The Neurochemistry of Flow States, with Steven Kotler
by Brokeback Watchtower 11 Replies latest watchtower medical
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sparky1
From the 'Grandfather' and originator of the concept of FLOW.
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LisaRose
Interesting stuff, I have heard of the concept of flow, it's very interesting. Many years ago I started a hobby, doing silk and dried flower arrangements. I distinctly remember the first time my subconscious took over and I found my hands doing something I had not consciously planned. It was an amazing feeling, like tapping into a different part of my brain. The other thing was that I found it changed how I did my regular job. I ended up coming up with a creative idea for a spreadsheet that automated a time consuming audit function, it won me an award and a trip to the Washington D.C.
That was many years ago and my hobby eventually evolved into a business with antiques and creative re-use of vintage things and I still tap into my creativity using this concept.
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Brokeback Watchtower
LisaR,
Yes when you don't have to process it through consciousness but instead done in the unconscious(prefrontal lobe shuts down) it is much more efficient and uses far less processing power of the brain according to MRI scans.
When the subconscious takes over body movements to preform some task it is like being possessed because consciousness isn't in control, at least for me it is and now I understand it to be that the frontal lobe where the sense of self is activity get turned way down which causes the brain to process information lots better. I guess to a Zen Buddhist that would correspond to quieting the monkey mind and letting the ox mind take over.
I'm always trying to get in the flow it is very addictive and pleasurable.
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Twitch
Yea, methinks I know of this; nice to hear it explained.
Playing bass in a rock band is well, fun, creative and a good night out wit da boys. It's a hobby I enjoy and has carried me through some times. But the thing I really like are the moments in playing where there seems little thought about what to do when and what's coming next. There is no "trying", it just happens and I'm along for the ride, like autopilot. And usually there's no doubt that it's the "right" notes and phrases; you know that's how it "should" be. Sometimes if asked exactly what I played, I have to work it out quickly, because I really wasn't thinking about it. They're elusive moments and/or states it seems, as most times I'm usually caught up in the technicality of playing or just remembering song structure. And there's the other guys and the nuances of how they're playing, which can add to or distract. But this also inspires new ideas and creative process. It's awesome when everybody's "in", hehe
Cool stuff.
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LisaRose
I have heard that any hobby or work where you experience flow provides some of the same benefits as meditation.
Powerful stuff that. It helps my ADD brain
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Brokeback Watchtower
When you getting absorbed into completing some project/hobby/fun and your inner critic/super ego/sense of self disappears your'e experiencing a measure of flow. Learning, pattern recognition, lateral thinking(connecting the dots) and creativity go way up as is in 200 to 500 percent. That is a distinct advantage in sports, music, problem solving, and what not. -