Timelessness – the perception of slowing down pays off

Written by Stuart Haden on February 20, 2019

In my last posting I explored the first characteristic of flow (selflessness), next up is timelessness. This is perhaps the easiest characteristic to notice in the moment because time goes a bit weird. It dilates. Either having the perception of slowing down or speeding up. Is that the time already? Because we are so time poor this perception is very much welcomed. Even in small doses we feel like we have more available time. More patience, more satisfied.

Past and future erode as you find yourself in the deep now. Energy levels and data processing increase. Position and destination synch up. Kotler and Wheal note, “When non-ordinary states trigger timelessness, they deliver us to the perpetual present – where we have undistracted access to the most reliable data. We find ourselves at full strength.”

Time to make connections, in our head and with others. A subconscious that arguably gives us a 2-second advance – speed of thought, one step ahead. And as Louis Armstrong reminds us, “We have all, the time in the world. Time enough for life. To unfold. All the precious things. Love has in store.”

“If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Giants.” Chartres. This posting was inspired by Stealing Fire, Chapter 2: why it matters