Definition of Flow in Psychology Expanded: Be water my friend!

Meaning of Flow – What is Flow? 

The definition of flow state, in positive psychology, known colloquially as being in the zone, is the mental state of operation in which a person performing an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energised focus, full involvement, and enjoyment in the process of the activity. But perhaps this definition of flow is somewhat limited. In this article, I look at how its scope can be expanded.

Sounds like a great state to be in, especially at work, since it’s also associated with productivity and the passing of time without even noticing! No more clock watching! Who wouldn’t want to be engaged in doing work in this state of being, energised and enjoying the process? For sure!  

In his book Flow, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (I finally figured out how to pronounce his name! Me-High Cheek-Sent-Me-High. Yes!) postulates that there might be certain prerequisites or conditions for this flow to happen, suggesting that there needs to be a fit between the type of activity you’re engaged in, your skill level and your natural talents, etc. There is a match between the person and the intrinsic properties of the environment, the activity. It seems logical that the external conditions should be aligned with the internal ones of the person, for this flow to occur. 

It’s interesting to note that flow is a state within the person. Beyond performing certain activities, is it possible to be more or less in this state all the time? I would suggest that Flow is more to do with what’s going on within the person than the external conditions. Perhaps we do not have to limit our experience of Flow to when the external conditions are just right. 

Definition of Flow Expanded

Expanding our definition of Flow, that psychology gives us, might be the first step to experiencing more of it. What if we consider Flow, as not only merging oneself with the activity being performed, but with life itself and its unfolding. A state of being which is in harmony with life, moving with ease with the nature of life and universal laws rather than against them. 

What can shift in ourselves to experience such Flow? 

The answer lies, I believe in the realm of perception. In the definition of flow given at the beginning, it’s easy to focus on the words, engaged, energised and enjoying! They’re exciting and even pointing to ecstasy! But I want to draw attention to a word that might not be as sexy and easily missed. 

Living in Flow

To me, this could be the key to living in Flow, not just in fleeting moments of peak experience, but in a more consistent and ordinary way. 

What can we learn about Flow by viewing it through the lens of process?

You might have noticed, we are living in an enormous, complex, unfolding process called the Universe. Undeniably is it a process in motion, a flow.

Process

Defined in the dictionary, flow means, “to move along in a stream”. This can be said of the Universe. However, it can also be said of you and I.  You are a process within a Bigger Process – a flow within a Flow. You are not a person! Imagine a time lapsed video of your body, say, spanning your lifetime. What would that look like? 

Moving your attention to the process, you immediately start experiencing flow because process IS flow. 

Imagine going for a run. All throughout, your mind is focused on it being over and getting to the end (this is a regular experience for me). There is more or less continuous complaint! Or the mind is not actually present and is thinking about the work that needs to be completed that day. On some level, there is resistance to process. The only thing in the way of experiencing flow is this resistance. This is what the rational mind is great at doing, liking, disliking and identifying with. It objectifies, and makes things solid and fixed when in fact, in reality, they are not. 

An experience of Flow occurs when your little identity as a person disappears momentarily. This is related to Mindfulness, which can be defined as: being aware of what’s happening, while it’s happening without preference. That last part, without preference, is important! Since your attention has shifted to the place of simple observation of the process and without identification with it, there is no room for any other identity and therefore no preference, and hence the ecstatic-like experience of Flow. Your identity has diminished, in a fundamental and radical way, watching the narrative unfold, becoming a witness to the Universal unfolding process. You are Awareness, witnessing sensations and thoughts, a flow of experience.  

From an experience of Flow to a flow of Experience

OK, so if you see your intrinsic connection to the Universal process, that can give you a huge advantage. It can be a coming home where you can begin to relax. You experience serenity even when things don’t go the way your character imagines in the story of your life. You can sense the bigger movement and are moved accordingly, e.g. sensing the decline of a particular economy o corporation, you move your money out. As your physical body starts to break down the older you get, you see the beauty in that, instead of fighting the natural process of the Universe, accepting that everything gets recycled, including what you think of as you. 

Rather like whitewater rafting down a fast flowing river, you do not even try to fight the flow, you learn to work with it, to have the presence of mind to sense its flow, to efficiently navigate downstream, in a way that is exhilarating, energising, engaging and enjoyable. 

 I hazard a guess that focusing on the process, would lead to experiencing more Flow. When you recognise this, life begins to take on the qualities of fluid beauty. 

What is your viewpoint? Do you live in a world of separation where things are not connected? Or do you see the Flow!

Whether the river flows left or right, it cares not.
It knows, on this turning.
It is Ocean.

Be water my friend!

Photo by Greta Arday on Unsplash