In every walk of life, women are broadening and deepening the definition of “power.” So-called “soft skills” like compassion, empathy, kindness, and forgiveness, once seen as feminine—read, weak—are being rewritten as essential ingredients for thriving, success, and even happiness. In our fourth annual Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement feature, we asked 10 women, chosen by their peers, to share with us what power looks like in their lives, and how happiness arises for them. Here, they share what they’ve learned about purpose, community, connection, and how mindfulness can change the world.
Care for Everyone Meena SrinivasanMentor, Teacher, Ancestor
“What kind of ancestor am I willing to be?” Meena Srinivasan credits her teacher Larry Ward with inviting her to contemplate this essential question. For Srinivasan, there’s immediate personal resonance—she has a young son. But she knows her role as an ancestor is broader than her family.
Srinivasan is the executive director of Transformative Educational Leadership, cofounded by Linda Lantieri and Daniel Rechtschaffen. Like Lantieri, Srinivasan is an educator guided by the principles of Social Emotional Learning, and like Lantieri, she believes in the power of mindfulness to change lives—especially…