Could you tell us more about yourself? How did you start practicing and teaching meditation?

When I was a little girl, I was passionate about medicine and biology but most of all, I was passionate about helping others. I strongly felt I could have been a good doctor. I felt I could empathize and support people who suffered: I had large shoulders and a big heart. But I felt in the long run the pain would have become too much, almost unbearable, for my soul.

So I decided I wanted to become an engineer. In the small village where I was born, there had never been a woman engineer. I desired to help people progress, make bridges among cultures and places, physical bridges as well as social and emotional ties. And contribute to build respect for the natural environment. I also wanted to be an inspiring mother, to give my daughter (I kind of sensed I would have had a daughter) a chance to express and promote a joyful dynamic passionate vision of a world founded on justice, respect and harmony.

I became an engineer, lived and worked in different parts of the world; I soon realized that rather than interested in the details, I was passionate about large scale and meaningful impact, from within. I went back to research, in business school. And here I am… teaching meditation.

How did I start practicing? I was a very happy young lady and I was curious. I heard about this energy that I would eventually be able to feel, but most of all I was attracted by the people: they had such a special light in their eyes and a tremendous joy. How did I start teaching meditation? By chance, as it often happens. Instead of helping healing bodies, I found myself supporting people freeing their minds and realizing their inner potential.

I desired to help people progress, make bridges among cultures and places, physical bridges as well as social and emotional ties. And contribute to build respect for the natural environment.

You are currently an executive trainer and leadership coach at the Imperial College in London. What is at the core of the trainings you teach?

I designed a highly innovative leadership development course applying introspection, meditation and coaching practices. I consider myself very fortunate, since I enjoy doing creative work and, at the same time, follow my passions.

How can leaders use meditation practices into their busy daily lives and what transformations can meditation mean to their careers?

Meditation is much more than just a tool for managing stress: it gives leaders the opportunity to reconnect with the deepest dimensions of their self, unveil and project the deep-seated qualities that are essential to positive transformative leadership. This can be critical at the time of important meetings and strategic decision making as well as in motivating and empowering other leaders and team members in the organization.

Meditation has to become a healthy habit, like brushing teeth in the morning or taking a coffee break during a working day. It is easy and can be done anywhere. It is just a matter of taking a few minutes to dedicate to ourselves.

Meditation is much more than just a tool for managing stress: it gives leaders the opportunity to reconnect with the deepest dimensions of their self, unveil and project the deep-seated qualities.

If you could give our network just one or two tips or techniques to incorporate into their meditation practice, what would those be?

One simple technique is to raise our energy and attention to the top of our head in the fontanelle area. That gives us the capacity to witness ourselves and reality in a detached way. This is particularly helpful at the time when peak performance is demanded.

Another one is to feel on your hands the status of our energetic system and address the imbalances we feel. Those who will attend the webinars will learn how to do both and much more.

How practices such as meditation connect us with others and why is this extremely important in times of crisis like the one we are experiencing now?

The connection with others is established by removing the non-essential features of our life and by focusing on the core values that make us flourish as human beings. These core values get spontaneously reactivated in meditation through the experience of Self Realization. They are then sustained in the thoughtless awareness state, which is achieved and maintained through the meditation practice.

Do you believe the COVID19 outbreak crisis will contribute to the emergence of an inner revolution?

It is probably too early to have a clear sense and a deep understanding of the changes that have been activated by this global crisis. However, we can already recognize a higher sense of solidarity and empathy among individuals and within communities. With the support of deeper introspection and meditative practice, I expect we will learn to tap into our inner resources and reach a higher level of consciousness.

This will unveil, manifest and empower the positive fundamental values, at individual level as well as at collective level. The change, though, has to come from within, and has to start from individuals. Women have a much stronger predisposition to awaken and realize these subtle but powerful changes.

With the support of deeper introspection and meditative practice, I expect we will learn to tap into our inner resources and reach a higher level of consciousness.

We like to conclude our interviews with a question from the Proust questionnaire: What is the quality you most like in female leaders?

The first one is the women’s capacity to love, from which derives the capability to empathize, accept, forgive, nourish, include, unify. The second one is humility, which relies on self-confidence, self-respect and respect for others, and inspires trust. And finally, due to the fact that they generate and perpetrate life, a truly sustainable vision of the world.