The concept of Resistance and Flow have been powerful forces in my life for the past few years.
When making choosing a path forward I can quickly recognise whether it is the way forward or not based on how much life blocks my way forward (Resistance) or whether things come together with a sense of ease (Flow).
Why just this week I experienced Resistance after making an impulsive decision to move overseas.
And I should note that generally decisions that come from the mind result in Resistance and following the heart results in Flow.
While trying to organize everything to go overseas I experienced resistance at every point; finding my passport, getting a visa, purchasing a particular laptop, getting flights at reasonable prices.
When life is presenting me with Resistance, I listen for it feels like a caution sign warning us that it is the path we should be taking.
Sure enough after taking this on, I reflected on why I wanted to go overseas and found that I was actually trying to run from my own feelings, but that can be a story for another day.
Flow on the other hand is when things come together in a way that feels like synchronicity and like it is meant to be.
When things are Flowing you know it.
But let’s take a look at some of the characteristics of Flow anyway:
• Things seem to effortlessly fall into place
• Opportunities and synchronicities seem to appear at the right time
• You feel a sense of ease and grace
• Time seems to pass quickly, and you are fully engaged in the present moment
• You experience a sense of joy, freedom, and expansion
• You feel energized and motivated to take action
• You are open to new experiences and perspectives
• You feel a sense of gratitude and appreciation for your life and the universe
In my perspective Flow is the result of two primary factors:
1) You are in a state of alignment with your values and purpose
2) Your Momentum is balanced (future post to come)
We are aligned with our values and our path, and everything seems to unfold in a way that feels natural and right.
We feel as though we are being carried along by a current that is guiding us towards our highest potential.
Resistance, on the other hand, is the energy of struggle, effort, and resistance.
When we encounter resistance, we feel blocked, stuck, and frustrated.
We might feel as though we are pushing against a wall, or that we are swimming upstream against a strong current.
This energy is characterized by a sense of constriction, limitation, and contraction.
We feel as though we are fighting against the current, and our efforts are not yielding the results we desire.
Again when you experience Resistance you can’t mistake it, but let’s take a look at the signs…
Signs of Resistance:
• The energy of struggle, effort, and resistance.
• We feel blocked, stuck, and frustrated.
• We might feel as though we are pushing against a wall or swimming upstream against a strong current.
• A sense of constriction, limitation, and contraction.
• We feel as though we are fighting against the current.
• Can be a sign that we are on a path that is not aligned with our heart and our values.
• An opportunity to reflect on whether we are truly following our authentic path.
Resistance in my perspective is the result of straying from our true path that our Heart desires us to take.
The further we stray the more Resistance increases.
I think its key to recognize that both are important aspects of our experience. Resistance can often be a sign to realign with the path towards our values and highest potential.
Flow can be a beautiful feeling that indicates we are in alignment with our heart and our values.
Ultimately for those of us on what I call “The Path Of The Heart” towards our most Authentic Self, you will experience Flow and Resistance intensely but they will be great guides for you.
I feel like I could write a book on this topic!
Reach out and let me know your experience with Resistance and Flow.
One last note, it wouldn’t be a discussion of Resistance without mentioning Steven Pressfield author of “The War of Art”.
The War of Art is a book about Resistance and how it applies to creative pursuits but still an interesting perspective on the topic of resistance that I think has wider utility than just creativity.
