Flow State: Utilising The Ultimate Performance, Creativity, and Healing Hack.
- erinricketts
- May 15
- 4 min read
Have you ever been so wrapped up in a task that it's as though time stood still and you could do it all day? Have you ever been pushing with a challenging task or new skill when all of a sudden, a spontaneous feeling of ease and resourcefulness seemed to take over or you felt you were observing yourself doing the task automatically? This is my attempt to describe the ineffable phenomenon of what is commonly termed flow state. People do report finding these states transcendent and fulfilling, but, they're also when we are considered to be at our most productive, creative, and inspired. Well, the great news is whilst not commonplace, these moments aren’t random—what would it mean for you if you could entrain your mind to enter these states at will?
This is the promise of flow state: a scientifically recognized, altered state of consciousness where you perform and feel your best. Whether you’re a writer, athlete, professional, or parent, learning how to access flow can elevate your impact, enjoyment of tasks, performance and your well-being.
What is Flow State?
Flow is that sweet spot where you’re fully immersed, time seems to stretch or disappear, and your actions feel seamless and intuitive. Coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, flow is:
“The state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter. The experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it...for the sheer sake of doing it.”
In flow, your inner critic goes offline, and your brain enters a state of transient hypofrontality— (you might remember that term from this April's blog on Breathwork!) a temporary downregulation of the prefrontal cortex. This quiets the analytical mind, enhances creativity, and allows access to deeper layers of intuition and instinct. It's also a great ally in your healing journey as it offers a reprieve from limiting thoughts.
Neurochemically, flow floods the brain with dopamine, norepinephrine, anandamide, and endorphins—boosting motivation, lateral thinking, and emotional resilience.
Why Flow Matters.
Flow is more than a productivity hack—it’s a healing state.
As Jamie Wheal, co-author of Stealing Fire and founder of the Flow Genome Project, puts it:
“Flow is not just about peak performance—it’s about accessing a deep reservoir of meaning, healing, and connection to something greater than ourselves.”
In endeavours like creativity, athletics or activities that require presence (like parenting/intimacy), and self reflection the ability to enter a regulated, creative, and intuitive state helps practitioners tune in to subtle signals—while helping dissolve defense mechanisms and access breakthrough insights.
For my clients, flow states during holotropic breathwork, meditative contemplations, or deep presence practices can catalyze emotional releases, memory reconsolidation, and spiritual insight—all essential for transformation and integration.
How to Access Flow: The 4 Flow Triggers
According to Wheal and fellow researcher Steven Kotler, there are specific "flow triggers"—conditions that reliably induce flow:
Clear Goals: Knowing what you're doing and why helps the brain focus.
Immediate Feedback: Real-time feedback allows instant course-correction, keeping you engaged.
Challenge-Skill Balance: Flow lives at the edge of your ability—just enough stretch to be engaging, not overwhelming.
Deep Focus: Multitasking is the enemy of flow. Create space for undivided attention.
Other potent flow triggers include:
Novelty and complexity (e.g., trying new skills, modalities or movement patterns)
High consequence (real or perceived stakes)
Risk (emotional, physical, creative)
Practical Flow Tips
Set a single outcome for each activity.
Use aromatics (like rosemary or eucalyptus) and ambient music to create a sensory threshold.
Encourage uninhibited expression—movement, sound, and emotion.
Give yourself permission to “lose yourself”—this permission is often the key to flow.
Post-flow state, give space for creative reflection (drawing, journaling, dance) to sustain flow’s benefits.
The Benefits of Flow State
Accelerated learning and neuroplasticity
Deep healing and emotional catharsis
Expanded creativity and insight
Reduction in anxiety and depressive symptoms
Increased life satisfaction and meaning
In fact, studies show that people who experience regular flow report higher overall happiness and well-being than those who don’t—even more than those who prioritize pleasure or success alone (Csikszentmihalyi, 1990).
Practical Flow Rituals
You don’t need to be a high performer or meditator to experience flow. With a few simple shifts in how you approach your day or healing journey, you can tap into this powerful state.
1. Flow Through Movement or Creative Expression: Flow often emerges during conscious movement, athletics, dance, or yoga—especially when there’s no pressure to perform.
Without focus on the outcome - let yourself move or vocalise freely.
It’s okay to lose track of time or “zone out”—this is a good sign.
Free-write in a journal
Draw or doodle, experiment with colour, texture, or continuous lines
Dance or harmonise vocals to music without thinking
These creative acts anchor insights and extend the healing window of flow.
Flow in Daily Life
Choose one task to do with full presence—no multitasking. Attune to physical cues, texture, smell colour etc. This could be:
Cooking or eating a meal
Listening to a loved one
Walking barefoot on the earth
Taking a tech-free bath or shower
These small rituals train your nervous system to enter flow more easily over time.
Final Thoughts
Flow isn’t just for elite performers or creatives—it’s a biological birthright, accessible through intention, practice, and presence.
In your practice, learning to harness flow can deepen your intuition, sharpen your interventions, and enrich your relationships, and in your healing journey - flow is often the doorway to the breakthroughs you’ve been waiting for.
As Jamie Wheal reminds us:
“Flow is the antidote to our fragmented, distracted modern lives—it returns us to a state of coherence, clarity, and connection.”
Yours in Health and Happiness
E xx
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