We were lucky to catch up with Deva Arani recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Deva Arani thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

Taking risks is an inevitable part of change and change is inevitable — a fundamental rule of being human. The biggest risk I ever took was leaving an 18 year marriage when I was in my early 40s to literally start over in my life. I had changed and my spouse and I had grown apart but there was a level of comfort and familiarity plus a deep love that could have kept me there feeling stuck and as if I was living somebody else’s life. It was a very scary, difficult time and as a part of that process of starting over I had to go back and take responsibility for my life, the choices I had made, and actually start to work to understand and heal a very painful, traumatic childhood. It was worth it. In forging my own path forward and going through this dark painful time, doors opened for me that I had no idea were even there. I found myself blossoming into my more authentic self and healing in ways I could not have imagined.

Another big risk came several years after I left my marriage. I had been practicing law to support myself and as a big part of my “identity” while at the same time getting more involved with meditation, helping with meditation retreats, taking a yoga teacher trainings, etc. For many years I had these two threads running parallel. In these years I often thought “what is my true purpose – its not this … is it that?” Then I had an understanding come through that my true purpose was to do everything with awareness, with my full presence, with my heart wide open. I determined to apply this to my law practice and I did for several years. It completely transformed my approach to practicing law and my connection with my clients. It felt good to weave these two threads together and show up in this new totality. Then the understanding came through that this “exercise” was complete and I was ready to let go of my law practice. This too was a risk as it was my security and income and in a sense my public identity. I listened to this inner voice and let it go. I had no idea how I would replace this income or what my work would exactly look like so it was unsettling and yet I followed my inner wisdom and let go. There was a transition period where I was kind of floundering and through that more layers of healing. And once again doors started opening in unexpected and wondrous ways.

Letting go of what no longer served my journey home to me opened new opportunities exponentially. I now “work” serving my clients as a Compassionate Inquiry Facilitator, I am an integration coach and teach yoga – all parts of my own journey that have helped me to heal and become more authentic and for this reason areas that I am passionate about sharing with others. Now my work doesn’t seem like work at all but a part of who I am.

There have been many smaller risks that make up this story of how I reinvented my life – traveling to India, South America, signing up for group processes that were on my edge, etc., and all I can say is no matter how much trepidation I felt, saying YES and following through has changed my life and I am ever grateful for that courageous part of myself that chose the unknown and trusted.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

I just finished Dr. Gabor Mate’s professional Compassionate Inquiry training and am now a compassionate inquiry facilitator and work with clients to heal trauma and other forms of dis-ease such as depression, anxiety. One of my areas of expertise is integration. I feel so blessed to be a part of this community of healers and I am passionate about this process. I completed the training because more and more people were coming to me as a part of my meditation retreats/community and asking for time and I realized I needed to up my ante in terms of sitting with people. What a gift.

“The purpose of Compassionate Inquiry is to drill down to the core stories people tell themselves – to get them to see what story they are telling themselves unconsciously; what those beliefs are, where they came from; and guide them to the possibility of letting go of those stories, or letting go of the hold those stories have on them …That’s what Compassionate Inquiry is.”
~ Dr. Gabor Maté
Compassionate Inquiry is a form of inquiry work developed by Dr. Gabor Maté to help people come out of their past adaptive behaviors and patterns, which no longer serve them —to heal and ultimately come into acceptance and presence. It’s a powerful bridge for anyone wanting to be more aware and less reactive and it is a profound tool for those suffering from the effects of trauma and addiction. Gabor teaches that all suffering is caused from our separation from our true selves and Compassionate Inquiry is a “map” back to our very essence.
Compassionate inquiry work is a transformational process that combines somatic experiencing, internal family systems work and many other forms of healing and is an accelerated process to heal and let go of what no longer serves.
My sessions are powerful and my clients are surprised at how quickly the roots of their distress are exposed and brought into the light for healing in a safe compassionate place. I am passionate about this process and feel so blessed to be able to offer this as my “work”. For the last year I have been receiving CI sessions as a part of my training and I have been surprised at how much I have learned about myself and what still needs healing. My own commitment to showing up and continuing to do my own work is key. The understanding that I haven’t arrived anywhere and I am still showing up in my own journey is important.
I specialize in integration coaching as well. Helping clients integrate and embody experiences so they can then weave them into their lives is another passion of mine and I have been pleased at how weaving the compassionate inquiry into these integration sessions has been remarkably illuminating for them.
All of my sessions are centered around the understanding of self-responsibility and I weave breathwork, meditation and yoga into the mix, encouraging clients to hone in on a home practice that works for them.

Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?

For me doing my own inner work and healing is what is most helpful in succeeding as a compassionate inquiry facilitator and integration coach. The understanding that you can only help people to heal and show up for themselves as far as you have healed and shown up for your own journey is important. You can’t invite people to heal or go into their own dark places really unless you have and the courage to go there for your own self.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

My resilience is based on my commitment to my own inner voice and wisdom. I have learned to practice patience and trust that everything is unfolding perfectly. You cannot go backwards and so to just continue to trust and say yes to the unknowns. When I was in my darkest times with no idea of what my life would end up being I held steady to my commitment to heal and change.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.devaarani.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devaarani/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tanya.shimer

Image Credits
Tom Sundro Lewis Christine Muro