Are you in the flow? Really?

Being in the flow is a term that is currently trending. People claim, “I am really in the groove.” What does this mean? We often equate the idea of being in flow with success or momentum. “Wow I am in the flow at the moment”. But are you really?

This is a very limited perspective on what flow really is. Life is moving onwards and forwards with or without our approval. The river of life has a current. Often we try to swim against the current yet this creates resistance and a contraction. It is here that we resist reality. Reality is what is occurring in the moment. This is the real flow of life. Often we label these experiences as good or bad – giving an emotional connection to the events of our life. So-called bad events are disapproved of and yet there they are, showing up for all of us in different ways at different times. At the opposite end of the spectrum is the experience we approve of. And yet these moments can be fleeting. We oscillate from approval to disapproval, actively even if not consciously spending a large proportion of our life in a state of resistance. This essentially means that we are not in a state of flow but a state of contraction to what is occurring in and around us. We deny reality. We are simply not experiencing reality for what it is. We are not in a true state of flow.

This does not mean that we do not try to change our circumstances. Yet we can choose to actively accept what is occurring in the moment. If it is raining you do not simply get wet and take no action to get out of the rain or put up your umbrella. However, in the moment it is raining we accept that is raining.

No matter how late or how frustrated you are, does the red traffic light turn green simply because you want it to? So what options do you have? To accept what is occurring because this is reality or remain in contraction and resistance creating states of anger and frustration because reality is not how you want it to be. By accepting what is we are in alignment with reality. We are in a state of allowing. This is a beautiful state and creates a genuine inner freedom. Surrender creates a space for new opportunities that may appear, that were previously hidden from our sight. When we are allowing we are actually open to experience something new that our preconceived expectations inhibit us from discovering.

This alignment with reality, this acceptance is the true flow of life. Being in the flow therefore is not always easy. To accept what is occurring in the moment or a life event can be challenging. This resistance can cause us to get stuck. We need tools to cope. We need strategies to remain resilient. We need to awaken our inner compass to navigate the great river of life. Change is possible but we need to learn how to cultivate inner peace, it is a skill and this skill like any other needs to be developed and mastered.

Happiness is the goal of all other goals. – Deepak Chopra