Heart Of Meena

Excited to be part of the incredible faculty for Mind & Life Institute’s 2025 Summer Research Institute, focused on Reimagining Contemplative Education: Shaping a Collective Future.

This program brings together visionary educators, researchers, and practitioners to explore how contemplation can transform education and foster flourishing in our communities. Applications are now open—join us in this meaningful work!

Learn more and apply here: https://bit.ly/4eOrMc3

As we celebrate the beginning of Diwali, I'm reflecting on the power of honoring names and identities more fully.

Similar to how the lights of Diwali symbolize the triumph of light over darkness, correctly pronouncing someone's name illuminates their dignity and worth. 🪔

I invite you to strive to create spaces, whether it be in education or beyond, where every person's story shines bright. 🙏🏽💖

Read more about how pronouncing names correctly is a core equity practice: https://bit.ly/40hfB3W

Climate justice education isn't just about facts - it's about creating brave spaces for emotional vulnerability. 🌍

As I prepare for the 2024 Climate Roundtable at Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)'s , I'm reminded that our students need teachers who acknowledge their fears and stand beside them in uncertainty.

Together, we can face these challenges with courage, humility, and hope. Hope to see you at our roundtable in Chicago November 14th!🙏🏽💖

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CeEheX1QWA

What can educators do to support the climate justice movement? From the Youth Climate Justice Panel at the15th Annual Mindfulness in Education Conference, co-hosted by Transformative Educational Leadership (TEL) and the ...

Tenderness, along with empathy, compassion, and vulnerability, serve as the quiet forces that melt barriers and open hearts.

In our fast-paced world, it can be easy to forget that love and the relationships we form with those around us are the most important things. By putting gentle energy out into the world, it comes back to you, creating spaces for authentic connection and healing. 💕

Let's embrace tenderness as a pathway to deeper empathy and understanding. Together, we can cultivate a more compassionate world. 🙏🏽💖

Read more: https://bit.ly/3AhYFQi

Starting your day with mindfulness can help alleviate tension and stress.

For example, a simple body scan meditation, in which you slowly and intentionally scan your body, creates space for awareness, relaxation, and self-discovery. 🧘🏽

I invite you to explore this gentle practice of tuning into our bodies with care and intention. 🙏🏽💖

If you are looking for more daily meditation practices, I am happy to share practices I've created on Tripp, Ladder Health, & InsightTimer.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3plJwBJHSRg

Body Scan This is a short body scan practice adapted from Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). In this practice you are invited to slowly and intentionally scan ...

Happy Wellness Wednesday, everyone!

Wellness is commonly thought of as taking a nice vacation to relax and reset, but it isn't always a destination—it's a journey we can embark on right from our desks.

Simple stretches, like the ones I've shared courtesy of the British Columbia Chiropractic Association, can be powerful acts of self-care that transform our workday.

Remember, each moment of mindfulness is a step towards holistic well-being.

I invite you to look inward and ask: how will I care for myself today? 🙏🏽💖

I’m deeply honored to join an incredible roundtable of SEL and climate justice education leaders at the 2024 SEL Exchange, including CASEL Co-Founder Mark Greenberg, Xiaoan Li of the Fetzer Institute, Nandini Chatterjee of UNESCO MGIEP, and Tom Roderick, author of Teach for Climate Justice. Together, we’ll explore how to integrate SEL into climate and sustainability education, discussing key policy and practice issues.

This event also marks CASEL's 30th anniversary—a milestone for an organization that has been close to my heart and pivotal in my career for the past 15 years. Here's a look back at a special moment from the inaugural SEL Exchange and CASEL's 25th Anniversary, where I joined a group of Next Generation SEL Leaders to share insights on Building a Culture of Equity through SEL.

Feeling grateful to be part of this journey! 💖

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtfawMHnhHY

Next Generation Leaders Panel Q & A at the 2019 SEL Exchange TEL Executive Director, Meena Srinivasan, talks about how her organization is filling an important gap in the field of education.

Racial micro-affirmations—those small but powerful gestures, like a nod, a smile, or an affirming word—carry profound significance within Communities of Color. These subtle acts uplift, validate, and offer moments of dignity that help counter the persistent, everyday racism marginalized communities face.

Thank you to my beloved colleague Aija Simmons for introducing me to this research 🙏🏽💖

Read more about the transformative impact of racial micro-affirmations: https://bit.ly/450DEV8

🌟 Embracing the Complexities of Burnout 🌟

Today, I had the honor of returning to Santa Barbara City College to offer insights on Healing Burnout. I am deeply grateful for my partners at SBCC, Justin Buller and Melissa Menendez, who first heard me on a podcast in 2022 and then invited me to their campus. It has been a privilege to be with them every year since.

Burnout is a pervasive issue, intricately tied to Dominant Systems and Cultural Norms that create conditions for chronic stress and exhaustion in our daily lives. Societal values emphasizing productivity, competition, and perpetual availability exacerbate our struggles.

Here are some thoughts we explored today:

✨ Recognizing Systemic Roots: It's vital to understand how these dominant systems impact our well-being and contribute to burnout.

✨ Small Steps Matter: To effectively tackle larger issues, we must reclaim control over the smaller aspects of our lives, no matter how insignificant they may seem.

✨ Genuine Support: It’s essential to create a space that honors our experiences and invites authentic solutions rather than superficial fixes.

✨ Building Together: We must balance acknowledging systemic challenges while empowering ourselves to foster healing.

Thank you for the continued collaboration and commitment to this vital work! 💖

As we move through the final quarter of the year, I invite you to take a brief moment to reflect on your journey this year.

Growing fiercely means embracing both joys and sorrows, evolving with passion and purpose. When I think of growing fiercely, I think of the resilient Joshua Tree, which inspires me to find the energy to thrive in challenging conditions.

What does growing fiercely mean to you as we move closer to the end of 2024?

I often find it helpful to draw inspiration from nature as we cultivate our unique stories of resilience when reflecting on our dreams and aspirations.

https://meena-srinivasan.medium.com/what-does-it-mean-to-grow-fiercely-ac891ead100a

What does it mean to grow fiercely? To celebrate my 43rd birthday our family took a trip to Joshua Tree National Park. It was my first visit there and I was just in awe. My husband, a die hard U2 fan, had us listening to their Joshua…

Happy Wellness Wednesday! It's so important to nurture your body during long days at the office, so I'd love to share some office stretches for you to try, courtesy of the British Columbia Chiropractic Association.

Simple stretches can be powerful acts of self-care. From shoulder rolls to gentle arm extensions, these movements aren't just physical—they're mindful moments that reconnect us with our bodies.

Let's make wellness a daily practice, not just a Wednesday tradition.

In relationships, it's not the grandiose gestures of love that make the most difference; the small gestures build lasting connections.

Research shows couples who respond to their partner's bids for connection 86% of the time have stronger bonds.

Tenderness in our interactions can nurture our relationships. I invite you to see how today you can tend to your most important connections with a greater sense of care and love.

Tenderness and Turning Towards Do you ever find yourself turning away from bids for connection? Let’s explore…An excerpt from Meena Srinivasan's TEDx Talk "Unlocking the Secret Powers of T...