Decoding Flow

We’ve all heard cricket commentators saying that a batsman is seeing a ball like a football. How does this happen? After all, we are talking about a leather ball which weighs a few ounces being hurled at over 140 km/hr.

The answer as in most things lies in the mind. Batsmen who have trained for long hours and visualized success on the cricket field often experience this phenomenon.

But, this does not make the experience restricted to cricket or even sports. Granted, that it is most explicit in the arena of sports. However, this does not mean that artists, businessmen and people from other disciplines cannot access it.

The first step is breath awareness. You need not cross your legs, close your eyes and focus on your breath. This is of course the most traditional form of meditation and first step to self awareness.

For many people, this doesn’t work. You would rather be more active and be conscious of your breath. This works perfectly well too.

Watch a top quality long distance runner in action and you will see that he is in flow. He moves at a high speed, swings his arms and legs effortlessly and literally flies on the road. This is meditation in action.

But, what if you are not into sports at all? No problem.

You can simply train your mind by breath awareness in whatever activity you choose. This could be driving, eating, talking or even having sex.

Once you delve into flow, you will realize that each of us is brimming with potential. All it needs is to be harnessed. Our breath is what connects our bodies with Nature. Once you are conscious of your breathing, the sky is the limit as far as success is concerned.

You become calmer, focused and more disciplined. World without flow seems meaningless. It seems to be in a different galaxy altogether.

But, nothing happens overnight. If you expect that you will spend a few hours over a few days working on your breath then you will be in flow then you are sorely mistaken.

It takes years to tap the benefits of flow and to be in that state on a daily basis. Hard work, concentration, time and discipline are essential.

Even cricketers who see the ball like a football will confess that it happens rarely and only when they are truly switched on. Long distance runners who experience flow do so when they are at peace and not when they are chasing a record.

The conundrum then is how does one stay in flow on a consistent basis? As you become more at home with flow, you will realize that flow is really about concentration. The mind has deep reservoirs of concentration which often go untapped.

I experienced this first hand when I ran barefoot on beaches, roads and national parks for a year and half. It is amazing what extreme experiences can do to your mind.

I will not be arrogant enough to say that I am in flow all the time. But, I do believe that courtesy barefoot running my concentration has significantly improved. Now, when I sit down to write or research, my mind rarely wanders and I am able to put my undivided attention to the task at hand.

It’s a beautiful experience.

Of course, I also got injured through a tiny external object on the road and had to undergo surgery about ten years back. Since then, I have only run in shoes and have also been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

My breathwork in the gym and while running helps me manage my mental condition. I am far more aware of my thoughts and cognitive balance now than when I was first diagnosed ten years back.

At the end of the day, life is about living with no stone unturned. Have a dream, chase it. Fail once, try again, fail better.

So far, I have done six half marathons, one 25 km race and failed to complete four full marathons. But, the marathon entices, tantalizes and enthralls. Winning a full marathon is on my bucket list and I’m sure that flow will be the key to doing so.