Navigating Flow: A Linguistic Metaphor
The Role of Thoughts, Words, and Actions in the Hierarchy of “Being in Flow”
Flow, as a state of effortless moment by moment alignment, often eludes definition. But when examined through the lens of linguistics, it reveals a subtle, yet profound hierarchy.
The Role of Thoughts
As we all intuitively infer, thoughts originate from brain activity 1, a complex nexus of images, perspectives, ideas, insights, measurements, memories, speculations, and mapping. Thoughts are fluid and multidimensional. They are stimulating and possess the extraordinary capacity to travel through time — present, past and future, with ease.
However, thoughts need energy to become words and sentences, let alone actions. They exist as raw potential, without means of their own to manifest in the real world. In order to navigate what we call life, words and sentences have to be expressed through the throat in order to become declarations, affirmations, statements, orders, promises, requests, or demands.
Linguistically, thoughts can be likened to a preverbal state. Without grounding in bodily response, they remain inert — an unformed wave beneath the ocean’s surface, unseen, unheard, and unfelt. Only the body’s responses can transform mere potential in our thought patterns to become energized communication that will impact the direction and quality of our experiences.
Words Are the Grammar of Thoughts
Words and sentences serve as the framework through which thoughts and visualizations take shape. They provide syntax and semantics, transforming ideas into communicable form. Linguistically, words act as the “grammar” of thought, organizing chaos into order.
However, words themselves are inert without energy. They are the surfboard awaiting the wave, a tool designed for movement but powerless without force. The precise hierarchy for the expression of our thoughts and the direction of life could be asserted as follows: (1) Bodily Energy, (2) Thoughts, (3) Words and Actions.
When we fail to wait for the body to respond and engage, thoughts and words are not ready to be externalized in a specific direction, very similar to a baby in the womb gestating months before birth, but certainly not ready to come out. In practical terms, words and sentences need to be aligned with body response. We have many forms of expression such as declarations, affirmations, promises, requests, or demands, announcements, protests, etc. Communication must be initiated in body-language energetics first to be effective, and hit the mark.
Consider a career diplomat negotiating a peace agreement. The words chosen are critical. Yet, if the speaker’s tone, posture, and gestures are not initiated from authentic physical-emotional response, the impact of those words vanishes. It is the alignment of body, thoughts, and verbal language that creates the persuasive force which will shape outcomes.
The Body as the Foundation
At the base of this hierarchy lies the body, the source of energy and the translator of potential into action. Without the body’s readiness to respond, thoughts and words remain ungrounded. The body’s responses — its movements, gestures, tone, and timing — are the true drivers of communication.
The hierarchy of being in flow — body, thoughts, and words — can be best visualized through the metaphor of surfing. The body’s responses are the swelling waves, unpredictable but essential. Thoughts, like the surfboard, are tools awaiting manifestation. Words are the surfer, poised to ride the wave but entirely dependent on timing and alignment. Trusting this process can be life-changing. Whatever we are dealing with in life, waiting for the perfect wave is essential. The body senses and synchronizes with the environment, attuning itself to the moment’s rhythm. As a surfer paddles into position, balancing on the wave’s momentum; so does the body ride the currents of thought, channeling them into meaningful expression.
Linguistics offers a fascinating parallel: phonology, the study of sound systems, illustrates how the body’s articulators (tongue, lips, breath) transform abstract notions into audible speech. Similarly, in the hierarchy of flow, the body’s engagement in unison with thinking and words organizes itself into impactful action.
The Danger of Premature or Delayed Expression
When we bypass the body’s readiness, thoughts, words and actions risk premature expression without support, leading to misalignment and missed opportunities. Metaphorically speaking, it is the fastest way to lose your audience. This is similar to a surfer launching onto a wave too early. We all have experienced premature initiating and it does not feel good at all. We also have experienced the reverse by acting or speaking too late. The timing has to be perfect, or else… Here are some other examples:
The Improvisational Musician
The body is the musician, holding the instrument, ready to play. The thoughts are the melody waiting to unfold, while the words are the notes brought to life. Enter the solo too early, and the harmony is jarred, creating discord and breaking the band’s rhythm. Come in too late, and the audience feels the hesitation, a conspicuous gap in the flow. The shame of disrupting the groove — the gut-twist of being “off” — is a visceral lesson in the cost of mistiming.
The Tightrope Walker
The body is the walker, steadying the pole. The thoughts are the calculations of balance and pace, while the words are each step forward. Move too fast, and the rope oscillates wildly, throwing the walker into a gut-wrenching fall. Move too slowly, and the balance wavers, the body trembling with overcorrection. Both extremes — too much momentum or too much caution — can spell disaster, leaving the walker in freefall or paralyzed mid-rope. The sheer terror of knowing your misstep is irreversible highlights the high stakes of perfect timing.
Both extremes carry deep emotional weight: the pain of prematurely exposing your vulnerability, or the ache of realizing you’ve let fear or hesitation rob you of a perfect, fleeting moment. When the timing is right, everything aligns — the heart, the words, the atmosphere, and the actions.
Navigating Flow: A Linguistic Metaphor
When we master this hierarchy, we navigate life’s complexities with grace and precision. The synergy of body, thoughts, words, and actions creates experiences that resonate deeply with ourselves and others. To be in flow is to trust this hierarchy, to wait for the waves, and to ride them with confidence and purpose — linguistically and beyond.
Neuroscience suggests that thought processes are largely governed by the brain’s default mode network (DMN), which activates during introspection and creative thought. Additionally, neural oscillations, such as alpha and gamma waves, play crucial roles in connecting disparate neural pathways to generate coherent ideas and insights.
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
I have learned one elementary truth: people are not their fears, their doubts, or the ridiculous stories running loops in their heads. People are geniuses waiting to explode onto the stage of their destiny. My job is to hand them the match.
I live by a single truth: my brain and body run my life, not my mind. My mind is a precious tool for research, stimulation, creative ideas, and communication with others — not my guide, my guru, my boss, or my friend. Energy inspires me, not thoughts. I wait to move and flow when my instincts kick in. The thinking is in the flow, just like a great wave is always part of the ocean.
I deal in transformation, without apologies. I see people in technicolor. The masterpiece is inside every being. Sometimes I provoke and challenge self-imposed limitations, but my true aim is to nurture, educate, and empower.
Outside of work? I keep my world simple. I cook like a mad scientist, travel to feed my senses, and I play piano. Humor — sharp and unrelenting — is my weapon against the dullness of small talk. I write daily and publish articles about topics that inspire me. I spend countless hours in conversation with my wife, deepening our understanding of life, each other, and the one thing that truly matters: awareness.
I don’t pretend to have all the answers. But I know this: the development of self — especially self-reliance — is the only education that matters, because every decision we make is in fact a direction. It determines the quality of our experiences and their outcome. If there’s a thread that runs through everything I do, it’s this: trust life and trust yourself — it will set you free.
Critical Skills to Empower Your Journey & Light up Your Soul
Since 1989, upon founding the Eric Stone Studio in Los Angeles, I have been coaching professional actors & voice artists, as well as business professionals.
Today, I am a Husband | Performance Coach | Visual Artist & Talent Developer As an Actor & Director, I Worked in New York & Hollywood from 1979 to 2015 | Broadway | Soaps | & Dubbing Artist in over 400 Films & Animated Series |
“All Great Outcomes in Life Come from a Paradigm Shift in Perspective.”
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