What is “the zone,” or, as some call it, “the flow”? In Wayne Dyer’s book, Real Magic, he termed the phrase, “Getting to Flow.”
The zone, or flow, refers to a point in the creation process when efforts come with ease and spontaneity. It’s that magical moment where an artist or other creative (and we’re all creatives) loses self and becomes fully immersed, absorbed, into the moment—and creates something that almost feels as if it came from outside oneself. Time stands still and concentration is fully engaged. It’s a meditative state, but not necessarily a sedentary one.
I experience “zone” moments frequently while writing. I may procrastinate and do everything possible to avoid starting, but once I begin writing (usually with some very low music playing in the background—binaural beats work well, as does Sam Cooke Radio on Pandora, my personal favorite), time slips away and I am absorbed in the project. I mention that even though it’s meditative, it’s not necessarily a sedentary activity. I have felt “in the zone” while gardening, hiking, and numerous other outdoor activities. Knitting, sewing, cooking, and cleaning also invoke a meditative state, a “walking” meditation of sorts. You hear about it with mountain climbers or other athletes who push their bodies past what seems bearable. They break through the conscious realization of pain and the physical body into a place of non-thinking, just being. Into the zone.
In April, Evolving Magazine explores a new (to us) topic called, Into the Zone.
We’re pleased to offer a variety of articles on this topic. You’ll find advice on calming anxiety (because the zone isn’t achievable while in an anxious state), an introduction to Shamanic Breathwork, the power of Presence, and an essay about one woman’s journey to mindfulness. I hope you enjoy.
As Wayne Dyer wrote, “Flow is that kind of an inspiration, one so powerful that all obstacles seem to be removed and we are in love with what we are doing so much that it seems to just flow without any effort from us at all. You can experience flow in virtually anything.”
Read the April magazine here:
globaljourneyswithjilldutton.com 