Go with the Flow

I have just read an interesting article that states we all are capable of reaching a state of effortless concentration and enjoyment called flow.

I have listed some unrelated points from the article below that I found interesting. I recommend that you read the article to place these selected quotations in context.

“The metaphor of flow is one that many people have used to describe the sense of effortless action they feel in moments that stand out as the best in their lives. Athletes refer to it as "being in the zone," religious mystics as being in "ecstasy," artists and musicians as "aesthetic rapture."”

“It is the full involvement of flow, rather than happiness that makes for excellence in life. We can be happy experiencing the passive pleasure of a rested body, warm sunshine, or the contentment of a serene relationship, but this kind of happiness is dependent on favourable external circumstances. The happiness that follows flow is of our own making, and it leads to increasing complexity and growth in consciousness.”

“Unless one learns how to use this time effectively, having leisure at one's disposal does not improve the quality of life.”

“The secret of starting a good conversation is to find out what the other person's goals are: What is he interested in at the moment? What is she involved in? What has he or she accomplished, or is trying to accomplish?”

“It is also important to develop the habit of doing whatever needs to be done with concentrated attention. Even the most routine tasks, like washing dishes, dressing, or mowing the lawn, become more rewarding if we approach them with the care it would take to make a work of art.”

I hope the article gives you something to think about also.

The full text of this article can be found at:

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1997)
www.psychologytoday.com/articles/index.php?term=pto-19970701-000042.xml&print=1

Catherine

Ever had unusual strawberries?

We washed, chopped and bowled our delicious strawberries as usual, and after eating a substantial amount my partner proclaimed:
“Urgh, these strawberries taste like garlic!”

I thought it must be his imagination. I also considered that it may be left over garlic residue in his mouth from last night. He disagreed. Unfazed I chomped on, finding that I too was experiencing this strange phenomenon.

Finding ourselves amidst some culinary Bermuda Triangle in which taste was being distorted or lost, I felt eerie.

Momentary thoughts popped up:

Our boiler fumes may have polluted them?
Had I been chopping garlic and not remembered?
Were we hallucinating? (Nb. we don’t take drugs!)

I didn’t know. Then we realised that the culprit must have been our wooden chopping board. It must have been storing and transferring odours or even tiny food particles. Last night we chopped garlic: this morning we chopped strawberries. This morning the tastes interacted.

How long had our chopping board been doing this I wondered?

I did not feel as though my strawberries had been spoilt, I felt this to be an exciting opportunity to taste garlic with strawberries. This occurrence may never have happened- like many facets of life.

I felt us to be discoverers and inventors. I felt excited as though something new had been created. I considered those who had invented, discovered and created before me.

I thought of Alexander Flemming who had been cleaning up his laboratory when he discovered that the Penicillium mould had contaminated one of his old experiments. He created the anti biotic drug Penicillin.

I also considered Velcro and Post-It Notes.

I thought of Art and great Works of Literature.

I enjoyed the moment in which I discovered that new food. I enjoyed discovering. I felt delighted at this wonderful accident.

I sat back and considered the wonderful accident that is life.

Catherine