HOW TO GET INTO THE FLOW WITH MICRODOSING
A state of flow is an almost mythical feeling of being "in the now", where you are completely absorbed in what you are doing. When you are in flow, time falls away and everything seems to happen by itself. So that is something you would like to experience more often, but generally flow is not something you can consciously evoke. Psilocybin, however, seems to be able to help. In this blog, we look at what exactly flow is and how you can get into it more easily with microdosing.
A state of flow, what is it?
Imagine you are running a race. Your attention is completely on the movements of your body, the power your muscles are delivering, the breath entering your lungs and the feel of the street beneath your feet. Running is going well, you are tired, but you don't notice it. You are fully in the moment, there are no worries, no brooding thoughts. You are in the flow.
Whether you recognise yourself as a runner or not, the feeling of being in flow (or in the zone) is familiar to almost everyone. When you are in a state of flow, you are fully absorbed in your task: you are concentrated, focused and engaged. As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi says, the scientist who coined the term flow, the ego falls away. You are no longer aware of time. Each action and thought smoothly follows the previous one. You are involved in the activity with your whole being. When you are in flow, you feel satisfied and what you do brings you a great sense of joy.
Getting into flow is often associated with creative pursuits, such as making music, writing and painting. But it can also occur well when you are involved in sports or your work. Flow can be experienced in different ways by different people. But generally it occurs when you are doing something you enjoy and are reasonably good at. Possibly, microdosing can help you get into flow more easily. You'll read more about that later. First, we will explain exactly what the characteristics of flow are.
The 8 characteristics of being in flow are
Csikszentmihalyi, a scientist called the founder of positive psychology, says that achieving flow is one of the conditions for maintaining a state of happiness. He states that the state of flow has eight characteristics:
- Your actions merge with your consciousness
- There is complete concentration on the task
- The activity in itself gives satisfaction
- Sense of time transforms
- Your goals are clear and you get immediate feedback
- What you do is effortless
- You have a sense of control over the task
- There is a balance between challenge and skills
In recent years, you come across the term "being in flow" more often again. This is because people realise that the flow state can have benefits both at work and privately. It allows people to do their work not only more efficiently, but also with more pleasure.
The link between microdosing and getting into the flow
Are you already familiar with the term microdosing? Microdosing means taking a sub-perceptual dose of a mind-altering substance, such as psilocybin mushrooms or truffles. It can potentially help with problems with concentration, creativity and productivity. Everything that is actually also involved in achieving a state of flow. If you want to experience that feeling of flow more often or more easily, you could try microdosing.
Psychedelic drugs have long been popular among artists and musicians. They can stimulate creativity and out-of-the-box thinking. But in normal doses, you don't usually reach that refined state of flow we are looking for now. Microdosing, precisely because you take a low dose, can give your brain those subtle stimuli, making it easier to reach the flow state. According to users, the power of psychedelics lies in the fact that they put the analytical part of the brain in the background, making your mind work more smoothly and efficiently. More in the present moment, in the now.
Taking advantage of the power of microdosing
Do you want to reach the flow state more easily? That feeling of going with the flow while writing, puzzling, painting or making music? That you feel you are in harmony with yourself and time fades into the background. It seems to bring intense feelings of contentment, pleasure and happiness, and therefore "being in the flow" is probably good for your mental health too.
If microdosing can help you get into the flow more often and with less effort, it is worth giving it a try. Microdosing with psilocybin is safe and it does not cause mind-altering effects. It can bring benefits such as an increase in energy, reduction of depressive feelings and better sleep. And therefore more frequent feelings of being in the flow. So take a microdosing dose and then go about your hobby or work. Will you let us know if you got into the flow?
