On-Land Retreat

Cultivating Equanimity: The Happiness of a Heart in Balance and Peace

Equanimity is a crown jewel of Buddhist practice, the unshakable balance of mind-heart born of the perfection of wisdom and love. It is neither aloof nor cool, as mistakenly imagined, but imbues the heart with tremendous stability and caring presence to neither push away nor drown in experience. Equanimity is the fourth and final brahmavihāra (heavenly dwelling), imbuing lovingkindness, compassion, and vicarious joy with balance. As the seventh factor of awakening, its development is needed for advancing in the path. It guards the mind-heart in the midst of the eight worldly winds of gain/loss, fame/disrepute, pleasure/pain, and praise/blame, which afflict our human lives at one time or another. Equanimity is such a rich and deep teaching that the Visuddhimagga (Path of Purification), teaches ten different types of equanimity. Cultivating equanimity is paramount for a heart-mind in balance, peace, and happiness at every stage of our practice.

Teaching Team

Nikki Mirghafori, PhD

Nikki Mirghafori, PhD

Teacher

Nikki Mirghafori, PhD, is a Buddhist teacher and Artificial Intelligence scientist. She was empowered by the living Burmese meditation master Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, with whom she practiced the jhanas and detailed analytical vipassana. She serves as a Stewarding Teacher and on the Board of Directors at Spirit Rock.

Sylvia Boorstein, PhD
Bonnie Duran

Bonnie Duran

Teacher

Bonnie Duran met the Dharma in 1982 and has received teachings from many Western and Thai, Burmese, and Tibetan teachers. Bonnie is a graduate of the IMS/SRMC retreat teacher-training program and is on the SRMC Guiding Teachers Council. Dr. Duran is a professor emeritus at the University of Washington

Liz Powell, LMFT

Liz Powell, LMFT

Teacher

Practicing vipassana since 2004, Liz Powell is currently in Nature Dharma Teacher Training with Susie Harrington, Mark Coleman and Gil Fronsdal. A graduate of Local Dharma Leader Training at Insight Meditation Center (IMC), as well as DPP4 and APP1 at Spirit Rock, she has taught programs at IMC since 2009.

Janice Clarfield

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