2nd European Conference on Positive Psychology

Verbania Pallanza, Italy, 5-8 July 2004

On the Neurophysiology of Flow

Thought-Provoking Studies from Sport and Music Psychology,
Neurofeedback and Trance Research
Andreas Burzik, M.Ps.

Ladies and Gentleman,

Welcome to this lecture on the neurophysiology of flow!

Let me start with a few words about my professional background. I’m a musician,
psychologist and psychotherapist. During the last ten years I developed a flow-
oriented practising method for musicians which I teach internationally
(www.practising-in-flow.de). This practising method directly leads musicians into flow
states and makes use of their creative potential. At the 1st International Conference
on Positive Psychology two years ago in Washington I presented this method as a
practical application of flow in a specific domain.

Since the time I came across the flow concept I was interested in the question: “What
is happening in the brain when we are in flow?” Unfortunately there is so far no direct
research into the neurophysiological correlates of flow states.

But from all was has been reported about the flow state - by sports people, artists
and scientists - the state of being fully immersed in an activity is a state where the
body-mind-system works most efficiently (Krippner, 1972; Csikszentmihalyi &
Jackson, 1999). So for me flow is closely related to creative high-performance in
whatever area it is being experienced.

My first approach to the question of brain activity in flow was therefore to look for
studies which explore brain activity in high-performance in different domains.
My second approach was based on my own experience as a musician and on
teaching the flow to musicians in many different countries. For me flow always
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seemed to be a kind of trance, a notion again and again suggested by
Csikszentmihalyi in many of his writings (Csikszentmihalyi, 1987). So possibly trance
research would be able to contribute to some insight into the very nature of this
extraordinary experience.

So – as I said - I’m not a neurophysiologist. What I can offer here is not scientific
proof but some interesting findings from different domains which might shed light on
this fascinating topic and which hopefully will initiate further research into this subject.

Golf Study: Putting Under Stress, D.Crews, 2001

I’d like to start with a study from sport psychology, carried out at the State University
Arizona in 2001. Ten amateur golfers with an average of about five years’ playing
experience participated in this experiment. Three different levels of activation were
ingeniously introduced:
In stage one, the golfers were asked to hit 20 five-foot straight putts on a flat green
and see how many they could make.
In stage two, pressure was added: The golfers were asked to hit 20 more putts, but
they were told that they were being filmed for “Dateline NBC” and would be seen by a
national television audience.
Stage three: In addition to being filmed by NBC, the golfers were told that they would
receive $300 if they matched or beat their score from stage one – but would lose
$100 if they did not.

Three significant measures were recorded: Golfers were asked to rate their own
anxiety levels before and after each stage; heart rate was monitored throughout; an
EEG was taken to measure brain activity during each level of anxiety.

These are the results: All the golfers’ heart rates nearly doubled from stage one to
stage three. All golfers subjectively reported comparable increases in anxiety. And
the EEG confirmed that all golfers experienced a significant increase in brain activity
as pressure increased. This all seems to suggest that the golfers’ performance would
be similar. But five golfers succeeded and won $300, and five failed.
So what was the determining factor? What we so far can state from this result is that
players who perform well under pressure have as much anxiety as those who choke.

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Now let’s look at these brain scans:

Here you see the brain scans of a successful golfer through all three stages of
anxiety. You see that we have a largely symmetrical distribution of activity in both
sides of the brain.

Now look at this:

On the left-hand side you see the brain scan of a choking golfer compared to the
brain scan of a successful one in the highest level of activation. As you see the left

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hemisphere of the choking golfer is kind of glowing compared to the rather
symmetrical brain activity in the successful golfer.

In practical terms: The left golfer is very self-conscious and cognitively highly busy,
talking to himself like: “What did my teacher say?” “How is my stroke?” “Am I aligned
correctly?” In its most disastrous extreme you have a golfer who is trying to control
mentally ‘all the 24 elements of the perfect golf swing’!
On the contrary, the right golfer is successfully involving his right hemisphere into his
activity. Practically you do this by using visualisations, by activating your senses, by
focusing on the smooth quality of the movement.
Of course this has to do with laterality, the two different ways of processing
information in either brain hemisphere. Grossly simplified: the left hemisphere
predominantly processes sequential thinking…

Left Hemisphere Right Hemisphere

sequential thinking simultaneous thinking
speech associations, images
memory for words memory for persons, experiences
intellect, logic intuition
sense of time timelessness
analysis synthesis, Gestalt
focus on details holistic (body) feelings
measurement, quantity quality, aesthetic sense
(Springer & Deutsch, 1989)

The highly balanced brain activity in skilled golfers versus a much more asymmetrical
activity in novices has been confirmed in a new study published in the Golf Digest,
January this year. (D. Crews, 2004).

Neurofeedback
Symmetrical activation of the brain in high-performance states has also been found in
the domain of neurofeedback research. Neurofeedback is a technique that teaches
the individual how to control the rhythmic electrical activity of the brain – how to
control one’s “brain waves” (Evans & Abarbanel, 1999; Robbins, 2000). For those not

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familiar with brain waves: The EEG measures the electric potentials emanating from
the cortical neurons. This brainwave activity can be analyzed in terms of the amount
of activity in different ‘frequency bands’. The four most commonly measured
frequency bands are beta, alpha, theta and delta.

Brainwaves
Beta
(~ 12-30 Hz)

Alpha
(~ 8-12 Hz)

Theta
(~ 4-8 Hz)

Delta
(~ 0-4 Hz)

Fast frequencies such as beta waves are associated with an aroused mind. Our
attention is directed to the world outside. Beta represents our normal everyday
waking state, often associated with feelings of tension and stress. Very high beta
going along with a highly aroused body is panic.
Alpha waves are characteristic of physical and mental relaxation. They are present
during fantasizing, daydreaming and visualisation. Alpha provides the bridge
between the conscious and the unconscious. This is the reason why physical
relaxation is an absolute prerequisite for each and every mental technique. Without
alpha there is no access to the deeper parts of the soul.
Theta waves are associated with drowsiness, early sleep stages, reverie, and with
meditative and trancelike states. Theta is the area of spiritual awakening and creative
insight. It also holds a profusion of memories, sensations and emotions from our
personal history.
Delta waves are primarily found during deep dreamless sleep. Delta is the deep
unconscious mind. It is associated with deep meditation, intuition and empathy,
working like a radar scanning the environment. Very often present in healers,
counsellors, therapists and other helping professions. (A. Wise, 1997)

Based on the work of the British neurofeedback pioneer Maxwell Cade (Cade, 1979),
Anna Wise, an American neurofeedback-trainer and –therapist, developed a so
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called Mind Mirror EEG which simultaneously measures these four frequency bands
in both hemispheres. (A. Wise, 2002)

Operating Mind Mirror:

(www.annawise.com)
Over the past three decades, Wise has measured the brain wave patterns of a great
number of spiritual teachers, artists, high-performing businessmen, athletes, and
other highly creative and productive individuals. She found that during periods of
peak mental awareness and creative inspiration – I quote from her book: “musician
composing, choreographer creating a dance, artist painting…” (A. Wise, 1997, pp.
11-12) - all individuals exhibited a specific brain wave pattern in which the four
categories – beta to delta – are combined in a distinct configuration.

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She called this The Awakened Mind:

The specific characteristic of this state is that you have thought processes –
represented by beta – being connected - through high alpha – with the creative
unconscious of theta and delta. This connection allows the access to your deep
memory resources. Differently put: You have intellectual processing going along with
meditative brain waves.
This simultaneous presence of all four types of waves may also explain the close
relationship between flow and creativity. And it doesn’t seem astonishing that the flow
experience has been discovered by Csikszentmihalyi while exploring the creative
process (Csikszentmihalyi & Csikszentmihalyi, 1995)

Neurofeedback Training (Gruzelier & Egner, 2004)

A close relationship between high performance and learned hightened theta activity
has been shown in a study carried out at the Royal College of Music, London. Four
groups of students received over a period of 6-8 weeks different types of
neurofeedback trainings – each group got ten 15minute sessions - one group got
sessions in Alexander Technique. This is how neurofeedback training works: The
subject is attached to a computer which processes the brain waves, the computer
gives back to the subject visual or auditory feedback. In this study headphones have
been used. When alpha was stronger than theta you heard a murmuring creek.
When your theta got stronger than your alpha activity (the so called “theta cross-
over”) you heard the slow rhythm of surf running on a beach. The objective was to
spend as much time on the beach as possible.
Prior and subsequent to the training program, participants performed 2 musical
pieces of their own choice under concert conditions. Performances were video-taped

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and randomised, and then were evaluated on a standard set of criteria by three
expert judges external to the College, who were blind as to student group
membership and order of performances.
There was only one group that showed a significant effect of the applied trainings,
and an effect which was amazing if you compare it to the amount of training (ten 15-
minute sessions over 6 weeks): It was the group which had received alpha/theta
training.

Enhancing Musical Performance

Through Alpha/Theta-Training
(Gruzelier & Egner, 2002)

Overall Quality

Musical
Understanding
Stylistic Accuracy

Interpretative
beta1 SMR a/th Alex. Imagination

This group displays improvements in

Overall Quality of musical performance (+14.4%)
Musical Understanding (+16.4%)
Stylistic Accuracy (+13.5%)
Interpretative Imagination (+17%)
With a mean improvement rate of 12% across all evaluation scales. And this through
10 15-minute sessions over 6 weeks. These results have been replicated across two
years research.

What does alpha/theta training do? The authors of this study explain that alpha/theta
training involves a transient entering and re-entering of dreamlike states while staying
awake, enabling a fluent retrieval of memories into conscious awareness and
working memory. Now compare this to the findings of Anna Wise! Differently put: a/t
training is a quick and efficient way to learn meditation!

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The authors of this study do not speak about flow. But one may hypothesize that the
meditative state learned in the a/t training in a relaxed and resting posture - has been
reactivated on stage, and is now being brought into the activity, representing a flow
state.

Trance Research
This seems to be confirmed by studies of deep trances in the framework of pain
research (Larbig, 1982). In theses studies hightened theta activity, normally being
associated with sleep and deep meditation, has been observed in obviously highly
contrary states, in states of intense physical or mental engagement.

(Larbig, 1982)

Here you see on the left-hand side a fakir in a deep trance in a laboratory, being
wired to an EEG. The fakir has a sword through his tongue and several other swords
through his body. On the right-hand side you see a Greek spiritual fire dancer
(Meteora, suburb of Saloniki, 1978,1979). The EEGs of these firedancers have been
telemetrically recorded and transferred in action. Tied around his belly you see the
telemetric device, the EEG electrodes are underneath his cap. Please note: “Despite
partially excessive movements (ecstatic dancing)… EEG recordings were completely
free of artefacts.” (Larbig, 1982, p. 168, Original quote in German, translation by the
author)

Wolfgang Larbig, a German neurophysiologist interprets the presence of theta waves

in states of intense engagement as an “economisation of the brain by temporary
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synchronisation of those parts of the brain which are not included in the processing of
the task at hand.” (Larbig, 1982, p. 252) In other words: Parts of the brain - which are
not involved in the activity - are in a state of “microsleep” (Larbig, 1982, p. 259) and
we see a paradox activation of the body-mind-system: “Passive mind – active body.”
(Luczak, 1995, p. 33). This paradox activation once has been most clearly expressed
by a Japanese violinist in one of my seminars for musicians. After having delved into
a deep and persisting flow state while working on a difficult passage I asked her how
she feels. She said four words: “Head tired – body alive!” Differently put: Head
inactive – producing sleep or meditative theta waves – body in swinging, easy and
efficient motion being highly engaged in her playing.

Summing up all these findings leads to several hypotheses on what might happen in
the brain when we are in flow:
In the deep flow
• We may have a largely symmetrical brain activity
• A balanced presence of alpha, theta and delta waves may explain the close
relationship between flow, creativity and spiritual experiences
• The presence of alpha, theta and – maybe – delta may explain the trancelike
quality of activity in flow.
• In the flow we have a paradox pattern of activation: A partially passive mind
and an active body.
• This “cerebral microsleep”, representing an economisation of brain activity,
may explain the efficiency and ease of activity in flow.

In a nutshell: Flow is a trancelike state, it is meditation in action.

References
Cade, M. The Awakened Mind. London: Wildwood House Limited.
Crews, D. (2001). Putting Under Stress, in: Golf Magazine, 3, pp. 94-96. – Attention:
The editor of the Golf Magazine mixed up the pictures completely!
Crews, D. (2004). What Your Brain Is Doing When You Putt, in: Golf Digest, 1, pp.
100-101.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1987). Flow experience. In M. Eliade (Ed.), The Encyclopedia
of Religion, 5 (pp. 361-363). New York: Macmillan.

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Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1993). Beyond Boredom and Anxiety – The Experience of Play
in Work and Games. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. & Csikszentmihalyi, I. S. (ed.). (1995). Optimal Experience
Psychological Studies of FLOW in Consciousness. Cambridge University
Press.
Csikszentmihalyi, M. & Jackson, S. (1999), Flow in Sports, The Keys to Optimal
Experiences and Performances, Human Kinetics Publishers.
Evans, J. & Abarbanel, A. (1999). Introduction to Quantitative EEG and
Neurofeedback, London: Academic Press.
Gruzelier, J. & Egner, T. (2004). Physiological self-regulation: Biofeedback and
neurofeedback, in: Aaron Williamon (Ed.), Musical Excellence. Strategies and
Techniques to Enhance Performance, Oxford.
Krippner, S. (1972). The Psychedelic State, the Hypnotic Trance, and the Creative
Act. In C. Tart (Ed.), Altered states of consciousness (pp. 276-296). New York:
Wiley.
Larbig, W. (1982). Schmerz: Grundlagen - Forschung - Therapie. Stuttgart:
Kohlhammer.
Luczak, H. (1995). Hypnose. Die Macht des verborgenen Ich. Geo, 2, pp. 17-36.
Robbins, J. (2000). A Symphony in the Brain. The Evolution of the New Brain Wave
Biofeedback. New York: Grove Press.
Springer, S. & Deutsch, G. (1989). Left Brain, Right Brain, New York: W.H. Freeman
and Company.
Wise, A. (1997). The High Performance Mind. Mastering Brainwaves for Insight,
Healing, and Creativity. New York: Tarcher/Putnam.
Wise, A. (2002). Awakening the Mind. A Guide to Mastering the Power of Your Brain
Waves. New York: Tarcher/Putnam.

Contact:
M.Ps. Andreas Burzik
Alter Postweg 261
28207 Bremen
Germany
Email: a.burzik@t-online.de

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