Ep. 274 – Kid's Series: Meena Srinivasan

Nov 26, 2025

In this conversation, Meena Srinivasan, an educational leader and author known for her integration of mindfulness and social-emotional learning, shares insights from her spiritual roots and teaching journey. She emphasizes the necessity of SEL in fostering emotional intelligence, which supports both academic success and adult well-being. Meena introduces practical mindfulness tools for classrooms and home, explores the concept of tenderness in education, and emphasizes community's role in learning. Her innovative approach connects personal growth with transformative teaching practices.

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ADVICE

Match Practices To Developmental Age

Use sensory, movement, and play-based practices for young children like 'smell the flower, blow out the candle.'
Adapt methods by age: name emotions in elementary years and support identity and purpose inquiry in teens.

INSIGHT

Mindfulness Needs SEL And Adult Support

Standalone mindfulness programs for teens show little sustained effect unless paired with SEL competencies and relational practices.
Adult practice and whole-school integration are essential for lasting impact.

INSIGHT

Adult Presence Is The Unwritten Curriculum

Adults' emotional presence is the most powerful classroom intervention because emotions are contagious.
Investing in teacher well-being predicts both student well-being and academic success.

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For episode 274, we are continuing a new series on the Metta Hour, centered on kids, in honor of Sharon’s first children’s book, Kind Karl, coming out on December 9th!

Co-authored by Jason Gruhl, this illustrated picture book is for 4-8 year-olds and is a new children’s adaptation of Sharon’s beloved book Lovingkindness.

To learn more about Sharon’s forthcoming children’s book, Kind Karl, and pre-order a copy with a special pre-order gift, you can visit Sharon’s website, right here.

For this podcast series, Sharon speaks with educators, caregivers, and researchers about the ways meditation, mindfulness, and lovingkindness can impact children of all ages and the family systems that support them. For the third episode of the series, Sharon speaks with Meena Srinivasan.

Meena Srinivasan is an educational leader, speaker, author, and visionary edupreneur. With over two decades of dedicated service, she has consistently championing the fusion of Mindfulness and Social and Emotional Learning (SEL). In 2022, she was featured as one of Mindful Magazine's "Ten Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement," while also gaining recognition in Educational Leadership Magazine for her insights into Mindful Leadership and Wellbeing. Her recent TEDx Talk on Tenderness is one of the most popular talks of 2024 with more than 2 million views. A dedicated practitioner for more than 25 years, Meena is a newly ordained lay Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition, in the lineage of Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, who calls her a “precious ambassador of mindfulness.”

In this conversation, Meena and Sharon speak about:

Aligning inner life with outer work
Meena’s early spiritual foundation in Hindu culture
Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
SEL practices for different ages & environments
Smell the Flower and Blow Out the Candle meditations
Supporting kids in crisis
Thích Nhất Hạnh’s School of Interbeing
The importance of parents'’ and educators’ well-being
Community practice as a necessity
Transformative Educational Leadership
Meena’s research on tenderness with Yale
Tenderness versus compassion, vulnerability & empathy
The Three Breath Hug Meditation
The Non-Toothache Meditation

The episode closes with Meena leading guided practice. You can learn more about Meena’s work on her website, right here.

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