Curious Souls Café

"Flow is being completely involved in an activity for its own sake. The ego falls away. Time flies".
— Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (Hungarian-American psychologist)

What do a programmer coding at 2 AM, a surfer riding a wave, and a Zen monk in meditation all have in common?

They are all in a state of Flow—a powerful mode of being where we are so fully immersed in an activity that everything else falls away. Time distorts, self-criticism vanishes, and we experience a profound sense of mastery and ease.

While modern psychology has given it a name, the experience itself appears to be both universal and ancient. It is often compared to the Mushin (no-mind) of the Zen practitioner and the Wu-wei (effortless action) of the Taoist sage—at the heart of Bruce Lee's admonition to "be like water," and the secret to both peak performance and deep, intrinsic fulfillment.

In this gathering, we’ll explore the many rivers that lead to the “in the zone” experience—the same ocean known as flow. We’ll look at the simple triggers that help us enter this state. We’ll share stories, explore the psychology of mastery, and practice practical ways to cultivate flow in our work, our art, and our daily routines.

Join us for a wide-ranging exploration of how to find more grace, engagement, and mastery in everything we do.

This is for you if you are...

🎯 Seeking deeper engagement and joy in your work or hobbies
⚡ Curious about peak performance and the psychology of optimal human experience
🧠 Interested in making challenging tasks feel more effortless and absorbing
🕰️ Familiar with losing track of time when fully immersed—and want more of it
✨ Wanting to transform routine efforts into more fulfilling experiences

📅 Agenda / What You'll Experience

💬 Icebreaker Conversation Cards (Round 1)

Begin with themed virtual question cards to spark intimate exchanges. Here are some sample questions.

• When was the last time you completely lost track of time? What were you doing?
• Flow occurs when a task's challenge slightly exceeds your current skill level (estimated at about 4%). How would you manage this challenge/skill ratio in your work or hobbies to stay engaged and avoid anxiety or boredom?
• What is the biggest thing that pulls you out of a flow state? (e.g., a notification, an interruption, internal worry). How do you cope with that?
• How can we design our daily schedules or our environments to make space for more flow?

From there, we’ll embark on a respectful, engaging, and meaningful conversation, celebrating the diversity of perspectives and ideas within the group.

Note: This session may involve virtual question cards accessed via a link or QR code. If you do not have a device (phone/tablet) to access these, please ask a facilitator for assistance; we have spare units available.

💬 Spontaneous Reflective Question (Optional Round)

After warming up, our diverse group of friends and strangers will come together in a circle to exchange ideas on an intriguing topic chosen spontaneously. We may either continue with questions from the round one, or write our own questions.

Each participant is encouraged to contribute by sharing a unique question. You’re welcome to bring a question that’s been on your mind, or you can draw inspiration from the conversation cards provided. Once all the questions are collected, the group will collaboratively select one to kick off the discussion.

💬 Final Thoughts and Feedback

Where time allows, in the final 10 minutes of the event, we’ll take a moment to reflect on the key insights, memorable moments, and takeaways from our discussions. This is a chance to distill the shared wisdom and leave with a deeper understanding of the topics we’ve explored together.

After the event officially concludes, the group may choose to extend the session, depending on the group’s interest. Of course, you’re welcome to leave at any time that feels right for you.

❗Note: This is the online edition of our signature event—an engaging Zoom meetup in collaboration with Curious Souls Café Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Seoul, Osaka, Taipei, Hong Kong and beyond. While the event may appear full, you can inform the host of your interest by messaging them. If a spot is available, they will manually move you to the "Going" list. This process helps us manage global participation effectively. Thank you for your understanding!

👋 Welcome to Curious Souls Café, a warm and friendly space for meaningful conversations. 😊 We invite you to join us for an experience filled with thought-provoking dialogue, meaningful connections, and personal growth.

Inviting all Curious Souls who are passionate about:

🌍 Embracing open-mindedness
🤝 Tapping into collective wisdom
🗣️ Engaging in meaningful conversations
🌱 Embarking on a journey of self improvement
📚 Exploring diverse schools of thought and personal experiences

🗓️ Agenda / What You'll Experience

💬 Meaningful Icebreaker Questions (Round 1)

We will begin the session with the curated conversation questions. You'll have the opportunity to pick a question and initiate thought-provoking conversations with fellow attendees.

Note: We will use virtual question cards which requires visiting a link or scanning a QR code. If you have any technical difficulties, please request assistance from our facilitator in the meeting.

💬 Focused Discussion on a Meaningful Topic (Round 2)

After warming up, our diverse group of friends and strangers will exchange ideas on an intriguing topic chosen spontaneously.

Each participant is encouraged to contribute by sharing a unique question. You’re welcome to bring a question that’s been on your mind, or you can draw inspiration from the icebreaker questions provided. Once all the questions are collected, the group will collaboratively select one to kick off the discussion.

From there, we’ll embark on a respectful, engaging, and meaningful conversation, celebrating the diversity of perspectives and ideas within the group.

💬 Final Thoughts and Feedback

In the final 10 minutes of the event, we’ll take a moment to reflect on the key insights, memorable moments, and takeaways from our discussions. This is a chance to distill the shared wisdom and leave with a deeper understanding of the topics we’ve explored together.

After the event officially concludes, we may choose to extend the session, depending on the group’s interest. Of course, you’re welcome to leave at any time that feels right for you.