The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Nikki Mirghafori's Dharma Talks at Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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.
2019-01-27 Wise Livelihood: Work As Practice - part 1 1:10:37
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2019-01-27 Wise Livelihood: Work As Practice - part 2 2:07:19
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2018-11-11 Cultivating Compassion: The Art and Science of Kindness - Day 2 of 2 6:59:52
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2018-11-10 Cultivating Compassion: The Art and Science of Kindness - Day 1 of 2 6:48:07
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2018-10-15 Being a Scientist of your own Mind - Monday night Dharma Talk 47:17
Spirit Rock Meditation Center
2018-10-04 Day Three, Morning Instructions: Working with Emotions with R.A.I.N. (Retreat at Spirit Rock) 19:08
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
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in order not to reduce the totality of our amazing humanity to materialist neuralism, especially with simplified or outdated models (e.g., the Triune theory with reptilian brain, etc.).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
Metta practice, benefactor.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center Evolving Together: Mindfulness Meditation and Modern Science
2018-06-25 Keeping Our Hearts Open in the Midst of Suffering in Our Country and the World 51:54
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
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)

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