One Fold at a Time, Inner Peace

One Fold at a Time, Inner Peace

When you choose to share a diagram, you're offering more than just a sequence of technical steps. You're sharing a folding experience. That’s where the concept of flow, so dear to Oriol Esteve in his book Fold with Flow, truly comes to life: a folding sequence that feels smooth and natural, where each step flows into the next like second nature. This flow isn’t just an elegant idea—it’s a state you can genuinely feel in your body.

Why is it so satisfying to follow a well-constructed folding sequence?

Because it's chemical. When I'm folding, I'm focused. Everything else fades away. I enter a kind of meditative state. And that’s when the magic happens: my brain releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone. Each well-executed fold becomes a little reward. Everything is predictable, structured, logical. The world may be chaotic around me, but as long as I follow the sequence, everything feels right. I’m in my bubble. That’s why I love folding in the evening after a long day: simply following a clear sequence soothes and recenters me. Building LEGO gives me the same effect. Nothing else matters—and I feel good.

Right now, my favorite models are by the artist Wang Shuo (the wolf in the photo here, book in progress). They don’t require any personal artistic interpretation, no approximation, no shaping—just follow the folds, and everything falls into place. Normally, I love sculpting, shaping, and giving life to my folds. But I also need these kinds of pure sequences, where I can simply let go and be carried by the process.

But beware: as soon as a step becomes too difficult or poorly explained, the flow breaks. I'm pulled out of that meditative state and back into problem-solving mode. It’s not necessarily unpleasant—but it’s no longer the same experience.

So to all designers: think about your sequences. Refine them. Test them. Simplify them. Origami doesn’t always need to be a puzzle. It can also be a path to calm, a tool for active well-being, a meditation.