The Mellow Monkey Yoga Studio opened in June 2007 in historic Millwood. We were welcomed warmly by the Millwood community, and the studio quickly became a  unique fixture to this small town, nestled into Spokane Valley.  Over the years, the studio has grown remarkably. As we are beginning to branch out to other Spokane Valley neighborhoods, the Millwood studio remains our "home base". We are very grateful to all the people who have made the studio a success.

Our Goal

Our goal is to help build community, connectedness, and well-being with the people of Spokane Valley through the education of yoga, balanced living, and the arts. We strive to make yoga accessible to every body, regardless of physical or financial limitations.

What We Do

We offer a variety of yoga classes ranging from Gentle/Restorative through a more dynamic Vinyasa. What all our yoga classes have in common is the intention of Union. What makes us unique in the yoga community is our ability to help you find yoga that is true to you. Whether you are resting in a posture, or actively moving, you will begin to sense the underlying thread of vinyasa, a rhythm of breath, a rhythm of life. You will never be pushed into a posture. Our classes are layered in such a way that you can make decisions as you move to best create your yoga experience. Only you know what your body needs in any given moment.  We allow plenty of opportunities for rest and modifications. We always ask that you give yourself permission to change your practice if needed.

Why a Monkey?

I have been asked this question more times than I can count over the years! I absolutely love it! There are 3 main reasons that a Monkey became not only a part of the studio's name, but also a mascot, and a way of being. Yes, you can definitely tell when you have become a Mellow Monkey. :)

Here's the Monkey reasons:

FUN NAME  When I was looking for a name for the studio, I didn't want anything that would be off-putting or confusing. People still, at times, have reservations about what yoga is and whether or not it's for them. The Monkey takes the edge off!

MONKEY MIND One of the concepts we often consider as we practice yoga is the idea of the "Monkey Mind". You know the one--the out of control, bounces around, hard to tame mind that is one moment your best friend and the next moment your worst enemy! A Mellow Monkey is someone who has faced that part of themselves & not conquered it, but rather gave it long overdue observation. And as a result, that part of the mind mellows out a bit. It's no longer fighting for your attention. We befriend the Monkey mind & soon it is working for us rather than against us.

HUNDREDTH MONKEY This one is in the form of a story that you can google search to find many articles about. It's the story of the Hundredth Monkey. There is some claim that it is false. Some believe it is true. Here's the basic story:

In the 1950's scientists were observing Japanese monkeys on the island of Koshima. One day, one monkey began to wash his sweet potato in the sea before eating it. This hadn't been observed before. Soon, all his friends and family were washing their sweet potatos, making them clean and more delicious.

Over several years, more and more monkeys began to wash their potatos in the sea. It is said that when a certain number of monkeys (possibly 100) from this island begain to wash their potatos, all the other monkeys, on all the other islands, simultaneously begain to wash their potatos as well.

WHAT I THINK ABOUT IT  What I DO believe is this: when one person begins to make positive change, it trickles into the lives of all the people around him. If enough people begin to make positive change, it soon spreads like wildfire. -Sara Hawson