The Art of Finding Flow
We’ve all had those moments—time disappears, focus sharpens, and we become completely immersed in what we’re doing. That’s flow. It’s not just a creative buzzword—it’s a neurological, emotional, and spiritual state of being where you’re fully alive and gently powerful. And in a world that demands constant productivity, learning how to access flow states can be a sacred act of rebellion.
What Is a Flow State?
Flow is the intersection of ease and effort. It’s the space between discipline and surrender—when you’re doing something that challenges you just enough to keep you fully engaged, but not so much that it leads to overwhelm. It’s that perfect tension between “I’ve got this” and “can I really pull this off?”
In a flow state, time ceases to exist. You’re no longer watching the clock—you’re inside deep time.
Why Most People Miss It
Most of us are wired to overdo. We overthink. We overschedule. We overchallenge ourselves and expect mastery from the start. But flow doesn’t live in perfectionism. It lives in small, steady challenges that stretch you just a little beyond your edge—without snapping your nervous system.
Too much pressure? You’ll short-circuit. Too little? You’ll disengage. The sweet spot is just hard enough.
Rituals That Trigger Flow
Flow doesn’t happen by accident. It’s something you can prime your system for.
Here are a few powerful ways to do that:
Use rhythmic music or drumming. Shamanic drumming is known as “the shaman’s horse” because it can carry your consciousness into altered states. Look up a loop on YouTube, close your eyes, and feel the trance pull you in.
Move your body. Shaking, dancing, even walking in rhythm can drop you into your body and out of your analytical mind.
Use ritual triggers. Light a candle. Put on the same playlist. Brew a specific tea. These cues teach your brain to slip into creative trance more easily.
Create space. Not just on your calendar, but in your energy. Interruptions, notifications, and time limits pull you out of deep time and back into the shallow pool of productivity culture.
Deep Time vs. Clock Time
In a flow state, you're not checking the clock. You're being, not tracking. You're in time, not racing against it.
But here’s the rub: you can’t go deep when you know you have to come up for air. If you only give yourself 45 minutes between Zoom meetings, you’re not creating the spaciousness your intuition and creativity need. So try this:
Schedule unscheduled time
Allow for spontaneity
Build in buffers around deep work blocks
Stop seeing "non-productive" time as wasted time
Paradoxically, when we sacrifice productivity for presence, we become more creative—and more effective.
Redefining “Work”
For intuitive, sensitive, or creative beings, work isn't just about output. It's about resonance. It's about depth. Sometimes your deepest work is lying on the floor with your eyes closed, letting your subconscious rearrange puzzle pieces behind the scenes.
Don’t think your way out of creative blocks. Feel your way through. Let your body become the oracle.
Your Homework
Do something today for no other reason than joy. No metrics. No goals. No finished product. Just pleasure. Just breath. Just you and the moment.
Because that’s where the real magic starts.
