Mindfulness for Long-Term Health Conditions

A Message from Breathworks Founder Vidyamala Burch

Some of you may already know of my forty-year journey with chronic pain, spinal injuries and partial paraplegia. You may also know that for thirty of those years, I have been practising mindfulness and developing Breathworks Mindfulness for Health programmes.

When I first began my journey with mindfulness, my personal knowledge of health problems was mainly limited to spinal and leg pain. I wasn't so aware of the many other long-term conditions, chronic illnesses and chronic pain conditions that cause such suffering and anguish for the people living with them, that they can extinguish any spark of hope that life will get better or will be worth living again.

But I know that life can get better. Much better. I know not only because I now have a satisfying, full and joyful live, but because I have also had the privilege of training thousands, with wide and varied health problems, in mindfulness practice. Many of whom came to Breathworks as a last resort and have now turned their lives around.

Knowing that so many health conditions respond incredibly well to mindfulness, creating these Mindfulness for Specific Health Problems is very important to me. Building up over time, these pages will give you advice on how mindfulness can help you live better with your condition, case studies of people with your condition, mindfulness tips and advice, plus links to other organisations. 

Research

An overwhelming amount of research evidence states that practicing mindfulness meditation can improve the quality of life of those living with long term pain and illnesses, with general benefits including improved mood, reduced interference of the condition in daily life, improved social functioning and a re-established sense of control. If you would like to explore how mindfulness meditation can help your specific condition, please read more in the links below.

Through the power of mindfulness, compassion and by learning that we, ourselves, are capable of taking responsibility for our own health, you can reclaim your life, relationships and rediscover the joys and pleasures in living again.

Vidyamala Burch, Co-Founder & Director