My husband and I were looking for something we could enjoy together and we decided on Yoga, for many reasons. We were so happy when we found Melinda’s restorative class it was a perfect fit on so many levels. First, it was a great way to end a busy weekend and get us centered for the busy week ahead. Second, it allowed us to get back into our body and breath and slow down. Third, and most importantly Melinda has a unique way of allowing you to experience Yoga on such a deeper level whether it be spiritually, physically (releasing tension) or if we were lucky enough to simply quiet our thoughts for a bit.

Oh and my husband wanted to mention her taste in music was simply “magic”

With gratitude,

Rene and Tom Parker

Melinda brings warmth, humor, knowledge/technique to her teachings as well as a very lovely singing voice. Students find comfort and support in her classes and that allows the breath to flow and the yoga to truly happen. Melinda is also a very supportive and fun colleague.
Sofi Milani, RYT

I have been coming to Melinda’s yoga classes in Sonoma for about a year, and have been very impressed with her level of competence. She always tries to make the classes interesting and varied so no one gets tired of the exercises, and brings a good sense of humor to the class.

The best thing for me is that she is very cognizant of my “special needs”. I have some mobility problems, so she always takes the time to get me set up next to her, so she can give me variations of the exercises as we go along, and lets me work in a chair instead of on the ground.

All the best,
Alan Early

Heartfelt, humorous and with great depth, Melinda guides her students back to themselves in a gentle but profound way. Her classes have become an important ritual for me, helping to provide more focus and balance in the rest of my life.
Bette Timm

I have taken yoga from Melinda for approximately one year and most recently started her yoga class which included weights. I like that Melinda starts slowly and builds. Her directions are very clear and well paced. Her “spiritual added” is uniquely Melinda and is a very sweet focusing at the end and beginning of the session.
Gail Moser

My name is Kay White and I’m enjoying a beautiful retirement from AT&T living in Sonoma, California. I first met Melinda when I joined a Gentle Yoga class at our center for seniors, the Vintage House.

Melinda exudes joy for life and spreads good cheer and kindness in every setting. She often signs written communications with a favored mantra, “do no harm.”

Melinda is an experienced and wise yogi who always encourages us to appreciate ourselves and what our bodies are capable of in our practices. She heals with quiet mindfulness, movement, song and humor. Even when we are practicing yoga on land vs. water, we are still her “mermaids.” Melinda lives in the moment and encourages us to grow older with resilience and grace.

I feel blessed to have had Melinda in my life and I will always have warm thoughts of her and our time together.

Melinda’s yoga classes provide the perfect level of physical challenge for me, and she’s always conscientious about encouraging modifications as needed for each participant. But her down-to-earth attitude and humor are also what keep me coming back.
Monica McKey

I would like to say how much I enjoyed attending Melinda’s yoga classes. My first introduction to her was at a large class at our senior center that she subbed at for 4 months. She was very friendly and took over the class with skill and an appealing sense of humor, opening the practice with a joke and ending the hour with a lovely little song about wishes for us to be safe and well. She introduced us to a variety of somewhat challenging poses, always encouraging and inspiring us to do our best according to our abilities. Half the exercises were seated poses, the rest standing or floor poses. She liked to re-arrange our seating patterns each week to keep things interesting!

In addition, she formed a new Yoga with Weights class which I attended. I found it to be more difficult, but once again she was encouraging and supportive. Melinda shared many tips about caring for and strengthening our bodies and building our balancing abilities without hurting ourselves. I appreciated her light-hearted approach!

She took over a class that I had belonged to for many years at a lovely retirement home (when the teacher herself retired). She quickly adjusted her activities for the older and more fragile residents. She always made this class fun, even having us sing while she played the ukulele. She made us all feel close as a group when we did different balance exercises holding hands in a circle or massaging each other’s’ shoulders. We learned tips on how to counteract aging!

Melinda is so cheerful and personable–I always looked forward to being in her classes, and I will miss her great enthusiasm and appreciation for life.

Sincerely.

Patricia Elam