CBD And The Flow State, Meet ONDA
What is the Flow State
The other day I drank a 16 ounce coffee. This was 12 ounces too many so naturally the panic attack, shortness of breath, and blurry vision came as no surprise. I offer this as a point of contrast. That feeling being the 3 o’clock pendulum swing to flow state’s 6 o’clock.
Flow, often referred to as “being in the zone,” is a state of immersion. It is a place of energy, focus, complete involvement. Space and time lose importance and sway. It’s surfing, running, breathing. It is the pieces of your mind aligning with your body, your fingers, your heartbeat and dropping you down into productivity, movement, and joy in the process. It is Buddhism…without being Buddhist.
Not sure if you’ve experienced flow? Most often we think of major athletes and musicians as the leaders in capturing this state. It’s important to note, however, that flow is accessible to anyone. A person can find this state through activities like Sudoku, chess, and drawing.
How Can CBD Factor into Flow
One of the most common effects of CBD is its ability to connect mind to body. Where THC enters the body and connects to our CB1 and CB2 receptors throughout our endocannabinoid system, CBD tends to direct our body to use more of its own cannabinoids. These receptors deal with everything from mood, emotion, thinking and memory, to movement, coordination and pain. This means while a 25 mg capsule of ONDA CBD will not produce a psychoactive induced high feeling, it can aid you in managing these various processes.
Practice Getting into the Flow with ONDA
1. Establish a clear goal
First things first, know what you are trying to accomplish. Whether you want to run a mile or ten miles, finish that painting, start that painting, kick your dad’s ass at chess, ski a black diamond, or mow 3 acres of lawn, make sure you have a sense of your purpose.
2. pick your onda
Choose your favorite dose and method from the ONDA lineup. The 10 mg coconut oil capsules can be a great way to start small and work your way up to your dream dose in a controlled manner. We also offer our oil in tincture form if you want to get super specific.
3. find the reward in your activity
One of the beautiful things about being human is our ability to justify almost anything. While this can sound like a negative attribute, and when abused it can be (think spiderman – with great power comes great responsibility), the general ability to communicate ourselves into an action or alternate state of mind is an important part of growing, adapting, and regulating our experiences on planet earth. Furthermore, with practice and attention this can be a key factor in neuroplasticity, or the ability of the brain to rewire itself. Concentrate on what you believe is inherently positive about your upcoming activity. Will there be sunshine? Are you exercising? Finally tackling that project that’s been weighing on you since 1997? Continue to remind yourself that your action is the reward.
4. make time
If you set yourself up right and find your flow, make sure you have enough time to stay there. We have all had the experience of getting jerked out of a project just as it began to feel like you were on a roll. Obviously life is full of surprises but a major element of the flow state is a sense of timelessness. Losing track of time and space because you are are so deeply immersed in an activity can be incredibly enjoyable – if you don’t miss your dentist appointment.
5. start with control
Having a sense of control over the situation can be helpful while we attempt to lose feelings of self-consciousness and ego. Flow state is all about immersion. Having a controlled environment and an understanding of how your own skills align with the task at hand are important elements if you are new to entering flow. Basic control also means you have the ability to judge your progress. Hence providing you with instant feedback on success. This doesn’t mean you can only enter this state while performing an action you have done 1,000 times before. Rather, the less you have to pull out of a project to research, collect supplies, or start over, the more likely flow will find you. Hint: you don’t want to arrive at the top of the chairlift for the first time and learn that gloves are an important part of skiing.
6. repetion
Finally, one thing all experts in flow continue to point out, is the importance of practice. This is a mental yoga, closer to meditation than weight lifting. Flow may be a mental state, but that three pound organ in our head acts more like a muscle than we give it credit for. Repetition helps in continuing to form the habits and methods that will eventually become muscle memory and the key to accessing flow at will.
Let the record state this is in no way medical advise and users are encouraged to find the dose and circumstances that work for them. For reference, we are talking about a plant based product in doses generally between 5 and 100 mg. Compared to one adult aspirin containing 325 mg, you can feel confident in managing your individual experience.
Still curious about flow? Watch Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, author of Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience on his TED Talk. May the flow be with you.
