Many a times, I have experienced what is referred to as “the flow state”, that feeling where you feel completely relaxed, in sync with the universe around yourself, and where whatever you are working on in the moment feels completely frictionless. Often I have felt it at work, and many a times when writing these poems to you, dear reader. But often it has been elusive and not something I can summon on command. It almost feels like a hidden state of consciousness that can only be tapped into by chance, not by effort.

A couple of months ago I went to a jazz gig here in Berlin (B Flat is a great venue, by the way), and had a chance to speak to a musician from the band afterwards. As we were discussing his music, he shared a great perspective - he found flow when the right people came together and made music with passion on the stage, understanding each other’s rhythm and discovering that groove together. To him it was all about the people with him and their passion for music, and when it hit the sweet spot, he felt the feeling of the flow state. That made me start thinking that maybe flow wasn’t something that just showed up by chance, that there could be ways of manufacturing it too, just like he had done by putting people together.

Then on new year’s eve, I found out in a conversation with my friend Gokul that he had been a surfer boy at one point in his life, and that got me thinking about how people who surf are also manufacturing the flow state for themselves through constant practice and by chasing that perfect wave.

All these thoughts culminated in me reflecting even further about the flow state, and how I could manufacture it for myself. That is something that I want to spend time discovering within myself this year, hopefully unlocking many moments of deeper joy as a result. Today’s poem is an attempt at describing that feeling, so that I can recognize it better going forward.

Alright, poem starts in 3… 2… 1!

Do you know that feeling when lock meets the key?
When something just clicks, and then something goes free?
That time when your fingers find strings on their own?
The room fills with music you've already known?

So quiet, that clicking, it does not announce,
slips in with a swooping and unhurried pounce.
You're there and you're doing and then... you're just in!
Like swimming through honey that's strangely gone thin.

Keep showing up daily, keep tuning the ear,
keep learning from others who've practiced to hear.
You can't chase it running, it laughs when you do,
but ready yourself and it might come to you.

Just keep your tools sharp and keep your company kind,
Just soften your grip and just quiet your mind,
Just trust in the trying without keeping score,
and sometimes the click will unlock something more.

That’s it! Thanks for reading edition 249 of Hello Universe. Next week we reach the big two five zero, can you believe it?!

I’m really curious to know how you experience and achieve the flow state for yourself, dear reader. Please share your thoughts in the comments below.

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Here’s my flow-state track on the way out. I studied for a standardized test back in 2023, and this track was my way of unlocking the flow state during those studies:

That’s it for this week, see you next Tuesday!