The other day M & G were playing tongue twisters.
How much would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood.
They asked me to do it, and without hesitation I blurted it out…quite fast I may add.
I surprised both them and myself. Who knew I could tongue twist so smoothly?
After saying it a couple more times — just as fast– I realized why I could do it so well — I hadn’t stopped to think about what I was saying. I just did it.
I was in the flow.
The achievement of a tongue twister is for fun–it’s not brain-surgery-style-concentration. But it does perfectly illustrate the power of pushing thought out of the way to perform– so our actions can be more intuitive. Or come from the soul.
Mihály Csíkszentmihályi wrote about this in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience
It’s when we reach the state of becoming one with the activity. DH said he had this while playing drums. I’ve felt it while exercising and in yoga. M & G experience this all the time…most kids do.
It’s the ultimate in being while you do. With 100% presence.
You can try it with a tongue twister.
Sally sells seashells by the seashore.
She sells seashells on the seashell shore.
The seashells she sells are seashore shells,
Of that I’m sure. .
Or even better, bring it to your passion.
Stop thinking. Open up. And let it flow.
facebook: facebook.com/elyshalenkin
twitter: @elyshalenkin
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
Awesome! And for the life of me, I couldn’t get my head out of the way and flow with sally sales seashells. But then again, maybe it is just early and I am not fully awake yet. Great post!
Those moments are just blissful aren’t they? Moments of no-thought, just presence.
They’re the best. And usually once I realize I’m having one…they’re done. 🙂
Haha! I couldn’t get that one either! It is fun to practice though…