Going with the Flow

My Experiment: Part 9

You can read Part 8 here: Fitting Right In

Before I delve into the magic that transpired at Envision, I’d like to set the context. A recurring theme in my posts is a tendency to get caught up in the schemes created by my mind. I often find myself evaluating the current situation in terms of how it relates to the plan, instead of simply living in the moment and reacting to circumstances as they unfold. I get so caught up in my head, strategizing how to maximize enjoyment, that I stop enjoying the moment as it is.

The Envision festival was an illuminating lesson from the universe in going with the flow, living in the present without a plan. I had lots of amazing, memorable experiences (which I will describe in due time), but I’m most grateful for the guidance in living life in a state of flow, rather than according to a plan.

I started hearing people talk about Envision a few weeks before it started. It sounded cool, but I didn’t really think about it too much. I hadn’t attended a music festival in over fifteen years, it wasn’t something I really considered doing. I’m getting crotchety in my old age, loud music and huge crowds usually aren’t something I enjoy, but the idea did peak my curiosity. Then a week before the event, my friend Andy said he might have an extra ticket for cheap. I started debating the merits of going, weighing the pros and cons, and I was thinking so much that the right choice was hard to see. So I made a deal with the universe, if this ticket works out, I’ll go to the festival.

Three days before the festival, Andy told me the ticket is available, but there’s a catch, it’s supposed to be a ticket for a resident of Central America, which is why it’s cheaper. He said he thought it would be ok, his friend once used one of these tickets for a person from Switzerland without a problem. I am currently living in Costa Rica, although I’m not technically a resident, so I felt somewhat justified in using the ticket. Again, lots of thoughts were swirling in my head, and I almost bailed on the whole thing, but I had made a deal with the universe, and I decided to just trust that it will all work out.

Another hitch: it’s an outdoor festival where most people camp, and I don’t have a tent here in Costa Rica. I spent the next three days trying to find a tent to borrow, with no luck. I even schlepped over to the neighboring town to look into buying one, but they were out. Once more, I decided to trust that it will all work out, that the universe will provide. Worst-case scenario: I wind up sleeping outside on my yoga mat. The climate is mild here, that wouldn’t be too bad…

I’d like to point out that this is very unusual behavior for me. I’m a highly introverted person, I need my own space to retreat to for peace and solitude. Additionally, I’m a very light sleeper, I usually need a quiet, comfortable spot if I want to be able to sleep. The idea of going to this festival and just winging it was totally out of character for me, but deep down inside it felt like the right thing to do, so I placed my faith in that feeling.

My trust was justified. The next four days were an effortless flow. I had no idea what to expect, so I could make no plans. I didn’t need to make plans. In an environment like that, it’s easy to live in the moment, to simply deal with needs and desires as they arise. Finding food, sleeping, hearing music, talking to people, using the bathroom, I just listened to my body and followed my instincts from one moment to the next. All routines were obliterated, meal times and sleeping times were completely unscheduled.  If I was hungry, I would wander into the Village and find food that fit my cravings. If I was tired, I would seek out a comfy place to lay down and rest. Sometimes a beat would grab my attention through the mayhem, and I would follow it to the dance floor. Other times, for no particular reason at all, I’d just feel like wandering around, seeing what other adventures were out there.

It was incredibly liberating, having no agenda, no plans, just following my whims, doing whatever I felt like doing in the moment. Going with the flow led to moments of incredible bliss and breath-taking beauty (which I will describe in more detail later). It also led to moments of mundane normalcy, but I was still in the flow.

This sense of going with the flow has stuck with me since the festival. Luckily I don’t have a full time job to enforce a structure on me. But even with the part time job I have, I was creating structure where it wasn’t required. I was restricting the flow according to schemes created by my mind, and it was trapping me in my head, causing me to get all wound up trying to follow the plan instead of listening to my instincts. Hopefully I can keep this flow state going for a while, it’s a much more relaxing and enjoyable way to live life, living in harmony with my needs and my environment.

Next up, the magic!

For more about Envision, read here: Sunset in the Vortex

For Part 10 in My Experiment, click here: Walking the Tightrope