Is Mindfulness the same as being in flow?
We all love it. That time where we are so engaged in what we are doing that we are forgetting time and place. We are completely present in the moment. Is this being mindful?
My daughter in flow bouldering on “a black route”.
“This is my way of being mindful!” It is a statement I often hear. Different variants of “I am mindful when I play guitar/go fishing/go hiking /cook /read /etc. . I get it! Doing things we love is great! I went bouldering with my (nearly) grown-up kids this weekend. For those of you who do not know, bouldering is a form of free climbing on short artificial rock walls without the use of ropes or harnesses. I loved it! I played like a kid again, challenging myself (and the family) to climbs of varying degrees and enjoying that I could still (to some degree) compete with the young and strong, because I have flexibility. It was fun and had just the right mix between doing and being; the joys of achieving goals on one side and being present just for the sake of enjoying life on the other. Doing things like this is so important for our wellbeing and mental health. It takes us out of our daily stressfull lives and all our worries. It forces us to stop thinking about the past and the future, because it requires our full attention to be here right now or we will fall down. It forces us to go from the head and into the body – and make the two of them listen to each other. And it also makes us spend quality time with other people away from the screens. I cannot recommend enough doing things like this on a regular basis.
But is it not mindfulness!!
In those situations, I would describe your state of being as in flow rather than mindful. The concept of flow is described by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi as situations in which we experience a sense of enjoyment, purpose and meaning[1] When in flow, we are completely absorbed in an activity and forget about time and place. We are challenged at just the right level, doing something that is neither too demanding nor too simple for our abilities. Flow can bring a lot of happiness and is great for our mental well-being. However, it will not allow us to gain the full benefits of the insight that comes with mindfulness.
Mindfulness gives you something else. It gives you awareness – and not just awareness but awareness of being aware.
Mindfulness gives you something else. It gives you awareness – and not just awareness but awareness of being aware. If I was to be mindful while climbing, I would be aware of the feelings in my body as I was hanging on to a tiny knob on a wall, as well as the thoughts and any emotion that might be present. I might notice thoughts like “I am not going to make this” or notice a fear of falling. Being mindful would invite me to investigate the tightness of the muscles in my arms or the tension in my fingers holding on. I would loose my flow and I would most likely fall down!!
So, what does this extra level of awareness give us? It gives us insight. If I am mindful while climbing, I might notice thought patterns for how I react under pressure. I might notice thoughts like “Give up – you are not going to make it anyway!” or “Go on – don´t give up – press through the pain”. These thoughts will have emotions attached to them and will be felt somewhere in my body”. The awareness of being aware will not make me a better climber, nor will it make the climb more enjoyable, but it will give me insight into who I am and how I unconsciously react in moments of stress and discomfort. Mindfulness is not all about feeling good and being relaxed. It is not about finding ways to distract the mind from the stressors of everyday life. It is about noticing it, allowing it and practicing new more beneficial ways to respond to life.
There is a time for everything. There is a time for being mindful and a time for playing or engaging ourselves in our work. Our brain has limited capacity, and we cannot attend to everything at the same time. A thriving happy life is all about balance and choice. So, where do you choose to place your attention right now? And have you made sure to make room in your schedule to pay attention to other things too?
Berit
[1] M. Csikszentmihalyi, Flow: The psychology of optimal experience
(Harper and Row, 1990).