Carole Melkonian has been practicing meditation for decades; spending four years in residence at Zen Mountain Monastery and 12 years studying closely with Thich Nhat Hanh, helping start his publishing company, Parallax Press. She has attended many three-month Winter Retreats at monasteries in the Ajahn Chah lineage in the UK and dedicated all of 2015 to practicing meditation at monasteries. She is a graduate of the Spirit Rock/IMS Community Dharma Leader Program. She draws inspiration most deeply from the nuns and monks in the Forest Tradition of Ajahn Chah, is especially drawn to the teachings of Ajahn Sucitto and former nun Willa Thaniya Reid, and continues to study with both.

Her current work and practice include teaching residential retreats, meditation programs at hospitals, and serving as a mentor for students enrolled in the online Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training Program led by Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. She also works in hospice as an RN and Licensed Acupuncturist where for the past 15+ years, she has accompanied many patients and families at this end-of-life transition.

In her meditation practice, she emphasizes embodiment, metta/loving friendliness, and energy-based body work (qi gong and yoga). To the ebbs and flows of daily life, she directly applies the liberating teachings of the Buddha and encourages bringing faith, curiosity and kindness to meditation practice and life.