Flow state and Mindfulness Meditation

Flow state, a state of optimal human functioning. When we are riding the wave of experience. Decisions make themselves as if on their own, with no doubt. There is trust and surrender in the moment. We are trusting the unfolding. Fully engaged yet not attached to any particular result or outcome. The non-doing in doing. Effortless Effort.

To some extent we have all tasted this experience. Maybe in an activity you love to do where you "lose yourself" in it. For some it is playing or listening to music, for some it is movement and sport. It can appear even while thinking or solving problems. Or it can be while we are deeply resting. While walking or while talking. Importantly, there is no activity that is necessarily discluded from flow. We all have our own access to flow depending on our likes dislikes, skills, interest, current state of mind and body.

But as fast as this state appears, it also disappears. We fall back into self-referencing, worry, and doubt. We fall into boredom and disengagement. Friction and resistance to what is appearing once again.

The state of flow is a state of higher unification of the mind. The mind and body is unified around some activity or subject and everything appearing becomes part of this.

Samatha meditation and Flow state

In Samatha meditation we create unification of the mind by focusing on one meditation subject or object repeatedly. As we get better at coming back to this, continuing to stay with this, we unify the mind more and more around the object. After some threshhold "Samadhi" (collect/gather the mind) is reached we enter into flow state which can progressively deepen where self-referencing and hindrances fall away more and more. Giving way to what remains; joy, peace and deep equanimity. Flow state in Samatha meditation is also called the Jhanas. 4 States of progressively deepening Samadhi.

The problem is that this flow state is conditional on the unification around some stable meditation object. Like the breath. Or pleasant sensations in the body. We can access Samadhi, Peace and Flow with our normal meditation object, when we are still and focussed. Maybe a mantra or the breath. However, when we are unable to use this focus object, for example in daily life when we are occupied, the mind quickly drops out of Samadhi and restlessness and other hindrances appear again. We might have even developed an attachment to this peaceful state in meditation and feel upset it is not here when we are not meditating. Or we cling to this concentration and focus the whole day long but become disengaged with our environment.

Vipassana meditation and Flow state

Vipassana meditation does not have the goal of peace or calm. The aim of Vipassana is merely to be aware of Body & Mind at the moment. To stay and be focused clearly without resistance in whatever is appearing in this very moment. Whether we are using noting or awareness of body sensations. We stay at the very edge of NOWness. Whatever it is. Whether it is pleasant or unpleasant. Whether we like it or don't.

As we gain more skill in being clearly with the moment, we stop following the habit of resisting. Of pushing and pulling on experience to make it fit our idea. We are practicing to enter flow state by being aware of what is, whatever it is. We are practicing to let go of what prevents flow from arising; the hindrances that are a consequence of clinging.

This translates to every moment of our lives. Whether it is talking or moving or working or resting. Mind and Body is always appearing by nature. The default mode of resisting and changing things becomes just being aware of the experience, whether we are actively involved or not. In this way, we learn and see what keeps arising that stands in the way of flow. Not that flow is in itself something continuous or stable. As Shinzen Young describes so beautifully, it is "riding the wave of impermanence". Continuous seeing and letting go, open to what is. Letting everything be born and die again and enjoying this process of nature.