Feelin' the Flow, The Yoga Flow

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, a Hungarian psychology professor and one of the top researchers in positive psychology, has spent most of his career researching people in a “flow” state.  Flow is described as the mental state of operation in which a person in an activity is fully immersed in a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity.

Looking back in history, many believe that there are several examples of this from various parts of the world and in many different cultures.  While painting the Sistine Chapel ceiling, Michelangelo was described as being in a state of flow, he did not sleep or eat and seemed to be in a semi-conscious state while completing his masterpiece.  Buddhism talks about a state in which one is “doing without doing”.  When we look at musicians, athletes, artists, and many other groups of people who are engaged in an activity, it seems as if they are fully immersed in their passion and have lost all sense of time perception and are in a semi-conscious state.

Watching people in this state or being able to achieve this state is an amazing experience.  Having practiced yoga for a couple years now, I think I finally experienced this tonight during my yoga practice.  For the most part, during my yoga practice, it is difficult for me to quiet my brain.  I am always so focused on things I need to accomplish, things I need to get done and sometimes, I even look at people around me to see how their form is or watch in awe of their perfectly straight headstands.  However, tonight was different, I was focused on my form, my practice and the mental and visual diversions were not there for me tonight.  Although this might not be attributed to “flow”, it was still a wonderful feeling to be into my practice, fully absorbed in an activity that I am motivated to do intrinsically.  I read this poem by Aaron Hoopes, the founder of Zen Yoga Breathe-Move-Relax, and I thought it did a beautiful job describing my experience of my yoga journey, my "flow" experience during yoga flow.

Too Busy to Relax By Aaron Hoopes

Too busy to relax they say... complaints, excuses everyday
They sound so weak, so stressed, so tired... a mundane world in which they’re mired
No time to sit and just be quiet... their mind’s a rush of thoughts, a riot
No chance they have to hear the sound... of nature’s wonder all around
Of birds and trees and clouds and air... too much work, it’s just not fair
This really seems quite sad to me... so much to do, no time to be

Breathe I say and move a bit
Then after that we can just sit
And watch the world at its own pace
There is no rush, it’s not a race
And if it were, what is the goal?
Where are you going mind, body, soul?

Too busy to relax I hear... these words seem like they’re based in fear
Tired, weak and too much stress... how did our lives turn such a mess?
We don’t need to look above... to find a place that’s based in love
Turn instead and look within... find your self, it is no sin
Forgive, let go, open your heart... it is the only place to start
Think on that and you might find... throughout your life you have been blind

Breathe I say and move some more
Run, walk, jump, stretch on the floor
Move your body, get up and go
Feel the energy, let it flow
Don’t get caught in negative
Habits that won’t let you live

Too busy to relax? Not true! ... this hoax must end, it starts with you
If all you do is just the same... you never will escape this game
Do something new, do something Zen... begin right now, not ‘if’ or ‘when’
Do one thing different, or two, or five... change how you live, become alive
Do or do not, there is no try... step off the cliff and start to fly

Begin with this, you won’t go wrong... remember to breathe, deep and long.