Meet Melissa Echevarria | Yoga Student, Instructor, and Studio Owner/Founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Echevarria and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, is there a quote or affirmation that’s meaningful to you?
I do!! For many years I maintained a blooming Butterfly garden in my South Florida home. Knowing all about the butterflies and their host plants and nectar plants, their life cycles from egg to catepillar and then Butterfly fascinated me as it does many others. I used to think how sad that many Butterfly species have just a short amount of time to live and yet they mate, lay more eggs and keep their population going. Until I came across this poem.. and everything changed.
“The butterfly counts not months but moments, and has time enough.

Time is a wealth of change,
but the clock in its parody makes it mere change and no wealth.

Let your life lightly dance on the edges of Time like dew on the tip of a leaf.”

Rabindranath Tagore

This poem reminds me to slow down, to remain present for each detail and moment of my life, and to savor all the parts of it, including the not so savory parts for they are all chapters of this amazing journey in our book of life.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Seven years ago when Lizzy and I decided to become business partners and open up our very own yoga studio, we knew that our combined vision of a space where it’s more that yoga it’s home would become a reality! Casa Vinyasa Yoga Studio opened its doors in South Miami in September of 2018. After a few years in that space we knew we wanted to create an even larger Home to bring this practice of Yoga to and we moved to our current location in Coral Gables. Opening this newly renovated and beautifully decorated yoga Home was a lesson in patience, trust, a lot of hard work, sleepless nights, endless excitement and complete pride and joy in how it all turned out! This past Spring we graduated out Sixth Group of Yoga Teachers with their graduation ceremony/yoga class held at the studio. We have a passion for creating and supporting the best yoga instructors in Miami, but also some of the most loyal students in town! We recognize that there are many choices to practice Yoga in Miami and we LOVE that you come HOME to practice at Casa Vinyasa Yoga studio. Our loyal students and new students alike all quickly become FAMILY at Casa Vinyasa Yoga Studio.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
One of my favorite things about living so close to the ocean are beach days by far! Whether you venture down to the Floriday Keys for Fishing and diving, or you head to Ft. Lauderdale beaches with their proximity to Las Olas Boulevard, to Miami Beaches and their cruise ship port of call, or to Key Biscayne to watch the sunset along the shoreline there’s always a wet and fun way to spend time in the South Florida Heat!

Another favorite place to visit is Coral Gables Fairchild Tropical Gardens. You can wander through the palm glades, check our very own mini rain forest, see beautiful plants and trees and let’s not forget their Butterfly Habitat top on my ‘must see’ list!

Did you say Pizza? Down the street and around the corner from Casa Vinyasa Yoga Studio, there’s a newly opened ‘pop up’ Detroit style Pizza joint called Vice City Pizza!! They’ve only just opened in this location, and I’ve driven to West Kendall to their restaurant there and was a frequent visitor when they also ‘popped up’ in a location at Dadeland South. I’m happy they are closer to the studio and to my belly!!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Family has always not only been my biggest supporters, but my main source of inspiration too! Navigating lifes cycles of changes with my families love and support is where I credit my success as a Business Owner, Mother, and now Grandmother. Family is everything to me and their continued commitment to our strong bond is what fuels me and sets me up to achieve and stay committed to learning and growing emotionally, intelligently, and whole heartedely! Shoutout to Derek, Connor, Kim and Jesse! My entire world… I love you all!

Website: https://www.casavinyasamiami.com

Instagram: casavinyasa_miami. and also. miamimel1964

Facebook: casa vinyasa yoga studio. and also Melissa Echevarria

Yelp: casa vinyasa yoga studio

Other: Thank you ShoutOut Miami for featuring me and our beautiful Casa Vinyasa Yoga Studio! Please say HI next time you take class and let me know you read this article! I love connecting with all of you!