Body Scan CD - Managing pain, illness and stress with mindfulness meditation Audio CD – Audiobook, 4 Nov. 2009

I've been interested in the practices trialled by John Kabat Zinn at Harvard and read his book 'Full Catastrophe Living' several years ago. I was very inspired. Vidyamala Burch's book brings the basic ideas into the UK and works with pain management experts within the NHS. This is no touchy-feely New Age unsubstantiated fluffiness - while rooted in ancient and well-proven Buddhist meditation techniques, the project has and is using scientific methodology to test its claims. In other words, you don't have to subscribe to Buddist ideas for it to work! I'd urge anyone living with chronic pain/illness or those living with people who endure it to read this book. I believe it could vastly improve the quality of one's life and certainly, the medics who've worked with the project speak highly of it. Here are hands on, practical techniques that literally change your mind's 'take' on your condition and thus change your experience of it. She deals with the many stages of illness/pain, including denial, anger and so forth - and being a paraplegic herself from her teenage years, she should know.

Didn't realise just how tense I was until I listened to this cd! Vidyamala Burch has a wonderfully calming reassuring voice taking you through the various parts of the body until you feel totally relaxed. There is a 20 minute shortened version on the 2nd half for if you have less time to go through the procedure but I would really recommend making the time as often as possible to do the full length 40 mins as I found a much greater benefit by doing this.Just be aware that there is no background music to accompany the words so if this is important you need to look elsewhere.

Very relaxing

Found it to be very helpful

A very long first body scan with a smaller one at the end. I suffer from insomnia and the first one is great to help me get to sleep. It is probably the best and most detailed body scan I've used and would really benefit those who have not tried this before and are worried they are 'not doing it right'

Relaxing when you just need to unwind. Sent as a gift to my elderly parents

Nothing seems to really happen but I definitely feel better afterwards.

I have never been disappointed by a meditation CD from the Breathworks company, and this CD continues the trend. Vidyamala has a beautiful voice, and I thoroughly recommend this for those beginning mindfulness meditation practice, or those who are already using the technique in daily life.