Gratitude to Burma

“When we practice every day, when we generate mettā for all beings, we should remember Burma, because if it wasn't for them, we would not have this [Vipassana] Center, we would not be doing what we're doing now. So that gratitude becomes an essential and critical part of our own practice.”

Barry Lapping’s spiritual journey began in his youth, driven by a profound yearning for happiness. After completing college, disillusioned with his life’s direction during the Vietnam War, he sought solace in an Israeli kibbutz. However, an old Life magazine photo of a man meditating in New Mexico inspired Barry to travel to India. There, he discovered Vipassana meditation and began learning under the guidance of Munindra and S.N. Goenka. The life-changing impact of his first Vipassana course solidified his dedication to the practice. Barry eventually became a teacher in Massachusetts, sharing the transformative power of Vipassana with others.

Barry’s gratitude to Burma is deeply heartfelt, rooted in his profound experiences with Burmese Vipassana traditions, as well as being reflected in his commitment to teaching and sharing the meditation practice, which honors those Burmese masters who dedicated their lives to these teachings.

Barry believes that Vipassana practitioners today should similarly hold a deep sense of gratitude for Burma as the place that preserved these teachings for so many years. He emphasizes that without the steadfast work of those Burmese masters, the transformative power of Vipassana would not be accessible to practitioners worldwide as it is today.