Mark Taylor is a professional percussionist and for 20 years has enjoyed a fulfilling freelance career performing Opera, Ballet, Music Theatre and Symphony Orchestras. Mark was also co-director of a music education company called, Rhythmically Speaking for 10 years. Besides all that, Mark is creator and host of the Education On Fire Podcast. Mark is also a volunteer at a local hospice and this insight into what life really means has given him a push to live his life fully every day.

Contact Info

• Website: www.EducationOnFire.com
• Podcast: Education on Fire

Most Influential Person

• Nancy Levin (Author of Jump… And Your Life Will Appear: An Inch By Inch Guide To Making A Major Change)

Effect on Emotions

• I think it's made me more accepting. I used to think I was supposed to be a certain way and being mindful meant that I could understand what the emotion was and then accept it. Love it for what it is, then from there it can change or morph into whatever it needs to be. Just allow it to be what it is and let it flow.

Thoughts on Breathing

• Breathing is incredibly important. As I said before, from a performing point of view, it's the thing that lowers the heart rate and the thing that gives me support and understanding. Generally speaking, if I feel stressed or feel slightly out of sorts, it's generally through lack of breath. Taking a deep breath, a bit of time, a bit of mindfulness and how your body's taking all that oxygen and how it's working for you can be really supportive. It certainly is for me.

Suggested Resources

• Book: Dying To Be Me: My Journey From Cancer to Near Death To True Healing by Anita Moorjani
• Book: Jump… And Your Life Will Appear: An Inch By Inch Guide To Making A Major Change  by Nancy Levin
• App: Inspirational Wake-Up App
• App: Clear (A List App)

Mindfulness Meets Bullying Story

When I was a teenager I was in the Scouts movement and there were a couple of older kids there who didn't make my life particularly pleasant. It's very easy in those scenarios to feel like it's all about you. You're doing something wrong, you're not the right way, you're not in a position to change anything. Of course you could confide in someone and tell them what was going on, which I did eventually.

I think, in hindsight, looking back now at the experience I have in my life, it's just understanding that the people who are bullying, or the people who are making your life not so pleasant, are just reaching out for some support or something they're lacking. They're putting on themselves. It's not really about you, you just happen to be the person who got in the way. I think just understanding that these people need more help than you, really. They are the victims sometimes. Tell somebody who can help you change your circumstances. Take some action, that is a mindful thing to do and you have some choice.