We were lucky to catch up with Beena Patel recently and have shared our conversation below.

Beena, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Have you ever had an amazing boss, mentor or leader leading you? Can you us a story or anecdote that helps illustrate why this person was such a great leader and the impact they had on you or their team?

Yes, I’d like to give an extra shout-out and highlight to my former boss Kris Kanellopoulos. She vouched for me when many would have assumed I was inexperienced with my list of qualifications at the time. She saw me for who I really was and, most importantly, she focused on my strengths and knew how we could both be beneficial to one another on this unified journey together as being a part of her team. She saw people’s potential and ignited passion in them not based on their qualifications but their whole personality. Finding a boss who had been intuitive, compassionate and a true inspiration was rare and this is a gift I cherish to this day. She also taught me the true value of leadership which is not competing against others but raising everyone up along the way. She knew how to make the whole team shine.

Beena, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I was in healthcare since I was 17 years old. Having over 15 years of experience in that field, I saw the value and also the shortcomings. For instance, healthcare disparities and inequity can be very challenging for certain populations. I felt drawn to help many affected and knew there had to be more innovative solutions from early on.

At the age of 21, I was affected by cancer. I witnessed firsthand what it was like to be treated differently as a woman of color and also how medicine did not provide a total cure for what I had experienced. After years of brain fog post surgery, I tried yoga and meditation. Instantly, I was led back to my body and felt so present in the moment that I knew there had to be more to my healing journey that medicine alone. While working at some of the top cancer institutions, I was led back to this truth that we are all holistic beings.

That awakening propelled me to start The Yoga Movement where I empower women to create life on their own terms through a mix of science, spirituality, ancient wisdom and holistic healing. Many of the women who I serve are looking to explore their inner world through self-discovery and self-love to unlock their desired reality. While they may sometimes come with physical ailments, the work goes far deeper to the root cause of what is causing those physical symptoms to be made manifest and it usually has to do with something much deeper. I also mentor female leaders who are looking to grow and expand into a higher level of leadership as well as women looking to be ignited on that path.

Our mission at The Yoga Movement is to provide space for transformational healing and expansion so that those we serve can become self-empowered as they move through their lives – creating powerful shifts and upgrades in every area of their lives by doing less and being more.

What has personally touched me the most over the years is seeing women enter my world for one big life shake-up (a breakup, a health diagnosis, or repeating negative cycles like toxic jobs) and walking away feeling empowered in every area of her life afterward, knowing that she has the personal power, stamina, and core strength to shift her reality at any time. Once she decides, a higher power follows. My job is to provide the space for that transformation to be birthed. These are powerful women that I have the greatest privilege of walking alongside and I celebrate their trust and courage to journey inward together to create an outward expression of their own magic.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

I invested a lot of money in some mentors who were not an aligned fit for me – this was a lesson in and of itself and taught me how to build my trust muscle so there aren’t any regrets. However, I’d love to help others save money where they can so that it can be used towards something much more beneficial.

In the world of business, everyone believes they have the secret to success. While many have good intentions, the reality is times are changing and businesses are becoming quite unique and authentic in what they have to bring to the world. There are many small-owned businesses that are being created as a force for good and these businesses are not necessarily run the way bigger businesses and corporations are. To think that the way one person does business is ultimately better than another is not true, although lessons and wisdom can be imparted.

If you want to seek a mentor, seek out a leader who can show you the way and also opens up space for you to discover your own way. Anything else is almost akin to copying someone else’s blueprint when your blueprint is unique to you. We aren’t meant to do things like everyone else and that is a beautiful thing. Be unique.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I got dismissed from graduate school two months shy of graduation. I was told I’d never become a Physician Associate because I was thought to be incompetent by a preceptor who had a personality conflict (and personal struggles of her own).

I was devastated and felt lost as to what the next steps in my life were. However, I turned to my faith in God. I got back on my feet and decided to bet on myself all over again. I felt pulled by God to try again and after having applied to 40 schools, I got admitted into one and ran with it.

Just 6 months later, I was accepted into a school in my dream city – New York City. I learned the power of persistence and having grit. Even when situations seem to not work in our favor, they are working in our favor.

I was able to take all that I learned the first time around and apply it on a much deeper level this time and I helped others along the way because I didn’t want others to struggle.

I graduated with honors and only worked at the top cancer institutions in New York City.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://theyogamovementnyc.com/
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/theyogamovement
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/theyogamovement/
• Youtube: https://YouTube.com/@theyogamovementnyc

Image Credits

Naty Rodriguez