John E. Coleman (Pennsylvania, 1930) began working as a mechanic and then as a photographer. Having joined the US army just after WWII, he was stationed in Japan where he was assigned to the photographing of war criminals. After his discharge he went to university in the US and was recruited by the CIA. In 1954 he was posted to Thailand to train border police. Intrigued by the many aspects of the cultures he experienced, Mr. Coleman became interested in Buddhism and began to meditate. When his cover was blown in 1957, he resigned and embarked on a spiritual journey through Thailand, India, Nepal and Japan, encountering luminous teachers along the way. His search for peace of mind came to an end in Rangoon, Burma, under the guidance of the renowned Burmese Vipassana master, Sayagyi U Ba Khin. After settling in England in the 1960s, and with the encouragement of U Ba Khin, Mr. Coleman eventually began to teach Vipassana himself. He now limits himself to conducting a few courses each year in Europe and Thailand.
