The Nature of The Flow State

At the last Creative Skills Training Council, Susan Ryan from Artelier lead a live drawing session “Creating Life in Flow – The Artist’s Process”. It was a very interesting few hours and was followed by a great discussion on the flow state and the process of allowing it, that is accessible to anyone. 

live-drawing The Nature of The Flow State

I thought I would share this excerpt from Susan with you: 

In regard to the nature of “flow” state… it is the modality of experience which is well known and commonly experienced by artists and many people who display excellence in their chosen field… great innovators, scientists, musicians, surgeons, sports people, actors, entrepreneurs etc

It is the experience of a heightened state of awareness through which the persons identity is suspended and their actions and responses are generated from a high state of consciousness. They are fully conscious but their experience of reality has altered to a state of heightened awareness which can be equated with a meditative or trance like state. This state of presence creates the experience of a timelessness, a oneness with the observer and her subjective intention.

As in the case of life drawing, what normally happens is… the observers’ focus is on the subject, the mind is active and consciously noisy… the more the artist can focus her visual focus on the subject, the noise of the mind will lessen and the experience goes beyond the senses. After a while (and with practice) the observer will experience a stillness of mind and experience the essence of the subject as if it was her reality… time collapses, she becomes like a clear vessel from which to interpret the experience. The essence of the subject is experienced by the observer and interpreted through her lines.

This is not a step by step experience but more an experiential process which can be applied to anything to achieve answer/solutions and excellence in performance and solutions. It is the process which is important as the application will be different for many people but is relevant to all.

The process of allowing flow state (by Susan Ryan) 

allowing-flow The Nature of The Flow State

These aren’t defined steps that must be followed, but are aspects you might notice as you progress. 

What helps you access the flow state? 

By Ross Hill - February 4th, 2009 at 8:16am with 1,626 views -

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  • Thanks for the Epic Flow state that seems to follows your digital footprints ... what a fabulous life skill to have and be aware of ... thanks for sharing this Ross!
    Cheers ... Ben (@bionic)
  • Jan Stewart
    My strongest experiences of this have been collective rather than individual, however in the collective experience there is only the sense of one. I like Susan's list especially of from chaos collapsing into oneness, I can definitely relate to that. It also seems linked to me to rapid no time and continuous responses, a deep listening for what is true, and a desire that whatever emerge be developmental.
  • guicookie
    Thanks for the comment Ross - that's the post I wanted to read! High concentration on limited field of attention and direct and immediate feedback are the two keys for me.
  • I think your observation about emptying your head is a very important one. NOT doing that is probably the number one thing that keeps my from entering the flow state; it's hard to fully focus with random to-do list items popping into my head constantly!
  • I have a vivid memory of Karate (like Steve!) where one night I was sparring with a black belt (as a green belt) and everything just happened automatically. Time slowed down, I was blocking every punch and giving plenty back - I knocked this guy to the floor 5 times in a minute. It was amazing! That's probably the major one that sticks out in my mind.

    There are some weeks when I can tap into it very easily and others where it is impossible (such as the last few!) I have ripped these points from Wikipedia because I think they are a good guide. You don't need all of them but the more you have the easier it is:

    * Clear goals (expectations and rules are discernible and goals are attainable and align appropriately with one's skill set and abilities).
    * Concentrating and focusing, a high degree of concentration on a limited field of attention (a person engaged in the activity will have the opportunity to focus and to delve deeply into it).
    * A loss of the feeling of self-consciousness, the merging of action and awareness.
    * Distorted sense of time, one's subjective experience of time is altered.
    * Direct and immediate feedback (successes and failures in the course of the activity are apparent, so that behavior can be adjusted as needed).
    * Balance between ability level and challenge (the activity is neither too easy nor too difficult).
    * A sense of personal control over the situation or activity.
    * The activity is intrinsically rewarding, so there is an effortlessness of action.
    * People become absorbed in their activity, and focus of awareness is narrowed down to the activity itself, action awareness merging.

    When I get on a roll I'll often ignore my phone and close my email (interruptions), and even when my email is open it only automatically checks for new mail every hour (up from the default 5 minutes). The Getting Things Done (book) process from David Allen has really helped me empty my head and that is really useful, and the Next Action idea means that you have direct and immediate feedback. I'd really recommend picking up a copy of that, as well as the sequel, and soon his third book!
  • guicookie
    Thanks for the article Ross. Is the flow state something that you tap into often yourself? Do you have a process for preparing yourself to enter the state or does it tend to sneak up on you without concious thought or activity?
  • Having also taken part in the workshop facilitated by Susan I am begining to comprehend more and more this idea of the flow states. I think we also need to think about the different levels of this state, and what they mean. I meditate a little bit, and with dedication and practice was able several times to achieve what I considered an actual flow state where my mind was totally silent. But this doesn't happen often (largly because I don't practice as much as I should!).

    My other forays into the flow state happens much more regularly. I play hockey and am a goalkeeper, so every week I move myself into a rythem that allows me to concentrate for 70 minutes on one task (the situation). Even then, whilst playing, I reckon I can count on one hand the number of times I've been totally 'in the zone' - probably about 3 times. All times, I couldn't put a foot wrong, saved up to 30 shots for the game and shut out the oppposition, winning all three.

    That feeling of power through calmness comes through being totally in sync with the rythem of the game. So I keep playing, searching for that illusive feeling again :) Susans thoughts on how to get there are pretty accurate in my mind.

    I've also blogged about mindfullness, have a read if interested: http://thesquigglyline.com/blog/uncategorized/t...
  • My first memory of accessing the flow state came through martial arts practice as a teenager. It was a combination of feeling balanced and centred, together with a quietening of the mind that signalled a movement beyond rational thought. In the years that followed I found I could access that state in almost any activity. Regular meditation has been a very useful tool, whether it be standard sitting meditation or moving meditation during exercise.
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