The state of ease that I talk about holds the suffering, the craziness, everything that this world is—and knows that it’s all okay. It’s a sense of transcendence, not outside of, but within the fullness of life. It’s like when you walk to the top of a mountain and see the landscape from a different perspective. Living in the valley, you only saw trees around you but now, up above, you see valleys and rivers and everything as far as the eye can see. After you come back down to the flatlands, you remember the view from up there. Then, even if conditions are not supportive of happiness—if, for example, you fall into a hole (and there are plenty of holes)—you can still recall the bigger picture.
Nikki Mirghafori, PhD
Residential Retreat Teacher
Nikki Mirghafori, PhD, is a Buddhist teacher and Artificial Intelligence (AI) scientist. She is a lineage holder in the Theravada tradition, empowered by the living Burmese meditation master Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw, with whom she practiced the jhanas and detailed analytical (Abhidhamma-style) vipassana. She also received empowerment from the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Insight Meditation Society, Insight Meditation Center, and is a Stanford-trained compassion cultivation instructor.
At Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Nikki serves as a Stewarding Teacher as well as on the Board of Directors. She also teaches at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA. Nikki’s teaching style combines clarity and warmth, and she delights in exploring deep Dharma topics with practitioners as well as mindfulness in daily life. Mindfulness of death, in particular, is one of the areas of her interest and expertise.
Additionally, Nikki has been a researcher and inventor in AI, holds multiple patents and author of scientific research articles. She has directed international research programs as the Principal Investigator, mentored postdocs and PhD students, taught graduate courses at UC Berkeley, and been a scientific advisor to Silicon Valley technology startups.
As an Iranian-American, Nikki has taught contemplative practices internationally and aspires to serve as a champion for wisdom and compassion in our world, as well as ethical AI in our zeitgeist.
Nikki Mirghafori's Upcoming Programs
Retreat | On-Land
October 27 - November 2, 2024 | Sunday - Saturday | 6 nights
Befriending Mortality: Living An Awakened Life Through Mindfulness of Death
18 CE Credits.
Spaces Available. We all “know” we will die, yet we tend to ignore it and put our collective heads in the sand. Rather than running away from our inevitable mortality, we can harness its power to stay aligned with our deepest values and to live and love more fully. Fully embracing life’s impermanence can engender a deep freedom and letting go. Through mindfulness of death (maraṇasati), we become more present for this miraculous, passing show called life with gladness and gratitude.
Retreat | On-Land | Hybrid
Saturday, November 16 | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Mindfulness of Death: The Profound and Liberating Practice of Maranasati
3 CE Credits. We all die. Death is as natural as birth. Ignoring the power of this supreme contemplation is like discarding a precious jewel. Recognizing our finite time enriches our life, helping us to live more fully, lovingly, and mindfully. These teachings also bring peace—a gift to ourselves and our loved ones. Join us in exploring the profound, liberating teachings of mindfulness of death, and unlock the potential to embrace the fleeting miracle that is life.
Nikki Mirghafori
Retreat | Online | Hybrid
Saturday, November 16 | 1:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Mindfulness of Death: The Profound and Liberating Practice of Maranasati
3 CE Credits. We all die. Death is as natural as birth. Ignoring the power of this supreme contemplation is like discarding a precious jewel. Recognizing our finite time enriches our life, helping us to live more fully, lovingly, and mindfully. These teachings also bring peace—a gift to ourselves and our loved ones. Join us in exploring the profound, liberating teachings of mindfulness of death, and unlock the potential to embrace the fleeting miracle that is life.
Nikki Mirghafori
Retreat | Online
Sunday, December 1 | 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Embodying Ease: Practicing with Contentment and Joy
Join us to explore wise engagement—a practice that embodies ease, contentment, and joy. Instead of over-efforting, we'll cultivate a joyful, relaxed approach to mindfulness, aligning with the Buddha’s teachings that happiness is essential for the mind’s liberation. Through guided meditations (including laying down practices) and reflections on suttas, we’ll discover how happiness and contentment are not luxuries but vital companions on the path to freedom.
Nikki Mirghafori
Retreat | On-Land
December 8 - December 18, 2024 | Sunday - Wednesday | 10 nights
December Insight Retreat: Cultivating Calm, Contentment, and Confidence
Spaces Available. In this retreat, we tend to the three qualities of stability, well-being, and confidence, all of which support insight into the three characteristics of existence. Then we explore and befriend these characteristics—namely, aniccā (impermanence, inconstancy), dukkha (stress, unsatisfactoriness, suffering) and anattā (not-self, impersonality, ungovernability)—in our own lived experience. When we understand and make peace with these characteristics, we have more ease, compassion, and freedom in our lives, and we can be of more benefit to ourselves, others, and the world.
Upcoming Drop-Ins
Drop-in | Online
Monday, November 18 | 7:15 PM - 9:15 PM
Monday Night Meditation & Talk
For over 35 years, the Monday Night sitting group at Spirit Rock has been a welcoming refuge to gather, hear the teachings of the Buddha, and practice Insight Meditation together as a community. The program includes a 30-40 min guided meditation, a short break, and a Dharma talk.
Nikki Mirghafori
Dharma Library
Can't join us live online or on the land? Study and practice at your convenience with Nikki Mirghafori through our new library of recordings, articles, and self-paced online courses.
