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Vidyamala Prue Burch

@vidyamala

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Mindfulness teacher and co-founder Breathworks. Buddhist. Lives with disability. Awarded OBE for services to pain management and well-being.

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When I founded @breathworks_mindfulness back in 2001, my hope was simple: to share mind training as a way to ease suffering and bring resilience into everyday life.

Living with a disability has taught me that challenges can become gateways to growth, and that’s the message I love to share.

Over the years, I’ve been honoured to write books, create multiple courses, and speak at global events that spark meaningful conversations about wellbeing and human potential.

If you’re looking for a speaker who brings both lived experience and practical tools for thriving, I’d love to connect.

Here’s a glimpse of my journey so far... by @vidyamala

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9 months ago

A heartfelt reminder about our end-of-year fundraiser for the @breathworks_mindfulness Foundation.

🎯 Our goal is to raise £50,000 by 31 December so that we can continue to offer all that we do to people living with pain and illness.

Thanks to an extraordinary response from our community, we’ve already raised over £29,000, with over 700 people contributing so far… we’re 60% of the way there!

I’ve been deeply moved by the generosity, trust, and goodwill expressed through these donations.

I continue to believe that Breathworks offers something genuinely unique to the world.

👉 Please donate now via GoFundMe (link is in my bio)
👉 Share this post to help us reach more people.

Together, we can make sure no one faces daily pain and illness alone. Thank you for your support. by @vidyamala

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10 months ago

On our 22nd birthday, we share the story of our beginnings… (part 1/4)

Aged just 16, Vidyamala Burch experienced the first of two accidents that resulted in severe spinal injury, chronic pain and partial paraplegia.

In this short video, Vidyamala tells her inspirational story of how mindfulness and meditation training enabled her to work with the mind, rather than against it, transforming the experience of living within a painful body.

Eager to help others, Vidyamala founded Breathworks, a charity which to date, has helped over 100,000 people with pain, illness and stress to live fuller lives through mindfulness. She also created the UKs first mindfulness-based pain management (MBPM) programme, recognised by the NHS, global health boards & the British Pain Society. In 2022, Vidyamala was awarded an OBE for her service to wellbeing & pain management.

Living with pain, illness and stress can leave you feeling helpless. There is however, hope for a better life. We invite you to take that step with us today.

Watch the full video (3 min) via the link in bio 🔗

Incredible filmography by @korufilms
Repost: @breathworks_mindfulness
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#vidyamala #vidyamalaburch #paraplegic #paraplegia #spinalinjury #injury #injuryrecovery #chronicpain #chronicillness #mindfulness #meditation #mindfulnessmeditation #mindfulnessbasedpainmanagement #painmanagement #chronicpainstory #inspirationalstories #reallifestories #inspirationalquotes #inspirationalstories #obe #inspirationalwomen #internationalwomensday #recoverystories #adversity by @vidyamala

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3 years ago

📘Explore Mindfulness for Health with Vidyamala Burch OBE

‘Mindfulness for Health’ by @vidyamala Burch and @drdannypenman is a practical guide to relieving pain, reducing stress and restoring well-being.

Based on Vidyamala’s own experience of managing a long-term health condition and clinical evidence of mindfulness meditation’s effectiveness for coping with pain, the book reveals a series of core concepts and simple practices that can be incorporated into daily life.

Join us for this very special edition of our Between the Lines guest speaker events, where we’ll first explore the book together in our community session before welcoming Vidyamala for a live conversation, answering your questions and discussing themes.

🗓️ Wednesday 19 & 26 August 2026
📍Online via Zoom
⏱️12:00 – 12:45 UK Time

✨ This event is included in the Oxford Mindfulness Members’ Programme. Non-members are welcome to join the event for a small admin fee.

Book your place via the link in our bio. by @vidyamala

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2 months ago

📚 Vidyamala Burch OBE joins us at ‘Between the Lines’!

We warmly invite you to join our upcoming Between the Lines sessions, where we will explore @vidyamala's inspiring book, 'Mindfulness for Health: A Practical Guide to Relieving Pain, Reducing Stress and Restoring Wellbeing’.

▪️ Community Session: Wednesday 19 August 2026, 12:00 – 12:45 (UK time)
▪️ Author Session with Vidyamala: Wednesday 26 August 2026, 12:00 – 12:45 (UK time)

💬 The first session is a facilitated community discussion to reflect on the book, share insights, and explore questions together. Themes from this session will then be brought into a live conversation with Vidyamala in the second session.

💫 This online series is part of our work to build strong, connected, mindful communities. For Oxford Mindfulness members, participation is included as part of your membership.

Non-members are warmly invited to join our Members’ Programme or register for this event with a small admin fee.

Book your place via the link in our bio 🔗 by @vidyamala

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2 months ago

This weekend! An online retreat drawing on early and later Buddhist approaches to mind and heart training (Satipatthana and Lojong). https://www.eventbrite.com/e/become-a-compassionate-warrior-a-weekend-retreat-with-vidyamala-tickets-1978976974403?aff=TBCOPost&fbclid=IwZnRzaATLLBxwZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR41Dkr0JQ02YAy4A8aGF3PsZOf6h4bYoy46La96aNe8X7Poz1GkULlBLaaxlA_aem_ra_mjoVhJihLWWF0mFGmxA by @vidyamala

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3 months ago

Sona recovering well after hip replacement on Thursday. @alokavira staying and looking after us both! What a hero. All going well. by @vidyamala

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3 months ago

Glimpses from our April retreat, where spring showed up in her full glory 🌸 We found stillness, nourished our roots, soared like cranes and learned that flourishing isn’t about becoming more, but about befriending the wisdom of the inner crone.

A heartfelt thank you to the wonderful 27 souls who joined us, and to @breathworks_mindfulness for trusting us with their first mixed qigong & meditation retreat. Here’s hoping the first of many 🙏 taken in Adhisthana by @vidyamala

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5 months ago

Really looking forward to hosting @sharonsalzberg on Monday 23rd 6.30 - 8.30 pm as a fundraiser for @breathworks_mindfulness

Sharon and I will share learnings from our lives and she will guide us in a meditation.

She is one of the real pioneers of bringing Buddhist values to the modern world in accessible ways.

https://www.breathworks-mindfulness.org.uk/Event/in-conversation-with-vidyamala-burch-sharon-salzberg by @vidyamala

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7 months ago

A wonderful day in manchester with the Breathworks team today! 3 birthdays and a baby (soon). Love these guys ❤️ by @vidyamala

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7 months ago

We need your help to keep @breathworks_mindfulness changing lives.

25 years ago, I started Breathworks from a desk in my bedroom. Today, our free community supports 10,000 people living with pain and illness while our live-saving courses are in-demand as health services struggle.

We’ve launched a vital fundraiser to raise £50,000 by 31 Dec.

▪ Nearly 500 generous donors have helped us to reach almost 50% of our first milestone
▪ Every donation matters - it all helps us offer life-changing mindfulness courses on a pay-what-you-can basis.

👉 Please donate now via GoFundMe (the link is in my bio)
👉 Share this post to help us reach more people.

Together, we can make sure no one faces daily pain and illness alone. Thank you for your support. 💙

#Mindfulness #ChronicPain #MentalHealth #Fundraiser by @vidyamala

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a year ago

💚 Compassion: the twin of mindfulness 💚

I’m looking forward to co-leading this Breathworks residential retreat (27–30 Nov, Malvern Hills, UK) with @vidyamala one of the most experienced mindfulness teachers around.

🕊️ Mindfulness helps us see clearly. Compassion helps us respond kindly. Like two wings of a bird, awareness and care, both are needed to stay balanced and free.

We’ll explore how mindfulness and compassion support each other, helping us meet difficulty with clarity, courage, and warmth.

🧠 Research by Richard Davidson (Centre for Healthy Minds) even shows these practices can change the brain — strengthening areas linked to empathy, regulation, and attention.

Only three men’s places left :it’s worth joining the waiting list.

🗓️ 27–30 Nov 2025
🌍 Adhisthana, Ledbury, Herefordshire
🌳 More info & booking: bit.ly/4nD7RCD]
🪷 6+ months meditation experience required
❓ DM me to chat about it

@breathworks_mindfulness @vidyamala @adhisthanatriratna
#mindfulness #compassion #meditation #retreat #reflection #timeout

#mindfulness #compassion #meditation #timeout #reflection by @vidyamala

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a year ago