Suggestions
Miriam Hall
Contemplative Arts Instructor and Creativity consultant
Miriam Hall is a Contemplative Arts Instructor and Creativity consultant based in Madison, Wisconsin. She has been teaching Contemplative Writing and Miksang Contemplative Photography full-time for over 20 years.1
Professional Experience
Miriam has been working as a Teacher at Herspiral Contemplative Arts since April 2004.1 Her role involves:
- Facilitating classes for adults and mature teens, focusing on writing and photography as mindfulness practices1
- Teaching all levels of Nalanda Miksang and training teachers in this lineage1
- Conducting classes, retreats, workshops, and tutoring students in Contemplative Writing (Natalie Goldberg tradition) and Miksang Contemplative Photography1
Additional Roles and Experience
- Instructor at Miksang: Since 2004, she has been a senior independent instructor for Miksang1
- Adjunct Faculty at Marquette University: From August 2006 to April 2014, she taught Miksang Contemplative Photography to Sophomore Honors students1
- Center Director at Shambhala International: Served in Madison, WI from 2008 to 20111
- Instructor at WCATY: Taught online creative writing classes to Gifted and Talented Junior High students from June 2005 to July 20101
Education and Skills
Miriam holds a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and French from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.1 Her specialties include:
- Creative writing
- Mindfulness and meditation
- Contemplative photography
- Memoir writing
- Compassionate listening skills
- Equanimity with the creative process
- Contemplative psychology1
Miriam describes her work as her "dream job," emphasizing her passion for teaching contemplative arts and helping others explore creativity through mindfulness practices.1
Highlights
Some creative people say: “You must sit down and write/paint/draw every day at the same time.”
While others say: “It's ok to simply wait for the muse to arrive and create when you feel like it."
No wonder you're confused!
So how do you know which creativity advice is going to work?
Well it depends…
On your capacities: physical, emotional, mental (h/t Esmé Weijun Wang) On your social location: class situation and gender roles, especially (h/t bell hooks and so many other Black women artists, especially) On your accountability needs (h/t Gretchen Rubin and her Four Tendencies)
Almost all advice on creating is based on the assumption that we create better alone, focused, and without others involved. But if you do better when you have others as part of your accountability, then "DIT: do it together" (h/t Jeffrey Davis) and develop relationships with others who need a similar structure to yours.
Keep that in mind before you follow suggestions based on the idea that anyone creates alone. Because we never create alone. Hell. I couldn't even create this post without hat-tipping 4 other people, and that's a good thing!
Follow me, Miriam Hall, for more posts on how to create community, and create within community.
