Title: Stop Struggling for "Flow." You're Aiming at the Wrong Target.
Modern psychology describes "flow" as peak concentration, a state where the "I" is highly engaged and in control. This sounds right, but it describes the appearance, not the essence.
Chapter 4 of On No Mind points to a deeper truth: The essence of flow is not that the "I" becomes stronger or more focused, but恰恰相反, that the obstructive "I" temporarily withdraws.
When the "I"—that complex of thoughts with its worries, expectations, and self-evaluations—exits the stage, the energy of life is no longer blocked or distorted by it. Action begins to synchronize perfectly with the natural energy current of the universe.
-
What You Think It Is: I am completely focused, I am highly skilled, I am in control.
-
What On No Mind Reveals It Is: The pen writes itself, the ball finds the hoop, the music flows out on its own. The "I" is absent, leaving only the action itself, united with the vast background.
Top athletes and artists experience this wondrous sense of "non-doing" at their peak moments. This is not a loss of control, but merging with a greater order.
How to Let It Happen?
Not by trying harder to concentrate, but by:
Before acting, take a deep breath and gently release your sense of self from the role of the "doer." Silently intend: "Let the energy of Self-Nature manifest through me." Then, simply trust and follow the subtlest intuition and bodily sensation into action.
You will discover that true creation and excellence are the miracles that occur in the absence of "you."
From On No Mind: Flow is the natural result of No Mind—when the thought "I" withdraws, action synchronizes perfectly with the cosmic energy current.
