Author: Bob McMillan

This may seem a bit philosophical, but read it to the end, anyway. We hear a lot about “Flow” today. It’s a buzz word that is making the rounds once again.

The resurgence began with Mihaly Csikszentmihali’s (say that 5 times fast) book about Flow from back in the 70’s. For the purpose of this article, I’ll just refer to him as Mihaly. His work is the basis for most modern thinking about flow, but there are a number of more recent books that get into flow even more deeply and philosophically.

Basically, “flow” refers to a mental state where someone is completely absorbed in what they are doing without regard for time or outside influences. Mihaly termed it “Flow” when his interviewees in the mid 1970s would often describe the experience as being like water flowing and carrying them along with the current.

Independently of Mihaly’s book, the late author and Unity Minister Eric Butterworth, wrote a book first published in 1975 called, In the Flow of Life where he describes flow as “Living life from inside – out”, and that life in “flow” echoes the theme expressed by the ancient philosopher Plotinus who suggested that “if you flow as life flows, you need no other power. Anything is evil that blocks the flow of creative action, and everything is healthy that flows with the Universe.” Butterworth uses the term “Superconscious Awareness”, which seems to reflect some of the more modern interpretations of the meaning of “flow”, including a “flow mindset” as an “altered state” similar to that induced by hallucinogens.

What has all this to do with Health, Fitness and Personal Energy for Active Seniors? Butterworth writes that “Life does not grow old. Life does not deteriorate. Life does not die. Life is an eternal, dynamic, flowing process”. He continues: “Age is basically psychological rather than physiological and that we are as young as we think we are.”

All of this philosophy leads to this final quote from Eric Butterworth:

“Contrary to the common human belief, we do not begin to slow down because we are becoming old. We are becoming old because we are slowing down. The cells of our bodies are like water in a river. Motion helps them to stay in the flow and thus to purify themselves. There are literally thousands of moping people who could renew their strength and youthfulness to say nothing of finding freedom from aches and pains, if they would simply stir themselves in mind and body, get into the flow in consciousness and ‘into the swim’ of activities. The wisdom of the world has conditioned us to ‘act our age’. Now we must begin to act our youth—to act our experience in the flow of life.”  — In the Flow of Life, Eric Butterworth, p. 139.

That says it pretty well.

Thank you for reading.

Why did I wait until today instead of Tuesday to publish this post? Two reasons. One I am at the Outer Banks of North Carolina with my wife and grandson and we are having a great time. But the main reason is that I turn 81 today (yes, I was born on April Fools Day), and I thought it might be more interesting to talk about fitness and aging on a significant birthday.

So even though I am writing from my own perspective about the things I will be doing to keep my mind and body alive and well, please read it in terms of yourself and the ideas you can apply to yourself as you move up through the years.

I have pondered (what a ponderous word) what I can DO as I begin to move through my eighties; what things I can do that will help keep me going. I read the obituaries of stars and stage types who die publicly and their ages seem to be in the same range of mine, most just a little older. Most of these folks remain active and often are still performing when they pass.

And yes, I am losing a bit of spring in my step and stand a tiny bit less straight than in my younger days, but that really does come with age, even though we do what we can to avoid it.

Please don’t take that to mean I am thinking about my own demise.  I am thinking more in terms of how I can stay physically and mentally active until my own time comes; how can I make constant improvement instead of deteriorating; how I can be more active rather than less. I think that kind of mental attitude helps, rather than thinking about how I can live the rest of my years as a couch potato. How can I write more, not less. How can I continue to have the stamina to give all day workshops and one hour talks.

Stamina is a key word along with energy. Stamina means my ability to last; to keep going. Stamina is a function of primarily physical energy, the capacity for work.

And that stamina and energy results from physical movement, nutritious food, and keeping my lungs healthy and strong through exercise and deep breathing. I have been doing some of that all week, including a lot of brisk walking on the beach and using my stretch bands that go in every suitcase on every trip no matter where I go. My legs and stretch bands are portable and can go with me anywhere I go and will probably go with me to the nursing home.

Last week, I linked to an article about moving naturally and how I continue to make natural movement a major part of my exercise routine. That is probably the best thing you can do for staying strong and mobile as you get older. That includes walking a lot, crawling on the ground, practicing getting up and down so it will be easier for you when you really get old, and other similar moves.

Most of you aren’t near your eighties yet — but you will be. The expression, “Use it or lose it” never had a more valid meaning than when you get older. So if you are doing all those things now, keep at it and don’t let age slow you down. If you are not exercising, for gosh sake: START NOW! Your life in your eighties depend on it.

Thank you for your indulgence in waiting until my Thursday birthday for me to publish this. It makes me feel younger.

Thank you for reading.