What is this?

Flow state, also known as “the zone,” is an optimal mental state in which individuals experience an effortless immersion and deep focus in the task or activity at hand. Characterized by a loss of self-consciousness, creative problem-solving, and a heightened sense of presence and engagement, individuals feel as though they are “in the zone” and their performance and productivity emerge naturally from their actions and behaviors. Consequently, individuals achieve peak intellectual, physical and emotional capabilities and reports a feeling of exhilaration and fulfillment, which can be achieved only by entering into this state of flow.

See also: emergence, self-organization, edge of chaos, evolutionary psychology

EP27 Jamie Wheal on Flow & the Future of Culture 171

EP127 Jonathan Rowson on The Moves That Matter 145

Currents 043: Lene Rachel Andersen on Bildung 101

EP37 Jared Janes on Spirituality 38