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.
A gentle guide for settling and quieting the heart by observing the fading away of the enchanment of craving, leading to the dropping away (cessation).
A guided meditation through previous steps up to gladdening the mind with different methods, with insight, awareness of mind, with metta and other serenity practices.
Overview of the third tetrad, emphasis on the first two steps whith three approaches to experiencing the mind, and a samadhi and insight wasy to gladdening it.
Letting go of mental formations by letting sanna (perceptions) and vedana (feeling tones) simply be. Selfing, (as contraction & craving), is distinguished from wholesome subjectivity.
Reflections of various renditions of Piti from the Patisambhidamagga. And the natural cascade of arising of piti through the Seven Factors of Awakening, as outlined in the Anapanasati Sutta.
