Four Thursday evenings: Sept 12,19,26, Oct 3
The teachings on the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the Satipatthana Sutta, are considered the core practices that make up a direct path to realization. This four week series explores these foundational practices, which comprise the contemplation of the body, feelings, mind, and mental phenomena. We will explore both a conceptual discussion and understanding of the teachings, as well as experiential practice pointers on and off the cushion. The series will also include reflections on the relevance of these essential teachings on how we relate to ourselves, each other, and the environment.
Nikki Mirghafori 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 jhanas and a detailed method of vipassana under the guidance of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, who instructed her to teach. Nikki has completed teacher training programs at Stanford’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research & Education, UCLA’s Mindful Awareness Research Center, and is currently part of Jack Kornfield’s Spirit Rock/IMS/IMC Teacher Training with Gil Fronsdal as her mentor. She holds a PhD in computer science from UC Berkeley, works as a research scientist in academia, and lives in Fremont, CA.