Positivity and Flow
I'm reading this book at the moment:
I can't believe it has taken me this long to finally read it, but it has been well worth the wait.
I'll write a review on it once I finish it, and I'm sure I'm going to have a few posts inspired by what I am reading.
I do want to link the idea of positive thinking and flow, and make the links in terms of the ancient Taoist concept of wu-wei.
Wu-wei - or my preferable translation, "effortlessness" - requires us to live our lives aligned with our true nature. Our true nature is that deepest core part of our Self that is untouched by social, cultural, and familial conditioning.
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi's ideas on flow are curiously reminiscent to my readings and explorations of Taoist wu-wei, as they do instil a sense of happiness and positivity... even in the face of difficulties, challenges, and circumstances which may on the outset be interpreted as 'negative!!
In this regards, positive and negative are seen merely as the ups-and-downs of normal life (yin-yang). When one understands this, and can flow with these events because one understands that one's true nature will be unperturbed by the tides of fortune... this is a kind of 'positivity' in the sense that is usually referred to.
In many ways, it is being able to chunk up to a higher level and realise this.
This was always the goal in Taoist practice. And it feels like a pretty good one to me.
I hope you enjoyed reading this.
Take care, y'all
😊🙏🏽☯️
This is an entry into P.O.P Contest #23, auspiced by @karenmckersie / @momskitchen. Please check out the current contest page
Thanks for reading - I invite you to upvote, comment, share, and follow@peterloupelis
It sounds like a pretty good one to me too ! Thanks for sharing in my #popcontest @peterloupelis ! as well as the book mention , it sounds like a great read ! upped and resteemed , good luck !✌👍😀💕
Thanks @Karenmckersie
😊🙏🏽☯️
Hey Peter,
I've never heard of this book, although I am interested in Taoism, so I am interested. I'll probably wait to read your review, however, before I purchase the book.
Thanks ! :)
Yeah, I just need to ensure I set aside some time to read each day... I can get caught up in reading posts here and on Medium, and writing my own stuff.... and then cooking, being a parent, working.... It's all part of the plan to live in FLOW....
This book isn't about Taoism though - but there are links between the ideas. Perhaps Csikszentmihalyi mentions it later; I'd be honestly surprised if any researchers ignored what the Taoists and Buddhists and Yogis have been doing for millennia.