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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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2018-07-09 Morning Instructions: Investigating the mind and body, and how they condition one another 36:19
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Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-07 Morning Instructions: Investigating conditionality through 1) root condition and 2) object condition 35:44
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This morning’s instruction is an invitation to investigate the first two (of the twenty-four) conditions outlined in the Patthana, the last section of Abhidhamma. The first is root condition (hetu-paccaya) and the second is object condition (arammana-paccaya). A brief Q/A by both Nikki Mirghafori and Sayadaw U Jagara ends the session.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-05 Morning Instructions: Practicing with the Internal Dimension of Ethics on Retreat 29:21
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Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-04 Wholesome ethical behavior --> non-regret --> gladness --> .... --> liberation 57:56
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This talk discusses the first two 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. Parallels to Upanisa Sutta and Cetana Sutta are discussed.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge :  July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-06-25 Keeping Our Hearts Open in the Midst of Suffering in Our Country and the World 51:54
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Monday and Wednesday Talks
2018-05-11 Day 6 Morning Instructions: Aspirations for living from the perspective of our deathbed. (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 45:02
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In this morning's guided meditation, first we settle in with the body, appreciating the intimacy and the impersonality of experience, holding both experiences equally valid. Then, we look at our lives from the vantage point of our deathbed (far in the future, only for the purpose of this thought exercise) and reflect on aspirations that arise for living our life in this precious human birth, however long we have left.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Maranasati Retreat)
2018-05-10 Maranasati: "If My Life Is for Rent...Nothing I Have Is Truly Mine." 57:56
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Three fruits of maranasati practice are discussed: 1) Preparing for our moment of death with fearlessness and peace. Topics of Near Death Experiences (NDEs) and rebirth are presented with a don't know mind. 2) Living THIS limited, precious life fully, with gratitude, forgiveness, generosity and letting go. 3) Awakening, liberation, nibbana -- Maranasati is a practice towards liberation, arising insights into the three marks of existence (anicca, dukkha, anatta).
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Maranasati Retreat)
2018-05-08 Death contemplation awakens us to life (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 56:53
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In this talk, Nikki Mirghafori (first ~30 minutes) and Eugene Cash (the rest) discuss how death contemplation helps us awaken to living this life, with embracing letting go and not knowing.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Maranasati Retreat)
2018-05-08 Day 3 Morning Instructions: This could be my last breath (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 42:27
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Guided meditation from the Maranasati Sutta.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Maranasati Retreat)
2018-05-07 Death: "This is Nature, This is Natural" (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 57:46
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The first part of the talk, the hindrances (Nivarana in Pali), also translated as veils, are discussed through the lens of Maranasati practice. The second part of the talk is devoted to sharing lessons from my mother's recent passing.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center :  Contemplating Death/Awakening to Life (Maranasati Retreat)

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