Flow: An optimal psychological state where individuals become completely absorbed in an activity.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s groundbreaking research on “flow”—those optimal psychological states where individuals become completely absorbed in an activity—reveals profound connections between creativity and spirituality that transcend conventional boundaries between secular psychology and religious experience.
Core Characteristics of Flow
Flow states emerge when several conditions align: the challenge level matches one’s skill level, clear goals exist, and immediate feedback is available. During these moments, individuals report:
- Complete concentration on the present moment, eliminating mental distractions
- Merging of action and awareness, where the doer and the doing become one
- Loss of self-consciousness, as the critical, evaluative voice quiets
- Distorted sense of time, with hours passing like minutes or moments stretching into eternity
- Intrinsic motivation, where the activity becomes rewarding in itself
- A sense of control without anxiety about losing it
Csikszentmihalyi’s research began in the late 1960s when he observed artists—particularly painters—who would ignore hunger, discomfort, and tiredness while deeply engaged in their work, persisting despite significant personal cost until the project was complete. These observations revealed that certain activities are intrinsically rewarding, what he termed “autotelic” activities, fundamental to fostering flow.
The Spiritual Dimensions
What makes flow particularly relevant to spirituality is how closely these psychological states parallel mystical experiences described across religious traditions:
Ego Dissolution: The loss of self-consciousness in flow mirrors the “ego death” or “self-transcendence” central to Buddhist meditation, Sufi practices, and Christian mysticism. The constant internal narrative—”How am I doing? What do others think?”—falls away, creating space for what many traditions call “pure awareness” or “being.” Csikszentmihalyi noted that reflective self-consciousness fades or is lost entirely during flow, and individuals experience a state beyond ordinary existence.
Timelessness: Flow’s temporal distortion echoes the “eternal now” described by mystics like Meister Eckhart or the “timeless moment” in Hindu philosophy. During flow, time distorts—often things appear to happen more quickly than in reality, though sometimes moments can feel stretched and elongated. This suggests that our ordinary time-bound consciousness may not be the only mode of experiencing reality.
Unity Consciousness: During deep flow, the boundaries between self and activity blur—a pianist becomes the music, a climber becomes the mountain. Action and awareness merge into a unified experience. This dissolution of subject-object duality reflects the advaita (non-duality) of Hindu Vedanta or the Zen concept of “no-mind” (mushin). Many people Csikszentmihalyi interviewed described it using metaphors of water: “It was like floating,” “I was carried on by the flow.”
Connection to Something Greater: Flow often brings feelings of being part of a larger whole, whether described as nature, humanity, the universe, or the divine. The experiences feel intrinsically rewarding, with individuals reporting a sense that the end goal justifies the effort involved. This resonates with the sensus divinitatis (sense of the divine) or what William James called “cosmic consciousness.”
The Autotelic Personality and Spiritual Aptitude
Csikszentmihalyi identified that some individuals possess what he called an “autotelic personality”—they are better able to reach flow states and more likely to enjoy life and perform activities for their own sake rather than to achieve external goals. This concept parallels spiritual traditions’ recognition that some individuals seem naturally inclined toward contemplative or mystical experiences, suggesting that the capacity for transcendent states may be both innate and cultivable.
Implications for Understanding Spirituality
Csikszentmihalyi’s research suggests that spiritual experiences may not require religious frameworks or supernatural beliefs. Instead, they might be natural human capacities accessible through various pathways—meditation, prayer, art, athletics, or intellectual work. Flow is an interdisciplinary field addressed by psychologists, sociologists, and anthropologists interested in altered states of consciousness, spiritual experiences, and rituals in different cultures. This democratizes spirituality, suggesting that:
- Spiritual experiences are universal human potentials, not exclusive to religious virtuosos
- Creative engagement can serve as spiritual practice, whether or not one identifies as religious
- The sacred and secular may be less distinct than modern Western culture assumes
- Meaning and transcendence can emerge from full engagement with life itself
Csikszentmihalyi argued that happiness is not something that merely happens through good fortune or random chance, but rather something we can prepare for and cultivate by taking control of our inner experiences. This aligns with contemplative traditions that emphasize practice and cultivation of awareness.
Two Pathways to Transformation
Csikszentmihalyi identified two key strategies to improve quality of life: making external conditions match our internal goals, and changing how we experience external conditions so they fit our goals better. This dual approach mirrors spiritual teachings that recognize both the importance of creating supportive environments (sangha, sacred spaces, retreats) and transforming one’s internal relationship to circumstances (acceptance, non-attachment, reframing).
Contemporary Relevance and Applications
This framework helps explain why many contemporary individuals describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious”—they may access transcendent states through creative work, nature, or other absorbing activities rather than traditional religious practices. Flow theory has been successfully applied across multiple domains including sports performance, educational settings, workplace satisfaction, and even emerging technologies like virtual reality.
The research validates artistic and creative pursuits as legitimate paths to the profound experiences humans have always sought through spiritual traditions. Whether experienced by an equestrian achieving perfect “one-ness” with a horse, an artist lost in painting, or a scientist deeply absorbed in research, these flow states share the essential characteristics of spiritual experience.
Bridging Science and Spirituality
The flow research ultimately suggests that spirituality might be less about belief systems and more about particular states of consciousness characterized by self-transcendence, present-moment awareness, and connection to something beyond the isolated ego—states accessible through any activity pursued with full engagement and skill. As Csikszentmihalyi’s work demonstrates, these optimal experiences can be systematically studied, understood, and cultivated, offering a bridge between scientific psychology and the wisdom traditions that have long recognized the transformative power of complete absorption and presence.
Note: This article was written using AI and contains little or no edits, revisions, or verification by me the “author”.
Sources
Unfortunately the in line numbers to these sources got screwed up so I have just left them as a simple but complete list.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. New York: Harper & Row.
- The foundational text on flow theory, exploring the psychological conditions that create optimal experiences and their relationship to happiness and meaning.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1996). Creativity: Flow and the Psychology of Discovery and Invention. New York: HarperCollins.
- Examines how flow states facilitate creative breakthroughs and innovation across various domains.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1997). Finding Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life. New York: Basic Books.
- A more accessible introduction to flow theory with practical applications for daily life.
Csikszentmihalyi, M., & Csikszentmihalyi, I. S. (Eds.). (1988). Optimal Experience: Psychological Studies of Flow in Consciousness. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
- Collection of research studies examining flow across cultures and activities.
James, W. (1902). The Varieties of Religious Experience: A Study in Human Nature. New York: Longmans, Green, and Co.
- Classic work examining the psychology of religious and mystical experiences, providing context for understanding transcendent states.
Nakamura, J., & Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2002). “The Concept of Flow.” In C. R. Snyder & S. J. Lopez (Eds.), Handbook of Positive Psychology (pp. 89-105). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
- Comprehensive academic overview of flow theory and its empirical foundations.
Dietrich, A. (2004). “Neurocognitive Mechanisms Underlying the Experience of Flow.” Consciousness and Cognition, 13(4), 746-761.
- Explores the neurological basis of flow states, bridging psychology and neuroscience.
Kotler, S. (2014). The Rise of Superman: Decoding the Science of Ultimate Human Performance. New York: New Harvest.
- Popular science exploration of flow in extreme sports and peak performance contexts.
Newberg, A., & Waldman, M. R. (2009). How God Changes Your Brain: Breakthrough Findings from a Leading Neuroscientist. New York: Ballantine Books.
- Neuroscientific research on spiritual experiences and meditation practices.
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