Who is Barbara Reid?

Barbara is an experienced teacher and teacher-trainer of Mindfulness based approaches. Despite her creaky knees, she is rarely separated from her meditation cushion, which is as well travelled as she is. A former university teacher, not surprisingly perhaps Barbara also loves books, everything from Nordic Noir to Marcel Proust. But she is only allowed to bring new books home if she gives some away first.

What does Barbara Reid do at Equilibrium?

Barbara teaches the internationally recognised Mindfulness based Stress Reduction course at Equilibrium. She believes we can all benefit from being more mindful. As Jon Kabat-Zinn, the original developer of MBSR says “You need to weave your parachute before you jump!” Mindfulness helps us find ease with life’s challenges. So you can always spot a mindfulness teacher… bags of cushions and blankets!

Facsinating facts abour Barbara...

  1. Every month or so, Barbara packs up her cushions and blankets and trundles off to Bangor, where she teaches at the university’s Centre for Mindfulness Research and Practice on their teacher-training course for new mindfulness teachers.  It is also said that she spends time in the Thai noodle bar there.
  2. Barbara’s favourite poet is William Stafford. He wrote gently about the ordinary everyday things of life. He once said:  “...What you fear will not go away; it will take you into yourself and bless you and keep you. That's the world, and we all live there.” 
  3. Barbara has a Buddhist name which was given to her a while ago by a Burmese nun. It’s ‘Vimala’. She says it reminds her of cleaning pans and Lady Macbeth rubbing her hands and muttering “Out, dammed spot”. It means ‘stainless’. Nice to have a challenge in life.

Mindfulness

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