Circus Arts

Flow

Lionel’s lifelong history in circus arts at Disney World’s Festival of the Lion King, Universal Studios, Universoul Circus and more, has taught him to find flow though stilt-walking and other forms of creative body movement. As we spend more time engaging with our computers and smartphones, rather than each other and our physical environment, finding flow is one way to detox from screen time. The neuroscience of flow is how we access optimal human performance and experience, one key to unlocking daily happiness. Children who grow up with smart phones in their hands are developing differently. Regardless of age, finding flow through circus arts and other forms of creative movement helps us develop healthy bodies and minds, staving off depression and anxiety often brought on by digital media. Flow is even used by some as a mental health alternative to medication.

Circus Arts

Flow

Lionel’s lifelong history in circus arts at Disney World’s Festival of the Lion King, Universal Studios, Universoul Circus and more, has taught him to find flow though stilt-walking and other forms of creative body movement. As we spend more time engaging with our computers and smartphones, rather than each other and our physical environment, finding flow is one way to detox from screen time. The neuroscience of flow is how we access optimal human performance and experience, one key to unlocking daily happiness. Children who grow up with smart phones in their hands are developing differently. Regardless of age, finding flow through circus arts and other forms of creative movement helps us develop healthy bodies and minds, staving off depression and anxiety often brought on by digital media. Flow is even used by some as a mental health alternative to medication.

TREEMAN EXPLORING FLOW

Treeman finds flow interacting with the public sharing his stories about nature

and through his circus arts practice of stilt walking, hooping and fire spinning.

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KIDS, CIRCUS ARTS AND FLOW

The infamous Tommy The Clown teaches kids to find flow through acrobatic dance while helping to end street violence. Check out the documentary Rize to learn more.

Look for Treeman and the Tommy the Clown posse each year at the Martin Luther King Jr Kingdom Day Parade in Los Angeles.

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CIRCUS ARTS FLOW SKILL SHARE

North Beach Circus Arts Flow “Circus Saturdays” in San Francisco is one of many weekly circus art flow skill shares around the country. “Circus Saturdays” is a weekly event where people of all ages can come to learn circus arts skills to find flow, just like Treeman. Creative body movement through circus arts is one way to achieve flow and detox from the anxiety and depression from digital screen time or other stressors in life. This is an all ages family safe event where participants are welcome to bring their props and skills to share with others. There is a neighborhood juggling kit donated by Club Fugazi, home of The 7 Fingers “Dear San Francisco” circus/theater show, just 2 blocks away. To participate and learn more follow “North Beach Circus Arts Flow” on Facebook or Instagram @NorthBeachCAF .

North Beach Circus Arts Flow

Circus as a Healing Art: What Polyvagal Theory Teaches us

About Why Circus Works

https://www.yesandbrain.com/blog/circus-and-polyvagal-theory

Circus
Oct. 24
Written By Lacy Alana

If you’re involved in the circus world, you’ve likely heard people talk about the healing power of circus, whether they’re casually joking about circus being “their therapy,” or reflecting on the transformative impact they’ve seen circus have on their students in a social circus setting.

This article is the first installment in a series that explores simplified interpersonal neurobiology that gives us a concrete way of understanding why circus works. CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE

Polyvagal Theory- The Autonomic Ladder

HOMELESSNESS, MENTAL HEALTH AND FLOW THERAPY

Daniel pictured below is living outdoors struggling with mental health issues. The more we study homelessness and speak with people living on the streets, the more we see a correlation between mental health and homelessness. Affordable housing, economy, politics and other causes are all important, but homelessness can often result from depression, anxiety, trauma, substance abuse, alcoholism and other psychological factors. This begs the question “what are some basic ways to maintain mental health and well-being despite the stressors that surround us?”

In A DocumenTree, we discover that Treeman finds peace through his interactions with the public from high atop his stilts in a complete state of flow. Being in flow is total immersion in an activity, like an athlete “in the zone”. It is a respite from the stress and anxiety of the modern world where we are so often tethered to our digital devices. Not surprisingly, after speaking with Daniel, we discover that he finds solace practicing flow and it has helped him to become less dependent on his psychiatric medication. Part of the A DocumenTree mission is to bring flow to those in need, whether you’re experiencing homelessness, or struggling with screen time addiction, we can all benefit from flow.

Homelessness Mental Health and Beleaflets

LEARN MORE ABOUT FLOW

To learn more about flow explore literature by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and Steven Kotler, visit the Flow Arts Institute and Flow Genome Project websites, or do your own research. The Navy Seals train in flow, there are flow jams, circus arts schools, flow toys, and a wide variety of press on the topic, for example this article by the BBC “How to Find Your Flow State to be Peak Creative”

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A documentary by Michael Angelo