Types and the flow

[Salomé]

^I could totally imagine an INTP could do this in their own way. You said software..now I have some image of a programmer just hashing away at code or something. So yeah, maybe it's not just a Se thing. [edit] not to stereotype intp as programmers or anything...

Um no.

I think it could well be an Se thing. I physically cannot get there. It's very frustrating. I've glimpsed it, but as soon as I become aware I become self-conscious. I can't seem to switch off that continuous internal dialogue/self-monitoring for a second to really focus and be in the moment. My consciousness is always split into at least 2, sometimes more. The doer and the observer and the observer of the observer, and the idle day-dreamer who catches all the cycles in between. This inability to attend is what makes Ns so clumsy and useless at stuff, I think. Once I've achieved a level of skill to make something feel effortless, I am immediately bored by it and therefore disengage. I take no pleasure in practice.

 

[KDude]

Well, I have trouble with it too, and I'm self-conscious as well (or conscious of something else at least, like I mentioned with playing music). I think I'm pretty close to INFP (if not exactly that), but I started wondering if my trouble with "flow" was really just personal hangups, and that maybe N's could do it more often. Some here sound like they do.

 

[Stanton Moore]

Something tells me that a peron's ability to experience flow has nothing to do with type. Just a hunch.

 

[Salomé]

maybe N's could do it more often. Some here sound like they do.

Just because an N can do it, doesn't mean they aren't using Se.

There is an assumption that because a function is dominant, you must be good at it (and conversely, if not, you suck at it) that's not necessarily the case. It's a relative hierarchy. Not an absolute value.

I don't know where this belief comes from. Talents have a habit of being clustered in individuals, after all.

 

[KDude]

I've said that myself a couple of times.. I'm just going for a general....... eh, nevermind. Not worth talking about if it's going to get this complicated. You're right.

 

[Salomé]

^Hahaha! You're not INXP, hon.

We're ONLY interested in it when it gets complicated.

 

[KDude]

Yeah, that may be true.

But also, I don't want to play one of the roles of someone with that belief or assumption. I know what you're saying.. I just didn't think it'd have to get to this.

 

[Hopelandic]

I like being in a state of flow; because it seems like an intense state of harmony for me. I'm introverted, so it's like I finally exist somewhere between the outside and inside... i'm not trapped in my head... I flow between the inside and outside. There's no loss of energy... I run off energy; energy surrounds me, and flows within me.

I like that you don't know you were in that state until afterwards... I find that while I can be really scattered, I can enter states of supreme concentration, and when coming back to full consciousness (or normal lost in inner world mode) afterwards, I like looking back on what "just happened". I like how it makes me feel; I like what I get done; yes I create situations that most "encourage" the flow experience.

I'm going to take a guess, and suggest perhaps it's attractive me, because it is so different to what I normally experience? perhaps it may be an attractive concept and experience to Introverts?? (people ordinarily caught up in their internal worlds).

 

[alcea rosea]

A lot of discussion in this thread, which is good.

It seem's that I'm only one who thinks people with strong Ne are prone to flow. <- That thought came into my mind after talking ENTP about his hobby (Se-related in a way) and his desperate need to have that flow feeling.

Maybe it's the need to have a flow is stronger with people with strong Ne, because Ne needs constant change and the flow produces something new and exciting?

I think Se might well be involved, and a very important part of the flow, if the flow has to do with a physical movement. Like for myself, I get to flow feeling many ways, but one important way to get the feeling is dancing. But I think the flow can be accoplished other ways too than when doing a physical movement.

I think strong Se does help people with strong Ne, because Se is a good way to feed Ne, at least for extroverted people who need the stimulation outside of their own mind.

Maybe Se is related to the flow feeling more likely with extroverted people because introverted people can use some introverted function easier to get to the flow? Just a thought.

 

[Chloe]

OP: yes, that's when I feel the happiest.
It can be in nature, in sea... when I feel very attuned to my surrounding and everything makes sense. I see everything as whole.
Sometimes it's while drinking and dancing, having fun... the same: everything makes sense around me, and surrounding and me are One.

I think EPs do it more often, or Ps, but everybody does it.

Well, everybody except my ISTJ mom and sister, they are always too busy for that They plan on doing it every 2nd Friday of the month, between 17-18, if there is no other more important job to do

 

[Coriolis]

I think it could well be an Se thing. I physically cannot get there. It's very frustrating. I've glimpsed it, but as soon as I become aware I become self-conscious. I can't seem to switch off that continuous internal dialogue/self-monitoring for a second to really focus and be in the moment. My consciousness is always split into at least 2, sometimes more. The doer and the observer and the observer of the observer, and the idle day-dreamer who catches all the cycles in between. This inability to attend is what makes Ns so clumsy and useless at stuff, I think. Once I've achieved a level of skill to make something feel effortless, I am immediately bored by it and therefore disengage.

For me, flow is more of a mental experience with physical manifestations in the manner of any strong feeling. Your remark about split consciousness got me to thinking. I think part of what makes flow for me is the coming together of all parts of my consciousness in the experience. My entire being becomes focused on that one thing. The experience is not effortless, sometimes it requires much sustained effort, but in real flow, the resources, knowledge, and ability are all there, I have "luck" and the effort produces great results. I can almost feel the various energies involved flowing through me, and I have to remain focused and engaged in that extended present moment to keep it all together until the goal is reached, or the activity is finished.

I like being in a state of flow; because it seems like an intense state of harmony for me. I'm introverted, so it's like I finally exist somewhere between the outside and inside... i'm not trapped in my head... I flow between the inside and outside. There's no loss of energy... I run off energy; energy surrounds me, and flows within me.

Something like this.

 

[ReflecTcelfeR]

Sounds like Se to me:

'This occurs because all of the attention of the person in the flow state is on the task at hand; there is no more attention to be allocated.'[6]

I don't recall ever being in a flow. If so, I didn't know what it was so I couldn't call it that. If the above is a major requirement I could easily say that I don't think I have ever been in a flow. I would say that Ne could possibly be the opposite of 'the flow' because it does not focus on one thing, but several which divides the amount of attention you can give to each thought.