Author - Given-Wilson, Patrick


Patrick Given-Wilson (Singapore, 1947) took his first degree in Classics and Classical Philosophy at Cambridge University, England, and later took an MBA at Stanford University, California. He worked as an investment banker in London for seven years, and emigrated to Australia in 1978. 


He and his wife Ginnie took their first Vipassana course with S.N. Goenka in 1977, and were appointed Vipassana teachers in 1984. As Vipassana teachers they serve Dhamma Bhumi and South East Australia. They have two children and live in Sydney. Patrick has also conducted courses in New Zealand, England, Spain, Switzerland, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore, China, Russia and Israel. His articles have been published in Vipassana newsletters, his art in the Pariyatti Journal, and he has recorded an interesting series of eight video talks exploring the lives and teachings of the lineage of Vipassana Meditation Teachers in our tradition, the lineage that led to the Vipassana courses as taught by S.N. Goenka. 

The talks touch on the setbacks and challenges the different teachers faced, and the ways in which they presented and taught Vipassana to suit the different times, audiences and cultures that they encountered—while always maintaining its essence and pristine purity. The talks show how, as a result, the teaching of Vipassana—which for generations was only limited available to a few monks in Burma—was able to spread to so many people throughout the world today. The series covers Ashoka, who first sent monks to Burma, Ledi Sayadaw, Saya Thet, Webu Sayadaw, Sayagyi U Ba Khin, and S.N. Goenka. The talks are offered to explain the history and origins of this noble tradition, and above all to inspire Vipassana meditators.

Patrick is also an avid painter and has been so generous to allow us to offer print copies of several of his artworks. Having always felt an affinity with Chinese art and culture, he started painting in the traditional Chinese style in 2009, under the guidance of his teacher, Ms Stella Schoobert. His paintings employ the age-old medium of ink and water colour on rice paper. They are all inspired by original paintings by Chinese masters, and feature all the elements of Chinese landscape painting: mountains, rocks, rivers, trees and skies, or flora and fauna detail. Evocative, peaceful, delicate and serene; expressing their individual moods they transport the viewer to another world.