Freeing the Mind When the Body Hurts
Transform your life with Vidyamala Burch's BE AWARE method
The BE AWARE method
This program is based on a six-step process developed by Vidyamala. It's a complete path of training and whole-life transformation.
The first step is being present: learning how to be here with our experience just as it is, transforming our reactive tendencies.
The second step is acceptance and kindness around the pain or the difficulty.
The third step is waking up to wonder. How beautiful, discovering that there's always something pleasant, even beautiful, that we can tune into when our awareness becomes more refined and sensitive.
The fourth step is arising and passing: living with flow. This is important and profound. We realize that everything is changing, everything is process, including what we relate to as pain as if it's a solid object. That too, is process.
The fifth step is relating and connecting: realizing that we're not alone and our experience of pain or difficulty can become a point of empathy rather than a cause of isolation.
Finally, the sixth step is to engage with all of our life. How can we bring this training into all the moments of our life?
Mindfulness-Based Pain and Illness Management
Vidyamala explains her personal experience of spinal injury and how this led to the development of a successful pain and illness management program.
Progress at your own pace
This easy-to-use online course is available to all. It comprises six units that form a program of instruction, meditation, discussion, and contemplative exercises. Each unit contains 30-45 minutes of material to view and practice. You are free to progress at your own pace, and will retain ongoing access to the material.
Vidyamala Burch
Vidyamala Burch OBE is a mindfulness and compassion teacher, coach, speaker and award-winning author. She developed the world’s first Mindfulness-based Pain & Illness Management (MBPM) program and went on to co-found the mindfulness organization Breathworks. Her evidence-based approach has reached over 100,000 people around the world and is recognized by the NHS and health boards globally. Through her work, she hopes to pass on the tools that have helped her to reclaim a full, happy and meaningful life.
Testimonials
Praise for Vidyamala's teachings
Vidyamala speaks with enormous humility and often humour, of the journey that led her to develop Breathworks; if you have an opportunity to hear her speak, take it! I was directed to the Breathworks organisation by an NHS psychologist and having participated in the Managing Pain and Illness course I can honestly say the skills taught are life changing.—Paula Baker
I was in your workshop at the Inner MBA today and it was the first seminar that truly touched my struggle. Thank you. Thank you for the work that you have done. Somehow you have shown me that my struggle is some kind of a gift.—Seminar Participant
The fact that she was so open and honest about her own experience of adjusting to and managing persistent pain gave what she said real validity. She had loads of helpful strategies to share with us professionals and gave us much food for thought on how to be more mindful of the challenges that persistent pain presents.—Dr Fazia Pask
Detailed curriculum
Click the arrow below to see the full program
- Introduction (7:08)
- Meditation 1: Simple Awareness Meditation (17:51)
- Introduction to Mindfulness-Based Pain and Illness Management (8:59)
- Keep Calmly Knowing Change: The Satipatthana Sutta (17:55)
- From Fighting to Flourishing (22:34)
- Check Your Understanding
- Reflect
- Meditation 2: Body Scan (16:16)
- Discuss
- In Daily Life (3:32)
- Summary
- Live Q&A Sessions (116:47)
- Downloads
Related Courses
Evidence-based methods
The Breathworks program founded by Vidyamala Burch has been shown to be effective.
- 85% of people said they felt better able to manage their health condition since taking part in a Mindfulness for Health course.
- 80% of people reported an increased quality of life following a Mindfulness for Health course.
- 77% of people reported a reduction in depression and anxiety following a Mindfulness for Stress course.
Learn more at breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk
(Photo: Zachary Kyra-Derkson)