Tea Time with Melanie: A Fit Foodie Building Community

Dec 23, 2016

Meet Melanie Weisman: an East Coaster who is transforming the Phoenix self-care scene one meditation sesh at a time. When this classy lady isn't busy making self-care cool, she loves frequenting local restaurants and hanging out with her adorable poodle.

Tell us a little bit about yourself: Who is Melanie?

I’m an East Coaster from NJ who moved here two years ago to open Current Meditation. I’ve always been a social butterfly who is passionate about building community and bringing people together. I’m also a total foodie…probably because food and drink are great for bringing people together. Meditation is also a great way to build community, so that seems to be something I gravitate towards.

melanie weisman teaspressa current meditation

Wait…how is mediation good at bringing people together? That seems to be a bit of a contradiction…

For me, meditation is all about awareness and compassion, which leads to things like better communication and open-mindedness. Specifically, our meditation studio is very welcoming for a wider audience, especially those new to meditation. Although it’s a solo activity, there can be a lot of conversation and community surrounding meditation. To promote this, we built a community table in our studio – I call it the “kitchen island” of our home. It’s an area where people naturally gravitate to before and after each session. We even have our meditation guides there to answer questions and break down barriers. Meditation is a practice. You have to do it regularly to reap the benefits, which include a better understanding of yourself and connections with those around you.

Tell us more about your studio.

Current Meditation is a modern, meditation-focused studio that is making meditation more accessible. At Current, we offer a free week of classes for new guests, so that they can try the variety of classes and Meditation Guides. We also have memberships and packages available to help people commit to their practice. It’s welcoming and relatable – no incense or buddhas. Meditation is about bringing awareness, concentration, and compassion into your daily life. Everyone can benefit from it! Millennials, moms, CEOs: everyone can stand to have more compassion, especially in today’s world. We also have aerial meditation where people relax in silk hammocks suspended from wooden beams in our studio. It calms the nervous system because it’s like a baby being swaddled. It’s especially good for people with back pains because it makes them comfy and cozy. It’s our most popular class! Everyone has different experiences with meditation – even our guides. They all come from different backgrounds, which means there are lots of opportunities for connection.

What does life look like outside of work?

Again, total foodie. Nights out are trying new restaurants and bars. I’m always looking for new people to meet and new places to go. When I’m not out and about, I love hanging out with my dog Roxy, a standard poodle.

What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?

Choose your battles wisely. Things happen every day that can ruffle your feathers, but most of them can easily be brushed off. They don’t matter, so don’t let them affect you negatively.

Where do you see yourself in one year? five years? ten? What changes? What stays the same?

Recently, I’m all about the present moment (thanks, meditation!). In a year, hopefully we can open a second location of Current Meditation. In five years, maybe a family? I can’t even imagine ten years! Still eating, meditating, and hanging with Roxy and the crew – maybe add another dog!

What are your favorite holiday traditions?

My whole family gets matching pajamas on Christmas Eve, and we stay in and cook dinner. I love it.