Paragliding Flow State: Letting Go of Counting for Natural Learning

Published: June 2, 2025

When it comes to thermaling and progression in paragliding, many pilots unintentionally hold themselves back by overthinking. One of the most common patterns we see at Para Clinics is an over-reliance on counting, measuring, and mentally managing every moment in the air.

While it’s natural to want control, especially in complex conditions, this tendency can block access to what really drives progression: a natural feel for the air and the ability to enter a flow state.

Let’s explore what that means—and how you can shift from micromanagement to mastery.

🧠 Natural Learning: How You Really Learn to Fly

Think about how you learned to walk, ride a bike, or drive. At first, you had to think through every action—but over time, your body adapted through repetition and intention. You weren’t counting how many degrees to lean on a curve or how many milliseconds to press the brake. You felt it. You learned it, not by thinking more, but by letting go of conscious control.

The same applies in paragliding. In the air, especially in thermals, you're interacting with a dynamic, invisible, ever-changing environment. Trying to "out-think" the air with fixed rules—like turning every 3 seconds or counting your oscillations—can block the very learning you’re trying to achieve. These habits interfere with the body’s natural adaptation process, and disconnect you from what’s actually happening moment to moment.

🌊 What Is Flow State?

Flow is a psychological state coined by researcher Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It describes those moments where your awareness becomes fully absorbed in the present, and your actions feel fluid, intuitive, and effortless. In flow, time slows down or disappears. You’re deeply connected to your activity, and your performance increases without conscious micromanagement.

In paragliding, flow happens when you stop flying with your thinking brain and start trusting your feeling self. You respond to feedback from the glider and the air instantly and fluidly—without needing to calculate your next move.

It’s not magic. It’s a state that can be cultivated—and every great pilot you admire has found their way into it.

🧮 The Counting Trap: Why Overthinking Backfires

We see this often: a pilot starts to thermal, but instead of tuning into the wing, the lift, and the pressure, they count seconds—3... 2... 1... and then turn. Or they try to apply fixed techniques to dynamic air. These strategies can seem helpful at first, but they pull you out of presence.

Every thermal is different. Every glider handles uniquely. Rigid techniques break down in variable conditions, and counting delays your response to real-time feedback.

Counting is a left-brain activity.Flow and flying well require you to shift into right-brain processing—the intuitive, sensory, emotional part of your mind. When you do, your brain releases dopamine, sharpening focus and increasing satisfaction. You start feeling lift instead of waiting for the vario to beep. You move with the air, not against it.

🛠️ Practical Flow-Building Exercises

These exercises are designed to help you let go of analytical habits and reconnect with your intuitive flying self.

1. Mindful Sensation Awareness

While gliding, tune into physical feedback:

• Pressure shifts in your seat

• Brake toggle tension

• Subtle wing movement

Maintain light brake pressure to stay “connected” to the wing at all times. Make this your primary feedback loop.

2. Mindful Turning Practice

Thermal without counting. Instead, pay close attention to:

• How the glider talks back in turns

• Where pressure builds or releases

• How lift feels in your body

Vary your turn technique and observe the response. Let go of perfection—focus on feeling.

3. Vario-Free Flying

Occasionally fly without your vario. It sounds scary at first, but doing so heightens your awareness of physical cues. You’ll develop a stronger feel for lift, sink, and transitions without relying on beeps.

4. Nonjudgmental Observation

Practice noticing your internal dialogue.Avoid labeling flights or moments as “good” or “bad.” Just observe. This reduces pressure and lets the subconscious integrate lessons more deeply.

5. Imitative Learning

Watch birds or skilled pilots in action.Mentally simulate their turns, energy management, and decision-making. Imagine yourself moving with that same rhythm and precision.

6. Ground Handling Challenges

Push your skills on the ground in tricky conditions:

• Crosswinds

• Turbulence

• Light wind dead patches

Add playfulness: touch targets, hold wing on one riser, reverse-launch blindfolded. Play = deep learning.

🧠 Insights from the Best Pilots

When you talk to elite pilots, you’ll often hear them say they “just felt it” or they “knew it was time to turn.” They aren’t relying on timers or textbook technique—they’ve developed an internal compass through repetition and awareness.

They’re not flying from spreadsheets.They’re flying from sensation and presence.

This is a skill anyone can develop. It’s not mystical—it’s trained intuition built on hours of attention and honest feedback.

🌬️ Final Thoughts: Letting Go to Level Up

Letting go of counting and fixed strategies opens the door to a deeper connection with the air. You stop forcing, and start flowing. Learning becomes subconscious, and progress accelerates—not because you’re thinking harder, but because you’re feeling better.

Over time, this mindset shift leads to:

• Safer decision-making

• Smoother thermaling

• More joy and creativity

• Less burnout, more longevity

So next time you launch, ask yourself:Am I flying from my mind—or from my senses?

✍️ Try This After Your Next Flight:

Take 3 minutes to journal:

1. What did I feel the most clearly today in the air?

2. Where was I overthinking, and where was I in flow?

3. What would it look like to trust myself more next time?

Fly from presence, not perfection.We’ll see you in the sky.

— The Para Clinics Aotearoa Team