What does that even mean?

Well, to find is to discover or recognize something, and a flow is a continuous stream or current. So, literally speaking to “Find Your Flow” is to discover or recognize your inner current.

Why is this so hard?

Before we can, at a cognitive level, begin to understand ourselves, our ATMAN, our true self, we are conditioned by the world. Even with the best intentions of the most loving parents, family, teachers, and friends, we are taught that love, rewards, and therefore safety are provided if we act a certain way, and love is held back, punishments given, and a lack of safety felt if we act in other ways. This conditioning keeps us from unconditionally believing that we are enough just the way we are. We create the story that if I follow this flow “perfectly,” I will be loved, rewarded, and accepted.

As we grow…

We begin to ask the question, “Am I following my flow or the flow I was told I was supposed to follow?”

The journey of yoga is no different than the journey of life. We learn a flow. We are told by a teacher to do a thing, and we imitate the best we can, for then we get that little inner reward that comes with “I did it right,” I look like the people who know what they are doing, I BELONG!!

Oh, man, that feels good, but what happens when you are different and your body doesn’t move like the teacher’s body? Your body does not look like everyone else’s, and trying to move it like everyone else does not feel good.

Do you continue to play the imitation game? Simon says do this and you just do it.

Or do you try to find your flow?

Well, I never looked like the other yogis, and my body certainly did not move like theirs did. The most empowering thing for my practice was a teacher giving permission to set an intention that honored me and my body. On the mat, finding my flow means exploring all the edges but supporting myself, always remembering my intention as to why I practice. That intention has been the same for every practice for over five years…

I practice for me. This is my reminder to myself that it does not matter what anyone thinks of me and my practice. I am here for me, and I am finding my flow while respecting the space (i.e., not doing a scorpion handstand when the teacher cues Warrior 2 … Shout out to Paul!).

To be empowered to “Find Your Flow” on the mat can help you find your flow off the mat. Set an intention in life that is true to you, at least for that moment, that day, week, or month, and JUST DO YOU!

Make sure to check out Chris’ New Series Find Your Flow streaming exclusively on InnerDimensionTV.com starting this Wednesday (October 25, 2023)!

By Chris