Daniel Bogert "Flow"

Flow is a highly pleasurable experience but I would say that it's somewhat elusive. I think one sign that you're having a great time is when you're not aware of what you are doing. In such a state the concept of "time" does not apply. To be in a state of flow is to be "in the moment". Writing this blog post is like the complete opposite of flow. I'm thinking about not being aware but this makes me doubly aware. It's like I'm twice removed from what i'm doing. To be honest its a pretty unpleasant experience. I feel detached from reality, like I'm watching a movie of what I'm doing and not actually doing it myself. I think I need to focus more on doing the things that bring me into the flow state. For example when I'm writing songs on my guitar I feel connected to flow. It's like I tap into this well of inspiration and it takes over me. I don't have to think about what note to sing next, it just comes to me. I think during these times I am truly living in the moment. Unfortunately most of the time I don't feel like i'm in the moment or in the flow state. Maybe it's because I think too much. In a strange way the act of thinking kind of removes you from reality; from what's going on in the moment. There is a Zen saying that says: "How can the mind control the mind without causing immense confusion?" The nice thing about experiencing flow is that your mind acts according to instinct, not according to itself.