In the Flow

"It's all connected -- like a circle!", the four-year-old boy in my preschool group shouted excitedly.  We were sitting in circle time gathering and I had been trying to explain the concept of one year ending and a new one beginning.  I brought out the calendar and a little date board that we have, to try to wrap their heads around the idea of the measurement of days and years. But I found they were way ahead of me, as this little boy demonstrated. Of course, time is just a construct -- the starting point for discussion in Philosophy 101!  But this child seemed to know intuitively that time is simply our way of measuring the flow of life's moments and is not the true reality of existence.  Our true reality is circular and interconnected.

Years ago, I read a book called Flow, by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, in which the author discusses that state of timelessness that we enter when we are fully engaged in the creative process or other pursuit that enables us to be completely focused on doing something that we love. We can find peak enjoyment and satisfaction in these moments of what he calls "optimal experience".

Even though I suppose it's easier to experience "flow" when on vacation or doing something we enjoy with our whole being, we can keep this mindset in our day-to-day life by practicing mindfulness.

"Mindfulness" is something of a buzz word these days.  We can take mindfulness classes or download an app to try to train ourselves in this practice. It simply means to engage fully in each moment of our lives; to stay focused on our experiences as they "flow", using every sense to integrate body, mind and spirit.  We can start by:

•  grounding ourselves to the earth; stepping outside to breathe deeply and fully experience the invigorating winter day.
•  Notice the way the snowflakes feel on your face, look up at the sky, listen to the birds. 
•  Imagine your feet growing tendrils that flow into the ground like tree roots, connecting you to the earth and moving upward.
•  Let go of any obsessive, anxious thoughts...imagine them floating up to the sky, like balloons
•  Give thanks and just be.  

Practicing mindfulness as we go about our day, no matter what we're doing, can help us get to a state of "flow".  It helps us shut out the conscious mind with its obsessive chatter and simply be ourselves, allowing the authentic being at our core to fully express the gifts that God has given us, and to enjoy ourselves doing so.  It helps us to stay in the present moment, the eternal now.

I suppose this could be a New Year's Resolution, of sorts. To be more present and mindful, less distracted, more focused on the task at hand. To be fully there for the people in my life.

To be "in the flow", thankful for every breath and every moment.