Metta Wellness, Ayurveda, Massage & Wellness

As we come to the end of the year, we welcome in a new beginning. This past year has been such an adventure, with much change and growth. Every year I take this time to reflect, on where I am, and  what my life has placed in front of me and  I ask," Am I being my true self, inside( to myself) and to the world". This is the best time of the year, to take stock in self and set my intentions for myself, my work and look at the new year. This has been an incredible year for Metta Wellness , the opening of a second location and  the launching of Metta Herbal to local fairs. It has been a year of movement, transformations and learning, about myself and the ones closest to me. So as we see the end of this year approaching, and enter a new one, its a time of learning, growing and finding balance. I am looking ahead, setting my intentions and taking the time to breath, and find a space of calm in a new year. #mettawellness #mettaherbal #newyear #newbeginning #intention...

Hi everyone, Taijiquan (Tai Chi Chuan) teacher Rick Rocha here at Metta Wellness. Start the New Year off with something new. If you have ever been curious about what Taijiquan is, this is a good place to begin. I will be teaching a course for beginners at Metta just after the New Year. This is a 6 week course, held on Saturdays from 10am to 11:30am. The course begins Jan. 5th through Feb. 9th. All adults welcome to register. The classes are simple to understand and you do not need to be athletic. Taijiquan uses gentle, simple movements to improve the body as well as the mind. You will learn a short Taijiquan form, Meridian Qigong and maybe even a little Mandarin Chinese. Register with Heather or contact me at Rickthemage@yahoo.com 774-245-5487 #mettawellness  #mettaherbal  #paxtonlocation #TaiChiChuan  #Taijiquan  #TaiChi #Qigong

 Third eye meditation is one of the tools that I work with and teach in my wellness couching to activate self awareness. Over my years of work and practice it is easy to see and feel that we all have our struggles, our personal weights that hold us, block us from our full potential, our true self. Third eye meditation awakens the pineal gland activating  the body and expanding your spiritual awareness. This meditation allows us to go inward and touch on our true self, soothing the edges, loving who and where we are right now. In this practice you will find increased happiness, focus, feelings of peace and centered in self. Lets start with a warm , safe space to sit comfortably and prepare for our meditation. Taking your left index finger to your third eye and right hand to your heart or belly, breath in, relax breath out and settle into this space. Bring your focus to your third eye, allowing yourself to feel and move through the wave that comes in and out. Gi...

So what is Ayurveda? I get this question a lot, or I hear - Ayurveda is to complicated. Yes, Ayurveda can be complicated, but I don't feel it should be and doesn't have to be. Lets dive into Ayurveda. First, how did I get to Ayurveda, lets go back a little ways. In 2006, I started my training at the Maharishi Ayurveda Center in Lancaster, MA. I had just finished a program at Dana Farber with Energy work and massage for cancer clients, when I started the training at the Ayurvedic center. The similarities between the two made for the perfect transition. Both looked at the importance of balance, digestion, proper sleep and the positive outlook of the emotions. As I dove into Ayurveda it was clear that being in balance with yourself and your environment effected every element of health. This was the beginning of a path in a  holistic lifestyle. Ayurveda, lets dive deeper. Ayurveda is one of the oldest known healing systems dating back thousands of years to India. This sy...

In the space around, and in my own world, energies are shifting. This shift gives room for change, for personal and spiritual growth. Making room for new space and allowing old thoughts and patterns to melt away and expand your true self. As the seasons change, the heat of the summer shifts to damp cool fall weather, the natural world prepares for changes. The trees pull in the energy, prepare to settle back inward through the cold winter months and so its the same with animals in the wild. This is the time for moving with the change and settling into self to prepare for whats to come. Like the busy bee from flower to flower, I have been shifting, jumping from working to preparing, from Shrewsbury to Paxton. Paxton is now open, and I am moving with this change and preparing to settle in with my space. The next few months I will learn, as Shrewsbury has been up and running, and now Paxton has joined. We will learn how and grow as we settle into the months ahead and find ba...

This is a journey! As we reach the starting point of this next step, a new journey, self care is in my view this weekend. This weekend we will be doing the final projects in the new Paxton space, before the clean up and placing furniture! This is the time that I step back and breath, and do a self massage with  coconut oil to keep the body cool and hydrated during the busy time. Coconut oil has many benefits, and when used for massage brings the balance inward. Coconut oil not only smells great, but goes onto the body easily. I prefer to use a raw coconut oil, and scoop it right out of the jar and start applying it to the body. The easiest way for self massage is to place an old towel down, start at the head and just work your way down the body, sitting on your towel at the end to get into the feet. Benefits to using coconut oil: Protects the skin from drying, cracking Eliminates body Oder Protects skin from aging, peeling Perfect carrier oil for essential oils for ...

Like the Mantra on my foot, it is the lotus coming up from the mud, patience, and beauty comes through. This is for me powerful. Metta Wellness stands for "loving kindness", with the lotus this is always a symbol for me that working through and staying on your path beauty opens. Metta Wellness has been in a process of change, always moving forward, learning, and exploring along the way. As we moved into a new location, adding a second location and launching Metta Herbals into the online market and general public. Change, patience, and trust is my Mantra for this opening. Lets step back a little. In May Metta Wellness moved into its new location in Shrewsbury,calming, easily located and just the right size.  This space also allows for the growth in Metta Wellness and Herbals. Taking time to set up and shift into this space (still organizing a few small details), adjusting and refocusing on the space and the path for Metta Wellness & Herbals. Change was our Ma...

Welcome summer! I love the heat, I love the summer. This does not mean I always enjoy a heating massage on a 90 degree day. Keeping up with your wellness routine throughout the year can be a challenge, but heat should not be one of them. At Metta Wellness I work to bring in elements, to you and your massage, to help balance with the seasons and each person on an individual bases.When the weather heats up, most of my clients are looking for ways to stay cool, I have just the massage for that. With a blend of coconut oil to hydrate and cool the body, Aloe oil to also cool down the body, balance the heaviness of the coconut and relieve any dry itchy sun(or bug) damaged skin. With this cooling blend of oils you can then add in essential oils during the massage to create your personal massage and to enhance the effects of this massage. Essential oils will allow the senses to wake and open, the benefits will be felt for a longer period of time. Essential oils that encourage and  ...

Summer is on it's way(okay that's what the calendar says)! With the summer comes, festivals, fairs and so many great events to get outside and shop local. Metta Wellness is your home for holistic healing, a space to create and keep you on your wellness routine. Metta Herbal is a branch of the herbal side of the wellness. We created Metta Herbals from a growing interest in the tea blends, capsules, oils and lotions that I create for my clients. With the growing herbal side, we created the branch of Metta Herbal to blend what I do in the office, with what people are asking for. Metta Herbal takes the most requested blends and shares them with you for your everyday, as a gift, to share or to relax at home with. Metta Herbal is getting ready for the summer with spring teas, magnesium lotions, massage oils and preparing for summer fairs. Summer fairs are a great way to support your local businesses, learn what is out in your community , do some shopping and have some outd...

Wow! These last two months have been crazy, overwhelming, exciting and powerful. We started this journey in 2005 when I finished and stepped away from massage school and entered the world of holistic healing with massage. Since I finished school I have continued to study, learn and train with different healing modalities from massage, meditation, herbs and always my clients. In 2012 with the closing of Maharishi Ayurveda Health Center, it gave me the push to step out and  work for myself. Since 2012 it has been a journey from working with and inside of a meditation center to a wellness space and now moving into my own. From each space, this journey has been so powerful, from the people I have meet, worked with and watched, I have learned so much. Now as I enter into my own, I am so thankful for the journey and the people I have in my life. The support team Metta Wellness has, we have already succeeded, its now time to bring this dream to reality. So what is coming next!...

Ayurveda is about the practice of prevention. When we look at the root of the issue, we work to find a balance as we move forward. Ayurveda takes where you are today, what are the areas of your dosha(your body type through your constitution)and looks at creating balance. We can start with prevention today and bring in a balance to help decrease some of the issues now and later. Looking at ways to find a balance through massage, meditation, yoga herbs and daily routine we can focus on prevention. This is what I love about Ayurveda. Looking at what is going on when a client comes in , looking for the root cause and how to create balance for that person.A lung issue or inflammation, its not just an issue, it is directing you to find the root, how you got the inflammation. Ayurveda looks at you, your dosha as an individual and works with you to find the areas that may be out of balance and ways to strengthen before the issue arises, or is fully out of balance. Ayurveda is the practic...

February is a time for , yes - massage! Most of us think about Valentines day, as time to show that you care or love someone special. It can also be the time to work on or focus in on the connection you have with your partner.   Finding ways to spend time, share with your partner that are not the day to day things are important.  We get caught up in out lists of going to work, paying the bills,making dinner, but when was the last time you said to your partner," tonight I'm doing a massage for you"! Massage with essential oils is a great way to share with your partner, your spending time, it works on your connection, and communication, and who doesn't like a massage!   Plan ahead, pick out a few essential oils for you and your partner, then grab some oil(this can be olive oil, coconut oil ), put the oil in a bowl, add a few drops of the essential oil, heat it up, put the music on and your ready. You do not need to be an expert at massage, your partner ...

For me, herbs make sense. When I have a cold, or feeling tired, or struggling with a stuck emotion, I go to my herbs. Herbs can be gentle, soothing, or strong, pungent and sometimes not that pleasant to take. Over time I have come to see that herbs make the journey smoother. Starting simple, like what herbs do you have right now in your kitchen. Most of us have rosemary, cinnamon, ginger and maybe basil or turmeric. With just what you have in this herb kitchen you can start your journey. Now that you have taken a new look inside your herb kitchen, lets find a few ways to work with the ones we have. Over time you will find which herbs you connect to, or relate to, and others you may not. Give the a try, blending, adding to broths, meals, self massage or just simple relax and smell the herbs. What can these kitchen herbs do for you? When I look at the herbs that you may have, I think of rosemary oil for cooking(maybe garlic in that) this is perfect for lungs and heart opener. ...

This is the time of the year we take a moment and reflect on the past. This has been a powerful year for me at Metta Wellness. Looking back at this past year, I am honored and grateful to everyone that is on this journey of wellness with me here at Metta Wellness. This past year I have focused on slowing down, adding in a daily meditation and sharing what I love with you. Taking this time to focus in what is important to my self journey, this has given me the space to bring these skills into my work. This past year I have had the opportunity to do lectures at the Wellness space, presentation at St. Vincent Hospital, Guided meditations, teaching classes at Assebet , and brought Metta Herbal to Start at the Union . Looking ahead into this New Year, working to share, learn and grow as each day is a new day. Happy New Year to you and your family.