What is Flow State?
How Flow State Enhances Creativity and Improves Overall Well-being
The process of writing, and any artistic endeavor, is a spiritual experience. I see it as a spiritual experience because I believe it is beyond something you “do” or that comes from you. I see art as a process of birthing something that already exists in the invisible realms and then anchoring it physically into our material world.
Creating art is something that is channeled through you when you are in a state of beingness. Where we, the artists, are the magnificent human vessels tuning into certain ideas or frequencies that exist in the quantum field. Essentially, you open up a portal of creativity where information pours into you and then out through you.
You become a bridge between worlds. You tap into the subtle energies of the cosmos and allow it to manifest into physical form on our planet, like a paintbrush hitting the canvas or a pen hitting paper. Then from there, there’s a current, like a river, that moves through you with little force or effort. When you are in a flow state, you get out of your own way, and it feels good. It is that simple.
We can even speak of channeling art interchangeably with creating content. This is something many souls can relate to now more than ever. As we are finding positive ways to use the digital world as a tool for raising consciousness, exchanging information, and sharing our voices and visions. I believe many digital nomads can relate to this right now. Many people are finding new ways to live in alignment with their dharma, serve the collective awakening, create abundance in their lives, and collaborate with community.
Some people can get stuck at the initial phase of creating art or creating content because it’s hard for them to see the exact steps to take and where it’s going to lead. One of the biggest creativity killers is the pressure of needing to see how everything is going to pan out before you even begin the creative process.
Oftentimes, the pressure we put on ourselves to reach an end goal and the need for it to be “perfect” outweighs the simplicity and purity of the joy that comes through creating just to create. There is so much beauty that comes from surrendering your need to be perfect in order to clear the path for higher consciousness to flow through you. When we feel centered, open, and receptive, we surrender the pressures of the Ego, to allow ourselves to simply be the vessels for creativity to flow through. Essentially, this is what I like to call flow state.
“Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step.”
Martin Luther King, Jr.
What is Flow State?
This term was popularized by positive psychologists Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Jeanne Nakamura. According to Csikszentmihalyi, “There’s this focus that, once it becomes intense, leads to a sense of ecstasy, a sense of clarity: you know exactly what you want to do from one moment to the other; you get immediate feedback.”
If you’ve ever felt entirely immersed in an activity, you’ve likely experienced flow state already. You feel more enjoyment, higher energy, and greater involvement in what you’re doing when you achieve this state. When we access flow state, we enter a state of oneness where the mind, body, and spirit are in sync and working symbiotically towards an activity. We are completely focused and immersed in this act and are not easily distracted by thoughts, emotions, or reflections on the past or future. We are in the now.
In this state, the ego takes a backseat. It’s like dancing to your favorite song, riding a bike, painting a mural, surfing a wave, or playing jazz. You allow each action and movement to follow effortlessly from the previous one. The thoughts and feelings that might normally distract you from your presence go away, leaving only your full commitment to the task at hand. In a creative state of flow, a musician may become so absorbed in their music writing that time passes them by without them realizing it. The melodies and lyrics come through swiftly and effortlessly.
Flow state is not only for artists. Athletes experience flow state when they are “in the zone” and completely dedicated to the mastery of their performance and in sync with their team’s needs. Flow state also appears in any workplace. Whether you are a teacher, event planner, or graphic designer, etc. Flow experiences can manifest themselves in a variety of ways for various people. At the end of the day, it usually happens when you’re doing something you enjoy and are naturally skilled at.
“The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times… the best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
The benefits of accessing flow state:
- Sense of clarity
- Better Concentration
- Less stress, worry, or doubt
- Higher motivation
- Greater inspiration
- Lack of obstacles
- Positive feelings
- Greater enjoyment and fulfillment
- Improved performance
- Increased creativity
- Improved Performance
- Increased engagement
- Better emotional regulation
- Feeling of contentment
How to cultivate more flow state in your life
While being in flow is a natural process that can occur in everyday life, there are ways we can create the right conditions for more effortless flow to present itself in our lives.
- You care about the task at hand. It feels meaningful to you.
- Your mindset around the activity should be focused on the enjoyment of the journey, not the destination. This is like an athlete focused on playing the game and not winning the trophy or the filmmaker focused on the storytelling and not the recognition.
- Limit interruptions or distractions like your phone or television.
- Focus on one task at a time. Achieving a flow state is best accomplished while focusing on one major task. Multitasking can create a web of distractions that make it difficult to enter flow state.
- Determine when you are most creative and productive. Determine when your mind is most naturally operating at full capacity. For example, the morning after a good night’s sleep is the most productive for many people. Flow state will be easier to achieve if you leverage your greatest energy levels during your day.
- Create a ritual for yourself. Establish a series of actions that you explore every time you’re about to start an activity that can be positively improved with flow state. This might be a quick walk, a meditation, or a cup of tea. When you begin to create rituals for yourself, your brain can identify that it’s time to prepare for a process.
- Do something you love. This is the easiest way to get in flow state.
How meditation and mindfulness help you access more flow state
Contrary to what one may assume, engagement and concentration are actually key in achieving flow state. Focus is necessary for one to truly enter a flow state. However, as we know in this modern age of technology, maintaining a certain level of concentration and stability of mind is not always easy. This is where mindfulness practices come into play. Once we begin to reprogram our minds from distraction and chatter, we can be more present with ease. When we feel calm, clear, and collected, we are more easily able to access flow state. Flow state is very much a result of presence in the moment.
When we speak about mindfulness, we are talking about the quality of being fully present and engaged. When your mind is free from any distractions or judgment. You are aware of thoughts and feelings, but witness them as an observer rather than being identified with them.
By having regular meditation practices, we encourage our minds to become more present, intentionally establishing conditions that allow us to notice when we become distracted, what causes us to become distracted, and then return our attention to the object of focus. As we look at the similarities between mindfulness and flow state, we see that flow state is essentially a very dynamic, moving meditation.
How to begin a meditation practice to increase flow state
As we now understand, being able to concentrate and filter out distractions in the mind is an important aspect of achieving flow state. Meditation is an incredible tool that sharpens your mind and allows you to feel more connected to your spirit. When there is unification within the mind, body, and spirit, we can move through life with greater clarity, creativity, and connection to ourselves and others.
If you are new to meditation or if you are looking to expand your meditation tools, a must-have app on your phone is the Retreat Sounds app. The app contains an impressive library of guided meditations, binaural sound therapy, and spiritual wellness classes for your awakening journey. A meditation I recommend starting with is the Creative Flow Meditation within the Retreat Sounds app.
Use this meditation as one of the many rituals you can cultivate for yourself as you explore the realms of flow. The app has something for everyone, whether you’re meditating to help with flow state, creativity, self-esteem, energy, chakra balancing, and more. Sign up for a free account today and start exploring the many ways in which meditation can elevate your life and your connection to self, others, and our planet.
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