunk because true excellence requires effort. The benefits are immense though and are but not limited to: character development, self-awareness, self-transcendence, maturity, the development of good habits, creativity, inner peace, wisdom and radiating joy. Practicing your craft, meditation and with guidance from ethical teachings such as in The Eightfold Noble Path are a wonderful foundation for a happy life. Guidance from a qualified teacher in all aspects is the best investment in yourself you could ever do. The old saying “when the student is ready the teacher appears” is true because if you are not ready for transformation you will not be able to see a teacher who is right in front of you! It’s that simple. So, you can transform yourself in every way except in how you may be physically limited. And what you cannot change you can learn to accept.
Moving Toward Excellence and Positioning Yourself For Flow
In the first essay on flow I reference above I started by paying homage to the originator of the research on flow states. I wrote:
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience” says a person’s identity disappears for someone who has trained in technique in a particular field and that it takes about ten years to get to the point that you are so engrossed in what you do you seem to disappear and your hands and mind seem to work on their own while you feel ecstasy and as if you are no longer there but somehow observing everything. You are merged with the activity. He offers us a list of seven qualities of the flow state:
- Completely involved in what we are doing — focused, concentrated
- A sense of ecstasy — of being outside every day reality
- Great inner clarity — knowing what needs to be done, and how well we are doing.
- Knowing that the activity is doable — that our skills are adequate to the task
- A sense of serenity — no worries about oneself, and a feeling of growing beyond the boundaries of the ego
- Timelessness — thoroughly focused on the present, hours seem to pass by in minutes
- Intrinsic motivation — whatever produces flow becomes it’s own reward
Practicing, working with a teacher or a group will get you into flow as you develop new skills. It is exhilarating to master a new level of skill in an activity. Remember the day you learned how to ride a bike? I’ll never forget it! And if you don’t know how to ride a bike you and you have the good fortune to have 2 working legs, or even arms, you can still learn! Learning new things is good for your brain and has a positive effect of your neuroplasticity. And trying something that challenges your mind, like playing an instrument, has particularly wonderful benefits:
By taking on mentally challenging skills, we can potentially capitalise upon neuroplasticity to strengthen existing connections in the brain, or even forge new connections. ~ Muireann Irish, Associate Professor from Sydney University's School of Psychology and Brain and Mind Centre
Getting to that new level or acquiring a new skill after some effort forges new pathways in the brain. We can learn about flow to optimize and position ourselves to see potential for it more often and find new ways to create it which empowers us and is good for our brain! I learned this from reading the wonderful information from The Flow Centre website which is based on evidenced-based scientific research and they emphasize experiential learning so I was stoked to find them! Some of what they teach is:
Step 1 – Flow Mindset
In order to find flow frequently, we must first fundamentally change the way in which we think to be aligned with an autotelic personality. By understanding the nuances of flow, we empower our mind and body to find flow in new experiences.
Step 2 – Manage the Experience
In preparation for a specific event, the management of mind and body is key to finding flow. Our perspective, emotions and thoughts all play a determining role in our ability to thrive in the moment.
Step 3 – Total Immersion
In the moment, we have the power to either limit our ability, through endeavouring to consciously control the experience, or to maximise our ability, by trusting our innate capabilities.
Learn something that brings you joy and add to your brain health and well-being. Sounds good to me!
Emotional Regulation, Meditation and Flow
A study was conducted by Harvard University affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital and confirmed by other studies (see study link for details) that an 8 week meditation program had the effect of activating the right side of the amygdala which regulates emotional response. Brain scans showed that even when the participants were not mediating the activity was still present and this is the area of the brain that controls responses to stress.
When you are meditating you are learning the skill of mindfulness by noticing the thoughts then focusing either on an object of meditation like your breath or in my case I focus on the space between thoughts which I found to be a better method for me although occasionally I will return to the breath. This trains the brain to not be immersed in thought and optimizes you to find opportunities to cultivate and experience flow!
I would love to hear about your experiences with flow and if you dont feel like maybe you have experienced it if you feel inspired to try. I will be talking more about this as I update my current skills, challenge myself and hopefully get into some more flow states.
What do you think?
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