“Looking back, I used to struggle with calming the mind. I had to pull that puppy back on the leash every couple of seconds.”
(Emma Marshman, Head of games, design & animation at the University of South Wales)
As an artist, Emma has always found that the creative process helped her to feel calmer and more grounded, but otherwise her mind was often overactive. Having noticed the link between creativity and feeling more regulated, Emma wanted to find out how and why the creative process was so helpful, and to formalise this in some way.
Joining a seven-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction program helped Emma realise that creativity was, for her, a mindful process, and that the seven mindful attitudes* were a naturally arising element of her creative processes. Purposefully using mindful attitudes for new activities and challenges led Emma to discover more about how both areas could support each other; her mindfulness supporting her art, and her art deepening her mindfulness.
Over the next fifteen years Emma continued to broaden and deepen her mindfulness skills including attending workshops and weekly classes, which she still attends:
“I think regular classes are so important, because we are always learning. The great thing about mindfulness is that there is always, always something more to learn.”
As Emma’s practice developed, she had the profound insight that she was experiencing longer periods of time between over thinking and that she felt ok sitting with the present moment without having to keep her “brain full all the time.” Although she wasn’t equipped to teach mindfulness at work, she realised that sharing her experiences and vulnerabilities with colleagues and students, and embodying mindfulness whenever possible, would facilitate well-being and foster empathic relationships.
This was particularly important during the Covid pandemic when teaching and learning creative processes online was challenging and Emma started to see a rise in mental health issues amongst her students. She started using simple techniques such as a short breath practice before engaging with students and found that these not only helped her stay regulated, but the effects radiated outwards. Emma then began sharing simple, short grounding and breathing practices throughout the day with staff and students, and fostering the attitudes of ‘beginner’s mind’, ‘non-striving’ and ‘non-judging’. “It was just a moment where it was needed,” Emma says.
She explains,
“I’ve always been passionate about creating a toolkit for young people to navigate what can be a very stressful period of life. They are away from home for the first time with new courses and new challenges. Giving them small tools helps them with their whole life experience, not just in class. This is why we started the mindfulness podcast, Podcast in Your Pocket, so it could be a voice for them.”
A key area of life where her practice has been invaluable was in coming to terms with her diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis ten years ago. She describes her illness as the ‘unwelcome guest’ which needs to be accepted and treated with compassion and kindness. Daily practise helped Emma both mourn the loss of what was, and focus on what she can do, cultivating a mindset that helps her approach the day with excitement at what possibilities may lay in store. The most important skills Emma says she has cultivated are openness, compassion and being present.
“Mindfulness taught me that this is who I am now and I need to be in the moment with that. Today really is a present; it’s a gift. I don’t put things off anymore, if I have an idea I just get on with it because you really have to live each day and get as much out of life as you can.”
Emma’s current focus is to continue promoting mindfulness in the community both within the wider university through the podcast and supporting the creation of new well-being spaces. Emma has provided mindful creative workshops and classes for The MS Society in Cardiff and the Vale and, within her work as chair of trustees for TGP Cymru, a Wales based children’s rights charity, she assists in a mindfulness retreat for staff to support them in their advocacy work with young Travellers, ex-military children and asylum seekers.
Emma wants to continue enjoying the moment and learning more about mindfulness so that she can keep developing her own practice and create toolkits for others.
*The seven mindful attitudes are: non-judgement; patience; beginner’s mind; trust; non-striving; acceptance and letting go (Kabat-Zinn, 1990).
Contact details:
email: emma.marshman@southwales.ac.uk
Instagram: @ejmarshm @creativesmilitia
LinkedIn: Emma Marshman
Website: University of South Wales – University of South Wales
podcast link: Podcast in your pocket – YouTube