Head to www.flowandarrow.ca to get access to some amazing new content and community events coming in 2019!
Here is our first blog post on that website:
Welcome to Flow & Arrow, your one-stop shop for physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. We know that the concepts and conversations around “mental health,” “vulnerability,” “mindfulness,” “balance,” and “personal development” have all been over-played, pushed and preached all over the place, and generally have become “buzz-words” in the commercialized self-help and happiness industry. That being said, the personal development industry is so successful because it speaks to a basic need so many of us have become intrigued and entrapped by. We are here to bring depth, connection and rebuild relationships with these vital practices in the journey towards health and wellness.
The feeling of “lack” and the struggle to find “balance” and “meaning” in our day to day lives, is an epidemic that is sending us in search of support and self-discovery. And it can be a daunting task as it takes an investment of time and money, while the results are uncertain and there are many different paths we can choose. We have been through this in our own unique ways, and have come out the other side with a passion to guide others in their journey towards wholeness. Flow & Arrow is our passion project to simplify the process for YOU while maintaining the growth trajectory we are each committed to in our own lives.
To understand the philosophy and process of Flow & Arrow, first, you need to know what you are working with. So, what do you need to know about your machine?
We evolved with a complex and wise mind and body. However, in the beginning of life, this complex system was set up to alert us to physical danger so that our reactive mindbody system could protect itself, adapt, learn, and store the lessons to influence reactions in the future. We still have this wise and magical system, but because the physical threats aren’t as frequent, it is now the psychological threats that take centre stage.
The result, for many of us, is an over-active, over-reactive, over-analytical, monkey-mind that can “know” how and why change is necessary, yet stay stuck as it is still controlled by the animalistic, powerful and impulsive system all animals share. For example, we can “know” we want to be calm, we can “know” we want to be compassionate and patient, and we can “know” what we need or should be doing for our health and wellness, yet we still don’t do it. There is a missing link between knowing and actually doing. We have developed habits that keep us on the surface level rather than exploring and knowing the depths of who we are. Some of us were taught that “feelings aren’t facts” or that “emotions are to be shunted or avoided” in order to be appropriate and easy to be around. We have lost touch with the many wise systems of our body, and too much emphasis has been placed on the thinking mind. We have become over-thinking heads detached from the wisdom of our bodies. The afflictions of a busy mind is the precursor to feelings of lack, anxiety, depression, crippling fear, self-doubt, self-loathing, lethargy, and any other diseases of the mind and body.
“We now experience the daily need to defend our self concepts rather than our bodies...Our major struggles end up being with our own inner fears, insecurities, and destructive behavior patterns, and not with outside forces...Because we have developed this hypersensitive pyshce, we constantly use our energies to close around it and protect ourselves. But this process only hides the problem” Micheal Singer.
There are three pieces to explore now….What is Flow, What is Arrow, and what is Flow & Arrow?
Flow
This is the softer side to life. Flow represents our ability to adapt, shift, and be in co-creation with our environment from a mindset of receptivity, allowing, and openness. It is stepping into the moment with your whole being; receptive, alterable, in communication with the forces inside and outside the body and mind. It is the sense of acceptance, compassion, and respect for the fragility of our in-flux existence. Flow is the result of a deep trust in yourself while maintaining a reverence for how much you do not control. It is the state where your body heals itself, your breath moves rhythmically and powerfully with ease, and your intuition and will-power can be heard and felt, as it guides you to empowered action. We practice FLOW by understanding the true depth and definition of the concept rather than the theory or the empty word. Also, with guided meditations, yoga nidra, yoga, mindfulness techniques, and an ongoing conversation in self-love, acceptance, patience, trust, and your personal form of spirituality.
Arrow
This is the fire, the determination, the grit, and the motivation for impact. Arrow represents the importance of action, hard work, and a strong sense of direction. Through unpacking and repacking our definition of discipline, we will discover the sense of freedom that arrives when we learn to stay with what is uncomfortable. Arrow will take us into goal setting, the pursuit of our deepest desires, and the dedication to our heart’s purpose and passion, as we create a roadmap to follow. We will practice the art of ARROW with physical fitness, goals, implementing daily routine, and conversations on nutrition and nourishment.
Flow & Arrow
What is Flow and Arrow? It is the pathway to overcoming the afflictions of a “busy mind” by rebuilding the relationship between your head and your heart. Together, flow and arrow represents the true dance of balance. The yin and the yang. The effort and the surrender. The expansion and the contraction. With flow and arrow, we discover the secret to sustainable growth as we find our edges and take calculated steps outside our comfort zone while knowing we have a place to recover, refuel, and learn before we expand again. This partnership of opposites is what allows us to be in pursuit of our deepest dreams and desires along with the patience and acceptance of who and where we currently are. It is the pathway to your unique balance, as we honor the vitality of fire and fuel yet also embrace the calming nature of earth and physical presence. With flow and arrow, we learn to live fully in the present moment, aware of your internal impulses yet so grounded that you can choose mindful and deliberate thoughts and actions that serve the direction you desire.
With flow and arrow you will learn how to put yourself first in a “self-full” way, as you fill the most important cup, YOURS. You will experience that heartfelt change is possible for everyone. You can retrain, reparent, reintegrate the relationship with yourself, surrounded by a supportive community of like minded people. No longer stuck in the pattern of “all or nothing,” flow and arrow teaches you how to ride the wave of emotion and sensation, to stay embodied and support yourself with high quality thoughts and actions, so that you can see the translation from “ready to do the work” to a tangible and clear path of action.
Your demanding job and full life is not in the way of your balance - your thinking mind is! Once you learn how to do the inner work, you will watch the world around you change. Welcome to Flow & Arrow.