Written by Ainslee
To wind down your Thursday evenings in a state of flow, I invite you to join me in Slow Flow from 5:45-7pm, where we slow down, set aside distractions, and focus on our bodies. Perhaps a yoga mind is a happy mind, and what a better gift to ourselves this holiday season.
Being in a state of flow, allows one to be happier, more at ease, and feel connected to something larger than ourselves. Positive psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi describes this flow state as “the holistic sensation that people feel when they act with total involvement.” It is the practice of being fully present, focused on a task, and engaged with our surroundings and actions. This state not only quiets the mind, but also increases our sense of well-being and happiness. We are less likely to be engaged in self-referential, or self-conscious, thinking. Our stress levels and worries decrease, and we feel a sense of purpose and enrichment from the task at hand.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi distinguishes flow from other meditative or restful states by describing characteristics of the flow state including that the activity is intrinsically rewarding, presents a challenge that utilizes a person’s skills, and ensues a degree of feeling in control. A study by Harvard psychologists Matthew A. Killingsworth and Daniel T. Gilbert, titled A Wandering Mind is an Unhappy Mind,” confirmed the age-old wisdom across cultures and religions that “happiness is to be found in the moment.” The study sampled over 5,000 participants across 83 countries using an iPhone app: at random times of the day, the app would survey participants how happy they were at the moment (1-100), what kind of task they were doing, and if they were thinking about what they were doing. This widespread, clinical study showed that our minds wander 47% percent of the time(!!!), and that participants were less happy in these moments, while more happy when focused on what they were doing.
Yoga is quite conducive to cultivating a flow state. In our practice, we bring our awareness to the breath, to the sensations in the body, to each pose we enter in and out of. Whether we are specifically taking a flow class, a yin yoga class, or a Dogwood Studios’ Mindful Movement class, or simply practicing at home, we are practicing being in a state of flow. We have the opportunity to use our skills and knowledge of our bodies to meet a demanding pose or sequence; we have the opportunity to return to the breath and focus on each asana (pose). In our practice, every time we come back to the mat we have the opportunity to practice and deepen our ability to enter into a flow state. We can carry this practice and skillfulness off of the mat with us into our daily lives, practicing a flow state while doing the dishes, doing a crossword or jigsaw puzzle, having a meaningful conversation, drawing, swimming, writing,… I encourage you to take a moment to pause and reflect right now: What brings you into flow?
Sign up for Slow Flow Thursdays from 5:45-7pm.
The class sign up calendar shows Dogwood Studio’s schedule that offers meditation, flow, yin yoga, Mindful Movement, and Joint Freeing group yoga classes. Space is limited for January 4th Mindful Movement and Yoga class at the Parlour, so sign up today.
Have a friend who would be interested in young you for a yoga class? Share the discount code YOGAWITHFRIENDS for a free class.
There is still time to enter our Holiday contest to win a Dogwood Studio mug. Send us an email by the end of the day on Sunday December 11th listing each of the Dogwood team member and their pets.
Reach out to the Dogwood Team with any questions at info@dogwoodstudioyoga.com. We are here to help.
SAM Sather, founder of Dogwood Studios, is a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), individualizes the yoga practice with appropriate modifications for participants’ unique bodies and medical histories with a focus on finding calm and improving health. She offers several live, online and in person yoga classes as well as private sessions so you can focus on your needs one-on-one.