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In this heartful and dynamic episode, Sean Fargo speaks with author, writing coach, and creative mentor Marni Freedman about the intimate and powerful relationship between mindfulness and creativity. Together, they explore how mindfulness helps artists navigate fear, self-doubt, and internal resistance, paving the way for authentic creative expression.
Marni shares insights from her years of working with writers, performers, and creatives, reflecting on how mindfulness practice cultivates presence, gentleness, and courage—qualities essential to accessing the deeper truths behind every creative act. This conversation is especially valuable for anyone who struggles with perfectionism, creative blocks, or the vulnerability of sharing their voice.
This episode is sponsored by the Mindfulness Exercises Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Certification. Learn more about this unique, online, self-paced program at mindfulnessexercises.com/certify
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
Show Notes:
How mindfulness nurtures the fertile ground for creativity to arise
Instead of waiting for inspiration to strike, Marni and Sean explore how mindfulness allows us to create the inner conditions for creativity to bloom. By slowing down and softening into the present moment, we make space for ideas to surface naturally, without forcing or controlling the outcome. This approach honors the organic rhythm of the creative process and supports a sustainable, joyful relationship with our work.
Why fear and resistance are natural parts of creative expression
Every creative person meets fear—of being seen, of not being good enough, or of revealing too much. Marni reflects on the common emotional blocks her clients face, and how mindfulness helps them meet those fears with gentleness instead of judgment. Rather than pushing through, mindfulness invites us to pause, feel, and respond with compassion to whatever is arising within.
Ways to work with “the golden door” of vulnerability in storytelling
Marni uses the metaphor of “the golden door” to describe the deepest, often most avoided part of a personal story—the place where truth, trauma, and transformation reside. With mindfulness, artists can learn to approach these tender places in small, manageable steps, building the courage to tell the stories that truly matter.
How sensory awareness can be a gateway into flow and presence
Mindfulness anchors creativity in the body. Through practices like sensing the breath, grounding in safe body parts, or gently exploring emotional responses, artists reconnect with the moment and their physical experience. This embodied presence fosters a state of flow and allows creative energy to move through more freely and authentically.
The importance of honoring joy, play, and childlike wonder
Creative energy is often playful, wild, and curious—yet many adults have lost touch with that part of themselves. Marni encourages creatives to reconnect with their “inner child energy,” using adjectives like fearless, silly, and bold to describe how their most expressive self might show up. When we make space for this energy to be felt and expressed, creative freedom expands.
Why showing up fully is an act of service, not selfishness
Many artists—especially women—struggle with self-doubt around sharing their voice. Marni and Sean dismantle the myth that expressing yourself is egotistical, and instead frame it as an offering. If your story or art could help even one person, who are you not to
