I spend a lot of time supporting individuals and teams to get in to flow, that state where energy is positively charged, relationships function well, collaboration takes off, progress is visible.
How do you recognise that flow feeling? Consider you are standing in front of the sink washing dishes and music that you love comes on the radio. Notice how that feels in your body. Notice how you approach what you are doing. You may have noticed ease, enjoyment, pleasure, enthusiasm. That is the feeling of being in flow. Now consider someone changes the radio channel and music that you really do not like comes on, or maybe news or other noise that you don’t want to hear. Consider that they keep turning up the volume and you can’t access the controls. Notice how that feels in your body. Notice how you approach what you are doing. You may have noticed irritation, frustration, anger, resentment.
The difference between being ‘in flow’ and ‘out of flow’ is not, however, all about feeling happy and positive. It is about how our energy is. Out of flow we are drained of energy, in flow we have abundant energy.
Consider your reactions to the following words:
Darkness, Silence, Winter, Pain, Stillness, Cold, Depression, Retreat
Light, Sound, Summer, Ease, Activity, Warmth, Joy, Progress
I can sometimes overfocus on chasing the positives e.g. light, joy, warmth. Yet so much of my growth has come from the time to reflect that the dark days have offered, the feeling of aliveness that the cold sea has offered, the insight and compassion that depression has offered.
So, while I am delighted that at this time of Imbolg we can welcome the brighter days, I also give thanks to the restorative power of the dark. Just as we need all the seasons – the cold of winter as well as the warmth of summer, the grounding of autumn as well as the stimulus of spring – so too do we need time to ebb in order to flow.
Celia Keenaghan
February 2022