Article
Water Aerobics: Experiencing Flow in Sacred Space
AHNA Beginnings
(2020)
Abstract
The practice of water aerobics has consistently filled me with the direct experience of flow for the past
26 years. This state of “flow” is the sense of the sacred in dynamic action (Perkins, 2003), also called “the zone” (Csikszentmihalyi, 2020). For me, water aerobics creates a shift in consciousness and a gentle euphoria that timelessly flows and exponentially magnifies within my physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual body.
I intentionally facilitate this same experience for participants of my water exercise class, which I created and teach for a local health club. This class meets all of my self-care needs in the same one-hour workout, while accommodating all fitness levels and skills. It includes a warm up, cardiovascular segment, strength and toning section, and a final cool down with whole- body stretching. The key to this practice lies in the focus and intention of the instructor and the willingness of participants to let go, and go with the flow. We co-create each class with and for each other, holistically sharing an experience that is unique to each, yet unified within the whole group. We help each other find the “sweet spot” within as our energies blend, harmonically bringing coherence to group action. The water facilitates the feeling of fun and is forgiving of any perturbations while we ride the wave of the music and bring order within.
Disciplines
Publication Date
Summer June, 2020
Citation Information
Joyce B Perkins. "Water Aerobics: Experiencing Flow in Sacred Space" AHNA Beginnings Vol. 40 Iss. 3 (2020) p. 22 - 24 Available at: http://works.bepress.com/joyce-perkins/6/