The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Nikki Mirghafori's Dharma Talks at Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge
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.
2023-07-10 Talk #5: Second Tetrad and Step 5 59:43
Overview of the second tetrad, with emphasis on step five (piti); five kinds of piti presented and five jhanic factors as preparation for jhanas and antidotes to hinderances.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2023-07-08 Morning Reflections #7: Anapanasati (Step 4) 40:47
Guided instructions for calming bodily formations
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2023-07-06 Morning Reflections #5: The Whole Body of the Breath 46:31
Reflections on experiencing the whole body of the breath, (step 3), the temporal and spatial dimension in the eight-part breath
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2023-07-04 Overview of Anapanasti: 16 Steps 50:30
Discussion of the sixteen steps; the letting go of each tetrad, and how each one achieves the Four Establishments of Mindfulness. Focus on the first tetrad about the body.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2023-07-04 Morning Reflections #3: Introducing the Breath 41:03
Having clear comprehension of the breath with ease and good-will
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2023-07-02 Morning Instructions: #1 Metta & the Body 44:48
To arrive at every moment with metta in this body, imbuing the in and out breath with gentle care & good will.
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2023
2018-07-23 Disenchantment and dispassion --> Knowledge and vision of liberation 61:09
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
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
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge
2018-07-17 Morning Instructions 46:07
Samadhi (concentration) and seeing things as they are
Insight Meditation Society - Forest Refuge July 2018 at IMS- Forest Refuge

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