Being in Flow

In order to argue the benefits of physical activity, it is vital to understand the ‘in the zone’ feeling, interchangeably called flow. It is through our being that we achieve wellbeing and are able to experience flow through action-motion. Embodiment as a philosophical concept has often tended to be overlooked in the western tradition whereas in the writings of Zen Philosophy, our embodied states engaged in flow are constant. When we are in the Zen space we have a constant flow all around us. Time is flowing, nothing is static. You are in the moment, which encapsulates the past, present and future. The Zen space is the same as the world around us, and everything is interconnected so our embodiment is linked to our actions, which are connected to our wellbeing. There is a strong pull of a connection between others and ourselves. When you meditate, for example, you place your connected mind-body in the moment and it is a process. The mindset of Zen is to work at a deeper understanding of the infinite. Time should be valued, for we are connected to time, to who we are. Action-motion takes time. All of the moments that make up flow are boundless, limitless, and holistic creating an inherent experience. Zenning in the moment is to see, to forsee and to retrosee. To be the activity in the moment is Zen. So action-motion is another word for Zen. The state of being in the zone is called many things, such as flow. In order to achieve wellbeing we need to be able to master the mindset of being in the zone. Flow allows us to combine our mind and body in an equilibrium state for the embodied being. Flow can be described in many ways. Flow itself has a structure. Flow is the point of equilibrium. When mind and body are in harmony we reach the CS balance, where Challenges and Skills converge. It is necessary for us to be challenged in our activities so we can learn a skill set and improve. This is partly a mental state where we recognize our potential for growth. We have to feel confident in our abilities to pursue flow.