Dear Diary Addendum,
(Monk’s Note: “Addendum” as in this adds to existing pieces and is shorter.)
Flow is Rest in Action. What does that actually mean? Let’s start from the end and work backward. Action? Action is movement, change, and work; action is us applying a force or influence upon something. Rest is, in essence, the ability to have an interlude between conflicts in which we can recharge ourselves. Rest is related to peace. So how can we recharge ourselves while in motion? Motion almost by definition causes conflict somewhere, as friction, imperfections, exhaustion, or anxiety – something happens in the process of motion. The answer lies in the observer.
When we observe ourselves in action, it is then we are prone to feeling the friction between the present course of action and our intent. However, when we achieve the Flow state, we are still in motion but without the complications of observing ourselves mid-action. We have liberated ourselves from the inner conflict, the direst of all conflicts, and are free to execute the task to our utmost ability. How one ceases applying self-pressure is unique to the practitioner, but arriving at the trust to perform without conscious thought is common to all. The word practitioner is intentional, as it takes deliberate practice not only to develop the skill of the action itself, but also to perform it without self-observation.
By performing tasks without constant thought and observation, we also avoid constant conflict. By performing without constant conflict, we may rest. Rest is not always a strictly physical activity; often, what we need is mental, emotional, or spiritual rest. It is not uncommon to need rest in more than one area simultaneously, and people do things like take vacations and other forms of changing scenery (‘to go out’) to address this concern. What does this mainly accomplish? By being content to observe everything else, we forget to observe ourselves, except when it is entertaining to do so. However, we can cultivate a mindful practice of being present(*1)! Every day, there are many things we can observe outside of our thoughts. In fact, taking time to observe the transient nature of our thoughts is often helpful; thoughts come and go, and we can release them just as easily.
(*1) – I am in no way saying travel and learning about things outside of our normal observations is bad, but it is also not the exclusive solution.
P.S. : Who and what we surround ourselves with play a role as well. For me, it is limiting my exposure to insincerity. I find insincerity extraordinarily draining, whether it is people asking questions they don’t actually want the answer to, needless or excessive sarcasm, egocentric behavior masquerading as altruism, intentional bad-faith responses, etc. I would rather be alone, and comfort with oneself is a required skill for the Flow state.
I try to be exposed to natural light when possible, and I have a well-known fondness for music. I think singing, dancing, even if it is a little groove or mentally following along, can be a great form of rest and recharge. The idea is to find things that do no harm and make you feel better for having done them. We will only enter the Flow state under extreme duress for activities in which we do not feel better having done them, and most of us have enough stress, eh?