A Guided Meditation to Rest in the Flow of Effortlessness

We often go about our day in a state of urgency and striving, rushing from one item on our to-do list to the next. This guided practice is designed to help you reset so you can go about your...

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Mar 24, 2023 - 21:02
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A Guided Meditation to Rest in the Flow of Effortlessness

We often go about our day in a state of urgency and striving, rushing from one item on our to-do list to the next. This guided practice is designed to help you reset so you can go about your day with more focus and ease.

By Nate Klemp March 23, 2023 Calm Adobe Stock/ Maygutyak

The opposite of feeling checked out or distracted—the unfortunate reality for many—is the experience of flow state, bringing your skills and focus together to meet whatever challenge you face. Here’s how you can train your mind to cultivate the ease and joy of being “in the zone.”

A Guided Meditation to Rest in the Flow of Effortlessness

A Guided Meditation to Rest in the Flow of Effortlessness with Nate Klemp

12:00
Begin by finding a position that feels effortless. There’s no need to sit with a straight spine like in other forms of practice. If it feels good, allow yourself to lean back in your chair or even lie down. Let your posture be effortless. Letting go, letting everything relax, begin to notice your breath. Watch as the abdomen rises and falls ever less. Let go of any control over your breath. Rest in the natural feeling of your body, and the natural feeling of your breath.  Stay relaxed, simply being in a state of no effort. Nothing to do. Nowhere to go. Now, think about an upcoming challenge at work or in your personal life. This could be a project. Maybe you need to complete a deal, or you need to have a difficult conversation. Imagine yourself approaching this challenge without the usual strain and effort. Imagine yourself acting effortlessly. Notice the feeling of ease. You might notice that your actions happen naturally without hesitation, tension, or stress. Flow is effortlessness in action. Now, imagine yourself going through the next few things you have to do after this practice. But imagine yourself doing so in this state of effortlessness. Time falls away. Action happens through you. You’re not straining. Allow your body to sink deeper into a position that feels effortless. Feel the weight of the body heavy against the chair or the ground. Let go. Be effortless. Let’s finish by taking a brief moment to rewire and savor the experience of effortlessness. Remember what it’s like to act from ease.  When you’re ready, open your eyes and slowly come back into the room. As you go throughout your day, see if you can notice, shift, rewire your attention back to this place of effortless flow.

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About the author

Nate Klemp

Nate Klemp, PhD, is coauthor of The 80/80 Marriage: A New Model for Happier, Stronger Relationship. He is a former philosophy professor and a founding partner at Mindful. He is also coauthor of Start Here, a New York Times bestselling guide to mindfulness in the real world. Nate received his BA and MA from Stanford University, and his PhD from Princeton University. Find him on Instagram.