Kingdom Scouts

We started this investigation looking for a new path to reduce the burden of common stress. Seeking the Kingdom of God, we posited, could be an effective way to find peace amidst the chaos of the world. But, as we journeyed further down this path, we realized that this wasn’t just about finding a quick fix for our problems.

In order to truly seek the Kingdom of God, we needed to undergo a transformation of our perception of reality. We realized that the way we had been viewing the world was heavily influenced by our past experiences and biases. It was like wearing glasses with colored lenses – we could only see the world through the filters of our own thinking models.

But, there was another way to perceive reality – a participatory perception that was already within us. We also discovered that mindfulness and flow were the best documented ways to access this perception, and we were eager to explore them further.

In our last entry, we discussed the wonders of mindfulness – a practice of being present in the moment and fully aware of our surroundings. But, now we turn our attention to flow – a state of being where we are fully immersed in the task at hand, losing track of time and space.

The state of flow and seeking the Kingdom of God

Is there a link between the pursuit of flow and the search for the Kingdom of God? At first glance, it may not seem so. Flow is often associated with productivity and personal improvement, pursuits that can seem selfish at times. But there is more to the story.

Flow is a powerful experience that has been shown to lead to a metanoia, a transformation of the way we perceive reality. This is no small feat, and it is one that is notoriously difficult to achieve. So perhaps we should take a closer look at this intriguing practice, and see where it might lead us on our investigation.

Evidence in science

The study of the state of flow is all the rage these days. Everywhere you look, there are scientific publications documenting how being in the flow can rewire your brain in all sorts of exciting ways.

We can find these studies published in a myriad of prestigious journals such as the Journal of Positive Psychology, the Journal of Experimental Psychology, and many others.

One study that stands out among the rest is the work of Sonja Lyubomirsky and her colleagues. Their study, which was published in the Journal of Positive Psychology, found that those who frequently experienced flow reported higher levels of life satisfaction, happiness, and overall well-being.

Now, let me tell you a bit about Dr. Lyubomirsky. She is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Riverside, and she has authored a couple of books on the topic of happiness. Her research on happiness and positive emotions is highly regarded in the field of psychology.

The conditions of flow

The concept of flow, introduced to us by Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, brought forth a set of conditions that must be in place in order to achieve this optimal state. It was in the swanky seventies when this innovator of psychology revealed this mind-blowing idea in his book “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience,” which is an indispensable guide for those in search of this elusive state.

He tells us that in order to achieve flow, we need to have clear goals, immediate feedback, balance between challenge and skill, concentration and focus, loss of self-consciousness, sense of control, time distortion, and intrinsic reward. This requires complete immersion in the task at hand, where the sense of self disappears and time seems to warp in unexpected ways. 

“When I perform, I lose myself. I’m in total control of that stage. I don’t think about anything. I know what I want to do from the moment I step out there and I love every minute of it.”

Michael Jackson

The loss of self-consciousness and clarity of the mission.

Regardless of its common applications, as we explore the state of flow we uncover a potential portal to perceive reality in a different way. Normally, we build a map of reality inside our heads, which includes the persona we have created, and we become attached to it. Letting go of this persona is difficult, and that’s why it’s challenging to give up the map. But when we enter the state of flow, we momentarily forget this persona, allowing us to perceive things outside of the map.

Then comes: having clear goals, which is essential because when we stop identifying ourselves with the persona, our brains enter insecurity mode. To overcome this, we can identify ourselves with our mission – this idea is posited by the Swiss theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar, who believed that your identity can be found in your mission (our goals given by God). 

According to Balthasar, the person who can let go of their current form and allow themselves to be regenerated in the formless origin and the nothingness of the seed cell has the greatest freedom. A beautiful excerpt from “In the Fullness of Faith: On the Centrality of the Distinctively Catholic.” goes like this:

That person has the greatest freedom who can let go of his present form and allow himself to be regenerated in the formless origin and the nothingness of the seed cell his original vocation which has always remained fresh 

jesus christ’s entire work for the world was present when he in his seed-like nothingness let himself be implanted in the mother’s womb by the holy spirit ready and open for every wish that came from the father

Hans Urs von Balthasar

This brings to mind Paul’s famous quote in Galatians 2:20 where he says he has been crucified with Christ and no longer lives, but Christ lives in him. The loss of self-consciousness and clarity of mission, two key conditions for flow, are similar to Jesus’ formula for following him in Matthew 16:24: deny oneself, take up one’s cross, and follow him.

We must investigate flow even further in our quest for the Kingdom of God, deep into Terra Incognita, for it is worth it. While we do not dismiss the importance of the other conditions of flow, the loss of self-consciousness and clarity of mission stand out for us as Christians.