Finding flow 🌊
As we transition into the autumn months, being in the flow has been on my mind. In our collective, we’ve often discussed how, even though we live far from the lands of our ancestors, it’s innate within us to adapt to the places we now call home. As we decolonize or reindigenize our journeys, learning to develop a relationship with the seasons feels like an essential part of this process.
In tomorrow’s Chrysalis Kali online session, we’ll explore the concept of flow as it relates to our Kali practice. You might recognize this state as “being in the zone.” This deep focus can arise during activities like painting, making music, running, writing, surfing, and more. But I believe there’s something particularly powerful about accessing flow through physical activity.
My first experience with flow happened while swimming one early morning before class in college. It was such a peak moment that I still remember it vividly. Time seemed to slow down as I found my rhythm moving across the pool. What started as a routine short workout extended into over an hour because I felt fueled by a calm, even energy that kept me effortlessly moving forward. Afterward, as I walked to class, my entire body buzzed with a heightened sense of aliveness. Colors seemed brighter, the air felt electric, and I experienced an expansive connection to the world around me. It was a euphoric, deeply present state like nothing I’d felt before. Though I didn’t have the language for it at the time, I had entered a flow state.
That experience left me curious about other physical activities that could evoke similar feelings of timelessness, expansion, and joy. While I’ve accessed flow in various ways since then, martial arts has always been my primary pathway to it. There are moments during training that I’ve felt interconnectivity, heightened awareness, and a feeling of being completely grounded in my body while also transcending it.
It's important to note that flow states aren’t easily achieved; they tend to emerge after persistent practice. The more you train, the more likely you are to stumble into flow. In a sense, flow finds you.
This is why physical training—whether through drills or exercise—can evolve into a spiritual practice. The consistent practice of showing up and committing to the work transforms your body into a vessel for transcendental experiences. Flow allows us to shift our perspective, reframing what our dominant culture sees as discipline into a deep reverence for our bodies. Training and exercise then become acts of devotion, with our bodies as the ritual altars.
Looking forward to seeing our Chrysalis Kali online members tomorrow at our usual 6:30pm / 3:30pm EST. Not a member yet?