Skip to content

Members Login

Apps

Find a Teacher

Facebook page opens in new windowTwitter page opens in new windowInstagram page opens in new window
Mindfulness Association
Being Present | Responding with Compassion | Seeing Deeply
Mindfulness AssociationMindfulness Association
  • Mindfulness Courses
    • Start Mindfulness
    • Level 2 – Compassion
    • Level 3 – Insight
    • Level 4 – Wisdom
    • Mindfulness Teacher Training Courses
      • Teaching – Level 1
      • Teaching – Level 2 (MBLC)
      • Teaching – Level 2 – (MBLC-YA) Teens
      • Teaching – Level 3 (CBLC)
      • Mindfulness Based Healthy Living Teacher Training
      • Teacher Training Package
      • Supervision for Mindfulness Teachers
      • Mindfulness Teacher Continuing Professional Development
        • Mindfulness Enquiry Skills – Online
        • Developing Enquiry Skills for Teaching Compassion- Online
    • Mindfulness for Life
      • Weekend Retreats
        • Mindfulness Yoga & Qigong Retreat Weekend
        • Introduction to Mindfulness Retreat Weekend
        • Introduction to Compassion Retreat Weekend
        • Mindful Creativity Weekend
        • Mindfulness & Movement In Nature Weekend
        • Tonglen Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Retreat
      • Mindfulness Based Healthy Living- Online
      • Living Well to Die Well Mindfulness Course
      • Engaged Mindfulness – Online
      • Mindfulness meets Mystical Poetry – Online
      • The Wonder of the Everyday-Online
    • Mindful Movement Course
      • 2022 Stillness Through Movement Level 1 -Online
      • Stillness Through Movement Level 2 – Compassion – Online
      • Stillness Through Movement Level 3 – Insight – Online
    • Online Courses
    • Online Mindfulness Courses by Email
      • Free Online Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Compassion Course
      • Introduction to Insight
    • Masters Degrees
      • MSc Studies in Mindfulness
      • MSc Mindfulness & Compassion
  • Mindfulness Retreats
    • Weekend Retreats
      • Mindfulness Yoga & Qigong Retreat Weekend
      • Introduction to Mindfulness Retreat Weekend
      • Introduction to Compassion Retreat Weekend
      • Mindful Creativity Weekend
      • Mindfulness In Nature Weekend
      • Tonglen Weekend
    • From Mindfulness to Buddhism Retreat – Online
    • Mindfulness for Life Retreat
  • Words & Blogs
    • Science of Mindfulness
    • Heather’s Musings
    • Mindfulness Poetry
    • Meditation Challenge
    • Mindful Futures
    • Sits and Teachings
    • Mindfulness Research
    • Mindfulness Recommended Reading
  • Membership
  • What is Mindfulness?
  • About Us
    • Mindfulness Association Tutors
    • Mindfulness Association Training Venues
  • News & Events
  • Mindfulness Courses
    • Start Mindfulness
    • Level 2 – Compassion
    • Level 3 – Insight
    • Level 4 – Wisdom
    • Mindfulness Teacher Training Courses
      • Teaching – Level 1
      • Teaching – Level 2 (MBLC)
      • Teaching – Level 2 – (MBLC-YA) Teens
      • Teaching – Level 3 (CBLC)
      • Mindfulness Based Healthy Living Teacher Training
      • Teacher Training Package
      • Supervision for Mindfulness Teachers
      • Mindfulness Teacher Continuing Professional Development
        • Mindfulness Enquiry Skills – Online
        • Developing Enquiry Skills for Teaching Compassion- Online
    • Mindfulness for Life
      • Weekend Retreats
        • Mindfulness Yoga & Qigong Retreat Weekend
        • Introduction to Mindfulness Retreat Weekend
        • Introduction to Compassion Retreat Weekend
        • Mindful Creativity Weekend
        • Mindfulness & Movement In Nature Weekend
        • Tonglen Weekend
      • Mindfulness for Life Retreat
      • Mindfulness Based Healthy Living- Online
      • Living Well to Die Well Mindfulness Course
      • Engaged Mindfulness – Online
      • Mindfulness meets Mystical Poetry – Online
      • The Wonder of the Everyday-Online
    • Mindful Movement Course
      • 2022 Stillness Through Movement Level 1 -Online
      • Stillness Through Movement Level 2 – Compassion – Online
      • Stillness Through Movement Level 3 – Insight – Online
    • Online Courses
    • Online Mindfulness Courses by Email
      • Free Online Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Mindfulness
      • Introduction to Compassion Course
      • Introduction to Insight
    • Masters Degrees
      • MSc Studies in Mindfulness
      • MSc Mindfulness & Compassion
  • Mindfulness Retreats
    • Weekend Retreats
      • Mindfulness Yoga & Qigong Retreat Weekend
      • Introduction to Mindfulness Retreat Weekend
      • Introduction to Compassion Retreat Weekend
      • Mindful Creativity Weekend
      • Mindfulness In Nature Weekend
      • Tonglen Weekend
    • From Mindfulness to Buddhism Retreat – Online
    • Mindfulness for Life Retreat
  • Words & Blogs
    • Science of Mindfulness
    • Heather’s Musings
    • Mindfulness Poetry
    • Meditation Challenge
    • Mindful Futures
    • Sits and Teachings
    • Mindfulness Research
    • Mindfulness Recommended Reading
  • Membership
  • What is Mindfulness?
  • About Us
    • Mindfulness Association Tutors
    • Mindfulness Association Training Venues
  • News & Events

Becoming Dr Bond – A journey of 1746 days

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Guest Blogs
  3. Becoming Dr Bond – A…
Dec32020
Guest BlogsBecoming Dr Bond – A journey of 1746 days

Next week, after a journey that began that began at the start of 2016, I shall graduate with a PhD in Education from the University of Aberdeen.  I guess the journey really began in the autumn of 2013 when I embarked on the Masters programme in Studies in Mindfulness with the Mindfulness Association and the university.  I was so anxious back then about getting back into studying – it had been 20 years since graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in software engineering.  You will no doubt note that the parallels between the science of software engineering and the social science of mindfulness and compassion are not immediately apparent!  I feel as if I’m standing here looking back and scratching my head, wondering how on earth I managed to get here.  Undoubtedly, I wouldn’t have done without the support of the Mindfulness Association and my endlessly patient husband and children, but there was a far greater support even than this…

When we set out on a journey, we generally have some idea of what it might entail, but we prepare ourselves for the adventure of it – the opportunities to meet the unknown with curiosity and learn about ourselves as we navigate the unexpected. Had somebody told me at the start what my PhD journey would entail, I doubt that I would have had the mental fortitude to set sail, since the whole would have been too overwhelming.  Instead, moment by moment I navigated the uncharted territory that a PhD necessarily involves and now here I stand, looking back on my travels and realising that it wasn’t just a journey of studying of mindfulness and self-compassion, it was a journey of living them.  Essentially, my practice was the ship that got me to the harbour, having navigated some very stormy seas indeed!

As part of my PhD – a mixed methods study – I created the adolescent version of the Mindfulness Association’s Mindfulness Based Living Course (MBLC) which is known as the ‘Young Adult’ version (MBLC-YA) for 11-18 year-olds. I taught the curriculum to over 200 young people in Scottish secondary schools to see how it would affect them and to explore what the supports and barriers to learning self-compassion in school might be.  Little did I realise how much my work with those young people would affect me; it feels as if my heart expanded to make some space for them and the experience will stay with me forever.  I am so deeply grateful to the pupils, teachers, and support staff who made it possible for me to research the effects of the MBLC-YA in their schools and who allowed me to enter their lives for a short while.

The quantitative results of my study were strange and (at least to me) fascinating.  The qualitative results were in many respects heart-warming and in others, a cautionary tale.  I shall say no more here but if my work interests you, then please feel free to download a copy of my thesis from heathergrace.co.uk/writing.

Here are a few quotes from the young people who participated in the course:

MBLC YA testimonials

You can also read more about the journey of my studies, should you wish to, in Chapter 6 of Mindful Heroes – stories of journeys that changed lives.

I shall bid you farewell now, but if you’re considering setting sail on the journey of a Masters or PhD then I say to you: if I can do it, then anyone can!  I humbly implore you to set sail if you dare, and trust that your practice will guide you to safe harbour.

With much love,

Heather Grace Bond

Mindfulness Courses

Train To Teach Mindfulness

Latest Mindfulness Courses
June 2022
Compassion course and taster
Jun 06 2022 - Aug 01 2022

Level 2 – Compassion Online

Online
July 2022
INTRODUCTION-TO-MINDFULNESS-RETREAT-WEEKEND
Jul 22 - 24 2022

Introduction to Mindfulness at Samye Ling

Samye Ling
August 2022
COMPASSION-RETREAT-WEEKEND
Aug 12 - 14 2022

Introduction to Compassion at Samye Ling

Samye Ling
September 2022
level-3-insight
Sep 05 2022 - Feb 06 2023

Insight Level 3

Online
Start your Journey into MINDFULNESS journEy
Sep 07 2022 - Oct 19 2022

MINDFULNESS LEVEL 1- BEING PRESENT ONLINE TAUGHT ON A WEDNESDAY EVENING

Online
LEVEL-2-COMPASSION-ONLINE-2022
Sep 10 2022 - Feb 04 2023

LEVEL 2 – COMPASSION ONLINE

Online
mindfulness-and-movement-in-nature
Sep 23 - 25 2022

MINDFULNESS & MOVEMENT IN NATURE

Samye Ling
October 2022
COMPASSION-ONLINE-MONDAYS
Oct 17 2022 - Apr 24 2023

LEVEL 2 – COMPASSION ONLINE MONDAY EVENINGS

Online
introduction to mindfulness retreat weekend
Oct 28 2022 - Mar 25 2023

Continue Mindfulness Level 1

Samye Ling
February 2023
Compassion course and taster
Feb 06 2023 - Jul 10 2023

Level 2 – Compassion Online

Online
March 2023
Start your Journey into MINDFULNESS journEy
Mar 04 - 05 2023

MINDFULNESS LEVEL 1- BEING PRESENT

Edinburgh
level-3-insight
Mar 17 2023 - Jul 16 2023

Insight Level 3

Samye Ling
No event found!
Load More

Becoming Dr Bond – A journey of 1746 days

You are here:
  1. Home
  2. Media
  3. Becoming Dr Bond – A…

Becoming Dr Bond – A journey of 1746 days

Becoming Dr Bond – A journey of 1746 days

  • FAQ’s
  • Privacy Policy
  • Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
  • Terms and conditions

58 Thirlestane Road
Edinburgh
Midlothian
EH9 1AR

  • © 2008 - 2022 Mindfulness Association
Go to Top
Accept Cookies
We use cookies on our site. Please click accept or review the cookie settings Cookie settingsAccept
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT