Flow States, Peak Experiences, and the Psychology of Well-Being

A ‘flow state’ is a state of deep focus and absorption when engaged in an activity, which involves a loss of self-consciousness and alterations to one’s sense of time. Flow states are common: they can occur when we are engaged in a variety of activities – from playing music to running – and in some…

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Finding Collective Effervescence Through Live Music

In The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (1912), the sociologist Émile Durkheim argues that religion has its origin in a feeling he calls collective effervescence. This refers to the heightened feeling of energy, euphoria, harmony, and unity that arises when we’re engaged in certain group activities, rituals, and ceremonies. This was a feeling that…

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