I enjoyed today’s reading because it felt personal to me. Flow. A trance that many of us occasionally feel but don’t think about all that often, or at least this was the case with me. Seeing the author write about this on paper felt like I was reintroduced to this state. Its funny but I think I was in flow while reading the chapter.
The part of the chapter that referenced flow in the context of religion especially piqued my interest. Religion, at its foundation, strives to connect individuals to the divine and the transcendent, and I thought it was interesting that the reading referenced this. Individuals often attain a state of intense focus during prayer, meditation, or community worship, abandoning their sense of self and opening themselves to the divine. These activities have the potential to generate a state of flow in which individuals become entirely immersed in the present moment, experiencing an intimate relationship and an elevated sense of identity. Lastly, religious experiences frequently include a strong sense of direct and instantaneous input. This feedback may manifest as emotional or spiritual reactions, a feeling of unity with God, or a sense of one’s own metamorphosis. The immediateness and importance of this input add to the experience’s depth and intensity.