Thursday, February 26, 2009

In the Flow & Out of the Flow

Once inspiration strikes and I select a newsletter topic, it floats around in my consciousness for a while, and the ways in which the dynamic plays out in my life are revealed. This month, I had amazing experiences of being in the flow, with everything feeling right on target and sublimely perfect. And, I had times when the flow felt almost completely blocked.

I share my experiences with both ends of this spectrum, and some ideas for approaches to take when you feel stuck outside of the flow.

All is Right in the World & Feeling Fantastic

Imagine yourself being in just the right place at just the right time, taking precisely the action that is appropriate at the moment. Can you recall such an experience from your life? How did you feel? Was it uplifting? Did you feel like you were contributing to perfection?

I am an avid contra dancer. Here is a brief description of contra dancing, followed by my discussion of flow. In this type of social dancing, each dancer has a partner, with couples arranged in long lines of couples. A Caller teaches the group the sequence of moves for a dance, then everyone repeats the sequence accompanied by lively music, moving up and down the line, dancing with everyone.

Contra dancing can be astonishingly fun. Imagine hours of interactions with smiling people, many of whom are your friends. And it's an incredible aerobic workout to boot. A few weeks ago, I attended a contra dance weekend, where I danced hour after hour, with repeated experiences of being in the flow. It was glorious. The weekend was like having a continuous peak experience.

What provides the experience of flow in contra dancing? Being in the right place at just the right point in the music, with the person I'm dancing the next movement with arriving precisely as I do. The music and the dance sequence match up just so. Throughout the whole dance, couple after couple, everyone is right there, energized, and it's all FUN.

Day-to-Day Experiences of Flow

I desire to increase the ease of flow in the world, so I pick ways to do things that feel efficient. Am I smoothing the way of events in the world? Am I making life easier or more pleasant for myself or for someone else?

When doing errands, I choose a route that provides a natural flow between stops. When crossing busy streets, I walk quickly, shortening the wait for drivers waiting to turn. When returning library books, I stack them so checking them in requires fewer motions for the librarian. In grocery stores, I reposition misplaced items and line them up. Then everything looks organized and inviting, and finding things is easier for other people.

Co-incidence or Connection

Have you ever called a friend and had them say, "I was just thinking about you." Or you think about about an acquaintance, and the next day you run into them in the grocery store. I don't consider co-incidences accidents. Unplanned meetings, physical or not, result from the natural movements within our interpersonal connections.

One of my clients doesn't schedule appointments in advance. She calls to schedule when she feels that it is time to see me. She usually comes to my mind shortly before the time that she calls. Evidently, we are connected.

Occasionally, I think about someone with whom I haven't had contact in a long while, and I call them. Far more frequently than could occur randomly, they tell me that they have been in an accident, or experienced some significant life circumstance. And there is a way in which I can be of assistance, with bodywork, coaching, biofeedback, a healing tool, or something else, . . . Sometimes my love and listening are all that they really need from me. We are connected, and the flow of life brought us together.

Flow on Paper

I design brochures for VibesUp, a company that makes energized crystal products. Flow is a critical element in marketing material design. Is attention drawn in desired ways? Is the page visually appealing? Is it overly crowded? Does content flow naturally? Is the overall impression one of chaos or of competence? And does the piece suit its intended purpose?

VibesUp - Crystals

Recently I discovered these amazingly effective energy enhancing crystal products. VibesUp owner Kaitlyn and I became fast friends, and ideas flow furiously between us. I wake up in the morning thinking about her products or brochures, and soon discover that she was thinking about the same things. We definitely flow together, though we have yet to meet in person. These products entered my life at a time when I really needed them. Having them on and around me all day, every day definitely helps me feel and function better.

(VibesUp crystals are worn {bracelet, necklace, pocket, shoes} or placed around your space {house, office, car, fridge, on pets, . . .} Their proprietary liquid crystal and essential oil coating gives them amazingly effective energy enhancing abilities. For information about VibesUp, go to their website. I encourage you to listen to the teleseminar recording, explaining how they work. The specials on the site have been extended to you.
If you decide to order from VibesUp, please let them know I sent you. My affiliate number is 131.)

Flow is Glaring in it's Absence

My house is an obvious area where flow is deficient. I am a 'piles' person. I put things away and clear clutter, but it reappears. Clutter is distracting and it decreases my efficiency. But there it is. I clean up as needed, to increase the flow within my environment. At the same time, I am reasonably well organized. I know where to find everything. Within the clutter, there is sufficient flow for things to be usable.

Resistance to Writing

Every month, I resist sitting down to write this newsletter. Even though the content is already planned, I find endless distractions.
(This actually represents a tremendous improvement. This month's newsletter took me significantly less than a day to write, and I did not despise the process. To read how I healed the worst of this resistance, go to my website and scroll down the page to 'My Experience of Spiritual Alignment Consulting'.)

Unfortunately, when I resist writing, frequently I simultaneously resist doing a lot of other things. Flow was this month's topic, so I observed the flow-blocking impact of my resistance. I felt horribly stuck. One thing that I knew would be valuable was working through my resistance using The Healing Codes. This morning, I finally did it, . . . and here I am finishing off my writing. It's amazing what happens when I get out of the way, and heal myself using my own techniques! (Read in this blog posting about my life-altering experience with the Codes.)

What to DO When Your Flow Feels Stuck

This is a short and simple list, but the options are endless.

1. Identify what you are resisting. Is it taking action? A feeling? A person? A situation?
2. Identify how you feel about it. Is it fear? Anger? Guilt? Worry? Confused? Stupid? Like you don't know how? Like you're not good enough? Like it's impossible?
3. Use a self-healing modality to address blocked feelings or emotions that you identify. Personally, I use The Healing Codes and Ho'oponopono most consistently, and now The Emotion Code. (I discussed Ho'oponopono in my December newsletter.) Another popular method is Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT).
4. Does the task seem impossible? Try breaking it into small pieces, then complete one bit at a time. Recycling even a few loose pieces of paper makes a noticeable difference on my desk.
5. JUST DO IT. You may not feel like it, but start anyway. If you take one step then stop, at least you've moved. I could never have finished this newsletter, had I never opened the blog program and started the document. After that, continuing was ridiculously easy.
6. GET HELP. Friends, spouses, and family members can be engaged to support your forward movement. It's amazing what a difference it makes getting someone else involved. Having a friend help me today made a enormous difference.
7. Hire help. Would it be reasonable to pay someone else to do it? Like hiring a house cleaner or an accountant.
8. Hire professional help. When you're stuck, going to someone who can help you work through your resistance and blocks can be extremely supportive. A wide variety of therapists, counselors, coaches, and consultants are available. I am available for appointments (Spiritual Alignment Consulting, Healing Codes, bodywork, energy work) in person, and by phone. I can help you get going with any or all of the above steps. Please contact me, if you are interested. sandra@MiracleInspirations.com


Go With the Flow!

My Flow to Olympia, Washington

During each of my recent extended working visits to Olympia, I have experienced significant blocks in the flow. Each time, I asked myself if I am to continue these trips, and the answer remained clearly 'Yes!' Perhaps these blocks were just nudging me to return to working in my old building on State Avenue. Because that is where I will be!

Go With the Flow!

Sandra

Sandra Lynn Lee
Certified Healing Codes Practitioner
Miracle Inspirations
www.MiracleInspirations.com
sandra@MiracleInspirations.com

Everything in this newsletter is the opinion of the author and is provided for informational and educational purposes only. When information is drawn from outside sources, both credit and access to the source are given, when available.

Copyright 2009 Miracle Inspirations. All rights reserved.