FInding Flow Off The Mat
As the nights draw in, soup goes back on the menu, the winter woollies come out of hibernation, and for some of us, a new knitting project begins. No doubt there are plenty of enthusiastic year-round knitters out there, but for me, it’s always been a cosy winter activity. I love the whole process of choosing a new pattern and picking the colour, casting on that first row of stitches, the feel of the soft wool and bamboo needles in my hands, and the anticipation of the end result.
Knitting is officially recognised as a flow activity, so apart from being a very practical way to make yourself something lovely and original to wear, it’s really good for you. Flow is the psychological state we can slip into when we’re fully present in the moment, totally absorbed by an activity we love. Time seems to slow down or disappear altogether when we’re in flow. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, the pioneering co-founder of the field of positive psychology, coined the term. He described flow as that state where: “The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one, like playing jazz. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.” Flow is often described as being “in the zone”. Flow can happen when you’re out on a run, doing something creative, or even completing an everyday task. Knitting, for instance, helps shift us into flow through the rhythmic, repetitive movements of the wool and needle. You could find flow while painting a portrait, playing the piano or baking a cake. It’s anything that gives you that feeling of being fully immersed in an activity you enjoy (which doesn’t involve looking at a screen!).
If you love to practise yoga, it’s very likely you’ve felt flow on the mat. You know how it is when you find yourself halfway through your practice, calm and energised, maybe even a little blissful, despite having dragged yourself onto the mat that morning? That’s flow.
But flow isn’t always easy to find these days. When Patanjali talked about the distracted mind, he could have had no idea what was coming down the tracks. Today, we’re all living in a permanently distracted state, hostages to those devices that were meant to free up our time but instead, seem to greedily gobble it up. Recent research has shown that just having your mobile nearby – even face down on a table on the other side of the room – distracts the mind. (So, note to self – leave the phone in another room when settling down to your favourite flow activity.) Flow activities came more naturally to us before the Internet. In pre-scrolling, pre-Netflix, and pre-Google days, boredom and idleness were part of everyday life. Anyone who remembers those days will know how a day, especially at the weekend, could stretch out ahead of you, and you were much more likely to help time pass by doing something you loved that might lead to flow.
While yoga is a fantastic way to find flow, it’s worth trying to incorporate more flow activity into life off the mat too. There’s hard science now behind its benefits. Time spent in flow is proven to lift your mood, reduce anxiety and stress and help you be more productive.
So, what if you can’t knit? Can’t draw or paint either? Can’t play a musical instrument? Even better. Take the time to learn. Challenging your brain by learning a new task improves memory, concentration and overall brain function. The sense of accomplishment you feel from mastering a new skill or completing a new project gives you a real buzz – it’s a healthy boost to your mood, self-esteem and overall mental health.
If you’d like to start knitting, YouTube has endless videos to help. Or, you could ask a friend or family member to teach you. You’ll also find knitting groups and classes all over the country via a quick google search, or your local library may have details of a nearby group. I buy patterns online (like the one shown) from @myfavouritethings and beautiful wools from @knittingwitholive, or from Irish suppliers, @winniewoolwagon (who also run knitting classes).
Our minds need all the help they can get to find stillness today. Whether it’s knitting, painting, playing an instrument, playing sport, or even settling down to a complicated jigsaw, there’s bound to be a flow activity that works for you. The mat will always be there for you, of course. But it doesn’t have to be the only place you find your flow.