THE OUTDOORS ARE YOUR COMPASS.

Emma Shearman was born in Singapore and moved to Sydney when she was 2. With a Canadian mother, who grew up on Vancouver Island, between the ocean and mountains and a bodysurfing loving father from Mudgee Australia, the outdoors have always been a big part of Emma’s family life. In particular, her mom encourages Emma to spend more time in the ocean and challenge herself learning new sports.

Growing up on the Lane Cove River, she learned to water ski and wakeboard at a very young age, and went almost every weekend together with her family. The ocean and the contact to the waters were Emmas playground. Nowadays, she seeks time in the water with every opportunity she gets. While she likes to challenge herself with ocean activities and sports, she also finds teachings in nature. It has matured into a school of lessons around the elements, the weather, the ecosystem and in particular their reflections onto her own life. In fact, nature has become her moral principle compass where she receives guidance and comfort. She meets mother nature in a space of humility and irresistible force.

Putting london on ice!

When Emma was 18, she decided to explore her career options and moved to London. Emma was eager to step into the tempting fashion industries of this world. But she soon discovered it wasn’t her world at all. Thanks to her parents upbringing, she was strong enough to turn her back towards the fashion fame and focus on what truly sparked her interest. She decided to transfer her studies into finance and landed a job at Patagonia Europe in Amsterdam.

When she moved back to Australia in 2018, she made surfing and ocean swimming her go-to activities. Immersing herself in the cold ocean on a daily base, a day without the cold liquid on her skin, would start to feel like something was missing. In winter, she still swims in her swimsuit and must be in the ocean before starting the day.

Very naturally, Emma found interest in the health and mindset teachings of Wim Hoff. It was fascinating to expand her knowledge around the physical and mental benefits of taking baths in ice cold water. Emma didn’t wait long before she bought her own ice bath, which she keeps it in her garage to take baths in 3 degree water, several times a week! She says the positive impacts on her body are immense and not only does she recover quickly from hard physical training, but also strengthens her immune system and expands the limits of her mind and fears.

GROWING INTO NEW HORIZONS.

In 2020, when the lockdown hit Australia during the Covid pandemic, Emma decided it was time to find a new challenge. She was keen to learn, grow and become even more connected to her favourite element. Since many years, she had been inspired by big wave surfers as well as free-divers and spear-fishers, who chase the thrill in the ocean beyond the norm, with spearfish inspiration Kimi Werner being one of her idols. Since the swell around Sydney hadn’t been great, but the ocean had been frolicking with vast clarity and purity, Emma and her mother, who used to dive and spearfish herself, made a decision. They asked a family friend who was a well experienced spearfisher, if Emma could tag along to his next dive! The goal was set.

LEARNINGS BY THE SEA.

Four hours went by. Tim, Emma’s family friend, taught her how to look for black drummers, a type of fish that hide inside the rock caves. He taught her how to blend in with the seaweed and watch how each species of fish behaves in their habitat. She started noticing the importance of being in tune with her breath and body.

Her fears were justified. She needed to be cautious about new feelings around her body, noticing when she started feeling dizzy or if she was accidentally hyperventilating without noticing it. Learning how long she could really stay below the surface and taking each signal of the own body very serious.

The day, Emma first dived off the Dee Why headlands, with her Hawaiian sling in her hand, setting out for an adventure, she was already a fish on a hook herself. Caught by the mysteries of the unknown, tapping into a new level of understanding and never-ending learnings by the sea. There is a fair bit of gear involved when you are preparing to go spearfishing: Knifes, guns, floats, gloves and fins. At first, Emma felt nervous to enter the spearfishing store, but then she learned more about the right tools required, which made it so much easier and safer for her and others.

That day, Emma put a first-hand-speared fish on the table. Although it was a Sergeant Baker, considered a terrible catch, she experienced immense joy from sourcing food this unconventionally and sharing the catch with her family for dinner. Her dad taught her how to scale, fillet and cook the fish whilst her mom was filled with pride and delight for her daughter. After an incredibly devastating start into this year, Emma now experienced emotions of contentment, excitement, courage and confidence and most importantly, gratitude.

“There is something so enticing and incredibly beautiful about the fact that the ocean is never the same. Each wave and day, different from the day before. My reliance and appreciation for the icy ocean is growing stronger dive by dive.”

— Emma Shearman

EXPLORING THE WORLD UNDERNEATH THE SURFACE.

SPEARFISHING HOOKED.

Moving underwater on one breath, Emma can last about 30 - 40 seconds. She didn't know much about breathing preparation before she started spearfishing. Tim warned her of shallow water black-outs and told Emma to leave plenty of time between each deep dive. Sometimes, adrenaline kicks in and the excitement about the challenge can take over, which can be fatal. Tim drilled it into her: Never ever dive alone, but always have a diving buddy. Don’t let the ego or competitiveness take over.

Emma loves exploring her backyard. From Manly’s famous Deadman’s point all the way up to Crescent Head, she now spends a whole lot more time under water. Just recently, she went out with her boyfriend, spearing her first Taylor, a fast and smart species. They saw an incredible amount of wildlife and heard the sounds of whales while swimming next to each other - an unbelievable feeling of connection with life itself. Then, they enjoyed the Taylor on the beach, cooked in a Banana Palm leaves on charcoal, as the sun set behind them.

OCEAN TAKE-AWAY.

Emma says, her spearfishing experience made her notice the variety in species and how they act, behave and appear in their own unique ways. She realised, how much life is surrounding us, when we often think the world is spinning around us. We live life on the fast-track, but there is a beauty in slowing down and understanding the different ecosystems and elements at play. Breathing deeply does exactly that. It makes us see the smaller things in life and reflect on who we are, where we are going and where we come from. Breath-work has given Emma the gift of slowing down, unwinding and most importantly re-wilding.

THE ART oF BreatH.

Emma is now making it her mission to pass on her learnings from free-diving and started her business SISUU. It’s about seeking the force and energy of the ocean and integrating it into your life, finding breath, living more purposefully, connected and awake. She is offering SISUU workshops, retreats and her famous fire-tonic.

If you would like to get in contact with EMMA, please FOLLOW @sisuu.life on INSTAGRAM AND visit SISUU.LIFE.

We hope you enjoyed this article.

Stay true to yourself, dare & care.

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Lara

FIND HER IN THE COLD.