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You're listening to Insights at the Edge.

Today I speak with Vidiamala Birch,

and I must say that this is one of the most moving and powerful

insights at the edge that I've yet to record.

For over 30 years, Vidiamala has lived with chronic back pain as a result of a car accident,

multiple surgeries, and congenital spine weakness.

Searching for a way to cope with her situation, she started practicing mindfulness meditation

to help accept and move beyond the pain.

She is the co-founder of the Breathworks organization in the United Kingdom, where she teaches

mindfulness-based approaches to living with physical pain

and illness. She is also the author of the new Sounds True Book, Living Well with Pain and Illness, the mindful way to free yourself from suffering.

I spoke with Vigiamala about her 30-year experience with chronic pain,

what it means to turn towards pain and soften, and about how to

live one moment at a time. Here's my conversation with Vidumala Birch.

Vigumala, you have an unusual approach, at least I think unusual in terms of a popular view of how people deal with pain, which is instead of trying

to get rid of pain, we actually turn towards it.

And I'm wondering just to begin here,

...