Functional Spirituality

Ava Irani

Hi, my name is Ava and I’m delighted to offer you “Functional Spirituality”, a free resource of talks, trainings and guided meditations. I use an academic approach to invite critical thinking into energetic, mystical and heart-based practices. Spirituality has a history of disempowering the individual and worshiping the guru or priest, without question. In this podcast, I aim to reduce the dogma that has rendered so many schools and practices ineffective - (and strange AF) - and to elevate the conversation around spirituality. I want to EMPOWER the meditator and yogi, to place the power back in our hands, to live directly from our own experience. I hope you enjoy! For Q&A questions, topic suggestions email Ava at functionalspiritualityretreat@gmail.com Visit www.functionalspirituality.com Follow us @FunctionalSpirituality or @avairani_ and our Yoga Studio at @spandaschool

  1. 4 DAYS AGO

    Personal Healing & Trauma-Informed Meditation with Ryan Hassan

    In this episode, Ava Arani is joined by Ryan Hassan from The Centre for Healing for a grounded conversation on what happens when a core wound becomes active and how it can be met with compassion rather than self judgment. Ava shares a recent retreat experience in India where she noticed a persistent unsettled feeling that she first assumed was guilt, but later recognised as “not enoughness.” Through the lens of Internal Family Systems and the book No Bad Parts, they explore protector and exile parts, why there are no bad parts within us, and how healing can happen through contact, kindness, and the right kind of inner support. They also discuss why meditation can feel hard to commit to, how guided practice reduces resistance, and what trauma informed meditation looks like when the intention is healing rather than chasing transcendence.   Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up: A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month.   Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration.   Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality Studio: @spandaschool Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    47 min

  2. 8 FEB

    Guided Meditation: Loving Presence Through the Body

    Relax and let Ava softly guide you into a felt sense of love, safety, and ease within your body. Through slow, steady breaths, you are invited to soften, open the heart, and reconnect with the body as a place of warmth and belonging. This is a nourishing self love meditation with music that supports nervous system settling, embodiment, and gentle integration. A space to rest, receive, and meet your body with kindness, pleasure, and care. Allow each breath to bring you closer to peace, presence, and a deeper relationship with your inner space.   If you enjoy this audio you can save the link somewhere in your phone, or make a playlist for it so you have access to this practice with one click.   Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    17 min

  3. 4 FEB

    Interview with Ava by Emma Campbell

    In this conversational episode, Emma and Ava explore what it really means to “drop in” before any meaningful work, practice, or conversation. They unpack how embodiment shifts us from surface-level survival mode into deeper presence, clarity, and connection. Ava shares the moment she knew silent retreats would be her life’s work, and how her teaching evolved over time, from transcendence-focused awakening practices toward a more balanced approach that includes nervous system education, trauma awareness, and functional integration. Together, they speak candidly about burnout, the dangers of “spiritual perfection” promises, and why some tools help in one season of life but fall short in another. The episode also highlights the power of community and emotional safety, how being with others in a regulated, intentional space can create profound healing and belonging.   Chapter markers:  The “drop in” and why it changes everything [00:00] How Ava knew silent retreats were her path [00:10] Awakening practices vs nervous system healing [00:18] Burnout: what happened and what it taught her [00:27] The “spiritual perfection” trap and one-size-fits-all promises [00:38] Is Ava “channeling,” or is it skill + environment + group energy? [00:52] Community, emotional safety, and why “sangha” matters [01:03] Yin vs yang in business and living in regenerative mode [01:14] Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month.   Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration.   Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    1hr 2min

  4. 1 FEB

    Guided Meditation: A Spacious Pause for Joy

    In this guided meditation, Ava invites you to slow down, feel into the body, and let effort soften. As the nervous system unwinds, space opens for a grounded sense of joy, appreciation and connection to emerge on its own.   If you enjoy this audio you can save the link somewhere in your phone, or make a playlist for it so you have access to this practice with one click. Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    18 min

  5. 28 JAN

    How IFS changed my life

    Many people think healing means fixing themselves, but real change often begins when a “protector” part finally feels met.   In this episode, Ava shares a personal IFS (Internal Family Systems) breakthrough from a retreat in India: instead of feeling guilt about time away from family, an old survival pattern surfaced: pressure, urgency, and the fear of falling behind. Through the lens of IFS, she explores how protectors work to keep deeper pain out of awareness, and how healing happens through contact, attunement, and relationship rather than force or self-improvement.   If you’re navigating anxiety, overdoing, or inner pressure, this conversation offers a grounded way to understand what’s happening inside and a compassionate pathway toward more space, safety, and inner freedom.   Listen in and share how this lands for you. Whether it resonates or challenges you, reflections are welcome.   Chapter markers:  00:00 Introduction to healing and inner freedom 09:00 IFS overview: protector parts, exiles, and the shift from fixing to meeting 14:30 “Healing is contact” attunement, nervous system resourcing, and compassion 22:00 What changes when the protector softens Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    37 min

  6. 25 JAN

    Guided Meditation: Revealing the Stillness Within

    This is a gentle guided meditation to support grounding, softening, and inner clarity. Through a slow body scan, breath, and loving inner attention, Ava guides you to empty accumulated tension and reconnect with your inner space. This practice supports nervous system regulation and integration, allowing presence and ease to arise naturally. A guided meditation with music. Ideal for mornings or moments when you want to return to yourself.   If you enjoy this audio you can save the link somewhere in your phone, or make a playlist for it so you have access to this practice with one click. Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    19 min

  7. 18 JAN

    Guided Meditation: Softening Resistance to Meet the Moment

    Take some time today to replenish yourself. Amidst the chaos on the surface of the planet, in our thoughts, emotions, and body, we often meet life with subtle resistance. Beneath this effort, there is a deep stillness that remains untouched. This guided meditation invites you to soften inner resistance and gently meet the moment as it is. Ground yourself in the quiet space of the Heart, where presence, safety, and ease naturally reside.   If you enjoy this audio you can save the link somewhere in your phone, or make a playlist for it so you have access to this practice with one click. Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    10 min

  8. 11 JAN

    Guided Meditation: Hridaya Meditation & Awakening

    This guided awakening meditation draws on Hridaya meditation and the self enquiry teachings of Ramana Maharshi. Through gentle heart based attention and simple enquiry, awareness is invited to turn back toward its source, allowing thoughts and identities to soften naturally. This is an embodied, nervous system led approach to awakening that supports integration, safety, and lived clarity rather than striving or peak experiences. An invitation to rest as what you already are, and to let awakening unfold in a grounded, sustainable way.   If you enjoy this audio you can save the link somewhere in your phone, or make a playlist for it so you have access to this practice with one click. Increasing accessibility to functional healing + non-dual spiritual oneness: www.functionalspirituality.com   Free resources: Newsletter sign-up:  A monthly update for me on new offers and the energy of the month. Community meditation: Join the Functional Spirituality Group and enjoy a free resource for meditators and yogis to connect to and enjoy a like-minded community.   Free training - 3 part method of Functional Spirituality: Learn the clear, practical framework for deep healing, emotional regulation, and spiritual integration. Connect on Socials Where you can hear from us in daily life Personal account & Functional Spirituality: @functionalspirituality  Studio: @spandaschool  Lavandula Botanicals: @lavandula.botanicals

    18 min
See All (330)

4.9
out of 5
58 Ratings

About

Hi, my name is Ava and I’m delighted to offer you “Functional Spirituality”, a free resource of talks, trainings and guided meditations. I use an academic approach to invite critical thinking into energetic, mystical and heart-based practices. Spirituality has a history of disempowering the individual and worshiping the guru or priest, without question. In this podcast, I aim to reduce the dogma that has rendered so many schools and practices ineffective - (and strange AF) - and to elevate the conversation around spirituality. I want to EMPOWER the meditator and yogi, to place the power back in our hands, to live directly from our own experience. I hope you enjoy! For Q&A questions, topic suggestions email Ava at functionalspiritualityretreat@gmail.com Visit www.functionalspirituality.com Follow us @FunctionalSpirituality or @avairani_ and our Yoga Studio at @spandaschool

Information

  • Creator
    Ava Irani
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2026
  • Episodes
    330
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Functional Spirituality

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