--- ai_generation_date: '2026-10-12' ai_model: gemini-3-pro-preview ai_prompt_hash: 964013ba audiodharma: talks: - date: '2020-12-23' is_meditation: false mp3_url: https://audiodharma.us-east-1.linodeobjects.com/talks/12657/20201223-Nikki_Mirghafori-IMC-happy_hour_the_unanticipated_presents_of_2020.mp3 section_slug: happy-hour-the-unanticipated-presents-of-2020 speakers: - speaker_name: Nikki Mirghafori speaker_url: https://www.audiodharma.org/speakers/229 talk_start_time_seconds: 0 title: 'Happy Hour: The Unanticipated Presents of 2020' url: https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/12657 video_unavailable: false collapsed_sections: - guided-meditation location_city: Redwood City, CA video_unavailable: false youtube: id: I3LTWiBSw6E imprecise_upload_date: '2021-05-04' title: 'Happy Hour: The Unanticipated Presents of 2020' upload_date: null uploader_str: Insight Meditation Center uploader_url: https://www.youtube.com/@InsightMeditationCenter youtube_url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3LTWiBSw6E --- # Happy Hour: The Unanticipated Presents of 2020 - [Nikki Mirghafori](https://www.audiodharma.org/speakers/229) _This is an AI-generated transcript from auto-generated subtitles for the video above. It likely contains inaccuracies, especially with speaker attribution if there are multiple speakers._ ## [Happy Hour: The Unanticipated Presents of 2020](https://www.audiodharma.org/talks/12657) Hello and welcome. It is nice to be with you, and I am looking forward to practicing together. For this edition of Happy Hour, I would like to invite us to turn towards the good in 2020, which might seem like a tall order. We are towards the end of it, and it was such a crazy, challenging, tough, and unusual year. Use your favorite adjective. And yet, it has had gifts. This year has had gifts. This is not to condone all the challenges for us, for our loved ones, or for people we don't know around the globe. Not to condone any of that, and yet, to not turn away from the gifts that were possible in this year. Some gifts actually came about specifically because of shelter-in-place and the various unusual circumstances of this year, and some happened regardless. To share with you the inspiration for this specific invitation about 2020: this came about today as I was listening to a podcast called _The Daily_ by The New York Times. The invitation they had to their listeners, and there were a lot of recordings that people had called in, was to share things they were grateful for in 2020 specifically because of the conditions in 2020. Again, not to condone all the challenges that have happened, but people shared about families being able to spend more time together, kids who were able to finally have a breakthrough in riding a bike because their parents had more time to spend with them every day, or families who had been estranged for years but somehow came together. People picked up musical instruments, started doing art, or read more. As I was reflecting on the gifts—either specifically due to COVID sheltering-in-place or just things that came up for me, which was also another theme in the podcast: people falling in love, meeting during this, having children—beautiful things in life had gone on in spite of the pandemic that they were really grateful for. As I was turning to some things, I realized one thing that would not have been possible was this: this Zoom Happy Hour across time zones across the world. Actually, as I say this, I feel a chill going down my spine. There is just a sense of gratitude and gladness for this unexpected gift of the sangha[^1], both on Zoom and on YouTube, which has been such a beautiful gift. Teaching online and retreats, I could go on and on now having turned my mind to the various gifts of this year. That's what I would like to invite us to do as we come towards the end of 2020. In this meditation, as I will guide us, at first we will settle as usual with the breath and the body. Just settling, calming, gathering, and collecting the mind. And then I'll have some invitations for us to turn towards appreciating the good. So that's the plan. Let's do it. ## Guided Meditation Let's get into our meditation posture. Settling, arriving in your body. The meditation posture whatever is appropriate for you in this moment in time. Landing, landing, landing. Greeting this body from the inside. Hello body. Hello feet. Hello hands. Hello sit bones. Hello neck and shoulders, how are you doing? Hello face. Hello chest. Hello abdomen. Hello to any part of the body that calls out to you and wants to be greeted. It might be a little tight, a little achy, contracted. Inviting that part of the body, inviting this good friend: "Relax, hi, hello dear, welcome." You can put your weight down if you wish and let yourself be soothed. All parts of the body to be soothed. Receiving the breath, letting the breath move through the body. And as if your mind were a snow globe that was shaken, with all the little glittery pieces swimming about—all the thoughts twirling—setting down the snow globe of your mind, your heart, your body, and letting all the shiny little objects settle. You can pick them up later, but for now just enjoy the slow settling and landing. The clarity, the peace of awareness without objects twirling about. Just enjoying the breath in breath and the entirety of the out breath. If you find that the snow globe has shaken again, there's a thought, it's twirling about, it's okay. Just ever so gently, lovingly put it down, allowing it to settle again. Letting the breath be received with ease. Not so much going out with your attention as if your attention were a fork stabbing the breath. No, let it be a spoon. Awareness receiving this warm soup, nourishing, just being poured into it. Let the breath be poured into the awareness in the abdomen, your whole body. Letting your heart enjoy the breath. Receiving the breath, the delight, the ease, the sweetness, the quiet. Now allowing yourself, if you wish, to receive the breath in the heart center. As if it's the gift that's opening through the middle of your chest. Feeling into a sense of expansiveness around you and about you. Awakening a felt sense as if a perfume of abundance is in this moment. Receiving the breath. This breath is enough in this moment. It's plenty. It's lovely just as it is, deep, shallow, whatever it is. A gift, a gift received. Receiving the gift of the breath, the heart center in this moment. And now, in this moment. And in this moment. And while feeling embodied—feeling your body, your sit bones, your abdomen, your chest, your breath being received in each moment, feeling your feet on the ground, your hands touching each other or your lap—while you stay embodied, feeling, sensing, present in this moment, I invite you to bring in a felt sense or an image of a gift into your heart from this year. 2020. An unexpected gift, perhaps primarily as a result of the unusual nature of the year. Staying embodied, dropping it into your heart as you continue to breathe in the heart center. Breathing and receiving this gift in your heart. Not thinking about it, but resonating with its goodness. Letting your heart rejoice, feel glad. Appreciating its goodness. Staying with its resonance in your heart and your body for a few more beats, a few more breaths. Appreciating this gift for one last moment. Bowing to it. Inviting another gift into your heart. Something from this unusual year. Either directly or indirectly because of how unusual it was, the causes and conditions[^2]. Letting your heart delight, become alight in this goodness. Bowing to this gift, this blessing. And inviting another blessing from this year. This time, maybe not directly, it could be directly or indirectly, or not related at all, but something about 2020 that is a gift for you. Bowing to this gift. It has filled your heart. Now in your own time, slowly inviting one gift after another. But taking your time with each, really relishing, breathing with it into your heart. Not rushing from one to the next—that can unsettle the mind. It's not about quantity but the quality of staying with it. I invite you to do this on your own time if you wish. And at any point, you can just come back to the breath and the body. Now I like to invite you, as you bow to whatever you're cherishing, reflecting upon the gift, now to turn to bow to that gift. And now turn your attention perhaps to a sense of gratitude or abundance. A sense of abundance of the unexpected gifts that you've received. These unexpected gifts, some like grace, some for which you didn't necessarily do anything to deserve them, they came about your way, they were offered to you, born of causes and conditions. And some which you had a part in, you participated in their co-creation. Appreciating the abundance of that participation and the co-creation. Feeling the abundance. Letting yourself, as much as available, as much as possible, to rest, to bow to the goodness of the abundance. And sharing, sharing, offering the abundance of your heart as a gift of goodwill. With others, with all beings. Wishing them abundance. May they all have abundance too, or feel the abundance that's given to them. Sharing your friendliness and goodwill and this good wish. May all beings everywhere enjoy abundance and appreciate the abundance that's given to them. May all beings everywhere be safe, happy, healthy, have ease, and be liberated. All beings everywhere, including myself. ## Reflections and Q&A Thank you all for your practice. I'll change the settings if you'd like to share your reflections in chat, or if you'd like to raise your hand. For that, you'll go to participants, you'll see a raised hand. Again, I like to invite folks who usually don't share much to share first, and those who always share first to pull back a little bit. What's present for you? What would you like to share from this practice? Any reflections, any questions, it's all okay. I open the floor to everyone. I would love to have your reflections, your words of wisdom, your experience. We have words of appreciation on YouTube. Thank you Judy for your practice. And also acknowledging Don, thanks Don for joining us. I'll start by sharing what came up for me. As I was reflecting on the gifts, it seemed like there were so many things that came about in 2020, either because of the conditions or regardless. Either the gift of grace, or whether it was a matter of participation in the co-creation of something that happened that I was grateful for this year. That last year at this time they were not a part of my life or consciousness. Just a sense of, wow, abundance. Neil shares, "I'm deeply appreciative for the Dharma[^3] and my teachers." Thank you Neil, thank you for sharing that appreciation. Jesse, please, I see your hand is up. **Jesse:** Thank you. Yeah, I think there's so many things I'm grateful for for my practice. So many meditation groups that I would never have had access to. But the biggest thing was just this tremendous teaching on impermanence[^4], and how all conditions are impermanent. I don't know how I could have learned it this way. I mean, I could go on meditation retreats and stuff like this, but to have the whole world go through this type of experience and all the social, political, economical, everything... there's really been a deep teaching for me within my meditation practice of really seeing that I'm just a witness to conditions. And that's brought me a lot of peace. **Nikki Mirghafori:** Thank you, Jesse. That is profound. What you mention is this deep realization, this deep insight into impermanence, that in your own words, you are a witness to causes and conditions arising and passing. Wow. Thank you for sharing that gift, that insight, and also the freedom that brings about. The sense of freedom that brings about that, yes, all causes and conditions are impermanent, and what's born of them is impermanent. I see Valerie's hand is up. Please, Valerie. **Valerie:** Hi, this is my first time here. Like Jesse, I'm really grateful that I got connected to a bunch of different meditation groups this year. And I'm also really grateful because I've been very haphazard meditating on and off for a few years now, and I think this year was when I finally really developed my practice and was able to come back very consistently. So I'm really grateful for that. **Nikki Mirghafori:** Yay, lovely! It delights me to hear all of that, Valerie, and I'm delighted that you're joining us tonight for the first time. Welcome, lovely to have you. It warms my heart. The goodness of connecting with consistent practice because of what's happening—I think that's true for many people. What a gift it's been this year. May that abundance be shared and transform our world. We have a few chats. Bill says, "Very grateful for you and Diana." Thank you, Bill, thank you for sharing that appreciation. Naf says, "Discovering the cup of abundance inside helps me imagine how it can overflow to those around me. Just seeing that it is there gives me the felt sense of wanting less." Ah, beautiful. Thank you for sharing that. The sense of abundance and contentment. Beautiful. May you always feel the fullness of the cup overflowing within. Helen says, "The greatest gift this year has been learning contentment." Great, contentment right after that. Beautiful, thank you Helen. Yuka says, "Your guide is always a delight. When I get lost, it helps me in my life, and thanks to everyone here. Everyone has learned and told us that we are a global family. Thank you for lovely family." Thank you Yuka, it's lovely to have you as a vibrant member of this family, of this sangha. Claire says, "New levels of kindness are creating great change in my life. Thanks to you and Diana." Beautiful, that warms my heart Claire. Thanks for sharing that. New levels of kindness. And more welcomes in chat for Valerie joining us. Beautiful. Ben says, "Supportive community and geographically spread out sangha has increased my capacity to offer more in my personal relationships." Beautiful. I appreciate how you've been supported, Ben, with this geographically spread out sangha, and turning that around into the capacity of offering more in relationships. Speaking of relationships, we support each other and create these beautiful relationships in connecting with each other in small groups here in Happy Hour. For tonight, the invitation is this: The invitation is to go around, and each person will share one thing that came up for you that you're grateful for in 2020. Each person will say one thing, and if there is time, then person number one will say something else, and you go around and round and receive. Allow yourself to receive with joy what the gift has been for other people and see your own mudita[^5], vicarious joy. It's so joyful to hear what has been gifts for others and share your joy. Let it be received. Share your abundance with others. With that invitation, I will create the breakout rooms. The size will be roughly three-ish. Let yourself be held in the sense of abundance. Here we go, going to open them now. _[Breakout rooms commence and conclude]_ Welcome back everyone. We just have a couple of minutes, and I would love to hear your reflections. Please, you can raise your hand. What was that like to share, to receive? Or you can type it in chat. Please don't be shy, especially if you don't share often. I'd love to hear your reflections. Your reflections are important. Neil, please. **Neil:** So, I mean, that was a lovely meditation, right? Focusing on everything that's wonderful. I mean, how could that go wrong? Well, okay, I take that back, but it didn't go wrong tonight. But then being in the small group, it was, you know, it just sort of magnified everything. Getting to hear how other people... they all had lovely things to say, and yeah, it was wonderful. **Nikki Mirghafori:** Thank you, Neil. I appreciate that. What I hear from you is, of course, turning towards the good brings a sense of goodness and abundance. And what I appreciate you sharing is that being actually in the group, in hearing and sharing, it really gets magnified. Yay, that sounds lovely. Thank you for voicing that. And while you have the floor, Neil, I wanted to please ask you if you would kindly share the link to the Google Groups that you have kindly created, which is one of the things I'm grateful for. For you stepping up and supporting the community that way, thank you Neil. Let's see, Casey says, "Grateful for tonight's meditation to remember there has been good this year and things to be grateful for." Victoria says, "Feeling grateful to be here and for everyone who shows up." Ah, what a nice way to feel abundance and gratitude towards the end of this very crazy year. It's 7:01 and I want to try actually from now on to be a little more respectful of everyone's time. So let's end the session together. I'm happy to stay an extra couple of minutes if anybody has any questions or comments or reflections they'd like to share extra time. May the abundance of our practice, the abundance of our heart, the abundance of our lives be shared with all beings everywhere in our actions, in our thoughts, in our speech. And may we support all beings everywhere in goodness. May all beings be happy, may all beings be free. Thanks everyone. --- [^1]: **Sangha:** The Buddhist community of monks, nuns, novices, and laity; commonly used to refer to the community of practitioners. [^2]: **Causes and Conditions:** A fundamental Buddhist concept (Dependent Origination) stating that all phenomena arise and exist only due to the presence of interrelated causes and conditions. [^3]: **Dharma:** In Buddhism, the teachings of the Buddha; the universal truth or law. [^4]: **Impermanence (Anicca):** One of the three marks of existence in Buddhism, the doctrine that all conditioned things are in a constant state of flux. [^5]: **Mudita:** A Pali word meaning sympathetic or unselfish joy; joy in the good fortune of others.