The Joy of Samādhi: Practices to Cultivate Concentration
Learn to develop the calm and collected states of samādhi through sustained practice and experience greater peace and liberation.
with Nikki Mirghafori
The foundational meditation practice of samatha leads to the state of samādhi, where the mind is undistracted, bright, and spacious. Such sustained practice can culminate in profoundly still states, known as jhāna, where the mind becomes blissfully absorbed in the object of attention. In this course, we’ll cultivate supportive conditions to calm the beloved puppy of the mind through giving gentle, affectionate directions that are at the same time resolved and steady.
Reflections from Past Participants
What You'll Practice
- Understand the purpose of concentration practice and recognize common challenges that arise along the way.
- Explore how concentration and mindfulness support insight, and why this relationship matters in practice and life.
- Learn and apply a practical method for developing concentration in your own meditation.
- Cultivate body awareness to enhance deep listening and connection in professional and relational settings.
- Use mindfulness of breathing to calm and center yourself, supporting presence both in personal practice and in working with clients or patients.
This Course is for You if:
- Are drawn to meditation as a path of inner stillness, clarity, and insight.
- Want to deepen your understanding of how concentration supports mindfulness.
- Feel challenged by distraction in your practice and long for more steadiness and ease.
- Are curious about the foundational practices that lead to samādhi and the jhānas.
- Appreciate a gentle, compassionate approach to training the mind.
- You’re ready to bring more kindness, wisdom, and clarity into your relationships.
What You Receive
5 hrs of video teachings
6 Guided meditations
Readings, Self-Inquiry, and Integration Practices
Live Community Question & Response sessions
Interviews with Founding Insight Meditation teachers
Lifetime Access to Course
Course Syllabus
- Intro and Welcome
- Intro to the Pāli Canon
- Practice: No Part Left Out
- How Samādhi Supports Insight
- A Brief History of Samādhi
- Why Practice Samādhi?
- Practice: The Eight Supporting Factors
- Am I There Yet?
- Practice: Samādhi Supports Liberation
- Movement: Building Momentum
- Practice: A Relaxed Body Calms the Mind
- The Five Jhānic Factors
- Practice: The Eight Part Breath
- Movement: Carrying the Eight Part Breath as You Walk
Meet The Teacher
Nikki Mirghafori, PhD
The Joy of Samādhi: Practices to Cultivate Concentration
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.
Select Your Rate
Payment Plan
- Guided meditation sessions with master teachers
- Hear inspiring stories from decades of teaching
- Apply mindfulness to daily challenges
- Insights from Buddhism's influential teachers
- Live Q&A with teachers
- Lifetime access to recordings
11 weekly payments of
$99
Full Payment
- Guided meditation sessions with master teachers
- Hear inspiring stories from decades of teaching
- Apply mindfulness to daily challenges
- Insights from Buddhism's influential teachers
- Live Q&A with teachers
- Lifetime access to recordings
.
$999
- Scholarships are very limited and reserved for those who are truly experiencing financial hardship. Click here to apply.
Add-ons (Optional)
You can add during checkout
Continuing Education
5 CE Credits – $50
This program offers 5 CE credits for $50 for psychologists, California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, and may be applicable for other licenses. Please review our CEC information page for full provider information.
This program offers 5 homestudy CE credits for $50 for psychologists and California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors. Please review our Continuing Education Credit information page to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock. *
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public. Health care providers who engage in the practice of samādhi, a state of deep concentration and meditation, have been shown to experience reduced stress levels and improved emotional well-being. The positive impact of samādhi on overall well-being and mental health can contribute to a healthcare provider’s ability to make sound clinical decisions. Mindfulness practices, including elements of samādhi, also contribute to enhanced resilience and decreased burnout among healthcare professionals.
Learning Objectives for Participating Health Care Professionals:
- At the end of the program you will be better able to:
- describe the goal of concentration practice and the potential pitfalls;
- explain the relationship between concentration, mindfulness, and the arising of insight;
- list the supporting factors for concentration/stability of the mind;
- describe a technique for developing concentration;
- utilize mindfulness of breathing practices to develop present-moment awareness and to calm the mind in preparation for, and when working with clients or patients;
- utilize body awareness practices to deepen listening presence with colleagues, clients, or patients.
Continuing Education Content Level: Introductory
* Please note:
For full provider information and additional CEC information—including attendance requirements, cancellation, and grievance policies, please visit our Continuing Education Credit information page.
For those with a different license than listed above, or with a license from a different board or association than listed on our CEC info page, please contact your licensing board or association directly to request pre-approval/acceptance of CE credits offered at Spirit Rock. Spirit Rock does not confirm applicability of credit for those with licenses different than those listed.
Spirit Rock is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP16905, for 5 contact hours.
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All of our on-demand courses are offered in a flexible self-study format, so you can access the materials whenever is good for you. Readings, video, audio, and all resources are structured for sequential access in our Online Learning Platform.
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You have lifetime access to the course and all materials.
I have more questions. Can you help me?
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