Positioning EMPTYING

Learning from Tutorial Feedback

17 August 2026

Following my first intervention testing, I had a one-to-one tutorial to discuss both the participant feedback and the future direction of the project. Rather than focusing only on refining the prototype, the discussion encouraged me to think more critically about the conceptual positioning of EMPTYING within contemporary wellbeing practices. This shifted my attention from asking “How can I improve the experience?” to a more fundamental question: “What unique contribution does my intervention make?”

One of the most valuable pieces of feedback was to always begin my presentation with the research question:

How can an embodied experience of emptiness create space for reflection and wellbeing in contemporary society?

My tutor reminded me that every design decision, prototype and testing outcome should contribute to answering this question, rather than simply documenting participant experiences. This helped me realise that the intervention itself is not the final outcome, but a research method through which I can investigate how embodied interaction encourages reflection.

Another important discussion centred on mindfulness. My tutor pointed out that there are already many established wellbeing practices that encourage people to slow down, observe their thoughts and cultivate awareness. Kabat-Zinn (1994) describes mindfulness as intentionally paying attention to the present moment without judgement, a concept that has become highly influential within contemporary wellbeing practice. This prompted me to ask not whether EMPTYING is another mindfulness exercise, but how it differs from these existing approaches.

Following the tutorial, I explored Leaves on a Stream, a well-known exercise in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). The exercise invites individuals to imagine placing each thought onto a floating leaf and watching it drift downstream, encouraging cognitive defusion by observing thoughts without becoming attached to them (Hayes, Strosahl and Wilson, 2012). I also explored practical versions of this exercise produced by Therapist Aid (n.d.) and the East London NHS Foundation Trust (2023), which demonstrate how the leaf metaphor is applied within therapeutic and mindfulness practice.

While researching these examples, I recognised both similarities and important differences with my own project. Both Leaves on a Stream and EMPTYING use the metaphor of a leaf to externalise inner experiences. However, Leaves on a Stream is primarily an imagined cognitive exercise, whereas EMPTYING transforms this metaphor into an embodied interaction.

Participants physically choose a wooden leaf representing a specific burden or desire, such as Comparison, Anxiety, Work, Expectations, Social Media or Control, rather than observing thoughts in general. Instead of imagining thoughts floating away, participants hold the wooden leaf, place it into water, observe its gradual movement and material transformation, and engage with it through touch.

Furthermore, the material choices are deeply rooted in Chinese philosophy rather than functioning solely as symbolic objects. The relationship between wood and water is inspired by the Dao De Jing, particularly the concept of “The highest goodness is like water” , which emphasises acceptance, adaptability and flowing rather than resisting (Laozi, trans. Ames and Hall, 2003). At the same time, the intervention draws inspiration from the philosophy of the Five Elements, in which Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water exist in a dynamic relationship of mutual generation and transformation. Rather than incorporating all five elements literally, I intentionally focused on wood and water, as these two elements most directly support the embodied experience of emptying through movement, transformation and sensory interaction.

This comparison helped me articulate the distinctive contribution of EMPTYING. Rather than attempting to replace existing mindfulness practices, the project explores how embodied interaction, Chinese philosophical thinking, and natural materials can work together to create an alternative pathway towards reflection and wellbeing. This perspective also resonates with Merleau-Ponty’s (2012) phenomenology, which argues that meaning is generated through bodily engagement with the world rather than detached observation.

Finally, the tutorial reminded me that the intervention does not end when the participant places the wooden leaf into the water. The first intervention testing revealed that the ending of the participant journey is also an important moment for reflection. Based on participants’ feedback, I have started redesigning the concluding stage of the experience. The next iteration of this intervention, and the design changes informed by user testing, will be documented in my following blog.

Overall, this tutorial fundamentally changed how I position my project. Rather than viewing EMPTYING simply as an interactive wellbeing experience, I now understand it as an exploration of how Chinese philosophical concepts, embodied interaction and natural materials can contribute a distinctive perspective to contemporary discussions of mindfulness and wellbeing. My next stage will therefore focus not only on refining the participant journey, but also on strengthening the theoretical dialogue between philosophy, embodied interaction and design practice.

References

East London NHS Foundation Trust (2023) Mindfulness – Leaves on a Stream. Available at: https://www.elft.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2023-02/Mindfulness%20-%20leaves%20on%20a%20stream.pdf (Accessed: 24 August 2026).

Hayes, S.C., Strosahl, K.D. and Wilson, K.G. (2012) Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change. 2nd edn. New York: Guilford Press.

Kabat-Zinn, J. (1994) Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life. New York: Hyperion.

Laozi (2003) Dao De Jing: A Philosophical Translation. Translated by R.T. Ames and D.L. Hall. New York: Ballantine Books.

Merleau-Ponty, M. (2012) Phenomenology of Perception. Translated by D.A. Landes. London: Routledge.

Therapist Aid (n.d.) Leaves on a Stream Worksheet. Available at: https://www.therapistaid.com/therapy-worksheet/leaves-on-a-stream-worksheet (Accessed: 24 August 2026).