The Joy of Samādhi
Practices to Cultivate Concentration
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
You Will...
- 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.
- Gain practical tools for sustaining focused attention and emotional steadiness, useful for high-stress clinical or caregiving environments.
This Course is for You if:
- You're drawn to meditation as a path of inner stillness, clarity, and insight.
- You want to deepen your understanding of how concentration supports mindfulness.
- You want to cultivate a steadier, more concentrated mind to support clarity, emotional balance, and presence with patients, clients, or colleagues.
- You're curious about the foundational practices that lead to samādhi and the jhānas.
- You're a health care professional seeking to strengthen your capacity for sustained attention, including in high-stress or emotionally charged environments.
- You're curious how contemplative practices can enhance your focus and resilience in your professional life.
- You’re a clinician, caregiver, or helping professional interested in using mindfulness and concentration practices to cultivate steadiness, emotional regulation, and resilience in your work with others.
What You Receive
5 hrs of Video Teachings
6 Guided Meditations
Readings, Self-Inquiry, and Integration Practices
Live Community Question & Response Sessions
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.
Practical Tools for a More Focused Mind
- Guided instructions for developing concentration step by step
- Supportive reflections for bringing concentration into daily life
- Practical methods you can apply in your daily meditation
- Lifetime access to all recordings and practices
$59
Add-ons (Optional)
You can add during checkout
Continuing Education
5 CE Credits – $50
This program offers 5 homestudy CE credits/contact hours for $50, applicable for psychologists, California licensed MFTs, LCSWs, LEPs, LPCCs, nurses, and chiropractors, and may be applicable for other licenses. Please review our Continuing Education information page for full provider information to determine if your association or board will accept credits offered by Spirit Rock.
Through the cultivation of samādhi—a calm, unified, and steady quality of mind—clinicians and caregivers can strengthen attentional stability and emotional regulation, capacities that are essential for sound clinical judgment and compassionate presence. The practices taught in this course support resilience and balance amid stress, helping health care providers remain centered, clear, and responsive rather than reactive. By practicing calm concentration and mindful awareness, participants learn to meet internal and external stressors with clarity, patience, and balance. These qualities support resilience, enhance therapeutic effectiveness, and help reduce the risk of burnout and empathic exhaustion in clinical and caregiving environments.
Teachings are appropriate for health care professionals as well as the general public.
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
Note:
- For full Provider information and additional CE 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 CE 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 the applicability of credit for those with licenses other than those listed.
- This program is co-sponsored by Spirit Rock and Mindful CECs. Mindful CECs is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Mindful CECs maintains responsibility for this program and its content.
- Co-sponsor Mindful CECs is a provider approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing, Provider Number CEP17985 for 5 contact hours.
- Potential Conflict of Interest Statement: This instructor may have authored publications relevant to the subjects covered in this course. The instructor might reference these publications during the course, and they may receive financial compensation if these publications are purchased.
- Attendance is demonstrated through a comprehensive assessment at the end of the course, with a passing criterion of at least a 75% percent score. The assessment may be repeated if necessary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I access my program on the Online Learning Platform?
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To access the course:
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How can I best view the content?
Although the Online Learning Platform works on mobile and tablet devices, for the best experience, use a desktop or laptop. This might be an easier way to find all the areas of the site as you are learning how it works.
What is the course format?
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.
Can I participate from a different time zone?
Yes of course! We have students from all over the world participate in our courses. These self-paced study and practice courses are available wherever you are in the world, and whenever works best for you.
How long will I have access to the course?
You have lifetime access to the course and all materials.
I have more questions. Can you help me?
Yes! Please email us at courses@spiritrock.org with any questions that you might have.
