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Nikki Mirghafori's Dharma Talks
Nikki Mirghafori
Nikki is of Persian heritage, and was introduced to contemplative practices and yoga in the early 1980's, to meditation in 1991, and to Theravada Buddhism in 2003. She has studied with various Western and Eastern teachers, with a keen interest in intensive silent retreats. She studied jhanas and detailed analytical vipassana with the renowned meditation master Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw who instructed her to teach. She is also a Spirit Rock authorized retreat teacher, a Stanford trained compassion cultivation instructor, and a UCLA certified mindfulness facilitator. She teaches Buddhist meditation and contemplation nationally, and in particular, at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, where she also serves on their Board of Directors. Nikki holds a Ph.D. in computer science from UC Berkeley and has had an active career as an Artificial Intelligence scientist in academia and industry for over two decades.
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2018-10-04 Day Three, Morning Instructions: Working with Emotions with R.A.I.N. (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 19:08
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Evolving Together: Mindfulness Meditation and Modern Science
2018-10-03 Being a Scientist of Our Own Mind (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 51:15
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Our magnificent heart-mind-body is our laboratory. First, a deep respect and humility for how little we know (specifically about the brain) is to be embraced, in order not to reduce the totality of our amazing humanity to materialist neuralism, especially with simplified or outdated models (e.g., the Triune theory with reptilian brain, etc.). Also essential are a scientific “holy” curiosity (also known as the factor of investigation) and gentle perseverance. Finally, a true scientist is inspired by awe and the mystery of the ineffable, not just to “get a prize” — or, as it applies to our meditation practice, simply undertaking it for the sake of self improvement.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Evolving Together: Mindfulness Meditation and Modern Science
2018-10-02 Introduction to Metta (loving-kindness) and guided meditation (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 42:30
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Metta practice, benefactor.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Evolving Together: Mindfulness Meditation and Modern Science
2018-07-23 Disenchantment and dispassion --> Knowledge and vision of liberation 61:09
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This talk discusses the last conditional links described in the Kimatthiya Sutta (“What Purpose?”) (Anguttara Nikaya 10.1), where the Buddha teaches Ananda that wholesome ethical behavior leads to non-regret, which leads to gladness, .... ultimately leading to liberation. The penultimate stage of the list is Nibbida virāgo, which are often translated as disenchantment and dispassion (thought "free of enchantment and free of fire of passion" is a more appropriate translation, as discussed in the talk). The list in the sutta, as well as the talk, end with a brief discussion of knowledge and vision of liberation (Vimutti ñāna dassana), which is synonymous with nibbana.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-18 Q/A 49:11
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Both Sayadaw U Jagara and Nikki Mirghafori share answers and reflections on pre-written questions.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-18 Morning Instructions: Investigating the supporting condition in the links of conditionality (Nissaya) 26:07
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Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-17 Morning Instructions 46:07
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Samadhi (concentration) and seeing things as they are
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-16 Concentration/Unification of Mind (Samādhi) --> Knowledge and vision of things as they are (Yathā bhūta ñāna dassana) 60:26
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This talk discusses the sixth and seventh (Samādhi --> Yathā bhūta ñāna dassana) conditional links described in the Kimatthiya Sutta (“What Purpose?”) (Anguttara Nikaya 10.1), where the Buddha teaches Ananda that wholesome ethical behavior leads to non-regret, which leads to gladness, .... ultimately leading to liberation.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-10 Morning Instructions: Exploring gladness, joy, tranquility, and happiness 33:10
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Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-09 Joy —> Tranquility —> Happiness 54:44
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This talk discusses the third, fourth, and fifth (piti —> passadhi —> sukha) conditional links described in the Kimatthiya Sutta (“What Purpose?”) (Anguttara Nikaya 10.1), where the Buddha teaches Ananda that wholesome ethical behavior leads to non regret, which leads to gladness, .... ultimately leading to liberation. Conditionality (root condition and object condition) are also discussed at the end of the talk, the latter related to the pith and profound teaching to Bahiya.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge

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