How the state of flow can embrace you. And when it does, it feels great!
At one point my world became very focussed on monkey bars. Both my kids were discovering the delights and challenges of mastering them.
I reckon I watched about two hundred different children doing different monkey bars. Their faces are delightful to watch. Eyes wide-wide open and gaze uplifted, searching for that next bar. Momentum powered, mouths agape, tongues out, often cutely to the left.
Their focus always beautiful to witness as those monkey bars demanded all their strength, coordination and courage.
When I think of their complete absorption in the present moment, and their ecstatic feelings on successful completion, it makes me think of the classes at Transform and how we help our grown-ups master their own kind of monkey bars.
We love helping you get into your own state of flow because we know that when you can achieve that flow state on a regular basis you’ll feel happier.
In positive psychology the concept of flow states became popular thanks to research by Mihaly Csikszentmihályi and his colleagues. The flow state is an experience of deep focus and rapture while you are performing an activity.
This experience where you have full involvement and enjoyment of the activity is also known as being in ‘the zone’. It’s a pleasurable state where you have complete absorption and time flies. You might already have your own regular special ‘thing’ you do which is conducive to the state of flow.
You can experience flow many places: During study, at work, while playing music, making love or playing sport. You also experience it during certain exercise and that’s where we can help you.
There are some ingredients to promote getting into the zone.
First, you want to choose something that is enjoyable to you.
You’ll need to allow a little time to get into the state of flow too. It might take 15 minutes to achieve it. So it can’t be anything mega high intensity.
Then it’s about tinkering to find the right level of challenge for your own skill in that activity.
This is because the flow state sits right between a certain arousal and the sense of being in control. If the challenge is too hard then your lack of control will create rising anxiety which will deflect away any ecstatic flow state.
If the activity is too easy and boredom or apathy will result so the required arousal will dissipate. It needs to be an activity that requires complete concentration so that all those other everyday mundane thoughts switch off.
- Pilates with props gives you certain repeated patterns, so doing a Pilates class you can develop a relaxed sort of confidence. When you feel you have it, our teachers can offer that next level up to keep you focussed. Pilates might be the perfect platform for you to find your state of flow.
- Yoga is well known to score high in flow rankings when compared to other sports activities in general. For all of the reasons above yoga is ideal and also because of it’s ego melting abilities.
- Self-consciousness will stop you achieving the flow state. The idea is that when doing your chosen practice you need to lose self-consciousness so your ego state softens. Then your fear of failure melts away and you can easily slip into delightful flow. This means you need to find a studio which is low on ego and high on support. A studio where your lipstick doesn’t have to match your lycra. That sums up the Transform community to a T!
- Barre classes and Cardio Pilates both allow you to commune with music while feeling the flow in your body. As the choreography builds up step by step you never feel lost. Our teachers cleverly keep you in your comfort zone of manageability so you feel masterful. You can feel fabulous and flowy in both of these classes.
- Then there are our Aerial Classes that – wow – actually cheat you into flow states! There is something amazing about the zero compression inversions and flood of happy hormones through your body after class that shifts you into an amazing flow state – It’s more than a little magical.
We can’t wait to see you in class getting smooth and slinky, and help you find your flow!
If you need any help choosing a lifestyle plan that suits your needs or have any questions about what Transform Yoga has to offer your mind, body and soul, please feel free to contact us anytime by clicking this link.