Episode #245: Barry Lapping shares his spiritual odyssey from the turbulence of the Vietnam War era and counterculture movement, to the serene hills of Bodhgaya, India, to becoming a vipassana meditation teacher in western Massachusetts.
His story begins with a chance encounter with a captivating magazine photo of a meditator in the mountains of New Mexico, which ignited his quest to find true happiness. His subsequent journey led him to try kibbutz life in Israel, before traveling overland through Turkey, Iran and Afghanistan to India, where he found his spiritual home at the Burmese Vihara in Bodhgaya. There, under the guidance of his first teacher, Munindra, and later S.N. Goenka, Barry delved deep into the practice of vipassana meditation.
Barry highlights the essence of Goenka's teachings, which focus on the purification of the mind through a non-judgmental observation of physical sensation that leads to an experiential understanding of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. Despite initial struggles, Barry found profound transformation through this practice, which provided him with the tools to navigate the complexities of life with equanimity and wisdom. He has devoted his life to helping spread these teachings, and is now the Center teacher at Dhamma Dhara, in western Massachusetts.
Barry’s story is a testament to the enduring power of meditation to bring about profound personal change and contribute to a more compassionate and understanding world.