The Awareness Podcast: Compassionate Inquiry: A Meditative Approach with Susan Telford and Heena Vasani
Apr 16, 2024
In this episode of The Awareness Podcast, Susan Telford sat down with Heena Vasani to discuss Heena’s life and work using Dr Gabor Mate’s Compassionate Inquiry.
Heena had a kidney transplant 27 years ago, a topic she discussed with Jenny Beal here:
hub.centerforawakening.org/blog/episode87
In this conversation with Susan, Heena shared how she almost refused the transplant, because of a deep seated sense of unworthiness.
In finally accepting the donated kidney as a priceless gift, only made possible the death of another young woman she never met, Heena stepped onto a path of nurturing herself on all levels.
Heena talks about divine motherhood and how motherhood became her primary spiritual path and led her to examine all her previously undigested childhood trauma and the effects such trauma has on the body and mind.
Heena also speaks passionately about her work using Compassionate Inquiry and describes what happens in a session.
Finally, Heena describes the 4-part workshop she is facilitating for Center for Awakening in May, entitled Compassionate Inquiry: A Meditative Approach.
For full details of this series of live workshops with Heena and to register, visit hub.centerforawakening.org/heena-vasani
To view all podcast edisodes: hub.centerforawakening.org/podcast
ABOUT HEENA VASANI
In her early 20's, Heena faced a serious health problem and was put on a waiting list for a kidney transplant. This life-altering experience led her to question the meaning of life, birth, and death. On the day of her transplant, she had a profound glimpse of her true nature, which caused her to reflect on the responsibility attached to receiving a donated organ.
She embarked on a spiritual journey spanning over 25 years, exploring consciousness through non-dual paths like A Course in Miracles and Advaita Vedanta. Meditation, body-mind disciplines, and in-depth psychology have helped to integrate these teachings into her life. Her core teachers include Chloe Goodchild, Rupert Spira and AH Almaas.
Her late grandmother, a devout Hindu, also played a significant role in shaping her path by inviting her to explore motherhood as a spiritual practice. This brought her face-to-face with her own conditioning and childhood trauma, leading to transformation and a deeper connection with her true self and the oneness of life.
Remarkably, after 27 years, her transplanted kidney remains healthy, which caught the attention of her consultant, leading to the suggestion that she share her story and meditation techniques with others.
Heena completes her training in compassionate enquiry this May with Dr Gabor Mate, and will go onto the six month Facilitator Training Course thereafter. She has also trained in Enquiry, and non dual meditation with Richard Miller PhD, a former student of Jean Klein, and founder of the IRest Institute where she has been educated in Yoga Nidra, and body sensing through the 7 kosha’s or Sheaths of identity. She remains a student of the Ridhwan School, Diamond Approach where she studies Diamond Enquiry with AH Almaas. Her book Fragrance of Freedom discovering Peace Through Mothering was published in October 2023.
