Illuminating Your Work and Play

In the flow. In the zone. Time stops. Or in my case, it feels like the words are magically pouring out of my hand and onto the page.

On the the Ellen show, Cloris Leachman had her own way to describe this phenomenon. She told the audience that she gets enveloped with a sense of "Whoosh!" whenever she sits down to play the piano. As she described this feeling, her smile widened and her face became brighter. It was as if she were suddenly illuminated - her inner light turned on.

When you are constantly stressed, your light is dimmed - your ability to do well, whether at work or play, is diminished. The constant wear and tear on your nervous system leaves you feeling unwell, emotionally, mentally and/or physically. Accessing that higher state becomes difficult, as the body is focused on survival, even if much of today's stressors are rarely matters of life or death.

I never really understood that wonderful feeling of "Whoosh!" until I began my own journey to heart-based stress transformation.

How about you? Are you able to enjoy that marvelous feeling of being in the flow? How would you describe it, when you do achieve that state?

13 Replies to “Illuminating Your Work and Play”

  1. I feel exhilarated! The only focus is the present! No introverted thoughts about what if or how can or why! No mind thought at all! Just the emotion of the moment! Good post!

  2. Judy,
    Therein lies one of the secrets of stress transformation…being in the moment.

    You can also approach it from the other end. Transform your stress and you find yourself in the flow much more often!

    Ramana,
    What does that feel like for you?

    Carol,
    Seems we get that a lot, don’t we? 🙂

    I’ll pay a visit to your blog tomorrow.

  3. Marianna,
    What a lovely post. I relate to the ‘whoosh’ idea … when totally enveloped in writing that creates a swell of positive thoughts in my mind and silences the noise outside.

    Likewise, for Christmas, hubby requested a strum stick (3-stringed musical instrument) that has served therapeutic and consuming, transporting him from winter doldrums to whimsical renaissance moments.

    Moreover, I love the idea of one’s light being dimmed when consumed by stress. I never thought of it quite like that — visual and resonating.

    Thank you for another moving post!

  4. Oh you bet I know that feeling Marianna! It’s the one I get when I’m in the middle of dancing, listening to or making music, walking in the bush, taking photographs, doing therapy, reading something fascinating, writing something that communicates just what I feel, teaching something to someone and they Get It…the Whooosh is that moment when nothing but what I’m doing NOW exists!

  5. Being in the flow for me is being fully in the moment. In this wonderful “place” I am not thinking about yesterday, tomorrow, or even the next minute.

    There are so many ways to give myself the gift of being in the flow: a hike in the forest, playing with my puppy, engrossed and passionate about a new idea, contemplating something I just read, the list goes on.

    Meditation, quiet time can help me ease my way back into the calm waters when the waves have gotten choppy around me. The key is to give myself the gift of this time, even when all the “to-do’s” are telling me I don’t have the time.

  6. When I’m in my darkroom developing my fine art prints; nothing matters except the moment. I am at peace and my life is where it is supposed to be. I wish I could be in that place every moment. I guess that’s what this spiritual journey is for. Thanks for all of your great life enhancing reminders!
    @DavidPiemonte
    http://www.newmoongreetings.com

  7. Jacqui,
    With our ever-increasing noisy environment, I’m happy to learn that you are able to tune out (the noise) and tune in to that “Whoosh”. Restorative and satisfyingly fun.

    A strum stick – I’m a-googling (not to be confused with oogling! LOL!) Whimsical Renaissance moments – the sound of that alone is transporting!

    Along with Carol, my next 3 visitors are all new to this blog. Welcome from my hearth and home!

    Bronnie,
    That’s quite a wonderful list! Has this always been the case for you?

    Jane,
    Do you find that when you do give yourself this “gift”, even when time is at a premium, that you are able to work more efficiently afterwards?

    David,
    Your description of how you feel when you are in your dark room, immediately brought me a sense of peace. We are all interconnected – through our words, our art, our actions, our hearts.

    I’m honoured that you have “listed” me under art-people!Wow!

  8. That is a kind of creative feeling you get when you are doing exactly what you should be doing. It would be quite a beneficial challenge to try to live like this all the time.

  9. Damien,
    There’s a whole list of different feelings, thanks to my readers, if you do decide you need to have that change.

    Gaelikka,
    How approaching it from another angle? When you do what you want to do and you get that “Whoosh!”?

    Ramana,
    Ooooo, the glider would be fun, although I would only be guessing how it would feel.

    I’m quite familiar with the floating down the river bit.

    Thanks everyone! Lots of great ideas here – these are the ones you can use to help you transform your stress.

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