Carole Melkonian has been practicing meditation for decades. In 1980, she spent 4 years in residence at Zen Mountain Monastery under the guidance of John Daido Loori and then 12 years studying closely with Thich Nhat Hanh, helping start his publishing company, Parallax Press. She has attended many three-month Winter Retreats at Chithurst and Amaravati monasteries and dedicated all of 2015 to practice meditation at monasteries in England and America. She draws inspiration most deeply from the nuns and monks in the Forest Tradition of Luang Por Chah and is especially drawn to the teachings of Ajahn Sucitto and former nun Willa Thaniya Reid, with whom she continues to study. She completed the two-year Spirit Rock/IMS Community Dharma Leader Program and in 1997 attended the MBSR training course with Jon Kabat-Zinn and Saki Santorelli.
Her current work and practice include teaching mindfulness and loving kindness meditation programs at hospitals and a senior center, and serving as a mentor for students enrolled in the international 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. She encourages bringing faith, curiosity and kindness to meditation practice and life. She lives with her partner Thomas in Portland, Oregon.
