First, Flow.
Ever had the opportunity to observe a sportsperson, a dancer, or a yoga practitioner up close and uninterrupted? Ever notice how they seem to be in a heightened state of being – fully present, yet fully immersed in the movement of their bodies?
The phenomenon is called Flow and it was first defined by distinguished professor of psychology, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his ground-breaking book, Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience as:
“The positive mental state that arises when an action or task is performed with intense focus and total absorption. Flow happens when one is completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies. Every action, movement, and thought follows inevitably from the previous one. Your whole being is involved, and you’re using your skills to the utmost.”
The psychological concept of Flow – as a highly focused state conducive to productivity – is one that interests organisational development specialists and talent managers, alike. The reason is simple:
The impact of technology is affecting, not only the way people do their jobs, but changing the types of jobs people do – requiring new ways of thinking, doing and being at work.
At a time when creativity and creative skills are seeing a surge in demand in the workplace, a deeper understanding of Flow and, most especially, of the conditions that enable Flow’s emergence and continuance is not just beneficial to business, it may well be business’s new competitive advantage.
But what are the conditions that cause Flow?
Embodied mindfulness
Embodied mindfulness is the practice of using breath, movement and mindfulness to bring focus and somatic awareness to our physical body and our metaphysical inner experience.
The Master Leader Program – positioned as an alternative MBA for a new, more conscious, more ethical, more self-aware leader – has in its curriculum a series of wisdom practices, including Embodied Mindfulness.
The Embodied Mindfulness teachings are delivered by inspirational practitioner and MLP wisdom teacher, Athena Mazarakis. Athena is the founder of Embodiment Now, and is an award-winning choreographer and performer, researcher, lecturer and movement arts educator.
Master Leader Program wisdom teacher, Athena Mazarakis, explains:
“Through the immediacy of the sensing body and our own capacity to feel and heal, we re-introduce balance and calm into our lives.”
Find out more about the Embodied Mindfulness practice and other wisdom practices in the inaugural Master Leader Program.
This unique, nine-month, open-education, online immersion experience has been consciously designed with a kind intention at its core:
To empower people to use their time, talents and energy to become powerful enablers of positive and ethical change in their workplaces, and worlds.
