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After learning about non-attachment after revisiting Wim Wenders's visit in Tokyo-Ga to the gravesite of famous director Yasujirō Ozu (who left his body only eight months after Jon Katz was born), whose headstone was marked solely with the character 無 Mu (translatable as nothingness), Fairfax Virginia criminal and DUI defense lawyer Jonathan Katz learned more clearly and deeply about nonduality / non-attachment, and began more intentionally pursuing this life path, through his continued practice of the taijiquan martial art, additional mindfulness practice, and lessons from such great teachers as Baba Ram Das (born Richard Alpert) about our interconnectedness.

Jon learned about the lawyers mindfulness movement, ultimately attended a great partially silent long weekend law professionals' retreat at the Blue Cliff Monastery, for a year became coordinator of the then-named Contemplative Lawyers group of the national capital area, and finally was willing to spend a long weekend in heavy silence and meditation -- other than during group discussion and question and answer sessions -- at the 2015 Mindful Lawyering long weekend at the Garrison Institute.

While Zoketsu Norman Fischer -- a former abbot at the San Francisco Zen Center, which Shunryu Suzuki Roshi founded -- was the biggest draw for Jon among the teachers at this Mindful Lawyering retreat, the remaining lineup of teachers was also great. Nikki Mirghafori stood out for Jon among the retreats' teachers for her apparent particularly practical approach to applying mindfulness, together with her profession as an artificial intelligence scientist. Nikki also brings us front and center to the mindfulness of death, seeing that we all have only one exit from this world. Nikki's social media links are at www.facebook.com/dr.nikki.mirghafori; www.facebook.com/nikki.mirghafori; linkedin.com/in/nmirghafori; www.instagram.com/nikki.mirghafori; x.com/NikkiMirghafori

In this Beat the Prosecution podcast conversation between Nikki and Jon, they both learn that their early meditation practices involved applying Herbert Benson's Relaxation Response, and moved forward. Nikki's early mindfulness practice took place during very substantial personal challenges.

Jon asks Nikki for ideas for lawyers, criminal defendants and others to deal with their suffering, addiction, and suicidal thoughts, as well as how to beat the prosecution. Nikki's lessons include being mindful and compassionate, engaging in restorative justice, and being ready to interact with prosecutors and others on a human level. 

Visit Nikki's website for a treasure trove of discussion, meditations, and

This podcast with Fairfax, Virginia criminal / DUI lawyer Jon Katz is playable on all devices at podcast.BeatTheProsecution.com. For more information, visit https://BeatTheProsecution.com or contact us at info@BeatTheProsecution.com, 703-383-1100 (calling), or 571-406-7268 (text). Hear our prior podcasts, at https://podcast.BeatTheProsecution.com/

If you like what you hear on our Beat the Prosecution podcast, please take a moment to post a review at our Apple podcasts page (with stars only, or else also with a comment) at https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/beat-the-prosecution/id1721413675